What should I say in LinkedIn connection note?

Making meaningful connections on LinkedIn is an important part of building your professional network and advancing your career. However, it can be tricky to know exactly what to say when sending a connection request to someone you don’t know well or at all. The connection note is your chance to make a good first impression and get your relationship started on the right foot. Here are some tips on what you should and shouldn’t say in your LinkedIn connection requests.

Keep it personal yet professional

A good LinkedIn connection note balances professionalism with a personal touch. You want to avoid sounding too formal or too casual. Stay away from generic invitations like “I’d like to add you to my professional network.” Instead, personalize the note by mentioning how you found their profile, what you have in common, or why you want to connect with them specifically. Share just enough to make a connection without oversharing.

Explain how you know them or your connection

Give some context about how you are acquainted with the person or share your common affiliation. If you don’t know them at all, briefly explain who you are, what you do, and how your professional backgrounds relate. However, don’t exaggerate a connection that doesn’t really exist just to get accepted. Be transparent about the nature of your relationship or goals for connecting.

Keep it focused on professional, not personal

A LinkedIn connection request is for starting a professional relationship, so keep the focus of your note on career-related matters. Unless you know the person socially already, avoid bringing up personal details about your family, hobbies, etc. Also stay away from overly familiar language like “Hey friend!” or using their first name from the start.

State your purpose for connecting

Articulate the professional reason you want to connect, whether it’s exchanging industry insights, discussing potential opportunities, or simply expanding your network. Being clear about your intent makes the value of connecting evident. Avoid vague statements about “synergizing” or “mutually beneficial networking.” Tell them specifically what you hope to gain professionally from the relationship.

Use a warm and friendly tone

While you want to maintain professionalism, use a tone that is warm, sincere and friendly. This establishes rapport and makes the person more inclined to accept your request. Share your admiration for their career achievements or company. Pepper in pleasantries and terms like “I enjoyed meeting you at [event]” or “It was great to connect with you over [common interest].”

Keep it succinct

Get straight to the point in just a few sentences or a short paragraph. You don’t need to write a lengthy note to make an impact. In fact, overly long connection notes can seem insincere orintrusive. Honor the person’s time by not making them read through multiple long paragraphs.

Proofread before sending

Avoid spelling and grammar mistakes by proofreading your note before sending. One typo can undermine the great first impression you’re aiming for. Consider writing the note in a word processor first so you can easily check and correct any errors.

What you should say in your LinkedIn connection request

Here are some good examples of what to include in your LinkedIn connection note:

• Hi [name], I really enjoyed your presentation at the [event] conference in [location] last month. I’d love to connect so we can exchange ideas about [topic relevant to their work].
• Hello [name]. I see we both work in the [industry] industry. I’m interested in learning more about your experience with [relevant skill or company]. I hope we can connect!
• [Name], I came across your profile while researching [company or topic] and was very impressed with your background in [field]. I’m [a few details about you and your professional role]. I would appreciate the opportunity to connect with you here on LinkedIn.

What you shouldn’t say in your LinkedIn connection request

Here are some things you want to avoid including in your LinkedIn connection note:

• Generic invitations like “I’d like to add you to my professional network.”
• Overly formal language like “It would be prudent for us to synergize our networks.”
• Personal details about your family situation or hobbies.
• Exaggerated claims about the closeness of your connection.
• Vague statements about potential opportunities without specifics.
• Inappropriately familiar terms like “Hey friend!” especially for people you don’t know well.

Tips for special connection situations

Sometimes you need to tweak your connection invitation for certain scenarios:

If you’ve met them briefly:

Mention where you met them and include a positive remark about the conversation you had. For example, “It was a pleasure meeting you at the Digital Media Summit last month. I really enjoyed hearing your insights on leveraging social media analytics. I’d love to connect on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.”

If you’ve worked together in the past:

Remind them of the professional relationship you shared and your time working together. For example, “Mary, it was great collaborating with you on the Johnson account at [Company] [X years ago]. I hope we can reconnect here on LinkedIn.”

If you have a shared connection:

Mention your mutual contact who referred you to connect. For example, “Hello John, [shared connection] suggested I reach out to you here on LinkedIn because of your background in [field]. I look forward to connecting.”

If you have common interests/experiences:

Highlight the interests, alma mater, associations, etc. you have in common as a starting point for your relationship. For example, “Hi Sue, I noticed we’re both [university] alumni working in the non-profit industry. I’d enjoy connecting and swapping stories from our alma mater.”

Following up if they haven’t responded

If your connection request goes unanswered after 1-2 weeks, consider sending a follow up message to politely prompt them to respond. Here are some tips for following up effectively:

• Send just one follow up message – anymore could seem overly pushy.
• Acknowledge they may have simply missed your original request in their stream of notifications.
• Keep the tone polite and gracious rather than confrontational.
• Remind them briefly who you are and where you met/your reason for connecting.
• Say you are reaching out again in case they overlooked your previous request.
• Don’t call excessive attention to the non-response.

Here is an example follow up message:

“Hi [name], I wanted to reintroduce myself – we met at last year’s SXSW conference, where we had a great chat about leveraging Instagram analytics. I previously sent you a connection request on LinkedIn but know things can easily get lost in the notification shuffle these days! I’d really enjoy connecting if you’re open to it. Either way, I hope you’re doing well!”

Handling a rejected connection request

If your request gets expressly rejected, handle it gracefully by:

• Respecting their decision – some prefer to limit connections.
• Avoiding taking it personally or asking for reasons.
• Not attempting to connect again after rejection.
• Considering tweaking how you present yourself if you get rejected frequently.

Conclusion

The way you phrase your LinkedIn connection invitations can significantly impact your chances of getting accepted. A thoughtful note that balances professionalism and personality is key. Clearly explain who you are, how you are acquainted, and your purpose for connecting. Stay focused on career-related matters and use a warm, friendly tone. Adapt your request as needed for different connection scenarios. With these tips, you can craft LinkedIn notes that make great first impressions and expand your professional network.

Connecting on LinkedIn is an important networking tool, but simply sending requests is just the first step. To truly build relationships:

• Follow up your connection by interacting regularly with posts, comments etc.
• Send messages to start meaningful conversations.
• Recommend or endorse them where appropriate.
• Consider meeting in person at events, conferences etc.

Invest time in nurturing the connections you make by continually engaging with your network. This helps transform LinkedIn connections into substantive professional relationships that benefit your career.

LinkedIn is an invaluable platform for meeting new people in your industry, but it does require etiquette and strategy to use it effectively. Crafting thoughtful, personalized requests is the first step to growing your meaningful professional network on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn Connection Message Templates

Here are some template messages you can use and customize when reaching out to connect on LinkedIn:

Template for someone you just met:

Hi [name],

It was great meeting you and chatting with you at [event/conference/gathering] last week. I enjoyed hearing about your experiences with [topic you discussed]. I’d love to stay in touch and continue the conversation on LinkedIn. I’m looking forward to following [company/industry news] you’re involved in. Let me know if you’re open to connecting!

Best,
[Your name]

Template for someone you haven’t met:

Hi [name],

My name is [your name] and I came across your LinkedIn profile after seeing [content they shared or attending their presentation/webinar]. As a fellow [industry/field] professional also working in [area], I’m very impressed with your background and experience in [aspect of their work]. I would appreciate the opportunity to connect here on LinkedIn to learn more about your career journey and share ideas. Please let me know if you’re open to connecting. I look forward to hearing from you!

Regards,
[Your name]

Template for someone you want to do business with:

Hi [name],

I hope this note finds you well! We haven’t met yet, but I am [your name], [your title] at [your company]. I noticed that you work in [their role] at [their company] and wanted to connect here on LinkedIn. I’m involved in [industry/type of work relevant to them] and would love to connect to discuss any potential areas for collaboration between our companies. Please let me know if you’d be open to connecting on LinkedIn. I look forward to hearing from you!

Best,
[Your name]

Template for following up:

Hi [name],

I hope you’ve been having a great week! I wanted to reintroduce myself – we met a few weeks ago at [event or context where you met/connected] and had a great conversation about [topic]. I previously sent you a connection invitation on LinkedIn but know it’s easy to miss notifications these days. I’d really enjoy connecting here if you’re open to staying in touch. Either way, I hope things are going well and I appreciate your time!

Best,
[Your name]