Warming up
The connection request is the gate. If it's not accepted, nothing else in your outreach matters. Here's how to write ones that get a yes.
Everything in LinkedIn outreach starts with a connection being accepted. A high acceptance rate compounds through the rest of your sequence; a low one starves it. The good news: small changes to your request move acceptance rates a lot.
Both work, for different audiences. A short, relevant note helps when your reason for connecting is genuinely about the person. For some senior audiences, a clean request with no note actually gets accepted more often — because a note that smells like sales lowers acceptance. Test both with your ICP.
Generic version: "Hi Marcus, I work with revenue teams to help them automate outbound prospecting and increase pipeline. Would love to add you to my network."
Better version: "Hi Marcus, saw the new SDR hires at Vantix this month — curious how you're structuring outbound as the team scales. Connecting either way."
Another good version: "Hi Dana, your comment on the roadmap-prioritization thread last week matched something we're rebuilding right now. Would value your take if you're open to it."
If your acceptance rate is low, the problem is usually who you're contacting, not the wording. Tighten your list before you rewrite your note.
It depends on your audience. Test both. A relevant, non-salesy note tends to help with peers and mid-level roles; a clean no-note request often performs better with senior executives who are wary of pitches.
300 characters. Aim to use far fewer — the most effective notes are one or two sentences that reference something specific about the person.
Keep it conservative and ramped — around 20 a day for an established account, fewer for a new one. Sending too many, too fast is the most common cause of restrictions. See our guide to LinkedIn outreach limits.
Acceptance rate on a cold LinkedIn connection request usually sits between 20% and 35% when you send generic notes, and between 45% and 60% when the note references something specific and true about the recipient.
Run a free deliverability check on your sending domain — SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and spam-trap risk — before you send another outreach sequence.
Warmerly helps you target the right people and keep your account healthy while you scale. Start free.