Your LinkedIn Invitation Message Says A Lot About You

One of the best aspects of online social networking forums is that anyone can join for free. Most sites, like LinkedIn.com, let anyone create their profile and build a virtual network – be it within their own social circle or outside of it. However, most times we take it for granted that our invitation will be accepted by the person we send it to.

How would you deal with an invitation that has no message? Or maybe one with just a few words explaining why you should connect? You may choose to ignore it, or you could reject it completely. This applies to you as well when sending an invitation to someone on LinkedIn.

An invitation message on LinkedIn is more than “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.” Those 300 characters have the potential to not only make your request get accepted but also leave a lasting impact on the person.
A personalized message goes a long way not only with people you don’t know at all, but also with those you know very well. If you’re connecting with people you don’t know personally, a message may convince them to accept your invitation. On the other hand, if you already know someone and want to connect, a message with a personal touch could strengthen the relationship.

The challenge lies in drafting a suitable message that conveys your intent to connect with a person. Here are 10 ways you can draft your LinkedIn invitations, irrespective of who you’re connecting with.

P.S: These are just sample messages for you to refer to while sending your next invitation!

Your Colleague

Recognition always helps. Especially, if it’s a colleague you work with. Even if it’s as simple as mentioning their strengths or expertise in the message while sending an invitation, make an effort to send a special message to your co-worker acknowledging their special skills.
Hi Rohit,
It’s been great working with you. Your expertise to drive brand initiatives and the zeal to explore marketing avenues are inspiring. Looking forward to learning a tip or two from you. Catch up tomorrow!

Best,
Priyanka

A New Colleague

Connecting with a new colleague could be a little tricky. You don’t want to come across too familiar, neither do you want to look like a stranger. If you’ve recently joined a company and want to connect with your peers or manager – compliment them and let them know that you acknowledge their role in the team – without being too nosy.

Dear Colin,
I am excited to be a part of the Marketing Team. The team’s enthusiasm for finding new and out-of-box ideas is commendable and motivating. I look forward to contributing and working with you all.

Best,
Mark

An Ex-Colleague

It’s quite possible that everyone in your previous organizations would remember you. However, this may not hold true if, for instance, you worked in a larger organization, or if it’s been a long time since you got in touch. Here’s how you can customize your invitation message: Mention exactly when, where and how you met the person.

Dear Nisha,
It was a pleasure working with you at <Name of the organization> from <Year 1 to Year 2>. Your customer dealing and client acquisition ways were incredible. It would be great to catch up sometime. I’d love to know more about your current role at <the name of their present organization>

Best,

Anita

An Acquaintance

Drafting a connection message for someone you barely know may seem confusing – it’s a mix of a formal and informal tone. You don’t have to be overly formal but keep the tone appropriate for a LinkedIn invitation.

Hey Prabir,
It was a pleasure meeting you at Lara’s party the other day. Next time we meet, I’d like to ask you more about what you write on. I have been thinking of starting my own blog for a while.
Cheers,
Philip

Someone You Look Up To

Connecting with a stranger is difficult because most people don’t accept invitations from unknown users. It is important to establish your identity and the purpose of your invitation. A word of advice: stay away from asking for a job over LinkedIn.

Dear Michael,
I am a Marketing professional with an experience of <number> years. I have been following your work at <name of their company>. Your recent campaign <name of the assignment> was truly impressive. It’d be great if you could spare 20-30 minutes to enlighten me with your Marketing tactics and skills required to be one of the best marketing professionals in the industry.

Thank you so much,

David

Member Of The Same LinkedIn Group

If you notice and follow the updates of a participant in a group, sending an invitation shouldn’t be much of a problem. The fact that you’re in the same group is reason enough for him to accept your invitation.

Dear Ron,
I am in the Information Securities Community like you and I enjoy reading your posts. The post you shared on <name of the post> a week ago was truly interesting. I’d love to stay in touch with you and learn more about your work.

Best,
Robin

A Recruitment Consultant

It’s always better to connect with a recruiter with whom you have something common – be it an industry, connection or anything else. In case there’s nothing in common, it’s preferred that you join one of the groups the recruiter is a part of.

Dear Lisa,
I saw your profile on Facility Management Career Forum and wanted to get in touch with you to discuss the possibilities of working together. I am a Marketing Manager with experience of 15 years and I’m presently looking for opportunities. I’d love to discuss my profile, and whether it could be a fit for any of the job openings. It’ll be a pleasure to connect you with other professionals in my network as well.

Looking forward to hearing from you,
Sanjeev Shukrey

An Alumnus

Sending an invitation to an alumnus is comparatively easier. Before you click on the ‘Connect’ button, take a few moments to go through their profile and interests.

Dear John,
I notice you graduated from Stanford University like me. I am currently working as an IT Manager and would be delighted to know more about your work at Microsoft. In case you have spare time, I’d love to catch up with you for coffee.

Best,
Rajiv

Someone You’d Want to Work With

It’s possible you may want to connect with like-minded individuals or professionals in the same field as yours. It’s of utmost importance that you clearly mention the type of connection you want to establish.

Dear Sridhara,
I came across your blog post on women empowerment and I must compliment you on the great impact it left on me. I am also a writer by profession and run my own content development agency. I am interested in hiring you as a senior writer at my company. If you are interested, please let me know so that we can speak on the phone to discuss this in detail.

Looking forward to your response.
Raghuvir

Use these templates as reference when you are stuck sending an invitation to someone on LinkedIn.

Before you send an invitation to connect, make sure your profile reflects your professional reputation.

Need assistance with your LinkedIn Profile? Check out HeadHonchos’ LinkedIn Profile writing service.

This blog was originally posted on Headhonchos