Connecting with someone new on LinkedIn can be an exciting opportunity to build your professional network. However, figuring out what to say in your first message after connecting can feel challenging. You want to make a good first impression and start the relationship off on the right foot.
Keep it brief and personalized
When reaching out to a new LinkedIn connection for the first time, it’s important to keep your message brief and personalized. You don’t need to write a novel – a few sentences will do. Address them directly by their name and avoid copy-pasting a generic template message.
For example, you could say: “Hi [name], great to connect with you on LinkedIn! I really admire the work you’ve done with [company or industry]. I’d love to learn more about your experience with [relevant topic]. Let me know if you’d be open to chatting sometime.”
Mention your reason for connecting
Give your new connection context by mentioning why you wanted to connect in the first place. Did you find commonalities in your backgrounds or interests? Have they worked at a company you admire? Are you interested in learning about their career path?
Articulating your reason shows this is not a random connection request and helps break the ice. For example, “I see we both started our careers in management consulting. I’d love to connect to learn more about your transition into the tech industry.”
Suggest moving the conversation offline
LinkedIn messaging can feel a bit formal and clunky. After your initial outreach, suggesting taking the conversation offline can lead to a more natural dialogue. Of course, only suggest this if you already have some rapport with the person.
You could say, “I’d love to continue the conversation over coffee or a quick phone call if you’re open to it.” However, don’t be offended if they’d prefer to keep communicating over LinkedIn messaging at first.
Ask open-ended questions
Questions are a great way to create back-and-forth dialogue and show your interest in learning more about the other person. Ask smart, open-ended questions about their background, interests, career path, company, or industry.
For example, “Thanks for connecting! I’d love to learn more about your career journey. How did you get into digital marketing originally?” Open-ended questions allow for more substantive responses.
Share an article or other content
If you notice your new connection has shared content related to an industry or topic you also follow, you can break the ice by mentioning one of their posts. For example, “I read your article on future AI trends with interest. How do you see advancements like natural language processing impacting marketing in the next 5 years?”
This shows you took time to engage with their content and can lead to a productive discussion.
Make the ask (when appropriate)
While you don’t want to come on too strong before you have established a relationship, if done politely, asking for something can be an effective way to initiate a new connection. Is there a specific introduction they could make, a piece of advice they could give, or an opportunity to shadow them?
Say you are hoping to break into the tech industry. You could say, “I am very impressed by your experience at [company]. If you are open to it, I’d love to take you up on your offer to grab coffee and get your advice on transitioning into the tech space.” The key is to make the ask humble, clear, and low pressure.
Here are a few other first message examples:
Situation | Example Message |
---|---|
You’re both alumni of the same university | “It’s great to connect with a fellow [university name] alum! I’d love to hear about your experience transitioning out of college into the professional world.” |
You have a shared interest or hobby | “I see we’re both interested in electric vehicles and sustainable transportation. What trends are you most excited about in the EV space lately?” |
You have a mutual connection | “[Mutual connection name] suggested I connect with you. She spoke very highly of your work at [company name]! I’d love to chat more about your experience there.” |
You met them at an event | “It was great to meet you at [event name]. I really enjoyed our conversation on [topic discussed]. Would you be open to continuing the dialogue over coffee next week?” |
You admire their company | “I’ve been very impressed with [company name]’s work on [initiative]. As someone at the forefront, I’d love to learn more about how that project has progressed.” |
Do: Be positive and personable
Even though it’s a professional platform, LinkedIn messages still represent communication between people. Be warm, positive, and polite in your outreach. Treat the other person as you would like to be treated if the roles were reversed.
Bringing your genuine personality and a human touch to the message can help start things off on the right foot.
Do: Follow up if needed
If you haven’t heard back after about a week, it’s appropriate to politely follow up. Send a message checking in, re-expressing your interest in connecting, and offering to continue the conversation if they would like. However, don’t aggressively follow up multiple times if they do not respond.
Don’t: Get too sales-y or promotional
Even if you admire someone’s work, avoid making your outreach too sales-y or promotional focused. For example, don’t just praise their company’s products or services without making a personal connection. This comes across as inauthentic. Keep the focus on learning about the other person, not just promoting yourself.
Don’t: Overshare personal details
While you want to be personable, don’t overshare personal details or unprofessional information someone you just connected with. Keep the conversation focused on professional topics and your shared interests, rather than dumping emotional issues or sensitive life details on them.
Conclusion
Initiating new LinkedIn connections is part art, part science. With the right balance of preparation and authenticity, you can craft messages that turn contacts into lasting professional relationships. Focus on learning about the other person, highlighting common ground, and being clear about your intent. With practice, you’ll be on your way to building an engaging, diverse professional network.