Want to add a special something to your connection request, but don’t know how? In this article, we’ll show you some foolproof tips for personalized linkedin connection request !
“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have” — this Thomas Jefferson quote is the one to get back to each time you catch yourself relying on the sheer luck in your ventures.
It’s just that personalizing the LinkedIn connection request with a note isn’t hard work at all, for those who know how to compose them. Add that note, and you’ll see how lucky you’ll get with acceptance and response rates!
This is why we created this guide for LinkedIn newbies. In the article below, you will learn:
- Why bother with adding a note with connection request at all
- What to do before sending the connection request
- How to create a message people won’t ignore
- The best way to personalize the message
For the ones that stay till the end of the article, we found a special tool that enables you to automate the personalization!
Sounds too good to be true?
Just stay tuned!
Why and How to Use the Personalized Connection Requests
Don’t just send that connection request and hope for the best!
There are plenty of reasons in favor of including a note with your connection request.
With a special note attached, you will instantly present yourself as someone of greater value to them and stand out among the other requests. It is more professional and raises day-to-day LinkedIn communication to another level — provided that your message is meaningful and personalized.
You can use these notes to:
- Introduce yourself
- Provide someone with valuable insights or resources
- Look for job opportunities
- Pitch your service/product (be careful with this one — keep reading, we’ll elaborate
- and more!
Let’s proceed to some things you should work on before reaching out on LinkedIn.
Before You Hit the “Send” Button
You don’t need to rush just yet. There are some things to do before you create a note and send the connection request:
- Study the person behind the profile — this is a crucial step that will help you personalize the message. What do they do? Are they annoyed about something? Did they write a stellar article recently? Find out, and use that knowledge later!
- Optimize your LinkedIn account — you wouldn’t invite guests to a messy apartment, right? Just the same, tidy up your profile before important connections visit them! Professional profile picture, inviting and amusing background photo, Summary and About sections featuring the best of you and your work.
“Want a copy that converts? Let’s work together!”— Summary example for freelance copywriters looking for new job opportunities
What Makes People Accept The Request?
“I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn”
Spam. Boring. Copy-paste. Nobody cares.
It screams that you’re what some call “The Collector” — a person who sends dozens of requests a day, thinking the point of LinkedIn is having thousands of connections.
It wasn’t cool on Facebook (not even back in the day), and it most certainly isn’t cool on LinkedIn in 2020. One could even argue that it’s better to send a connection request without any note, provided that you have super interesting pics and a summary.
We say — why take an unnecessary risk? Writing a good note to go with the connection request isn’t as hard as it may seem.
Sound human, for a change
Believe it or not, people still get a lot of requests like the infamous one we mentioned.
It’s easy not to sound like a bot; just remember, it’s another *person* you’re talking to. Use the words you’d pick to introduce yourself at some industry event, and adjust them to the written format.
Now, fitting all you want to say in just 300 characters (spaces included) and making it look attractive is a more complex task. These elements below will add the spice you need to make the outreach tasty!
Shared interest
Did you like the same comment or post? Attend the same webinar? Are you both into specific website styles, or similar niche topics?
These are all great conversation starters! If you did your homework and researched the connection earlier, you’ll surely notice a thing or two you could use to trigger their curiosity.
WIIFM (“What’s in it for me?”)
Think about it — why do you accept certain connection requests, and delete some of them immediately?
Having work-related things in common is good, but it’s even better to offer something useful right away (or “provide value”, as everybody likes to say), for free.
It could be a cornerstone article about a topic of interest, or a list of useful resources they can bookmark and get back to. It costs you nothing but can be the start of great collaboration!
So, definitely NOT like this:
“Hi, I work at (XYZ company) that sells CRM software. If you’re interested, I’d like to book a demo with you. When are you available?”
Try something like this instead:
“Hello Ian,
I’ve noticed your complaints about (pain point regarding the target’s current CRM) on Hannah’s post yesterday, and you’re not alone — 23% of sales reps have the same issue.
I know how you can overcome this, it’s a pretty simple and cheap solution!
Do you have time this Wednesday? I’d like to show you over a 15-minute Zoom call.
Best regards,
Mark Johnson
NOT pitching straight away
At least not in an obvious way.
If you attempt to pry the money out of your target’s hands before you even introduce yourself properly, be sure it won’t end the way you want it. They might ignore your request, delete it, or even mark your message as spam.
If you still want to try and pitch your service/product, make sure people actually need it and introduce it like a magic pill that makes the pain points go away.
Mentioning mutual connection
Grab the attention by referring to someone they might know better than you.
It can be as simple as: “…I’ve noticed you also appreciate Emma’s work on…”, or “Peter Simmons and I discussed how great your chapter on XYZ is in the latest e-book…” — provided that these things are true, of course. This will also add a special dose of authenticity!
If this particular target is super-important to you, you can also talk to your mutual connection and see if they can introduce you first. However, this tactic only works if you know the mutual connection well enough to ask for this kind of favor and if they know your target on a more personal level (they’ve worked together before, for example).
…or, mentioning their competition
You stumbled upon some info that can make them surpass the competition? Rest assured — your prospects would love to hear it!
There’s little chance that people you’ve contacted will ignore your message if you present them with valuable inside info. Additionally, people you’re interested in getting in touch with will accept your request because they’ll instantly recognize you as someone who could help in the future.
When composing the message, be sure to include the “teaser” in the very first sentence, so your potential clients are curious enough to open the message.
Personalization!
Personalization is what makes people accept the request.
Congrats — you’ve already done it!
All the previous steps make for a perfectly personalized LinkedIn cold message, now warmed up with stuff that makes the connections interested. The key thing about personalization is putting them first, and then adjusting your message accordingly.
Personalization takes time and effort. Although you can group your targets according to certain criteria, each person has specific triggers.
To prevent this from becoming a daunting task, you can use Expandi. It’s a tool that has a built-in Dynamic Placeholder for hyper-targeting accounts in bulk.
This means that you can easily send LinkedIn automated messages, and have a unique message for each account!
Key takeaways
A personalized LinkedIn connection request is a must if you want to stand out and seem more professional.
Before you send the connection requests, optimize your profile and study the person of interest thoroughly — so your message hits the sweet spot and dramatically increases the chance of people accepting your request.
Author Bio:
Stefan Smulders is a SaaS Entrepreneur | Founder of Worlds safest software for LinkedIn Automation / Expandi.io | for more than 5 years Founder of LeadExpress.nl.
Hope now you know about personalized LinkedIn connection request.
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Belayet Hossain is a Senior Tech Expert and Certified AI Marketing Strategist. Holding an MSc in CSE (Russia) and over a decade of experience since 2011, he combines traditional systems engineering with modern AI insights. Specializing in Vibe Coding and Intelligent Marketing, Belayet provides forward-thinking analysis on software, digital trends, and SEO, helping readers navigate the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Connect with Belayet Hossain on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin or read my complete biography.