From DallasBlue Director Marc Freedman

Q. How formal should my requests be? I see conflicting information. This is the Internet after all, not some dreary boardroom. LinkedIn tells me it can be brief and informal as it is a network of trusted connections. But other people tell me not to be too informal.

A. The answer is "It depends." There are various factors to consider.

• Professionalism. LinkedIn is a business network, not a social network like Friendster. While social networks can be informal, business networks have an expectation of professionalism and so are more formal. Your fellow LinkedIn users are busy executives and professionals just like you. Respect them and their time and they will be happy to help you.
  
  
• Effective Communications. You don't use LinkedIn to just say hello. Similarly, sending a request asking just to connect is not recommended. Establish a relationship first. Your request should state why you're connecting and the benefits you provide. See our list of Masterful Requests.
  
  
• Recipient. If you're reconnecting with a buddy, a simple one-liner is fine. If you're trying to reach a corporate CEO you don't know, you would want to be much more formal. Put your compelling proposition in the request and make it semi-formal.
  
  
• Type of request. A reconnection request can be brief. On the other hand, if you're selling a product or service, be clear about what you offer and its benefits.
  
  
• Connections. The more intervening connections, the more likelihood your request will be rejected. If you have a direct connection because you both belong to the same group, you can afford to be informal. If you have multiple intervening connections, you can't make the assumption that everyone will freely pass your message. In that case be more formal to increase the likelihood of your message reaching the recipient.
  
  
• Connection strength. If the recipient is 1 connection away, consider your relationship with the connection in between. If it's strong, you'll get a strong referral and can make do with an informal request. If it's a weak connection, be more formal.

In general, if you're not sure about the formality, err on the side of caution and be more formal. Remember, your request is your first contact with someone who can either do business with you or point you to someone who does. You want to create the best possible impression. So make it a good request!