When sending a LinkedIn connection request to a colleague you already know in real life, it is important to personalize the message. The default LinkedIn connection request text “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn” can come across as impersonal and spammy. Taking the time to write a customized message shows you value your existing relationship with the person and want to strengthen your professional connection on LinkedIn too. Here are some tips for writing effective LinkedIn connection request messages to colleagues:
Mention Your Offline Connection
Open the LinkedIn connection request message by referring to how you already know the person offline. For example, “Hi Jane, it was great catching up at the industry conference last week.” Or “Hey Mike, I hope you’ve been well since we worked together at Acme Co.” Mentioning your real world connection makes the request feel more personal and jogs the recipient’s memory about who you are.
Explain Why You Want to Connect
After mentioning your offline relationship, explain why you want to connect on LinkedIn. Are you looking to strengthen your professional network in the industry? Hoping to collaborate on future projects? Excited to follow their career journey? Articulating your motivation makes the request more meaningful. For example, “I’m looking to expand my professional network within our industry. I’d love to stay connected on LinkedIn to collaborate more in the future.”
Share Your Common Interests or Goals
Highlight any common interests, associations, or goals you share with the recipient. This further personalizes the request and reminds them of the strong basis for your connection. For instance, “As two alumni of State University focused on advancing in the tech industry, I think we’d benefit from connecting on LinkedIn.” Or “As fellow members of the Women in Business Network, I’d love to join forces on LinkedIn too.”
Keep it Conversational and Friendly
While customized and professional, the tone of your LinkedIn connection request message to a colleague should remain conversational and friendly. After all, this is someone you already know and have an established rapport with. Adopt a tone you’d use for an email or chat with the person. Stay away from overly formal language or stiff sales messaging. You’re speaking to a peer, not a total stranger.
Be Clear Why You Want to Connect
Avoid vagueness. Clearly tell the recipient why you want to connect on this professional network specifically. Saying something generic like “Let’s connect!” doesn’t provide enough context. Explain how LinkedIn can help you continue supporting each other in your careers and industry. Being direct gives the recipient more motivation to accept your request.
Keep it Short But Not Overly Brief
In most cases, you can communicate an effective message in just a few sentences or a short paragraph. You don’t need to write an essay. But don’t make it too brief either. A message that just says “Hi Bob, let’s connect on LinkedIn” is still a bit ambiguous and impersonal. Find a balance where you provide enough personalized context in a concise message.
Customize For Each Individual
Copy and pasting the exact same generic message to all your colleagues defeats the purpose of personalization. While you can follow a similar template, customize each request to reflect your specific relationship and interests with the individual. Personalize it further by mentioning any recent news or developments in their career based on your offline interactions.
Be Positive and Upbeat
Maintain an enthusiastic, positive tone when reaching out to connect on LinkedIn. This helps make it a more pleasant interaction that your colleague will be eager to accept rather than ignore. Phrases like “I’d love to…” and “I’m excited to…” convey the right sentiment.
Follow Up Professionally If No Response
If your colleague doesn’t respond to your initial connection request within 1-2 weeks, consider sending a brief, professional follow-up message. For example, “Hi Greta, just wanted to follow up on the LinkedIn connection request I sent last week. I know things can get busy, so I’m happy to connect whenever works for you.” Don’t take the lack of response personally and remain cordial.
What to Avoid in Your Request Message
When reaching out to colleagues to connect on LinkedIn, there are some things you’ll want to avoid in your message:
- Using the generic default text without any customization
- Vague statements about wanting to “connect” or “network” that lack context
- Overly formal language that feels impersonal
- Sending the exact same message to every single recipient
- Making it all about yourself without mentioning the recipient
- Being too wordy in long blocks of text
- Making it too brief with no personalization
- Pushy sales messaging with urgent calls to action
- Negativity, frustration or passive-aggressiveness if they don’t respond
Examples of Good LinkedIn Connection Request Messages to Colleagues
Here are some examples of personalized, effective connection request messages you can send to colleagues on LinkedIn:
“Hi Amanda, I hope you’ve been well! It was great catching up at the Digital Media Summit last month. As two marketing pros in the Bay Area, I think we’d benefit from connecting on LinkedIn too. Looking forward to keeping in touch on here and at future industry events.”
“Hey Scott, I hope you’re enjoying the new role at Acme Co! I’d love to stay connected as we both continue developing our careers in the tech sector. It would be great to collaborate on initiatives between our companies too. Let’s connect on LinkedIn to strengthen our professional relationship further.”
“Hi Sophia, congratulations on landing the promotion to Sales Director at Smith Enterprises! Given our Software University alumni connection and work in the tech sales industry, I think connecting on LinkedIn could be beneficial. Excited to support each other’s career growth and share best practices on here. Let me know if you’d like to connect.”
These real-world examples demonstrate how to strike the right balance of friendly and professional while clearly communicating your intentions. They show that taking a few extra minutes to personalize your request and explain why you want to connect on LinkedIn makes a big difference.
Following Up After Connecting
Don’t let new LinkedIn connections with colleagues stagnate after sending that initial request. Continue to engage with them by liking and commenting on their posts, messaging them periodically, and providing support and recommendations. Offer to introduce them to any of your connections who could be helpful resources too. Make the most of strengthening your professional relationship on LinkedIn after connecting.
In Summary
Personalizing your LinkedIn connection requests to colleagues is crucial to strengthening real-world relationships professionally online. Explain your specific motivation for connecting, remind them of your existing rapport, mention common interests and goals, and speak to them as a friend. With this warm yet professional approach, your colleagues will be more receptive to connecting on this platform that supports career growth.