LinkedIn Connection Request Template
A short, non-salesy LinkedIn connection note that fits within the 300-character limit and gets accepted at a higher rate than a blank or pitchy request.
When to use this
Use this as the very first touchpoint with a prospect on LinkedIn — the note attached to a connection request, before you’re able to send a full message. LinkedIn caps connection notes at 300 characters, so this has to earn a click-accept in one or two sentences with zero pitch. It works best on prospects you’ve researched enough to reference something real: a shared group, a piece of content they posted, a mutual connection, or their role at a company you’re already tracking.
Why it works
A connection request with no note, or one that leads with a product pitch, gets ignored or reported as sales spam almost by reflex. A note that references something specific and asks for nothing beyond the connection itself reads as low-risk — the prospect isn’t agreeing to a sales conversation, just to being connected. That distinction matters: covered in more depth in how to generate leads with LinkedIn, the accept is the goal of this message, not the pitch. Save the actual offer for the InMail follow-up template once you’re connected.
The template
Hi [First Name] — saw your post on [Topic] and agreed with your take on [Specific Point]. Would love to connect and follow your work on [Their Focus Area].
Alternative (mutual connection angle):
Hi [First Name], noticed we’re both connected to [Mutual Connection] and both work in [Shared Industry]. Would be great to connect here.
Alternative (role-based, no shared content):
Hi [First Name] — I work with [Their Title]s at [Their Industry] companies on [Their Pain Point]. Would love to add you to my network.
Customization tips
- Keep it under 250 characters even though the limit is 300 — leaves room for LinkedIn’s own UI text and avoids the note getting visually cut off on mobile.
- Never mention your product or company name in the note itself; save that for the first message after they accept.
- If you genuinely have no specific hook, the role-based version still outperforms a blank request — but prioritize finding a real hook whenever one exists.