LinkedIn connection messages that fit in 200 characters

This page is for salespeople, recruiters, founders and job seekers who send LinkedIn connection requests to people they don't know well yet. It covers what to write in the note, when to skip it, what to say after they accept and the limits LinkedIn sets. Every example fits LinkedIn's 200-character limit with a typical name filled in. For the wider prospecting method, see the guide to LinkedIn lead generation.

LinkedIn's limits, from its own help pages

Two hundred characters is shorter than it sounds. "Hi Christopher, " uses 16 of them, 8% of the note, before you've said anything. Write the note, then count it with the name in.

What makes a connection note work

1. One specific reason. A shared event, a mutual contact, their post, news at their company or a shared background. One reason, not three.
2. About them, not you. The first sentence mentions something of theirs. Your role gets half a sentence.
3. No pitch and no ask. A note that sells gets ignored or reported. The note earns the connection; the conversation comes after.
4. Honest. Don't claim you met, that a contact referred you when they didn't, or that you "loved" a post you didn't read.
5. A plain close. "Happy to connect" or "Good to stay in touch" is enough.

Finding a real reason for each person is the slow part when your list runs to dozens of accounts. Bebop researches each account and writes a playbook with what's happening at the company and who to talk to, which gives you the reason before you open LinkedIn.

Connection request templates

The character count on each card is for the example filled in with a typical first name and company. Check yours before sending.

Hi [first name], congratulations on [company]'s [news, e.g. new branch in Tulsa]. I work with [type of company] on [area] as they [grow / change], and would like to follow your progress. Happy to connect.

Hi [first name], your post on [topic] was the most practical thing I read this week, especially the point on [specific point]. I'd like to follow your writing.

Hi [first name], I was at [event] too and liked your question about [topic]. I work on the same problem from the [your side, e.g. software] side. Good to stay in touch.

Hi [first name], [mutual contact] suggested I reach out; [she/he/they] thought we'd both be interested in [topic]. I help [type of company] [do what]. Happy to connect.

Hi [first name], we both work with [type of company] in [region]. I'm at [company], on the [your function] side. Always good to know people who see the same market. Happy to connect.

Hi [first name], thanks for the time on [day]. Connecting here so it's easy to stay in touch. I'll send [what you promised] by email [when].

Hi [first name], I saw [company] is hiring [role]s in [city]. I recruit for that role locally and know what candidates are asking for right now. Happy to share.

Hi [first name], fellow [school / group / former employer] alum here. I saw you lead [function] at [company]; I work with [type of team]. Would be good to connect.

Hi [first name], I'm [a student in X / moving into Y]. Your path from [their earlier role] to [their current role] is the one I'm hoping to follow. I'd be glad to connect and learn.

Hi [first name], we worked together on [project] in [year]. I've moved to [company] and wanted to keep in touch here. Hope [something current at their company] is going well.

When to send no note at all

Without Premium, you'll send most requests with no note. That works when your profile does the explaining: a headline that says who you help ("Billing software for staffing agencies") and a recent post or two. A blank request from a relevant profile is better than a generic note ("I'd like to add you to my professional network"), which signals that you didn't think about them.

After they accept: thank-you messages

Messages after a connection aren't limited to 200 characters, but they should still be short. Send the thank-you within a day and keep it pitch-free. Ask your first real question a few days later.

Thanks for connecting, [first name]. No pitch, I promise. If [topic] ever comes up, I'm easy to reach here.

Hi [first name], since you're [the trigger, e.g. opening new branches], this might be useful: [resource, e.g. a one-page checklist for billing across branches]. [Link]. No need to reply.

Hi [first name], a question I've been asking [role]s at [type of company]: since [the trigger], what's been harder than expected? I'm collecting answers, and happy to share what others say.

Thanks for the invitation, [first name]. What made you reach out? Happy to help if I can.

If the conversation moves toward a meeting, switch to email. The introduction email templates cover how to introduce yourself properly once there's a reason to.

Worked example: a free account with three notes a month

Illustrative example. The companies, people and figures are fictional, to show the method.

The seller: Ana, an account executive at Clearbook (clearbook.example), billing software for staffing agencies, on a free LinkedIn account. The list: controllers and CFOs at 30 staffing agencies in Oklahoma and Kansas.

The constraint. LinkedIn's help pages give the monthly note allowance for free accounts as three in one place and five in another, so Ana plans for three: 10% of her 30 requests can carry a note.

Step 1: rank the list. Ana sorts the 30 by how strong her reason to connect is:

Step 2: write the three notes. For Megan, the controller at Harlow Staffing (harlowstaffing.example), which opened a branch in Tulsa:

Hi Megan, congratulations on Harlow's new branch in Tulsa. I work with staffing agencies on billing as they add branches and would like to follow your growth. Happy to connect.

That's 176 characters with her name in, leaving 24 to spare.

Step 3: pace the requests. Thirty requests over two weeks is three each weekday: the tier A notes on Monday, then a mix of B and C, never in a burst. Ana updates her headline first ("Billing software for multi-branch staffing agencies") because 27 of the 30 people will judge the request by her profile alone.

Step 4: follow up. Every acceptance gets the same-day thank-you. Tier B thank-yous name the shared event or contact. After a week, the first-question message goes to everyone who accepted. Anyone who answers with a real problem gets an email and a proposed time to talk.

Mistakes to avoid

• Pitching in the note. "I'd love to show you a quick demo" is the fastest way to be ignored.
• The pitch the minute they accept. It turns the connection into a regret. Wait, and lead with something useful.
• Fake familiarity. "Great to meet you at the conference" when you didn't meet is a lie they'll remember.
• Automation tools. LinkedIn's User Agreement bans bots and unauthorized automated methods for adding contacts or sending messages, and bans software that scrapes the site. They put your account at risk, and recipients can usually tell.
• Bursts of requests. Hitting the invitation limit typically blocks you for a week, and LinkedIn won't shorten it.
• Never withdrawing old requests. Withdraw ones that have sat for weeks, so your pending list reflects people who might still accept. It won't lift a restriction, but it keeps your list tidy.

Checklist before you send

• The note is under 200 characters with the name filled in.
• It gives one specific reason that's true.
• It mentions them before it mentions you.
• There's no pitch, no meeting request and no link.
• On a free account, this person is worth one of your few notes this month.
• Your headline says who you help, for the requests without a note.
• The thank-you message is ready for when they accept.

Next step: connections are the start, not the goal. Turn them into conversations with the weekly plan in the LinkedIn lead generation guide.