A good introduction message on LinkedIn should be brief, personalized, and provide value to the recipient. The goal of a LinkedIn introduction is to give the recipient a reason to accept your connection request or message. Therefore, your introduction should communicate who you are, why you want to connect, and how connecting could benefit the other person.
When reaching out on LinkedIn, resist the urge to use a generic canned message. While it may seem efficient to copy and paste the same note to many people, a personalized message is much more likely to get a response. Take a few minutes to explain why you’d specifically like to connect with this individual.
Keep it Brief
LinkedIn introductions should be short and succinct, no more than 2-3 sentences. People are inundated with messages on LinkedIn, so you want to respect their time. Get right to the point by briefly stating who you are, why you’d like to connect, and how you can help them.
For example: “Hi John, I saw on your profile that you work in digital marketing at ABC Company. I’m building my marketing consulting practice and would love to connect with others in the field. Do you have time this month for a quick virtual coffee chat to hear your thoughts on paid social campaigns?”
This introduction is brief but does a good job personalizing the message with details from their profile, explaining why you want to connect, and proposing something that could benefit them.
Personalize the Message
One of the biggest mistakes people make with LinkedIn outreach is sending the same generic message to everyone. To stand out, your introduction should be tailored specifically to the recipient. Personalizing your ask makes it much more likely you’ll get a response.
Take a few minutes beforehand to look over their LinkedIn profile. Refer to their current position, past experiences, skills, interests, shared connections – anything that shows you took the time to understand who they are. Then work those details organically into your introduction.
For example: “Hi Michelle, I noticed on your profile that you have over 10 years of experience in corporate training and now work as a Learning & Development Manager at XYZ Company. I launched an online course last year teaching productivity tips for remote workers. Would you have time for a quick call to discuss potential partnerships between our companies for employee training initiatives?”
This type of personalization demonstrates that you respect their time and are reaching out for a specific purpose, not just blindly spamming your network.
Provide Value
Always communicate the value of connecting in your introduction. Explain how interacting could benefit the other person, not just yourself. Perhaps you can offer industry insights, professional advice, collaboration opportunities, or connections to others in their network. Give them a reason why accepting your request or chatting further is worth their time and energy.
For example: “Hi Tom, I really enjoyed reading about your work modernizing supply chains over on the Atlas Group website. I have 10+ years in manufacturing and operations management. Would you be open to a quick phone call to discuss innovations in supplier partnerships? I’d love to learn more about your work and share some of my own experiences as well.”
This type of value-focused outreach makes it easy for the recipient to say yes. You’ve indicated that the conversation will be a two-way knowledge sharing, not just you asking for something.
Use a Warm Introduction When Possible
The most effective LinkedIn introductions leverage mutual connections whenever possible. Reaching out cold can work, but a warm introduction through someone familiar significantly increases your odds of getting a response.
Before reaching out on your own, check if you already know someone who could make an introduction. This might be a friend, colleague, client, former coworker, or any existing 1st degree connection.
If you don’t have an obvious mutual connection, look at the other person’s connections and their school or companies for possible overlaps. You can also post a request asking if anyone in your network can introduce you.
With a warm introduction, keep your ask concise and get right to the point on how you can help them. For example: “Hi Rachel, I hope you’re doing well! Nick shared that you’re looking to transition into a marketing leadership role. I wanted to introduce you to my friend Kim who is Director of Marketing at ABC Company. I think you two would really hit it off, and she could provide some great advice on making that career move. Let me know if you’d like me to make an email introduction.”
Follow Up Politely
Not everyone will respond to your initial LinkedIn outreach, even with a thoughtful personalized message. If you don’t hear back within a week, it’s appropriate to send one follow up message.
Keep your follow up brief and casual. And give the recipient an easy way to decline if they aren’t interested. You could say something like: “Hi Matt, just wanted to check back on my earlier message below. No pressure at all if you’re not available to connect right now, just let me know either way. Thanks and I hope you have a great rest of your week!”
At that point, move on if you still don’t get a response. Avoid aggressively following up multiple times, which will just annoy the recipient.
What to Avoid in LinkedIn Introductions
While a good LinkedIn introduction is personalized and valuable, there are several things you’ll want to avoid:
- Generic messages copied to lots of people
- Long-winded notes with your whole life story
- Aggressive hard sells right off the bat
- Talking only about yourself and your needs
- No specific reasons provided for wanting to connect
- Lots of exclamation points and emojis
- Asking for too much too fast, like job leads or extensive free advice
- Errors with their name or other details
- Pushy repeated follow ups
These types of introductions often end up marked as spam or ignored. Keep your messages short, casual and focused on value for the other person.
Templates for Common LinkedIn Introduction Scenarios
To make crafting your own LinkedIn outreach easier, here are message templates for common scenarios:
Reconnecting with an Old Colleague
“Hi Jane, I hope you’ve been well! It’s [name] from [company], we used to work together back in [year]. Your career progress over the past few years looks really impressive. I’d love to reconnect and catch up if you have any time for a quick coffee or virtual chat. Please let me know, would be great to speak with you again!”
Introducing Yourself After Meeting In Person
“Hi Mike, it was a pleasure speaking with you at the [event] last week. As discussed, I’ve attached the report on [topic] that might be helpful as you expand into the Southeast market. Feel free to reach out if you would like to hop on a call to discuss further. I’m looking forward to staying in touch!”
Following Up After Meeting at a Networking Event
“Hi Christine, I wanted to follow up after we chatted at the networking happy hour on Friday. I really enjoyed learning more about your background in [field]. As discussed, here are a few people from my network who I thought could be great connections for you: [name, name]. Let me know if you would like me to introduce you over email. I’m excited to hear how your job search progresses and happy to help however I can.”
Connecting After Being Introduced by Someone Else
“Hi Rachel, [name] shared that we should connect over our experience in the retail industry. I’ve been working in retail marketing for over 5 years, with a focus on customer loyalty programs. Would love to learn more about the work you do with [company]! Let me know if you might have some time for a quick virtual coffee in the next few weeks.”
Proposing an Informational Interview
“Hi Lisa, I noticed on your profile that you are a Product Manager at [company], and have been working in tech for over 15 years. I’m new to the field and trying to soak up all the advice I can. Would you be open to a quick 20 minute informational interview over Zoom? I’d love to learn more about your career journey and any tips you have for someone looking to break into product management at a startup. Please let me know if you have any availability!”
Tips for Writing LinkedIn Messages
To sum up, here are some top tips for writing strong LinkedIn introduction messages:
- Keep it short and concise, no more than 2-3 sentences
- Personalize with details from their profile and interests
- Clearly state why you want to connect and the value for them
- Use a warm introduction from a mutual connection if possible
- Politely follow up once if needed
- Avoid generic spammy language
- Focus on providing value, not just taking
With the right introduction strategy, you can stand out from the crowd and start building relationships on LinkedIn that will further your career or business goals.