7 TIPS TO WRITE AN EXCELLENT LINKEDIN CONNECTION REQUEST

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“Hello! I’d like to add you to my professional network.” 

This is an example of the most common LinkedIn connection request that people send to others on the platform. LinkedIn is a treasure trove of opportunities and can help users further their careers if they know how to use it right. However, in order to connect with someone, you first have to send them a connection request. 

This LinkedIn connection request is the user’s first chance to make an impression on the person and let them know who they are, and why they need to connect. LinkedIn provides users 300 characters to write a request, and yet, there are very few people who actually use this length to its maximum potential.

If you are sending a connection request to someone you already know, this is your chance to say something positive to reinforce the relationship with that person. If it’s someone you don’t know all that well, it can be an opportunity to remind them of how the first connection was made.

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But, in most cases, users will find themselves sending a LinkedIn connection request message to people they have never met. In this case, the message they write plays a very important role. This is the only chance marketers have to convince them to accept their request. 

If users send a default one-liner like above, the chances of acceptance are significantly lower. Sending a well-worded connection request is not just going to help users expand their network, but it will also help them generate qualified leads through a segmented audience.

The Case for LinkedIn 

According to a survey of more than 5,000 respondents, LinkedIn ranks second as one of the most important social media platforms used by both B2B and B2C marketers around the globe in 2020.

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According to the survey, 81% of the respondents use LinkedIn for B2B marketing. It’s simply not a platform that should be ignored. Without the right marketing efforts, you are leaving money on the table with ineffective LinkedIn marketing strategies.

In another study of more than 5,000 businesses conducted by HubSpot, it was found that LinkedIn generated the highest visitor-to-lead conversion rate (2.74%). This makes LinkedIn 277% more effective than either Facebook or Twitter.

In fact, the conversion rate on LinkedIn is so high that it outranks social media (0.98%) altogether. It’s easy to say then, that LinkedIn is the single most effective social channel for generating leads. 

Users sign up to LinkedIn to curate their career and their achievements on a network that allows them to connect with others. They can seek content or information that helps them advance their career. Naturally, as business owners, users can expect to find more of their target market on LinkedIn.

But marketers also have to understand that these are professionals who can’t be lured with half-hearted efforts. Their requests have to show that they are really willing to make an effort in order to generate a lead on LinkedIn. 

The potential is there; users just need to know how to tap into it. And, with a well-written LinkedIn connection request, they can do just that.

What Do I Write in a LinkedIn Connection Request? 7 Tips to Help You Get the Best Out of LinkedIn  

The connection request is your chance of making a good impression, so knowing what to write in a LinkedIn connection request is very important. Once the connection request is accepted, marketers can then focus on sending them LinkedIn messages to further strengthen their connections.

There are some key elements that users need to include in their LinkedIn connection request, as discussed below.

1. Personalize Your Message

This is perhaps the most important. Marketers need to lead off with a personalized message that is respectful and polite. This is the etiquette to follow when connecting with people on LinkedIn. Remember, there are only 300 characters to work with, so make it impactful. Use their name and get to the point quickly.

But, with businesses sending so many connection requests, it can be difficult to personalize each message on its own. That’s where Growth-X comes in. Growth-X allows users to create a message sequence, starting with a personalized connection request, and then a series of follow-up messages.

A Customer Success Manager will also review the campaign and give their feedback. Growth-X’s automation tools simplify LinkedIn messaging and automate something that many marketers consider tedious. The platform gives users access to detailed analytics that they can review to determine the success of their campaigns or figure out what needs to change.

As an example, Growth-X worked with Lulalend, a small business loan provider. Their target market was primarily business owners, and their team was having difficulty in creating an appropriate persona. It was time-consuming, to say the least until Growth-X stepped in.

Their LinkedIn automation platform allowed Lulalend to generate more than 2,000 connections, with 900+ responses, and a conversion rate of 10%. Within months, they generated 20 viable leads and managed to close 10 deals with significant accounts 

2. Let Them Know How You Found Them

It’s always a wise idea to let a prospect know how you came across their profile, and what makes them so attractive. For instance, did you meet them at a networking event? Or were you simply searching for professionals in a specific industry to connect with? 

It will help marketers capture their prospect’s interest in a much more efficient manner if they simply tell them how they came across their profile.

3. What’s In It For Them?

This is a professional social network, so it’s likely that most people will be intrigued by the LinkedIn request, but will also wonder how it benefits them. Most senior executives and managers are likely to ignore the connection request if they can’t see any value proposition in it.

When writing a request, be sure to provide them with one. Always remember to answer the connection request: “What’s in it for them?” A good business reason will improve the connection success ratio dramatically.

4. Don’t “Hook” The Prospects with Questions 

A simple mistake that many people make is that they tend to “hook” their prospects with a question right off the bat. Here’s a common template that marketers use when writing a request on LinkedIn, and one that marketers should absolutely avoid:

Hey {First.Name},

I just came across your profile and feel that you will be a great fit in our team of content specialists. Would you be interested in joining our collaborative network and maximize your revenue in 2021?

If you are interested, let’s connects.

Kind regards,

{Name}

In this request, readers can see the entire question is biased towards the answer: it’s only designed to serve the sender and doesn’t regard the prospect at all. Most people on LinkedIn will get wary of such requests and may choose not to accept them. The question sends a bad signal: “say yes, and I’ll send an offer right away.”

Instead, Alina could have asked something like: “What are the most interesting content ideas that you are pursuing this year, Jeff?” or maybe something along the lines of: “Would you be interested in collaborating on a case study/content piece to maximize your brand visibility?”This is the start of a conversation. Make it interesting

5. Keep it Professional 

This point can’t be stressed enough: users need to be wary of correcting punctuation and grammar, and they must avoid using abbreviations or slang. Maintaining a modicum of professionalism is incredibly important. Don’t forget that you are approaching people from different industries, many of whom will be in the upper echelons of their respective companies.

They won’t pay attention to the message if it’s not written properly. Using “plz” instead of “please” may save a few characters, but it’s going to destroy the sender’s reputation. Keep it as professional as possible and get to the point quickly. It’s going to maximize the number of positive responses.

6. Don’t Make a Request Right Off the Bat

Don’t ask for a job offer in the LinkedIn connection request or make any kind of request from the recipient. That’s just a bad idea and will rip your reputation to shreds. Remember, at this point, the recipient doesn’t even know who the sender is, so even making a request as small as feedback on a post or a website will not produce good results.

The message should never ask for any kind of favor in the connection request. The connection request is likely to be ignored, or the recipient may reply back with a quote for their services at best. Either way, users won’t get the response that they were expecting

7. Focus on the Recipient 

When writing a connection request, users need to make sure that they focus on the recipient, and not themselves. Don’t write a self-absorbed request with a request for the recipient to “view your profile.” Nobody will bother responding to such requests. The best approach should always focus more on the recipient. 

This is critical if you want people to accept your connection requests. Remember, it’s only 300 characters to work with, so writing about yourself is a bad idea. When marketers focus on the recipient, their connection request message on LinkedIn comes off as more engaging and likeable.

Sample LinkedIn Connection Requests

There is plenty of sample LinkedIn connection requests that readers can follow when writing a personalized message. Here are a few templates to help readers get started.

Template 1

Subject: Interested in a New Connection

Hey {Name},

I recently came across a piece you wrote on LinkedIn. I know we haven’t connected professionally before, but your achievements speak for themselves.

I work in the product development team at {company name}. I’d love to connect with you and learn more about what you do.

Best,

{Name}

This is a simple, yet highly effective template with a much higher response rate than the default one-liner most people send. It answers two important questions: why the sender wants to connect, and the idea behind the connection request.

Template 2

Subject: Would Love to Connect

Hello {Name},

I met you at the XYZ Conference in New York. It was great listening to your insight about the changing e-commerce trends and how you and your company are pivoting.

It’d be great to connect with you as I feel I can learn a lot from you.

Kind regards,

{Name}

This is a much more personalized template that readers can use if they have met someone at a conference. The response rate is obviously much higher due to the personable element involved. It also answers why the sender wants to connect and references the conversation with the recipient.

Template 3

Subject: LinkedIn Message to a Fellow Group Member

Hello {Name},

I saw your profile in the XYZ Group on LinkedIn. You recently posted about ABC, and I felt it ticks all the right boxes. It really resonated with me, and I’d love to connect with you to talk more about it.

I have a few ideas that we can discuss sometime in the future if you so choose.

Kind regards,

{Name}

This template is great when readers want to connect with someone they met in a group. It’s polite and shows that they have read their posts too.

Template 4

Subject: LinkedIn Message to a Fellow Group Member

Hello {Name},

I see you offer recruitment services in X city. I’d love to learn more about the recruitment process and explore the possibility of working together.

I’d love to find out if we can work together sometime in the future.

Kind regards,

{Name}

This is another great way to connect with a recruiter. It’s effective and will yield a better response rate.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Here are some common questions when sending a LinkedIn connection request.

Where can I see my connection requests on LinkedIn?

Click on My Network, then click on Manage All. From there, just click on Sent. All connection requests are shown there. Only those invitations to which the recipient hasn’t responded are shown here.

Can users take back a connection request on LinkedIn?

In case users didn’t personalize the message and want to cancel it, they can do so with the following steps:

1. Click My Network – readers can see all their connection requests here.

2. Navigate to “received” invitations and click on “See All XX” on the top-right hand side. 

3. Select the “Sent” tab.

4. Withdraw.

How do I request a connection on LinkedIn?

You can simply navigate to the user’s profile and click on Connect. Users will see an option to write a note along with their request too. 

The Bottom Line

A well-written LinkedIn connection request will help marketers unlock the true potential of LinkedIn and will make it easy for marketers to generate more leads. Once the connection request is accepted, users can then set up a drip campaign to send automated messages to prime their audience, or simply connect with them for professional purposes. If you need help in automating or personalizing your connection requests, you can always schedule a meeting with one of Growth-X’s dedicated consultants. 

Key Takeaways

• LinkedIn is a fantastic platform for generating sales leads or building professional networks. 
• But, a good connection request is essential if a user wants to expand their network.
• The connection requests should be free of punctuation and grammatical errors.
• They should focus on the recipient and should be personalized.
• Do not ask for favors in the connection request.

If you need help automating and personalizing your connection request, schedule a meeting with Growth-X’s dedicated consultant here