20 LinkedIn Connection Request Templates (Copy and Paste)
A connection note that gets accepted gives one specific reason you are reaching out and keeps the ask small: connecting, not a call. Pick your situation below, add their name and one detail you actually saw, and keep it inside the 300 character note limit.
20 of 20 connection request templates shown
- Cold · Sales · Professional
Hi {firstName}, I work with {industry} teams on {problem}. Your post on {topic} made a point I keep hearing from customers. Would be glad to connect and follow your work.
Why it works: Shows you read their content and keeps the ask small: connect, not a call.
EXAMPLEHi Dana, I work with fintech teams on onboarding. Your post on activation made a point I keep hearing from customers. Would be glad to connect and follow your work.170 characters / 200 - Cold · Founders · Friendly
Hi {firstName}, fellow founder in {industry} here. I like how {company} approaches {topic}. Would love to connect and swap notes sometime.
Why it works: Peer-to-peer framing and a genuine compliment, with no pitch.
EXAMPLEHi Sam, fellow founder in HR tech here. I like how Brightpath approaches onboarding. Would love to connect and swap notes sometime.138 characters / 200 - Cold · Marketers · Friendly
Hi {firstName}, your {content type} on {topic} was the most useful thing I read this week. I write about {my topic} too and would love to connect.
Why it works: Specific praise plus shared interest gives them a reason to accept.
EXAMPLEHi Lee, your newsletter on B2B SEO was the most useful thing I read this week. I write about content ops too and would love to connect.146 characters / 200 - Cold · Freelancers · Professional
Hi {firstName}, I help {audience} with {service}. I noticed {company} is {observation}. No pitch, just keen to connect with people doing great work in {industry}.
Why it works: Relevant observation and an explicit no-pitch line lower their guard.
EXAMPLEHi Priya, I help SaaS teams with product copy. I noticed Northwind is hiring for growth. No pitch, just keen to connect with people doing great work in SaaS.162 characters / 200 - Warm · Sales, Founders · Friendly
Hi {firstName}, {mutual name} suggested I reach out. We both work on {topic}, and I would love to connect.
Why it works: A mutual connection is the strongest reason to accept a request.
EXAMPLEHi Alex, Jordan Kim suggested I reach out. We both work on customer retention, and I would love to connect.106 characters / 200 - Warm · Tech · Friendly
Hi {firstName}, we were both in the {group or thread} discussion on {topic}. Your take on {detail} stuck with me. Let's connect.
Why it works: Refers to a shared conversation, which makes the request feel familiar.
EXAMPLEHi Chris, we were both in the DevOps Slack discussion on on-call. Your take on runbooks stuck with me. Let's connect.128 characters / 200 - After event · Sales, Marketers · Friendly
Hi {firstName}, great to meet you at {event}. I enjoyed our chat about {topic}. Let's stay in touch here.
Why it works: Recall makes it personal; naming the topic helps them remember you.
EXAMPLEHi Morgan, great to meet you at SaaStr. I enjoyed our chat about pricing pages. Let's stay in touch here.105 characters / 200 - After event · Job Seekers, Students · Professional
Hi {firstName}, thank you for your talk at {event}. Your point about {topic} was very helpful for someone starting in {field}. I would be glad to connect.
Why it works: Thanks plus a specific takeaway shows you listened.
EXAMPLEHi Taylor, thank you for your talk at the Austin Data Meetup. Your point about clean data was very helpful for someone starting in analytics. I would be glad to connect.154 characters / 200 - After event · Founders · Bold
Hi {firstName}, we did not get to talk at {event}, but your question about {topic} was the best of the day. Connecting so I can follow your work.
Why it works: Turns a missed chance into a compliment and a reason to connect.
EXAMPLEHi Jamie, we did not get to talk at Founder Summit, but your question about hiring was the best of the day. Connecting so I can follow your work.145 characters / 200 - Alumni · Students, Job Seekers · Friendly
Hi {firstName}, fellow {school} grad here. I am exploring {field} and would love to connect and learn from your path.
Why it works: Shared school creates instant common ground; the ask is to learn, not to get a job.
EXAMPLEHi Riley, fellow UT Austin grad here. I am exploring product management and would love to connect and learn from your path.117 characters / 200 - Alumni · Tech, Finance · Professional
Hi {firstName}, I saw we both studied at {school}. I work in {field} at {company} and would be glad to connect with fellow alumni.
Why it works: Simple and respectful; works for any alumni outreach.
EXAMPLEHi Pat, I saw we both studied at Michigan. I work in risk analytics at Fairbank and would be glad to connect with fellow alumni.130 characters / 200 - Same industry · Healthcare · Professional
Hi {firstName}, I am a {role} in {field} as well. Always good to connect with peers who care about {topic}.
Why it works: Peer framing works well in professional communities.
EXAMPLEHi Jordan, I am an ICU nurse in Houston as well. Always good to connect with peers who care about safe staffing.107 characters / 200 - Same industry · Real Estate · Friendly
Hi {firstName}, fellow agent in {city} here. I like your posts about {topic}. Let's connect, happy to share referrals when it makes sense.
Why it works: Local plus mutual benefit is a strong reason in real estate.
EXAMPLEHi Casey, fellow agent in Denver here. I like your posts about first-time buyers. Let's connect, happy to share referrals when it makes sense.138 characters / 200 - Same industry · Finance · Professional
Hi {firstName}, I am a {role} at {company} and follow your work on {topic}. Would be glad to connect.
Why it works: Short and professional for conservative industries.
EXAMPLEHi Robin, I am a financial planner at Harbor Wealth and follow your work on retirement income. Would be glad to connect.101 characters / 200 - Recruiter · Recruiters · Professional
Hi {firstName}, I recruit {role} talent for {company}. Your background in {skill} stood out. Open to connecting? No pressure if the timing is not right.
Why it works: Specific reason plus no pressure respects the candidate.
EXAMPLEHi Sam, I recruit backend engineers for Lumen Health. Your background in Go stood out. Open to connecting? No pressure if the timing is not right.152 characters / 200 - Recruiter · Job Seekers · Professional
Hi {firstName}, I am a {role} interested in opportunities at {company}. I would love to connect and follow your team's open roles.
Why it works: Clear and polite; tells the recruiter exactly why you reached out.
EXAMPLEHi Alex, I am a UX designer interested in opportunities at Brightline. I would love to connect and follow your team's open roles.130 characters / 200 - Recruiter · Recruiters · Friendly
Hi {firstName}, I am building a network of great {role} people in {city}. Your work at {company} caught my eye. Happy to connect.
Why it works: Networking framing, not a hard pitch, gets more accepts.
EXAMPLEHi Dana, I am building a network of great product designers in Chicago. Your work at Fieldstone caught my eye. Happy to connect.129 characters / 200 - Cold · Coaches · Friendly
Hi {firstName}, I coach {audience} on {topic}. Your post about {detail} resonated. Would love to connect.
Why it works: Brief, relevant and focused on their content.
EXAMPLEHi Morgan, I coach new managers on feedback. Your post about one-on-ones resonated. Would love to connect.105 characters / 200 - Cold · Tech · Professional
Hi {firstName}, I am a {role} working with {technology}. I learned a lot from your write-up on {topic} and would like to connect.
Why it works: Technical peers respond to specific, credible references.
EXAMPLEHi Chris, I am a data engineer working with dbt. I learned a lot from your write-up on testing pipelines and would like to connect.129 characters / 200 - Warm · Sales · Professional
Hi {firstName}, we spoke briefly when {company} looked at {product category} last year. I would like to stay connected here.
Why it works: Reconnecting with past conversations keeps relationships warm.
EXAMPLEHi Taylor, we spoke briefly when Acme looked at billing software last year. I would like to stay connected here.124 characters / 200
How to personalize a template
- Add their first name and one detail from their profile or a recent post.
- Say why you want to connect in a single sentence. Save any pitch for much later, if at all.
- Watch the length. Free accounts get 200 characters per note and Premium gets 300, and short notes read better anyway.
- Send it yourself from their profile. Nothing on this page sends anything for you.
Common mistakes
- Pitching in the note itself.
- Sending the default "I would like to add you to my network" line.
- Copying one note to hundreds of people.
- Mentioning a post or detail you did not actually read.
Frequently asked questions
Should I add a note to a connection request?
For anyone who does not already know you, yes. A short, specific note explains why you are reaching out and makes it easy to say yes.
How long can a connection note be?
200 characters on a free account and 300 with Premium. Every template here fits in 200 once filled in with typical details.
Can I pitch in a connection request?
It rarely works. Connect first, start a real conversation, and only bring up what you offer when it is relevant to them.
What happens to the name and details I type in?
They are used to fill the templates on your screen. They stay in your browser, are never sent to us, and are gone when you leave the page.
Go further
Write one for your exact situation with the free Connection Message. Read How to Write a LinkedIn Connection Request for the reasoning. Check how a message or post reads with the Post Preview, or browse the full template library.