Should I Have A Note In MY LinkedIn Connection Request? | Donald Kelly - 1949

Personalized messages or not? That is the question! Snov.io’s data has the answer, and you might be surprised by what it shows. I’ll also share my thoughts and tips for writing successful LinkedIn connection requests.

Snov.io Data Analysis: Does Personalization Matter?

· I dug into the Snov.io data, which looked at over 44 million cold emails and 865,000 LinkedIn invites.

· Surprisingly, LinkedIn invites without a message had a slightly higher acceptance rate at 30% compared to 27% for personalized notes. That 3% difference makes you wonder what the best outreach strategy really is.

Personalized Notes: Strategy and Platform Limits (00:02:29 – 00:04:37)

· Even with the numbers, I still recommend sending personalized messages. Real engagement matters more than just acceptance rates.

· LinkedIn now limits how many personalized requests free users can send, which shows they see value in personalization since it’s something they monetize.

Why People Accept Requests: Psychology and Best Practices (00:04:37 – 00:07:25)

· Sometimes, no-message requests work because they feel less “sales-y.” People make quick decisions based on profiles rather than feeling pitched.

· But I always suggest engaging before sending a request. Comment on recent posts, like content, or start a small conversation first. This helps create real connections.

Building Engagement for Higher Acceptance (00:07:25 – 00:08:33)

· Here’s a simple process I follow: interact with a prospect’s recent activity, then send a connection request mentioning that engagement.

· This approach leads to more meaningful conversations and much better results than sending mass, impersonal requests.

Resources

· Which side are you on? Connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know.

· Check out my LinkedIn Prospecting Course to change your level of thinking and master LinkedIn outreach.

· If you need help creating content for your business, my podcast production agency, Blue Mango Studios, can help.

o We specialize in YouTube video production, AI content writing, and social media strategy to grow your brand and reach the right audience.

Sponsorship Offers

1. This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.

2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.

3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.

Credits

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.