A LinkedIn message request allows you to start a conversation with someone you’re not already connected with on LinkedIn. When you send someone a message request, they’ll receive a notification letting them know you want to connect. If they accept your request, a private messaging thread will open up between you and that person.
LinkedIn message requests can be a great way to reach out to people you’d like to build a relationship with, but aren’t yet connected to on the platform. For example, you may want to message a recruiter about job opportunities at their company, a potential business partner about working together, or an industry leader to ask for career advice. Sending them a message request allows you to make that initial contact.
When Should You Use a LinkedIn Message Request?
Here are some of the most common situations when sending a message request may be appropriate:
Reaching Out to Someone You Don’t Know
If you want to get in touch with someone you don’t already have a connection with, a message request is the way to go. For example, you might message someone who works at a company you’re interested in, someone in your professional network you’d like to build a relationship with, or an industry leader whose career path you admire.
Following Up After Meeting Someone
If you recently met someone in person that you’d like to continue the conversation with, sending them a message request is a great way to follow up and keep in touch. Whether it was at a conference, networking event, seminar, or even just meeting someone socially, a message request can help further that new connection.
Introduction from a Mutual Connection
Have a common connection who offered to introduce you to someone over LinkedIn? After your mutual contact makes that introduction, follow up by sending the person a message request to open up the lines of communication.
Contacting Someone About a Job Opportunity
Looking to inquire about job opportunities with a certain hiring manager or at a particular company? Use a message request to reach out directly to the people who post jobs and make hiring decisions. You can ask about open positions, submit your application, or express your interest in working for them.
Following Up After Applying for a Job
Already applied for a job and want to politely follow up with the hiring manager? Sending them a message request is often preferable to showing up in person or making an unsolicited phone call. Just make sure your message is professional and provides value.
Making Industry Connections
Looking to grow your professional network within a certain industry or niche? Identify the top contributors, leaders and experts in your field and proactively reach out over message request to introduce yourself and start building those relationships.
How to Send a LinkedIn Message Request
Sending a message request on LinkedIn only takes a few simple steps:
1. Find the profile of the person you want to message.
Use LinkedIn’s search bar to find the member you want to message. You can search by name, company, job title, school attended or other keywords.
2. Click “Connect” on their profile.
When viewing their profile, click the blue “Connect” button that appears near the top of the page. This sends them a connection request.
3. Select “Add a note.”
On the next screen, change the message type from “Invitation” to “Add a note.” This allows you to include an initial written message with your connection request.
4. Type your message.
Write a short professional note introducing yourself and explaining why you’d like to connect with this person. Keep it concise – a few sentences at most.
5. Click “Send.”
That’s it! Your message request will now appear in the recipient’s notifications. They can choose to accept your request and respond back or decline it.
LinkedIn Message Request Etiquette
To boost your chances of getting a response, make sure your message request is professional, personalized, and provides value:
– Properly introduce yourself.
Let them know who you are, where you work, and how you found them. Provide key context upfront.
– Personalize the message.
Make it clear you researched them by referencing their background, company, projects, interests etc. Generic outreach is easy to ignore.
– Explain why you want to connect.
Give a specific reason for reaching out, like networking, seeking career advice, discussing a business deal etc. Don’t make them guess.
– Offer value.
Give them a compelling reason to respond by offering to share an interesting article, providing a tip, or proposing a mutually beneficial idea.
– Use a professional tone.
Avoid overly casual language and be polite. You want to come across as mature, respectful and trustworthy.
– Proofread before sending.
Double check for typos, grammar mistakes and unclear phrasing. The message represents your brand.
What Happens After Sending a Message Request?
Here are a few possible outcomes after sending someone a message request on LinkedIn:
They accept your request and reply back.
This is the best case scenario. If they reply, be sure to respond back in a timely manner and continue nurturing the new connection.
They accept your request without replying.
The recipient may accept your request but not respond yet. Give it some time and then consider sending a polite follow up message.
They ignore the request.
If a week or so goes by with no response, they may have passively rejected your outreach. At that point, it’s best not to keep messaging them.
They decline your request.
Explicit rejections are rare, but can happen. If your request is declined, respect their decision and do not make additional contact attempts.
They mark your message as spam.
Repeated low-quality outreach may result in LinkedIn flagging you for spam, limiting your ability to message. Make sure each request is thoughtful.
The best practice is to follow up once if you don’t hear back after about a week. But if they continue not to respond, move on and focus your efforts elsewhere.
Common Reasons LinkedIn Message Requests Are Ignored
If you’re noticing many of your LinkedIn outreach attempts are getting ignored, some of these factors could be the reason why:
Too salesy or promotional
People are unlikely to respond if your messages sound like a sales pitch or product push. Focus on starting real conversations.
Spelling/grammar errors
Typos or poor writing quality reflect poorly on your brand and decrease open rates. Always proofread.
Too long
Keep messages concise and scannable. Giant blocks of text are overwhelming and off-putting.
Too generic
Personalized messages show effort and are much more engaging than generic templates.
Asking for too much
Leading with a big ask before building a relationship looks opportunistic. Offer value before making asks.
Messaging too frequently
Mass blasting your network burns social capital. Focus on quality over quantity.
Nothing compelling offered
Give a strong value prop of how connecting would be mutually beneficial. Don’t expect others to create value for you.
Outside their industry/expertise
Make sure you target people who align with your professional goals and background.
The best way to get more LinkedIn message responses is to take the time to craft each request carefully and purposefully while showing genuine interest in the other person. Quality over quantity.
LinkedIn Message Request Limitations
While message requests can be effective, there are some limitations to be aware of:
– Recipients may ignore requests from people outside their network.
You’re more likely to get a response from a 2nd or 3rd degree connection vs. messaging someone you have no existing connection to.
– There’s no guarantee your message will even be seen.
Busy recipients may overlook notifications or deliberately filter message requests from strangers.
– Significant time investment required to personalize each message.
While templated messages are quicker, they are very ineffective. Personalized outreach takes much longer but nets better results.
– You may be flagged for spam if overusing this feature.
Avoid copy-pasting generic messages or blasting your entire network. LinkedIn will restrict your account if reported for spam.
– Less effective for senior executives and major influencers.
The more prominent someone is, the less likely they are to respond to unsolicited message requests.
– Some industries have lower response rates than others.
For example, tech and media tend to be more open to networking requests vs. more traditional sectors like law and accounting.
– Unclear whether a message has even been viewed.
There’s no message read receipt, so you don’t actually know if your note was opened and read.
Overall, message requests work best when used selectively for targeted, personalized outreach, especially when combined with an existing warm connection or introduction. Spamming strangers en masse results in poor outcomes.
Conclusion
LinkedIn message requests allow you to connect with professionals you’re not already networked with. They are extremely useful for reaching out about job opportunities, business proposals, networking and building new professional relationships.
To maximize your chances of getting a response, always personalize the message, communicate your specific reason for connecting, and provide value to the recipient. Avoid mass blasting strangers with generic templates.
With over 800 million users on LinkedIn, message requests give you a powerful tool for expanding your professional network. Use them strategically as part of an overall approach to nurture win-win relationships with your peers and industry leaders. Just be sure to use proper etiquette, add value and respect people’s time.