LinkedIn Connection Message Guide and Templates to Grow Your Network

LinkedIn is a site where social media meets networking where many of its users make connections that can lead to jobs. You may have used job boards to find jobs on the internet before. You may not know that thousands of available jobs aren’t listed anywhere. These hidden jobs are why networking on LinkedIn can be highly beneficial to its users. 

If you are a new LinkedIn user or want to level up your profile to network, you’re in the right place. We will discuss everything you need to know to start networking, write enticing LinkedIn connection request messages, and provide templates that you can rewrite to suit you.

What Is a LinkedIn Connection Message?

A LinkedIn connection message is one that a user sends to another user to connect with them. When you look at someone’s profile, you will see a button that says “Connect,” where you can send one of these messages. 

While it may not seem like it’s worth the effort, building a network on LinkedIn can elevate your job opportunities and allow you to connect with other influential people in your field. 

You only want to send connection messages to those in your niche on LinkedIn for the most well-rounded network. There are plenty of social media sites where you can chat casually, but LinkedIn should be more professional. 

How Should I Send a Connection Message on linkedin?

Avoid jumping into the message with a pitch or sending a long, hard-to-read message. 

Before you send your message, keep in mind who exactly you’re sending the message to. 

Your message will look different with each of the following:

• People you’ve connected with previously
• People with mutual connections
• People with no mutual connections that you haven’t connected with before

Before messaging anyone, no matter who they are, remember to treat them like a person. A message that comes of disingenuine and spammy will get deleted and forgotten about. 

What to Include in a LinkedIn Connection Message

It may be tempting to create a message to copy and paste for everyone. However, you’re better off customizing a smaller number of messages than sending thousands of messages without any personalization. 

Many people attempt to send cookie-cutter messages, so you will stand out by personalizing yours. When you catch someone’s eye on LinkedIn, you have a better chance of starting up a conversation.

You may also want to avoid sending a LinkedIn connection message altogether. Without any context of you as a person or what you do, they may overlook or ignore your message. However, even by choosing not to, you’re still sending them a generic “____ would like to join your network” message.

Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile

When you see a LinkedIn connection message, the first thing you do is look at their profile to get an idea of who they are and what they have to offer.

Your LinkedIn page is like a storefront or magazine cover. You have to make it enticing enough for people to want to dive in deeper to learn more.

Before you send any messages, do some housekeeping on your profile first. 

things Your LinkedIn Profile Must Have

• Profile Photo: Add a professional-looking headshot photo as your profile picture. You don’t need to have fancy equipment; you can take great pictures with a smartphone. 
• Banner Photo: You want a professional-looking banner photo with your profile photo. You can create great-looking banner photos on Canva or hire someone on Fiverr. 
• Tagline: Think about who you help, how you help them, and what they can expect after you help them. It will go something like, “I help (insert demographic) by (what you do) offering (the results of your help). You may tweak the wording to your liking.
• Summary: Don’t go overboard on writing your summary. Add a bit of you and your work background, accomplishments, and other essential details about you and your work. 

It is also beneficial to customize your LinkedIn URL. Though not necessary, customizing your URL looks cleaner and makes your profile easier to find and send. 

How Do I Build My LinkedIn Network?

Think about the demographic you want within your network. If you were to go to a conference, what types of people would be there? 

By networking, you can begin building professional relationships. You may find like-minded people in your niche or even find employers looking for people to hire. 

Why Networking on linkedin?

Networking opens you up to an entire community that understands the type of work you do. You can find support in your network and then provide support to others. 

Many people find jobs or gigs on LinkedIn by networking successfully.

When networking is done correctly, you may get:

• Job offers
• Introduced to others who can support you
• Access to a mentor in your field
• Unique insights into companies, such as what their hiring process looks like
• Job opportunities that aren’t listed anywhere else
• Knowledge about your niche or industry
• Clients or customers

While networking doesn’t guarantee that you find a job or client, it does give you a better chance of doing so. Even if you don’t see your dream job on LinkedIn, you are likely to find lots of people who are in the same field as you. 

LinkedIn Connection Message Templates

Here are some LinkedIn connection message templates to help you connect with others and build your network. 

Connecting with Someone in a Mutual Group

Finding people who have something in common with you is a great place to start. Commonalities can include mutual interests, friends, or connections on another social media platform.

Template:

“Hey (name),

We are both in the same Facebook group (Ex: Freelance Writers). When I saw your profile, I wanted to be sure to connect here as well.

It seems like we both strive to improve our (Ex: writing game)!

Love it!

I can’t wait to chat,

(your name)”

Once they accept your request, send this message:

“Hey (first name)! I created an e-book that will help other writers improve their skills. I’m looking for a few people to read through it and let me know what they think.

Would you mind giving me some insight?

Thanks in advance!

(your name)”

If they don’t respond within a week, send this:

“Does this seem like something that would benefit you? I’d love to have a quick conversation. Let me know either way! – (your name)”

People get busy and can easily get distracted. They may have been interested in your message but forgotten to respond. This simple response will entice them to message you back if they are interested. Sending this second message allows them to reread your first message without being too pushy. 

Have Something to Offer

Typically, people don’t hop onto LinkedIn, wondering how they can go around helping out everyone else. It’s just human nature that we use our time to do something that will help ourselves.

So, one of the best ways to ensure a response is to provide value right off the bat. 

Try this message:

“Hey (their name), my name is (your name), and I am a (what you do). 

I noticed on your profile that you’re also a freelance writer. I’m messaging you to see if you’d be interested in testing out a free course that has allowed clients of mine to find higher-paying freelance writing jobs on LinkedIn. 

If you want to access it, just accept this message, and I’ll send it over!

I am looking forward to chatting more!

(your name)”

After they accept your message request:

“Thanks for accepting my request (their first name). I’m looking forward to adding you to my network and getting to know you more!”

Here’s a copy of the guide:

5 Strategies to Land Better Freelance Writing Jobs

I’d appreciate any honest feedback you have; let me know what you think.”

If they haven’t responded in a week, send them one last message:

“Hey there, have you had a chance to dive into the course? I’d love to hear your thoughts!”

Browse Content to Build Your Network

One of the best ways to find people who share similar interests in you is to look at who is engaging with popular content. 

You can find people this way by:

1. Go to the LinkedIn profile of someone well known in your niche.
2. Look for a post that has a lot of engagement.
3. Review everyone who commented and invite them to join your network

This is a simple technique that anyone can do. It’s a great method for creating a list of leads. 

Once you’ve got your list together, use this connection message template:

“Hey (first name),

I noticed that you also commented on the LinkedIn post by (name of the well-known LinkedIn user) It seems like we have a lot in common!

I can’t wait to chat with you more,

(your name)”

Once they respond to your request, send this message:

“I’m so happy you’ve joined my network! 

Since you also loved the post by (name of the well-known LinkedIn user), I thought you might find this resource beneficial!

Check it out and let me know what you think: 

(Add a relevant product, service, or article created by you. Whatever you offer, make sure it is free of charge as of right now.)

I am looking forward to hearing back from you!

(your name)”

If they don’t respond to that message, send this follow up message:

Hey (first name), I was curious if you had any time to check out the article I sent. I’d love to know what you thought about it!

(your name)”

Comment-to-Recieve Offer Connection Message

If you’ve browsed through LinkedIn, you may have already seen a post like this. People will create an offer, and in order to receive the offer, the user must comment on the post.

Not only does this open you up to grow your network, but it will benefit your content in the algorithm. The more people like or comment on your post, the more LinkedIn will push out your post to more users.

Once you have a list of everyone who commented, you can send the following message:

“Hey (first name),

I saw that you commented on my post about (the offer within your post). I’d love to add you to my network to send you the download ASAP and ask me any questions you may have.

I can’t wait for you to check it out!

(your name)”

You will probably get quite a few comments from people who have already been added to your network. If that is the case, you will need to tweak the message slightly. 

Here is a template you can use:

“Hey (first name), I saw your comment on my post about (the name of your offer). Give me your email, and I’ll send it over as soon as possible. 

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

(your name)”

Connection Message with No Mutual Connections Template

If you don’t have any mutual connections with this person, here is a simple template that will allow you to break the ice and add them to your network.

The first message:

“Hey (first name),

I saw your (post, comment, etc.) about (the topic you’re interested in) and I agree entirely! (Or how you genuinely felt about the post/comment you saw.)

I’ve actually created something similar that you might be interested in. I’d love to send it over if you’d like me to. 

Let me know either way!

(your name)”

Use “View Similar” to Find Users to Connect with

LinkedIn makes it incredibly easy for you to connect with like-minded people. 

Here is how you do it:

1. Search for an existing client or someone in your niche on the search bar
2. Select someone who has attributes that you’re looking for in new connections
3. Click “View Similar”

From there, you’ll get hundreds of names that are similar to the user you just searched. 

When you reach out to them, you can give this template a try:

“Hey (first name)

I saw you pop up on my feed, and I took a look at your profile. It seems like we have a lot in common! In fact, the work you do reminds me of something I helped a client with recently.  

I have a download I think would be beneficial for you! If you’re interested, let me know, and I’ll send it over.”

Although it may take a little time and effort to look through each profile, you’ll have a good chance of getting a response. The more personalization you can add, the more likely you will grab someone’s attention.

Find People Who Viewed Your Profile

What better way to build connections than to find users who’ve already been to your profile? LinkedIn will notify its users when someone views their profile.

Here’s how to see who has viewed your profile:

1. Go to your LinkedIn profile.
2. Find “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” in your dashboard and click on it.
3. Wah-lah! You have a list of people who’ve checked out your page before.

Connection message template:

“Hey, there (first name),

I saw that you checked out my profile at some point. Is there anything you needed that I could help you with?

From looking at your profile, I see that you’re in the same (niche) as I am. I’ve done a lot of work on this topic and can send you some of the (articles, downloads, etc.) I’ve created.

Are you interested in checking it out?

(your name)”

Remember before when we discussed having your profile up-to-date and looking professional? If your profile is on point and it’s clear what you do and who you help with, this list will be even more beneficial. 

Connect with Others in Similar LinkedIn Groups

The great thing about LinkedIn is the ample opportunities there are to find others who are in the same industry as you are. Groups are a great place to find others who may be interested in your work. 

Here is a LinkedIn connection message template to use in this situation:

“Hey (first name)

I see that you’re also in the (LinkedIn group name.) After taking a look at your profile, it seems like we have a lot in common!

I’m looking to connect with someone who is like-minded to see if there is some way we can support one another.

Let me know if there is anything you have helped with or any suggestions on how you’d like to collaborate!

I also have a few ideas.

Let me know what your thoughts are!

Thanks,

(your name)”

Connect with Local Users in linkedin

Even if you’re more of a face-to-face type of person, LinkedIn has a solution for that as well. All you need to do is click “find nearby” to see local users.

When messaging someone locally that you’d like to meet up with, try this connection message:

“Hey, there (first name), 

I’ve been working on creating a network of leaders in (the industry you’re in). I’d love to see if there is a way we can collaborate! There are so many opportunities for growth here in (your location). I’d

-(your name)”

Connecting with Someone You Admire in Your Industry

It can be intimidating to send messages to people you’ve never met before. You may feel even more uncomfortable if you admire someone in your industry.

To really catch their eye, make sure you add lots of personalization. It can be even more beneficial to add in bits of information you didn’t find on LinkedIn:

“Hey (name),

My name is (your name), and I have been working in the (your industry and how long you’ve been in that industry.) I have been following your work for the past (however many years) and felt connected to (example of their work).

If you ever have a spare few minutes, I’d love to know more about how you got started in your industry and which skills you think are necessary to get where you are.

Thanks in advance!

(your name)”

Someone You Want to Hire or Work with

If you’ve been looking through LinkedIn trying to hire someone, LinkedIn is the perfect place to offer the job. 

Don’t waste your time with small talk. Let them know precisely what you are looking to get out of the relationship. If they aren’t interested, you can quickly move on to the next person.

Here is a connection message template for someone you want to work with:

“Hey (first name),

I was impressed by (the work that they have done.) I’m a (your industry), and I am looking to hire someone for something similar to what you did with that project. If you are interested, let me know to chat more about all the details. 

Looking forward to possibly working together,

(Your name)”

Customizing Your LinkedIn Connection Message

There isn’t one foolproof message you can send to ensure a response from anyone. However, certain factors will make someone more enticed to connect with you, join your network, and possibly work with you.

Here are some things to keep in mind when crafting your connection messages.

Give an Introduction when sending your first message

Before you say anything else, give them a small introduction to who you are and what you do. This will immediately allow the user to see how you can possibly benefit them. 

Mention How You Know Them or Found Their Profile

If you don’t briefly explain how you found the user you’re messaging, it can come off like you’re just adding random people. When people feel like they’re just another number, they’re more inclined to deny your request. 

Whether you met them at an event or came across them in a LinkedIn group, write up a quick sentence that explains how you found them and why you wanted to connect based on what you saw.

Connect With Commonalities

Even if you are in similar industries with another user, this doesn’t mean they will want to connect on that alone. We’re humans with a wide array of interests, contacts, and other details that make us unique. Find something that you have in common with the user.

Here are a few examples of what to look for:

• Shared interests
• Mutual connections
• Same past employers
• Similar industry

Conclusion

LinkedIn is a great place online for networking with individuals in the same industry as yours. When you send a request for a user to join your network, you will want to customize the LinkedIn connection message. Make sure your message is personalized, and let them know who you are and what you have to offer.