A good LinkedIn connection request message is short (LinkedIn caps the note at around 300 characters), personalized to one specific thing about the person, and clear about why you're reaching out — without pitching. The single biggest lever on acceptance rate is giving a real, relevant reason to connect, so the recipient doesn't tap "I don't know this person." Below are 15 connection message templates you can adapt for sales, networking, recruiting, event follow-ups, and warm intros — plus the rules that make them work. Copy one, swap in the specifics, and send. (Personalize each; identical bulk notes are what tank acceptance and trigger spam flags.)
The 5 rules of a connection request that gets accepted
- 1.Give a specific reason. "Loved your post on X" beats "I'd like to add you to my network."
- 2.Keep it under ~300 characters. That's LinkedIn's note limit; shorter often does better.
- 3.Don't pitch in the request. The note's only job is the accept. Sell later, if at all.
- 4.Make it about them, not you. Reference their work, company, post, or a shared tie.
- 5.Be a real person. No jargon, no "I hope this message finds you well."
Sales connection request templates
1. Shared-problem angle > Hi {First}, I work with {role}s at companies like {their company} on {problem}. Not pitching — just following people doing interesting work in {space} and thought it'd be good to connect.
2. Their content > Hi {First}, your post on {topic} really resonated — especially the point about {detail}. I think about this a lot in my work with {audience}. Would love to connect.
3. Trigger event > Hi {First}, saw {company} just {raised / launched / expanded}. Congrats — exciting time. I follow {space} closely and would love to stay connected as you scale.
4. Mutual connection > Hi {First}, we're both connected to {Name} — I've worked with them on {thing}. Always keen to meet others in {industry}. Happy to connect.
5. Genuine curiosity > Hi {First}, I'm researching how {role}s approach {challenge} right now. Your background at {company} caught my eye. No agenda — would value connecting.
Networking connection request templates
6. Same industry > Hi {First}, fellow {role/industry} here. I'm trying to connect with more people in {space} to trade notes. Would be great to have you in my network.
7. Same event > Hi {First}, we both attended {event}. I didn't get the chance to say hi in person, but I enjoyed {session/talk}. Let's connect.
8. Alumni > Hi {First}, noticed we both studied at {school}. Always happy to connect with fellow {alumni} — especially ones working in {their field}.
9. Admiration (sincere) > Hi {First}, I've followed {company}'s work on {thing} for a while and admire how you've {specific}. Would love to connect and keep learning from your posts.
10. Local > Hi {First}, I'm also based in {city} and building in {space}. Always up for connecting with people doing good work locally.
Recruiting & job-seeker templates
11. Recruiter → candidate > Hi {First}, your experience in {skill} at {company} stood out. I'm hiring for a {role} that might be a fit down the line. No pressure — would love to connect either way.
12. Candidate → hiring manager > Hi {First}, I'm exploring {role} opportunities and really admire what your team is building at {company}. Would love to connect and follow your work.
13. Candidate → recruiter > Hi {First}, I saw you recruit in {space}. I'm a {role} with {X years} in {skill} and open to new opportunities. Would love to be on your radar.
Follow-up & re-connect templates
14. After they viewed your profile > Hi {First}, saw you stopped by my profile — thanks for the visit! I work with {audience} on {thing}. Thought it made sense to connect properly.
15. Reconnecting > Hi {First}, we crossed paths back at {context} a while ago. I've since moved into {role} and would love to reconnect and see what you're working on now.
What to send after they accept
The connection is the start, not the goal. Your first message after acceptance should keep giving before it asks — reference why you connected, add something useful, and open a real conversation. See what to say after someone accepts your request for follow-up scripts, and LinkedIn cold message templates for the message itself.
Personalize at scale without the copy-paste
The catch with all of this: personalization takes time, and the moment you're sending more than a handful a day, the temptation is to fall back on a generic template — which is exactly what kills acceptance. That's the problem Conextly solves for LinkedIn. It finds the right people, and drafts a personalized connection note and follow-up for each one based on their actual profile and activity — you review and approve every send. You keep the personal touch that gets accepted, at a volume you could never hand-write, paced safely under LinkedIn's limits. See how it works.