Quality, not quantity, reigns in networking: Those ten meaningful LinkedIn connections yield long-term results, not the thousands of random connections. Here’s how to build meaningful LinkedIn connections that last.

Learn what makes a LinkedIn connection meaningful

Nobody likes a one-sided relationship, where one person does all the work or gains all the benefits. So a lasting, meaningful LinkedIn connection will be one that adds professional value and benefits both parties.

Choose the right people

Although meaningful connections can come from unexpected places, they rarely come from generic “please join my network” messages. (Plus, isn’t it kind of creepy to get those from random strangers?) Better to start bolstering your network with people you already know. Import a list of your email contacts, look through the “people you may know” on your Networking page, or search for individuals, groups, or keywords that interest you.

Invite connections

If you care about making a particular connection, you’ll customize your request to link in. Use the invitation to remind the person how you met and/or what interests you about their profile or industry. It might read, “Hi, Grace. I’m glad we could talk at the conference this weekend. Since we are in the same industry, I thought it would be a great idea to connect.”

Build relationships

People appreciate other people of value, but you won’t seem valuable if you ask for favors straight away—you’ll seem like a liability. First see how you can offer your services to new connections, especially if you can work it into the invitation-to-connect text with, say, an offer to buy coffee. Showing your value right away encourages the connection to build a relationship with you.

Respond to your invitations

Once you become active on LinkedIn, you’ll start getting invitations to connect. You may be tempted to accept all connection requests, even from people you don’t know, but that falls under quantity, not quality, connections—plus you never know when a scam may jeopardize your safety. It’s better to vet potential connections first to see why they want to connect, especially if they send you a generic invitation.

In conclusion

Building a meaningful LinkedIn network of quality, not quantity, connections will take more time than accepting anything and everything that comes your way. But this targeted approach is more likely to land you long-term results in a trusted peer, a mentor, or a leg up in your next professional adventure.