Crafting the Right LinkedIn Connection Request

Connection requests are an opportunity, not an obligation

Personalisation is your priority

Sending a blank LinkedIn connection request is akin to sending a blank message. You’re communicating nothing at all. Worst of all, your recipient will realise that. First impressions matter, and a blank message equates to a complete lack of effort. LinkedIn itself, despite the blank message being the standard way to send a connection request, highlights that personalised connection requests have a significantly higher acceptance rate. Generic or blank connection requests are more likely to be ignored. That’s why personalisation is your priority.

Your ability to do this will depend on your subscription type. If you are on a free LinkedIn account, you are limited to 10 personalised connection requests per month. Premium and above, you have access to 500+. We always recommend using Sales Navigator.

Know your recipient

Before you click send on that connection request, know your recipient. Take a look at their profile, their posts, and their activity on LinkedIn. Conduct some online research that focuses on them. Once you have a good understanding of who they are, what they do, and their background, you can look towards establishing common ground. Your potential new lead is far more likely to accept your connection request when you’ve taken the time to understand their background and express a genuine interest.

Find common ground

Look for something that can serve as a conversation starter. Yes, your potential lead may be the Vice President of Marketing at a company you want to work with, but did you know she is passionate about rescuing animals too? Did you realise she devotes 10 percent of her time to animal rescue? Knowing the nuances of your potential connection’s life helps you find and establish a common ground that enables the start of a genuine conversation.

Highlight your value proposition

Now that you know a little more about your potential connection, it’s easier to shape your connection request message. Using what you’ve learnt, you’ll be better equipped to highlight how connecting with you can improve their life, or solve their problems. 

Showcase your achievements

Avoid getting too boastful here, but it’s time to consider which one of your achievements stands out as something that would be important for your connection request to know. If they’re in the business of digital marketing, for example, think of an achievement of yours that relates to that sector. Just be a bit careful how you word it.

Tailor your message

You’ve made your notes and gathered your thoughts. Now’s the time to craft that connection request message. Using our example above, we’ve created a template for you, but don’t forget to personalise it!

The LinkedIn connection request template

As above, you’ll see we’ve spoken about reaching out to a Vice President of Marketing at a company involved in digital marketing. Moreover, we know she’s busy, and devotes 10 percent of her time to animal rescue. Keep that connection request short, sharp, and simple (and don’t forget to proofread it before you hit the send button!)  Here’s how we would personalise that connection request:

Hi Amelia,

Well done on devoting 10% of your time to animal rescue. Well done! I’m George from Everything Digital. I recently ran an email campaign that elicited a 24% conversion rate. As you are an esteemed industry leader, I would love to connect with you.

All the best,

George

Beyond the connection request

Sending a personalised connection request is the beginning of this journey, but you can do even more groundwork in the lead-up to sending it. Engaging with someone’s content and responding to their comments, before and after you connect with them helps too. 

No response needs a follow-up

Amelia is a busy woman, so she may not have checked her LinkedIn messages as regularly as she’d liked. If she hasn’t responded to you or accepted your connection request, a polite follow-up message a week later will do. Something like this:

Hey there, Amelia

Just following up on my previous connection request.  I'm genuinely interested in connecting and learning more about your work in digital marketing. 

Best regards,

George

You might find this difficult on a free subscription, but your Inmail allocation for Sales Navigator subscribers will come in handy for this.

Build genuine connections

Personalising your LinkedIn connection request is part one of building genuine connections. Put your best foot forward, and create personalised connection requests that help you build a strong, valuable network on LinkedIn. 

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