The Power of Social Networking . . . 203 connect with friends you already have. It makes it very simple to 昀椀nd all your friends and get started. When you invite someone new to become a friend, you’re given the option of including a personal message along with the invitation. You should always take advan- tage of this option. 吀栀at doesn’t mean you have to write an emotional letter about how much this connection means to you. In fact, you shouldn’t write anything of the sort. Just a few sentences about why you’d like to connect with this person will make you stand out from the crowd. (Please do not include the link to buy your book on Ama- zon here.) Very often you’ll have found out about this person through a prior connection with a Facebook friend that you have in common (Facebook always displays that information), so mentioning your common friend is a good way to start the relationship. 吀栀is will show that your connection was more than just the random pushing of a button. 吀栀ere are plenty of robotic programs doing just that, and you’ll want to show you’re not one of them. Google Every Name Besides having friends in common, a little research on a potential friend can also go a long way. 吀栀is is especially important with people you really want as a connection. First click on the picture of the person who is asking to be your friend, which will take you to their pro昀椀le page,