Daily Magazine

Want to create an expansive and powerful network? We asked LinkedIn's power users for their best tips.

The rules of engagement on LinkedIn are fairly clear: first and foremost, you should only connect with people you actually know. Yet millions of people—yes, we're looking at you—are broadening their networks by connecting to people with whom they've never even had a discussion.

The rules aren't black and white, but if you want to expand your LinkedIn database make sure to choose the right shade of grey. "One major pet peeve of mine when it comes to LinkedIn requests is when people who don't know you say you're a 'friend,' or that you have done business with them at their current company," says social media strategist Scott Swanay. "First of all, that's not true, and second of all, it's just lazy on their part—those are generally requests that I'll ignore."...

Everyone tries to network, but few people do it well, often making the same basic mistakes.

Here’s what not to do when you’re trying to expand or leverage your network:

1. Try to take before you give. The goal of networking is to connect with people who can help you make a sale, get a referral, establish a contact, etc. When we network, we want something.

But at first, never ask for what you want. In fact you may never ask for what you want. Forget about what you can get and focus on what you can provide. Giving is the only way to establish a real connection and relationship. Focus solely on what you can get out of the connection and you will never make meaningful, mutually beneficial connections.

When you network, it’s all about them, not you...