Same problem
Hi {first name}, I work with {role}s at {industry} companies on {problem}. Not selling anything here, just keen to follow how {company} handles it.
All templates
Free templates
30 LinkedIn connection request messages that get accepted.
Short, specific notes for every situation you send a request in, each under 200 characters so it fits on any LinkedIn account. Copy one, fill in the braces, and send.
30 templatesUnder 200 charactersUpdated October 2026
The short answer
A good LinkedIn connection request message gives one specific reason you are connecting, says something true about the other person, and asks for nothing. Keep it under 200 characters, write it the way you would say it out loud, and leave the pitch for later, after they accept.
- One reason, stated plainly. Their post, a shared contact, the same event, the same problem. If you cannot name a reason, do not send the request yet.
- No pitch in the note. A sales line in a connection request is the fastest way to be ignored. Earn the conversation first.
- Under 200 characters. Short notes get read in the notification. Long ones get skimmed and declined.
- Be specific about them, not you. Name the post, the company, the talk. Generic praise reads as automation.
- Send fewer, better requests. LinkedIn limits how many invitations you can send each week and watches how many are ignored. Twenty well-chosen requests beat a hundred blind ones.
The 30 templates
Replace everything in {braces}. Use them as they are, or as a starting point in your own voice.
Cold prospects, no shared context
Their company caught your eye
Hi {first name}, I came across {company} while looking at {industry} teams doing {thing they do}. Would like to follow your work.
Peer in the same space
Hi {first name}, we both work on {topic} for {type of customer}. Always good to know more people who get the problem. Happy to connect.
After they posted something
Agreeing with a point
Hi {first name}, your post on {topic} put into words something I've been seeing with {type of customer}. Would like to keep reading what you share.
Asking a genuine question
Hi {first name}, enjoyed your post about {topic}. Curious how you handled {specific detail}. Mind if I connect?
Adding a data point
Hi {first name}, saw your post on {topic}. We found the same at {company}: {one-line finding}. Would be glad to connect.
Mutual connection
Named mutual
Hi {first name}, {mutual name} mentioned you're the person to know on {topic}. I work on {your area} and would like to connect.
Same network
Hi {first name}, we have a few people in common from {community or company}. I'm in {your area} and would like to connect.
Introduced by someone
Hi {first name}, {mutual name} suggested we talk about {topic}. Connecting here first so it isn't a cold email.
Same event, webinar or community
Spoke at an event
Hi {first name}, your talk at {event} on {topic} was the most useful session of the day for me. Would like to stay in touch.
Attended the same event
Hi {first name}, we were both at {event}. Didn't get to say hello, so connecting here instead.
Same community
Hi {first name}, saw your answer about {topic} in {community}. It helped. Would like to connect.
They engaged with you first
Viewed your profile
Hi {first name}, noticed you stopped by my profile. I work on {your area} with {type of customer}. Happy to connect if useful.
Commented on your post
Hi {first name}, thanks for your comment on my post about {topic}. Your point about {detail} was a good one. Let's connect.
Liked your content
Hi {first name}, thanks for the likes on my posts about {topic}. Seems we care about the same things. Happy to connect.
Founder to founder
Same stage
Hi {first name}, also building a {stage} company in {space}. Would be good to compare notes with someone a step ahead.
Admire what they built
Hi {first name}, I've followed {company} since {milestone}. Building {your company} and would like to connect with founders who did it well.
Shared customer
Hi {first name}, we sell to the same kind of team ({type of customer}) without competing. Worth knowing each other.
Partners, agencies and suppliers
Possible partner
Hi {first name}, our customers often ask about {their service}. Would like to connect and understand who you work with best.
Agency owner
Hi {first name}, I work with agencies on {problem}. Your work for {client or niche} stood out. Happy to connect.
Integration or overlap
Hi {first name}, {your product} and {their product} solve two halves of the same job. Would like to connect.
Reconnecting
Former customer
Hi {first name}, good to see you at {new company}. Enjoyed working with you at {old company} and would like to stay connected.
Old colleague or contact
Hi {first name}, it's been a while since {shared context}. Saw your move to {company}. Congratulations, and let's reconnect.
Met once, long ago
Hi {first name}, we met at {where} back in {when}. Still think about your point on {topic}. Connecting here.
Hiring, investors and press
Candidate you want to meet
Hi {first name}, your work on {project} is the kind we look for at {company}. No pitch yet, just want to be connected.
Investor in your space
Hi {first name}, I'm building {company} in {space}, where you've backed {portfolio company}. Would like to connect before we raise.
Writer or podcaster
Hi {first name}, I read your piece on {topic}. We see the same thing with {type of customer}. Happy to share data if it's ever useful.
After you've talked somewhere else
After an email thread
Hi {first name}, we've been emailing about {topic}. Connecting here too so it's easier to keep in touch.
After a call or demo
Hi {first name}, good talking today about {topic}. Connecting so we can stay in touch between calls.
Their colleague is a customer
Hi {first name}, we work with {colleague} on your {team} team. Connecting in case {topic} ever lands on your desk.
After they accept
The note gets you in. The first message decides whether a conversation starts. Do not pitch in it either: thank them, mention the reason you connected, and ask one easy question. Our LinkedIn follow-up message templates cover what to send next.
Or let Siela send them for you
Siela AI's LinkedIn outreach agent finds the right people, writes messages like these for each one and sends them from your own accounts, within the daily limits you set.
You
You 9:41
Connect me with heads of operations at logistics firms in our area.
AI SDR 9:41
Found 25 who fit; 16 have a fresh reason to talk. Each gets a short note written for them, like the ones on this page, and I pick up from it when they accept.
AI SDRToday
16 connection requests today
FromYour LinkedIn account
NotePersonal, under 200 characters
ThenFollow-up after they accept
Questions
Should I add a note to a LinkedIn connection request?
Add one when you can name a specific reason to connect. Skip it when the context is already obvious from your profile, such as many mutual connections or the same company. A generic note is worse than none.
How long can a LinkedIn connection note be?
LinkedIn caps note length and the cap can differ by account type. Keep notes under 200 characters so they fit on every account and get read in full in the notification.
How many connection requests can I send a week?
LinkedIn limits weekly invitations and does not publish one fixed number for every account; many users report around 100 a week. Requests that are ignored or marked as unknown count against you, so send fewer, well-chosen ones.
Should I pitch in a connection request?
No. Pitching before someone has accepted is the most common reason requests are declined. Use the note to give a reason, then start the conversation after they accept.
What should I send after they accept?
A short thank-you that mentions why you connected and asks one easy question. See the LinkedIn follow-up message templates for examples.
Can Siela send these for me?
Yes. Siela's AI SDR finds people who fit, writes a note like these for each person and sends it from your own LinkedIn account, within the daily goal you set.
Skip the copy and paste.
Siela AI finds people with a reason to talk, writes messages like these for each one and sends them from your own accounts.