Guides · Updated 2026-09-08
What to write in a LinkedIn connection request
A connection request note has 300 characters and one job: give a reason that could only apply to this person. A note that would fit anybody is worse than no note at all, because it proves the request was automated where an empty request merely leaves it open. Do not pitch, do not say "I would love to connect and share ideas", and do not mention what you sell. The request is asking for permission to be in someone's network, and the only thing that earns it is a specific, true reason you want to be there.
Why acceptance rate matters more than you think
This is not only a conversion question. LinkedIn restricts accounts whose invitations are frequently ignored or declined, and it is the most reliable way people lose access. A low acceptance rate is not a disappointing result, it is a countdown.
That changes the calculation entirely. The aim is not to send as many requests as the weekly cap allows, it is to send only the ones likely to be accepted, and to stop when you run out of good ones.
A bad note is worse than no note
An empty request is ambiguous. The recipient does not know whether you are a peer, a recruiter or a stranger, and a decent proportion of people accept out of curiosity or habit.
A generic note removes that ambiguity in the wrong direction. "I came across your profile and would love to connect and share ideas" tells the recipient exactly what this is, because they have received it forty times this year and every one of them was followed by a pitch. You have converted an ambiguous request into a recognisable one.
The test: could this be sent to anybody else?
Read the note and ask whether it would still make sense addressed to a different person in the same industry. If it would, it is not a reason, it is a greeting.
Naming their company is not enough, because merge fields do that. The reason has to reference something particular: a specific thing they wrote, the specific event you both attended, the specific person you both know, or the specific and unusual thing about their role.
Do not pitch in the request
The request is a door. The pitch, if there ever is one, comes several conversations later, and frequently never, because the person turns out to be a referrer rather than a buyer.
Mentioning what you sell in a connection request converts the decision from "do I want this person in my network" to "do I want to be sold to", and almost nobody answers yes to the second one.
Length, and the 300 character limit
LinkedIn allows 300 characters in the note. Use about half. A full 300 characters reads as an opening statement rather than a request, and it is visibly the work of somebody with an agenda.
Two sentences is right. One establishes the reason, one asks. If you cannot fit the reason into a sentence, the reason is probably not strong enough.
Examples
Each of these passes the same style checks OutreachConvert applies to its own drafts.
A shared event
We were both at the Retail Supply Chain forum in Birmingham last week, though I did not manage to say hello. Would be good to stay in touch.
Why it works: Specific, true, and checkable by them. It also explains why they do not recognise your name, which is the objection they were about to have.
Something they wrote
Your post about consolidating three WMS instances was the first honest account of that I have read, particularly the bit about the pilot running eight months. Would like to follow what you write.
Why it works: Names the specific detail, which proves it was read. Asks for nothing except the connection, and the flattery is grounded rather than generic.
A mutual connection
Priya Nandra suggested we should know each other, we work with a lot of the same grocery accounts. Happy to be introduced properly if easier.
Why it works: A named mutual contact is the strongest reason available. The second clause offers a warmer route, which signals you are not in a hurry to sell anything.
Common questions
Should you send a note with a LinkedIn connection request?
Send one when you have a specific reason, and send nothing when you do not. A note referencing something particular about that person raises acceptance meaningfully, often from around 20 to 30 percent up to 30 to 40. A generic note performs worse than an empty request, because an empty request is ambiguous and a generic note is recognisably the opening move of a sales sequence. Note that free LinkedIn accounts are limited in how many noted invitations they can send each month.
How long should a LinkedIn connection request message be?
Around 150 characters, which is half the 300 allowed. Two sentences: one giving the reason, one asking. Using the full limit signals that you have prepared a statement, and a prepared statement in a connection request is read as a pitch in waiting. If your reason will not fit in a sentence, it is usually not specific enough to work.
Why are my LinkedIn connection requests being ignored?
Usually because the note could have been sent to anybody, or because there is no plausible reason you would want to know this person. Ignored requests are more damaging than declined ones because they sit pending and count against you, and LinkedIn restricts accounts with too many. If acceptance is below about 20 percent, the fix is targeting rather than wording: you are asking people who have no reason to say yes.
Can you mention what you sell in a connection request?
You can, and it will cost you most of your acceptance rate. The request asks one question: do I want this person in my network. Mentioning your product replaces it with a different question: do I want to be sold to. Almost nobody answers yes to the second, and those who do are usually looking for a supplier already, which is a small enough group that you would do better finding them another way.
How many connection requests can you send per day?
LinkedIn caps invitations at roughly a hundred per week rather than by day, and the exact figure is not published and varies by account age and standing. In practice, 15 to 20 a day is a comfortable ceiling for an established account and considerably less for a new one. The number that matters more than the cap is your acceptance rate: sending to the cap with 15 percent acceptance is far riskier than sending a third of that with 40 percent.
Is it better to follow someone or send a connection request?
Following is the lower-risk option and it is underused. It costs the other person nothing, does not sit as a pending request counting against you, and lets you see their posts, which gives you a genuine reason to connect later. For senior people who receive dozens of requests a week, following and then connecting once you have had a real exchange in the comments converts far better than asking cold.
Related
This is what the product does
OutreachConvert watches your connections for these signals, drafts a reply to the specific event, and holds it for your approval. It refuses to send anything that reads as machine-written.