So, do not use the wrong marketing tool to get the results you need.

Yesterday I received a LinkedIn request from someone I did not know. That is not unusual, I get those all the time. 

Sometimes I accept the connection and sometimes I do not. I connect with those people where:

1. We have an obvious synergy
2. We have connections in common which give me a reason / guide of why they want to connect
3. They have sent a message explaining why they want to connect

On this occasion No 2 was the answer so I pressed Accept.

Soon afterwards, I received a simple Hello message, I replied. A little later another message asking about the weather. I was busy on any other project so did not respond. A couple of hours later they sent a photograph of themselves on a fishing boat but with no explanation. By this time, I was starting to wonder what the purpose of this connection was so asked the question. They responded with a message to say that they were looking for their soulmate and felt that I was that person.

We had never met; we had only exchanged greetings so how could he possibly think that?  I didn't ask, but instead pointed out that LinkedIn was a professional network and not a dating app and suggested that he tried one of those instead as it was likely to bring better results. He thanked me and I removed him as a connection.