3 Simple Ways to Move From The “LinkedIn Connection” Phase Into The “Relationship Phase”

Patrick McFadden

I have always viewed LinkedIn as a valuable online tool to help connect with the people whom I might potentially want to work with and ignite the beginnings of business partnerships, client relationships and friendships.

The lifeline of new and existing business is relationships, not connections. This is an important principle to understand. While the internet’s sole purpose is to be a connection machine. It has also caused a lot of fake networking. Networking is always important when it’s real and a useless distraction when it’s fake.

Most of the people using LinkedIn are focused on growing their connections numbers. Keeping track of how many people connect with them. However, the challenge lies in actually going deep not wide with those connections that you’ve made via online. If you’re simply connected to someone but have no further dialogue, what have you really accomplished?

Here’s how you can accomplish something and move from the LinkedIn connection phase into the relationship phase:

  1. Having meaningful conversations.  Initiate a related conversation and the perfect time have one is when you’re top of mind. After you’ve made a new connection, an introduction, received an introduction, answered a question, received an answer to a question and even after someone has commented on your status update or group discussion.
  2. Move the conversation Off-LinkedIn.  Go from text to video communication. Video moves you from being another LinkedIn message to an actual person. Nothing beats being able to look someone in the eye and see their expression/reaction to something you just said. You just can’t get that with LinkedIn. You can use a tool like  Skype  or a  Google+ Hangout  to make the visual connection.
  3. In-person meetings. In-person meetings are crucial in order to move from the  connection  phase into the  relationship  phase. A great way to do this is to ask for a one-to-one or attend the same networking events, or conferences.

Question:   What do you think? How do you move from the LinkedIn Connection phase into the Relationship phase?

Forget “Perfect Workspaces.” Customers Want Perfect Installation Days — Here’s What Happened When One Furniture Installation Company Got That Right

By Patrick McFadden • March 31, 2025
1. The Challenge: VMI was like many service providers — positioning their value around what they thought clients wanted : “Office furniture installation and assembly — let us handle creating your perfect workspace.” But the actual buyers — facility managers, project managers, furniture reps — weren’t looking for “perfect workspaces.” They were trying to avoid installation nightmares . Their real priority? ✅ Great installation days. ✅ No chaos. ✅ No missed deadlines. ✅ No angry phone calls from clients. 2. The Insight: After conducting stakeholder interviews under our marketing strategy consulting engagement , the Indispensable Marketing team uncovered critical feedback: “We need installers who maintain a professional site and follow instructions.” “We lose relationships when installations go badly.” “I need quotes back quickly or I can’t sell the job.” This wasn’t just about services , it was about trust, problem-solving , and professional reliability . So we reframed their differentiators not by what they did, but how they showed up : Same-day project quotes Problem-solving on-site Update protocol with clients Professionalism guarantee Lasting Impression Insurance 3. The Shift: We shifted the positioning from vague benefits to real-world, emotional triggers : Instead of: “Let us create your perfect workspace.” Now: “Get the perfect installation day, every time.” That subtle shift aligns with who’s actually buying (and who feels the pain when things go wrong). The end-user may care about the workspace. But the buyer cares about the install . 4. The Lesson for Others: If you’re selling a service, don’t describe what you do. Describe what the client wants to avoid or achieve — and who the real buyer is. Then, systematize what you’re already doing well and give it a name. Just like our team did with: “Same Day Quotes” “Lasting Impression Insurance” “Reliable Presence Protocol” 5. The Outcome Within weeks of updating their messaging and positioning: The company reported more qualified leads asking the right questions Furniture reps began referring them because they were “easy to work with and made them look good” They were shortlisted for larger, multi-phase projects due to increased confidence in their process But most importantly, they stopped competing on price — because they weren’t selling perfect workspaces anymore. They were selling peace of mind on installation day.

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By Patrick McFadden • March 8, 2025
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