You might consider posting a "Sticky" post so there is some content where new users can request friending. There is No message at all when a prospect goes to your journal.

I know how hard it is to find people to add. For a while I tried introducing people who I read as a continuing series on my journal. It is really disconcerting that so many people have left, are never coming back, and never deleted their account so my friends list is full of the unresponsive.