The template matters less than the trigger. A perfect message sent for no reason performs worse than an average one that references something the person did last week.
So these are organised by signal, not by tone. Find the signal you actually have, then take the message.
Replace anything in {braces}. If you can't fill a placeholder honestly, that template isn't for
this prospect — pick another signal.
Hi {First} — saw you checked out my profile. I work with {role} teams on {problem}. Happy to connect either way.
{First}, noticed you stopped by my profile. If it was the {topic} post, I've got a longer breakdown I can send over.
Hi {First} — you looked at my profile, so I looked at yours. {Company}'s approach to {thing} is genuinely interesting. Connecting.
{First} — saw the profile view. No pitch, I just keep a small network of {role} people I learn from. Would like to add you.
Hi {First}, thanks for the look. I write about {topic} roughly weekly — happy to connect if that's useful to you.
{First} — noticed you viewed my profile after the {topic} post. Curious whether that's a live problem at {Company} right now?
Congrats on the move to {Company}, {First}. First 90 days in a {role} seat are brutal — happy to share what I've seen work.
{First} — saw you just started as {role} at {Company}. I keep a short list of what usually breaks in month two. Want it?
Congrats on the new role, {First}. I work with {role} leaders on {problem} — no pitch now, just a good time to know each other.
{First}, congratulations. Going from {prev_company} to {Company} is a real shift in {dimension}. Would like to follow how it goes.
Saw the announcement, {First} — congrats. Most {role} hires inherit a reporting mess. If that's you, happy to compare notes.
{First} — new {role} at {Company}, congrats. I've collected what the last twenty people in that seat wish they'd fixed first.
{First} — saw {Company} is hiring a {job_title}. The JD mentions {tool}. That stitching problem is exactly what we work on.
Noticed you're hiring {job_title}s, {First}. Usually means {implication}. Happy to share how similar teams handled it.
{First} — three {role} openings at {Company} suggests you're scaling the motion. Would like to connect and follow along.
Saw the {job_title} posting, {First}. The requirements list four tools that don't talk to each other. Been there — connecting.
{First}, your {job_title} JD asks for someone to 'own attribution end to end'. That's a hard hire. Happy to share what worked for others.
Noticed {Company} paused the {job_title} search. If you're solving it with tooling instead, I'd genuinely like to hear how.
{First} — your post on {topic} said the thing most people won't. Especially the part about {specific}. Connecting.
Hi {First}, I commented on your {topic} post but wanted to connect properly. The {specific} point changed how I think about it.
{First} — been reading your {topic} posts for a while. The one about {specific} is the one I keep sending people.
Your take on {topic} is the opposite of mine, {First}, and I think you might be right. Would like to connect and argue about it.
{First} — saw your comment on {person}'s post about {topic}. Sharper than the original post. Connecting.
Hi {First}, your {topic} post has been in my head for a week. Did you ever write the follow-up you mentioned?
{First} — we both know {mutual}. She mentioned you're the person to talk to about {topic}. Would like to connect.
Hi {First}, {mutual} and I worked together at {company}. Saw you're connected too — thought it was worth knowing each other.
{First} — {mutual} said you'd have strong opinions about {topic}. That's usually a good sign. Connecting.
We've got {n} mutual connections in {space}, {First}, which is unusual. Seems like we should actually know each other.
Hi {First} — {mutual} pointed me at your {thing}. Genuinely useful. Wanted to connect and say so.
{First}, {mutual} suggested I reach out about {topic}. Happy to explain more once we're connected.
{First} — another {role} in {industry}. There aren't many of us who deal with {problem}. Worth connecting.
Hi {First}, we're both {role}s at {size} companies in {industry}. I'd like a peer to compare notes with on {topic}.
{First} — I run {function} at {Company}, you run it at {their_company}. Different markets, same headaches. Connecting.
Building a small group of {role} people who actually measure {metric}. Would like you in it, {First}.
{First} — how are you handling {problem} at {Company}? Genuinely asking; we've tried three things and none stuck.
Hi {First}, fellow {role}. What's your current stack for {function}? Always curious what other teams settled on.
{First} — we were both at {event}. The {session} session was worth the trip. Connecting with the people who stayed for it.
Hi {First}, saw your question at {event} about {topic}. Nobody gave you a straight answer. I have one.
{First} — didn't get to speak at {event} but wanted to connect. Your point about {topic} was the sharpest thing in that room.
Both registered for {event}, {First}. Happy to compare notes afterwards if it's any good.
{First} — you spoke at {event} on {topic}. I've been implementing the {specific} idea since. Wanted to say thanks.
Saw you're speaking at {event}, {First}. Will be in the room. Connecting beforehand so it's not a cold hello.
Congrats on the {round}, {First}. The pressure to show pipeline usually arrives about a month later. Happy to connect ahead of that.
{First} — saw the {round} news. Congrats. Curious whether the plan is more headcount or more system.
Congrats on the raise, {First}. Everyone will pitch you this month. I'll wait — just connecting for now.
{First}, saw {Company} opened a {city} office. Second market usually breaks whatever worked in the first. Connecting.
Saw {Company} doubled headcount this year, {First}. That's the point where process stops being optional. Would like to connect.
{First} — {Company} showing up in more {category} conversations lately. Nice to see. Connecting to follow the trajectory.
{First} — noticed {Company} uses {tool}. We migrated off it last year; happy to share what we learned either way.
Saw you reviewed {tool} on G2, {First}. The limitation you flagged is real and it gets worse at scale. Connecting.
{First} — your stack page lists {tool_a} and {tool_b}. Getting those two to agree on revenue is a nightmare. Been there.
Noticed {Company} dropped off {competitor}'s customer page, {First}. If you're mid-switch, happy to share migration notes.
{First} — saw your post asking about {category} tools. I've used four of them badly and can save you some time.
Hi {First}, you mentioned {tool} isn't giving you {outcome}. That's a structural limit, not a config issue. Happy to explain.
{First} — we spoke about {topic} back in {month}. Timing wasn't right. Circumstances have changed on my end; connecting properly.
Hi {First}, we talked last year about {problem}. Curious whether you ever solved it — genuinely, not as a pitch.
{First} — you told me to come back when we'd built {feature}. We built it. Connecting to close the loop.
We met at {event} in {year}, {First}. You've moved to {Company} since. Would like to stay connected through the change.
{First}, our conversation stalled when {reason}. Fair enough at the time. Reconnecting in case that's changed.
Hi {First} — we lost touch after {event}. Still think about your point on {topic}. Connecting again.
Vera writes these against your actual pipeline. Ask for a connection sequence targeting a signal — new {role} hires, tool switches, recent raises — and Vera drafts the message, builds the audience and schedules the follow-up. You approve before anything sends.
See what Vera does →How to pick the right one
- Find a real signal first. Job post, new role, funding, a review, a comment. No signal means no message.
- Match the template to the signal, not to how the message sounds.
- Fill every placeholder honestly. A wrong specific is worse than no specific.
- Cut it shorter. The best performers run 120–200 characters.
- Do not pitch. The request buys a conversation, not the sale.
The rule that governs all sixty: if the message could be sent to anyone else on your list without editing, it will be ignored by everyone on your list.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a LinkedIn connection message be?
Under 300 characters — that is the hard limit on a connection note. In practice the best-performing ones run 120 to 200 characters. Shorter reads as more confident and takes less commitment to accept.
Should I send a note with a connection request?
Yes when you have a real reason, no when you do not. A note referencing a specific, current signal outperforms a blank request; a generic note performs worse than sending nothing at all.
What is the best trigger for a connection request?
A public, recent, specific event — a job posting naming their tools, a new role, a funding round, a review they left, a post they wrote. Triggers beat demographics.
Should I pitch in the connection request?
No. The connection request buys you the right to a conversation, not the conversation itself. Pitching in the note is the most common reason requests get ignored.
How many connection requests can I send per week?
LinkedIn limits most accounts to roughly 100 per week. Acceptance rate matters more than volume — a low rate signals to LinkedIn that your requests are unwanted.
Stop guessing which message produced revenue
Quotarider follows first touch through to the paid invoice, so you can see which of these actually produced cash rather than which produced replies.