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LinkedIn Connection Request Message Templates for Higher Connection Rates



Imagine being at a networking conference and somebody comes up to you and says: ‘Hi Jen, I’d like to add you to my professional network.” Our guess is you would smile awkwardly and look for the nearest bathroom in order to avoid talking to a sentence generator with ambiguous motives. 


The same goes for LinkedIn connection request message templates. Sending the default message, or a ‘template-y looking’ message also sends another message - that you are not involved or that you are possibly yet another sales pitch lurking behind a cordial greeting. Now that we have explained that customizing your LinkedIn connection request message is a must, the following question emerges: 


‘What kind of a LinkedIn connection request message should I write then?


Don’t worry. We have just the necessary connection request message templates for you. But even more importantly, we will provide guidelines on how to customize any connection request message template in accordance with the situation and the person you want to connect with.



Why you should use LinkedIn connection message examples

So, you are on a mission to connect with a LinkedIn profile of interest. These can range from your former colleagues to prospective business partners. The key is to treat the person as who they are - a person who has a professional background, unique educational and work history, and specific areas of interest. 



Degree of connection

Possibilities of interaction

1st-degree

You can send and receive messages from this contact.

2nd-degree

Profiles connected to your 1st-degree connection. 

You can send them an invite by clicking Connect or contacting them via InMail.

3rd-degree

Profiles connected to your 2nd-degree connection. 

If you can see their full name, then you can send them an invite. 

If you can see their first name and last name initial, then you can only contact them via InMail.



Therefore, using templates that are phrased to show that you have devoted the necessary amount of attention to addressing the person appropriately is a must. Also, adding specific details that show you have done your research and that you are not copy/pasting your message and sending it to many people is bound to raise your chances of getting accepted. Phrasing your contact message in a simultaneously approachable and professional manner is your way to success.


Why you should look up to effective LinkedIn message templates

You should take into account the fact that the chances of your invite message being accepted are already slim from the start. If you don’t believe us, take a look at the statistics.

Once you acknowledge that sending a universal, all-purpose request message does not have a bright future in a climate in which the acceptance rate amounts to less than 30%, the obvious solution is to base your connection request message on a template that encompasses these criteria:


  • Personalization - Specific, customized information 

  • Appropriateness - A different invite message for different profiles

  • Applicability - A template that is still general enough to be used several times.


Steps to take before opting for the perfect sample LinkedIn message template 


In the non-digital world of professional communication, it is not enough to simply strike up a conversation with an effective ice-breaker. The same goes for LinkedIn. By only paying attention to leaving a good first impression without actually having anything to support that is not up to scratch. The connection request message cannot carry the weight of the world. Therefore, take some precautions and apply the following to enhance your profile presence:


  1. A good profile picture goes a long way

  2. A good cover picture goes a long way as well

  3. Describe your professional background and skills in an engaging way. Utilize the power of a good summary.

  4. Enhance your LinkedIn company page with a recognizable logo

  5. Enhance your profile or company page with multimedia (videos, presentations, etc.)


However, this list is not exhaustive as it is beneficial to apply LinkedIn best practices, being that improving your LinkedIn profile is, essentially, the gateway to having your request contact messages accepted, and one may even posit, essential to improving your chances of attaining new and valuable LinkedIn connections. Therefore, make sure that your profile is complete and that your summary stands out. You can check out our LinkedIn summary examples for inspiration.


Image source: LinkedIn Talent Blog

Do your best to exploit the benefits of including attractive profile and cover pictures. Look up to successful companies or entrepreneurs and their functional and design solutions. Base your profile on LinkedIn templates you assess to be the most applicable to your agenda. To reiterate, making few adjustments goes a long way.


Another surefire way to maximize your LinkedIn profile potential is to provide a shortcut for your potential business associates in the form of LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms. If you are uncertain as to how to integrate this invaluable form to your profile, or for that matter, if you encounter any difficulties whatsoever, be sure to contact LinkedIn customer service by sending a LinkedIn support email.


But do not stop at introducing improvements solely to your LinkedIn profile. The best LinkedIn profiles are those whose existence and activity is not limited to the LinkedIn platform. For instance, integrating LinkedIn email signature into your daily email correspondence is going to enable you to be the one who receives contact request messages and, accordingly, increase your professional network. 


Additionally, associating other social media profiles with your LinkedIn profile will expand your shared connections and therefore, increase your chances of getting that invite message through. 


All in all, some streamlining of your profile is essential before you embark on sending contact message requests.

Categories of LinkedIn message templates


Moving on, once you streamline your LinkedIn profile or company page and locate the profiles you would like to connect with, you have to determine what approach to take. As previously stated, there is no panacea, no ultimate template to cover all professional relationships. 


What we can observe is which tone is most appropriate for which situation. This is a general outline of what tone you should use depending on the position and relationship the chosen contact may be categorized in.



The tone and purpose of the contact request message

Who you want to contact

Semi-Casual to Formal Professional Relationship

co-worker,

new co-worker, 

former co-worker, 

acquaintance

someone in the same LinkedIn group,

Business Professional

a prospective business partner, 

industry leader

recruiter, 

business acquaintance

Academic Professional

an academic,  

a subject of your research study



Examples of what to include in your LinkedIn connection request 


Taking the templates as your baseline and editing them according to what the most appropriate approach may be, and combining them with information specific for the profile you are to contact is a surefire way to succeed. However, take heed of the content that should and should not find its way into your contact message. 

Image source: The essay expert


Make sure to remember this advice when you write your contact request messages:

  • Include the name of the recipient to draw attention as it improves the ‘open rate’ significantly. 

  • Write the professional area, successful project, or achievement of the recipient in the body.

  • The content of the message should focus on the recipient, not you.

  • Chose the timing wisely when you send the message. More on that later.

  • Mention what the next step of communication may be. This could be an in-person or Skype interview, or even guidelines on how the contacted person can reach you. The recipients should be in the clear as to what to do next.

  • Keep it short. Like this sentence.




The following should be avoided:

  • Do not pitch or sell anything at the outset, i.e., in your contact request message. 

  • The focus of the contact request message should not be on you as the recipient has access to your profile.

  • Do not make a call to action straight away as it is better to wait to establish a meaningful interaction.

  • Saying that you have checked out their profile without actually doing so!



LinkedIn connection request message examples 

Now that you are familiar with what constitutes a compelling connection request message take a look at the templates you can use as a foundation for your invite requests. Use the given 300 characters wisely, and remember to customize them to include relevant details unique to your existing or desired relationship with that person. 


Here we will dissect what a good invite message should include.




Image Source: wordstream.com


This is a perfect example of what you should focus on when you are contacting an acquaintance or a business partner who you have met. You should include:

  1. Their name

  2. Awareness of their professional engagement

  3. Mentioned their recent project

  4. Identified yourself as a loyal customer or familiar with their company or product (if applicable)

  5. An approachable suggestion that they should accept your invite



Of course, every situation demands a unique approach, but this is essentially the formula you should follow. Additionally, you may include an unobtrusive question to prompt them to reply. Be careful to steer clear from mentioning that you want to sell them something or take advantage of their expertise. It is better to leave that for later communication.


Let’s observe an example of what you should avoid.



Image Source: makesocialmediasell.com


First of all, opening your invite message by stating you have checked out their profile has become a platitude, almost as big of a cliché as the word ‘cliché’. Prove that you have done so by referring to one of their products, projects, or areas of interest rather than stating you looked at their profile.


Also, if you do decide to offer one of your services, introduce your company or familiarize them with the reason why you are contacting them. Phrase it without your input sounding too pushy.

You do not want to come across as a LinkedIn equivalent of a telemarketer. Instead, pitch your product in a way that will cater to their needs by inciting their curiosity or by offering them a genuinely valuable piece of advice pertinent to their profession or possible interests. 


Linkedin connection request message templates for all occasions

It was pointed out that sending templates is the least effective way to coax the recipient into accepting your invite. Nevertheless, it is helpful to base your contact message request on templates that are written according to appropriate tone and unofficial ‘rules of conduct’ that should govern all professional correspondence. 

So, to repeat once more for good measure - do not copy and paste. A template should be observed as a skeleton, a scaffold to help you devise your own, unique contact request message. 


In this section we’ll cover how to connect with:

  1. A former colleague

  2. A colleague

  3. A new colleague

  4. An acquaintance

  5. A business acquaintance 

  6. A prospective business partner or business associate

  7. Someone in the same LinkedIn group 

  8. A recruiter

  9. An academic

  10. Prospective subjects for a research study or survey


How to connect with a former colleague


Besides the obvious motivation to add your former colleague to your connections to catch up, there is the added benefit of them potentially being open to writing a LinkedIn recommendation. This recommendation can improve your profile and give off the impression that you are not only a professional but also a friendly person and a valued colleague. Not to mention that you are broadening your 2nd-degree LinkedIn connections along the way. 


Be sure to mention the professional context from which you know each other - when and where you worked together and possibly on which projects you collaborated.


Hi, First Name, 

It was a great pleasure to collaborate with you on Name of Project at Company Name in 2018. I find your suggestions about product development indispensable to this day! 

Hope to hear from you,


Best, 

Your Name


How to connect with a colleague


The same goes for co-workers in your current company. Networking is a constituent part of climbing the career ladder. Connecting with your co-workers is an excellent way to improve your professional relationships and find your place in the collective. Mention their contributions or shared assignments to show you are familiar with their area of expertise.


Hi, First Name,

I appreciated your contribution to the project we worked on in September. If you encounter any difficulties or need any help whatsoever with Next Project, feel free to contact me. See you in the office!

Best, 

Your Name


How to connect with a new colleague

Again, being cordial and friendly to new colleagues goes hand-in-hand with being proactive and displaying that you make an effort to create a workplace atmosphere of mutual respect and acceptance. Therefore, make the first move by sending a contact request message that will greet your new colleague and mention that you are happy to cooperate with them.

Hello, First Name,

I'm looking forward to working with you as I believe our cooperation will make our department even more successful. Your experience with project management will surely improve our team dynamic. Feel free to contact me if you need any assistance. 

Best, 

Your Name


How to connect with an acquaintance


Why stop at your former or future co-workers? If there is any certainty in the world of business, it is the fact that you can never be certain who will ultimately be your next employer, business partner or lead. 


So don’t be a stranger. Write that contact request message and explain why you are contacting them, where you know each other from, and/or who your mutual contact is. Of course, there’s no harm in mentioning your appreciation of their professional engagement or projects they were involved in. 


Hey First Name,

Thought it’d be nice to connect here on LinkedIn. Name of a mutual friend mentioned you work for Name of Company, and I’d love to hear about your experience working on Name of Project. Any interesting insights?

Have a nice day!

Best, 

Your Name


How to connect with a business acquaintance 


A business acquaintance could be someone who you have met on a business trip, on a networking event, via professional correspondence or on some other occasion. Whatever the relationship may be, if you would like to connect with this person, you should remind them how you know each other and, ideally, what inspired you to reach out.


Dear First Name,

I enjoyed our talk on Name of Event last week. I appreciate your sharing your opinion on contemporary marketing strategies, especially since you are an expert in the field. If you are interested in continuing the discussion, feel free to contact me.

Sincerely, 

Your Name



How to connect with a prospective business partner or business associate


LinkedIn is a fantastic tool for advancing your career and connecting with the best of the best from any given area of expertise. Therefore, you should take advantage of the possibility to contact anyone, from industry leaders to other LinkedIn users that may potentially be worthy assets to your company. Of course, treat everyone equally, devote attention to acknowledging their skills, previous experience, and professional accomplishments, and you are bound to succeed. 


Dear First Name,

Your know-how, experience working in advertising and educational background would make quite an impressive asset to our organization. If you are interested in cooperating with us, feel free to contact me on Your email address.

Best, 

Your Name


How to connect with someone in the same LinkedIn group 


Another benefit of being on LinkedIn is gaining insight into the activities and career paths of professionals, like-minded people, ones you admire, or people of the same vocation. Take advantage of the possibility to connect with people who are in the same LinkedIn group as you are and send them an invite request. You may earn a valuable connection by being the same LinkedIn group.


Dear First Name,

Your post in Name of Group instigated me to add you as it was very informative and insightful. If you are interested, I have a few thoughts on the subject I would like to discuss with you since I see you are a consummate professional in the field. 

Sincerely, 

Your Name


How to connect with a recruiter


If you are on the lookout for a new job, you may want to send a connection request message to a recruiter. As they are mostly swamped with connection invites as it is, be sure to distinguish yourself from the crowd. You can do this by sending an informative, but still a concise message in which you should enlist any relevant experience that you may have, your skillset and/or your educational background. Adding a personal note will raise your chances of getting through to the recruiter.


Dear First and Last Name,

I would like to establish a business relationship with your company as I have three years’ experience working as Your Profession. I’m looking forward to cooperating with Name of Company on future projects that involve expertise in software development. You can reach me at email_address@gmail.com

Sincerely, 

Your Name


How to connect with an academic


If you are pursuing mentorship (or some other type of academic guidance) or you want to broaden your 2nd-degree connections by adding a scholar with an enviable reputation, be sure to mention your appreciation of their work with specifics and, of course, why you are contacting them. It is a good idea to mention your educational background and other relevant academic credentials since it is useful to prove that accepting your request is, basically, worth the effort.

Dear Professor Last Name,

I find your work/research on the subject of Cognitive Psychology inspiring as I am writing my Master’s thesis in Associated Field. I would appreciate it if you could offer me guidance and answer a few questions related to your research/professional engagements.

Sincerely, 

Your Name


How to connect with prospective subjects for a research study or survey


If you ever had to conduct a study or a survey, you are aware it is difficult to find suitable candidates, particularly when you are searching for highly specialized subjects. Luckily, LinkedIn is an ideal platform to locate and contact them easily. Yes, convincing them to devote their time to participate is beyond difficult, especially with a limited amount of characters you can use. Take a look at our suggestion.


Dear dr. last Name, 

I am conducting a research study on Subject of your Study and your expertise on the subject would be greatly appreciated since you are a consummate expert on the subject/in the field. If you are willing to contribute, you can contact me at email_address@gmail.com

Sincerely, 

Your Name



LinkedIn message request Follow Up

Source: beamery.com


If you have the impression that the recipient did not read your first connection request message, keep in mind that this is not uncommon, as mentioned earlier. This is no reason to give up. Remember, millions of contact request messages are sent daily, and it is no wonder that people pay attention only to those that are well-thought-out. You should put an effort to write exactly such contact messages; however, sometimes it simply boils down to bad luck.


Don’t be discouraged. If the person does not reply immediately, you should not succumb to the urge to send messages every day until they do. It is not a viable solution to send messages frequently and indiscriminately, to spam and expect the person to react positively. Nobody likes to be forced into replying, and receiving a batch of identical or almost identical messages will only aggravate the recipient. If you overdo it, your messages could be reported as spam, and in turn, you could be penalized


  • Your first course of action in this scenario could be to send a message that adds more information about why you contacted them. 

  • Secondly, consider following up according to the following timeline. Instead of being too pushy, it is better to approach making connections by structuring your follow-ups.

  • Finally, if you get a negative response, be sure to halt the follow-up messages.


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