The way you network and do business on LinkedIn is reflected in your connection request messages. When the lead looks at your LinkedIn profile, they form a first impression.
Unless your profile is perfectly organized, there’s no connection request message that can rescue the chance to impress you’ve just squandered.
That is likewise true in the other direction.
Even if your LinkedIn profile is completely organized, a generic and irrelevant connection request message will dramatically reduce your chances of being approved.
Knowing people and forming great business connections are important in business, just as they are in life, and they all begin with a well-crafted LinkedIn connection message to prospects, which is why you should keep reading my guide to writing the perfect LinkedIn connection message!
Let’s get down to business!
Why Should You Use a LinkedIn Message?
With the ever-increasing competition on LinkedIn, it’s no longer enough to send a message for the mere goal of connecting – it’s also necessary to be clever and send a brief tailored message request with a clear objective.
Many people are perplexed by the following:
Why does it say ‘message’ instead of ‘connect’ on LinkedIn?
These are completely separate features. You can’t send a LinkedIn message unless you’ve already connected with the individual.
You’ll be able to include a sort of message – more of a note really – with your invitation request (connection request message), but it’ll be restricted to 300 characters. This is what we’re talking about today.
That being said, this isn’t the same as sending an actual message – even less so if you wish to provide a link to your website or a presentation brochure attachment.
If you want to add someone to your professional network but don’t know how, keep reading!
How To Write a LinkedIn Connection Request
What’s a good LinkedIn message to connect?
That’s what we’re here to find out!
Recruiters, company leaders, entrepreneurs, and marketers all have one thing in common – every week, they receive hundreds of messages on LinkedIn.
And you can rest assured your message will be buried in this heap.
This is why I can’t stress this enough:
It’s critical to grab your reader’s attention so that they choose to read your content.
The how portion of a LinkedIn message is the most crucial. Here are the 4 measures you should do to set yourself out from the other 90% of the crowd:
- Establish a clear goal.
- Begin by introducing yourself.
- Explain why you’re writing to them in the first place.
- Keep things brief, but not too brief.
#1 – Make sure you have a clear subject
You wouldn’t believe how many messages are sent with the subject “Hello” as a connection request. People are conditioned to disregard such messages and are trained to do so on autopilot.
It’s critical to keep the topic brief. But it’s even more crucial to let the recipient know exactly what to expect from the communication. If your subject isn’t interesting enough, the recipient won’t read the message you spent so much time crafting.
You might use the following phrase (but shouldn’t):
⛔ “Follow up”
Instead, use this:
✅ “Here is […] as requested by […]”
The first does not specify who is being followed up on and there is no personal link. The second, on the other hand, tells the reader exactly what to expect from the message.
They are more inclined to open the message if they notice that they have requested something.
#2 – Introduce yourself
Every day, popular LinkedIn users have a lot of chats. It might be tough to recall people only by their names, especially if you have a common name in your nation.
The average person receives more messages from chatbots than from their mother and father combined. It’s crucial to send a personalized LinkedIn connection request so the recipient doesn’t feel like they’re conversing with a robot.
An excellent technique to personalize the introduction is to list some of your most recent initiatives that would be most beneficial to the ‘possible’ consumer.
#3 – Explain why you’re writing
It may surprise you to learn that many communications lack a clear description of the message’s aim.
Do NOT send this:
⛔“I truly enjoy your study.”
Readers are confused by messages like and they wonder, “What does this individual want from me?”
TRY this instead:
✅ “I read your study and thought it extremely intriguing, how did you […]?”
This explains how the reader should react to the message.
While it is critical to craft your LinkedIn connection requests in such a manner that you receive a response, it is preferable to ask open-ended questions in order to keep the discussion continuing.
Simple yes/no questions are frequently ignored by the majority of responses. Everyone enjoys expressing themselves, so keep the dialogue going by soliciting suggestions, ideas, and criticism.
#4 – Keep it short, but not too short
Nobody wants to read lengthy dissertations about minor topics. If you send a long message, the reader will often choose the option of skipping it.
While it’s vital to keep your connection requests brief, they should be long enough to contain the message’s key point.
Three brief paragraphs should be your goal:
- A brief overview of the situation
- Defining the objective
- What do you hope the reader will do?
The golden rule is to restrict your message to less than 100 words.
Linkedin Message Templates
Let’s go over a few ideas – take a look at them and pick the one LinkedIn message template that seems the best for you. Choose accordingly depending on whether you want to:
- Generate leads
Hello [name],
I’ve been following your work with [lead’s company name] for a while and was astounded when I heard about [something noteworthy they’ve done].
I’ve worked with firms like [lead’s company name] to bring equivalent projects to life, and I’d love to talk to you about it if you’re interested. Are you free later this week for a brief phone call?
Thank you very much!
[Your name]
- Send a mutual connection request
Hello [candidate name],
My name is [your name], and I’m employed by [your company name]. [Shared connection]? I’ve seen that we have several mutual ties. I’ve previously collaborated with them.
[Mutual connection] that you could be a good fit for a [job role] position we have open in [location].
I’d like to set up a call with you to tell you more. What time is most convenient for you?
Thank you, and I hope to hear from you soon.
[Your name]
- Recruit a new applicant
Hello [candidate name],
I was just looking through your profile and, based on your experience with [previous employer], you appear to be a wonderful fit for some interesting [job position] possibilities that we have available at [company name].
I’d be happy to tell you more about them and see whether they align with your professional goals.
Could we set up a brief conversation to talk about it? What time is most convenient for you?
Thank you, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Best wishes,
[Your name]
Common Mistakes With LinkedIn Connection Requests
You’ve undoubtedly seen plenty of bad LinkedIn requests, and a lot of them make the same faults, stuff like:
⛔ Sending boilerplate requests
Since there is a lot at risk, you should put in the effort to develop a personalized message for each LinkedIn connection request you make.
⛔ Not giving a reason to connect
You shouldn’t connect until you have a compelling reason to do so – and that reason can’t be “because I want to sell them something.”
⛔ Mixing networking with sales
Selling and networking are not synonymous. A LinkedIn connection request is not the place to make a sales pitch.
In other words, if your first message is all about your product and how you’d want to schedule a demo, don’t expect to get a lot of answers.
Conclusion
You now know how to send LinkedIn connection requests in an appealing way!
Make an effort to be inspired by the templates you’ve just read, and personalize them to meet your specific requirements.
You’ll get into a groove as you write more LinkedIn connection requests. It’ll be before you know it that you’re crafting a message on your own!