LinkedIn invitation message: 15 effective examples and best practices for prospecting

Finally boost your LinkedIn prospecting thanks to your invitation messages

At a time when LinkedIn has more than 800 million members worldwide, the professional social network has become an essential part of businesses' B2B prospecting strategy. But to take full advantage of this gold mine of business opportunities, you still need to master the art of the invitation message.

The first interaction with a prospect, the invitation message is in fact decisive in capturing their attention and engaging them in a commercial relationship. However, it is clear that many salespeople are still content with generic messages that struggle to arouse interest and often find themselves unanswered.

To help you stand out from the crowd and maximize your acceptance rate, in this article, we've compiled 15 sample LinkedIn invitation messages that have proven to work. Together, we will also discuss the best practices to adopt and the pitfalls to avoid in order to write powerful and engaging messages.

Ready to boost your LinkedIn prospecting? Let's go!

15 examples of LinkedIn invite messages that convert

Here are 15 LinkedIn invitation message templates that have proven to be effective. Do not hesitate to be inspired by them and to adapt them according to your target and your offer.

Example 1: Highlighting a common interest

Hello [First name],

I saw that we were both members of the group [Group Name] on LinkedIn. Like you, I am very interested in the latest trends in [Theme].

It would be a pleasure to discuss with you on the subject and to share our respective experiences.

Good day,

[Your name]

Example 2: Reference to company news

Hello [First name],

I recently read an article about the latest [Company] fundraiser. Congratulations to you and your team for this great success!

I would be delighted to know more about your development projects following this funding, and to see if my services could be useful to you in this context.

Would you agree to give me a few minutes of discussion on this subject?

Regards,

[Your name]

Example 3: Personalized Profile-based Approach

Hello [First name],

Looking through your LinkedIn profile, I was impressed by your background at [Company] and your accomplishments as a [Position]. Your expertise in [Domain] seems to correspond perfectly to the problems we address at [Your Business].

I would be happy to discuss with you your current challenges in terms of [Problem] and to see how we could support you.

Do you have a moment for me in the days to come?

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Example 4: Leveraging a shared relationship

Hello [First name],

Our mutual friend [Relationship Name] told me a lot about you and praised your [Domain] skills.

Like [Relationship name], I think we could have interesting synergies and that is why I am taking the liberty of contacting you.

I would be happy to explain to you in more detail what [Your Business] does and explore opportunities for collaboration.

Do you think we could agree to a quick telephone exchange in the coming days?

Looking forward to sharing,

[Your name]

Example 5: Event invitation message

Hello [First name],

I am organizing an event on [Date] on the theme [Theme of the event] and in view of your expertise on the subject, I would be delighted to welcome you there.

On the program: [Event schedule]. A great opportunity to meet peers and exchange on best practices in the sector.

Can I count you among us? I would be happy to reserve a place for you if the subject interests you.

Good for you,

[Your name]

Example 6: Request for advice and recommendation

Hello [First name],

I was very impressed by your background at [Company] and your expertise in [Domain].

I am allowing myself to contact you because I am currently looking for solutions for [Problem] and I am convinced that your experience would be extremely valuable.

Would you give me a few minutes for a quick exchange? Even a simple written feedback on your recommendations would be fantastic!

Thanks in advance,

[Your name]

Example 7: Value Added Content Proposal

Hello [First name],

I recently published a white paper on 2023 [Sector] trends and I think it might be of interest to you considering your position as [Position] at [Company].

Here you'll find exclusive data, expert testimonies, and practical tips for [Benefit].

Can I send it to you as a preview? All you need to do is add me to your network.

Good day,

[Your name]

Example 8: Highlighting a customer experience

Hello [First name],

I have just completed an assignment at [Customer Company], a company in your sector that was experiencing problems similar to yours in terms of [Problem].

In a few months, we implemented a solution that allowed them to [Benefit] and thus to [Result].

I would be happy to share this feedback with you and see if we could bring you the same benefits.

Would you be open to a quick exchange in the coming days?

Regards,

[Your name]

Example 9: Request for feedback

Hello [First name],

I am currently in the process of writing a guide on [Thematic] for [Target] and I would like to gather the opinion of recognized experts on the subject.

Your experience as a [Position] at [Company] would be extremely valuable. Would you be willing to answer 2-3 quick questions about [Topic]?

In exchange, I would be delighted to quote you in the book and send you a preview copy.

What do you say?

Thanks in advance for your return,

[Your name]

Example 10: Congratulations and Value Proposition

Hello [First name],

First of all, congratulations on your recent promotion to [Position]! This is a great recognition of your work and your expertise.

I am taking the liberty of contacting you because in view of your new responsibilities, I think that our [Solution Category] solution may be of interest to you. It has already allowed profiles similar to yours from [Benefit] and thus to focus on their missions with higher added value.

Would you be open to discussing this during a quick call? I would be happy to show you more about what we do and see if it could be of use to you.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Example 11: Sharing a sectoral study

Hello [First name],

As a [Position] at [Company], I think you might be interested in our latest study on [Study Theme].

Conducted to 500 decision-makers in your sector, it reveals key insights on [Education 1], [Education 2] and [Education 3].

Would you be interested in receiving a preview of this study? I would love to have your feedback and discuss it with you.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Example 12: Proposal for a personalized demo

Hello [First name],

Looking at your profile, I saw that you are currently using [Competitive Tool] at [Company].

Did you know that our [Your Tool] solution allows [Benefit 1], [Benefit 2], and [Benefit 3]? Your teams could thus gain in productivity and performance.

I would be happy to show you this in more detail during a quick 15 minute personalized demo. We could start from your current use and see in concrete terms what our tool would change for you.

Are you open to such an exchange?

Thanks for your feedback,

[Your name]

Example 13: Offering free training

Hello [First name],

On [Date] we are organizing a free online training on [Training Theme], specially designed for profiles like yours in charge of [Responsibility].

On the program: [Training content]. Enough to increase your skills on the subject and leave with concrete actions to put in place.

Would you be interested in participating? The number of seats is limited but I can reserve one for you as a priority. Just add me to your network and I will send you the registration link.

What do you say?

Good for you,

[Your name]

Example 14: Request for advice on a service

Hello [First name],

I am taking the liberty of contacting you because we have just launched a new service by [Service Description] and we are looking for advice from experts like you to improve it.

Would you agree to test it in preview and get back to us within 10 days? Your expertise as a [Position] would be extremely valuable.

In exchange, we offer you premium access to the tool for 6 months (value of €500).

Are you up for it? I can send you the accesses as of today.

Thanks in advance for your help,

[Your name]

Example 15: Invitation to join an advisory board

Hello [First name],

I am currently in the process of setting up an advisory board on the theme of [Thematic] in order to reflect on best practices in the sector and to bring out new ideas.

Given your expertise as a [Position] and your experience at [Company], your participation would be extremely valuable.

Would you be interested in being a part of it? This would represent a commitment of one meeting per quarter, with peer sharing of experience and privileged exchanges with our management team.

I would be happy to discuss this with you in more detail. How about a quick exchange in the coming days?

Sincerely,

[Your name]

There you go, we have our 15 sample LinkedIn invitation messages!

Best practices for writing impactful LinkedIn invite messages that convert

Now that you have some sample invitation messages in mind, let's take a look at the best practices you can adopt to maximize your chances of conversion. Here are 6 golden rules to follow.

Personalize your messages as much as possible

The number one enemy on LinkedIn is generic messages sent in bulk. To stand out from the crowd, it is essential to personalize each of your invitations as much as possible according to the profile of your prospect.

This can be done through:

- The use of his first name

- A reference to his position, his company, his sector

- The mention of a common interest or experience

- A comment on one of his recent publications or achievements

Anything that shows that you were genuinely interested in the person and don't just copy and paste. Automation tools (like Hublead) can save you time but don't exempt you from a minimum of customization!

Be brief and to the point

Your invitation message should be compelling and make you want to know more. So there's no question of telling your life story or drowning your prospect in a ton of information.

In a few sentences, you need to:

- Introduce yourself

- Explain the reason for your contact

- Show the value you can bring

- Offer a clear commitment (call, content, demo...)

Keep in mind that your message should not exceed the 300 characters allowed by LinkedIn. Be synthetic and powerful!

Give a clear reason for the connection

To maximize your acceptance rate, you absolutely need to explain why you want to connect and what your prospect stands to gain from it.

Highlight what you have in common, whether it's a relationship, an interest, a tool used... Then explain how exchanging together could be beneficial, whether it's to share best practices, collaborate on a project, access exclusive content...

Your message should answer the question your prospect will ask himself: “why would I accept this invitation?”. Give him good reasons to do it!

Bringing value from the first contact

To stand out, your invitation message must provide value to your prospect, even before they are part of your network. This can involve various elements:

- Relevant sectoral information

- Personalized advice based on your profile

- Exclusive content (study, white paper, template...)

- An invitation to an event

- A free tool to test

-...

The idea is to show your expertise and your willingness to be useful, not just to “sell” at any cost. Adopt a generous and sharing approach from the start!

Use templates but adapt them

While the sample messages shared above may inspire you, don't copy and paste them. The best is to define 4 or 5 templates according to the different profiles you are targeting, then to customize them each time you send.

Your templates should include:

- A customizable hook (congratulations, reference to a common point...)

- The reason for making contact

- The value you propose to provide

- A clear commitment (call, demo, content...)

But leave room for personalization to adapt these elements to each profile. It is the winning combination to combine efficiency and relevance.

Continuously test and optimize

Finally, don't forget that an invitation message needs to be worked on and optimized over time. Do not hesitate to test different approaches, different angles, different commitments... and to measure the results.

Which template generates the most acceptances? The most answers? The most appointments or sales? Analyze your conversion rates at each stage to identify the most effective messages and focus on them.

Your objective: find 2 or 3 winning templates that you can deploy on a large scale, while continuing to optimize them regularly. This is how you will build an effective prospecting machine on LinkedIn!

Master the art of following up to increase your responses

The follow-up email or reminder email is a key element in the toolbox of any B2B salesperson. These are emails that you send following a first interaction with a prospect, whether after a telephone exchange, a product demonstration or simply a response to an email prospecting.

To go further, we have written a complete article on following up.

5 mistakes to avoid in your LinkedIn invitation messages

Now that you know the best practices, let's look at the pitfalls you shouldn't fall into. Here are 5 mistakes you should avoid in your invitation messages at all costs.

Mistake 1: Being too generic

This is the most common mistake and yet the most prohibitive. Sending a completely generic message, without any customization effort, is the best way to have your invitation rejected.

Your prospect should feel that you are interested in them, that you have taken the time to look at their profile and understand their business. A simple “Hello, I want to expand my network” is likely to end up directly in the trash!

Take the time to personalize each message at least, with at least the first name of your prospect and a reference to their position or company. These small details make all the difference.

Mistake 2: Talk about yourself only

Another classic mistake: presenting yourself at length without ever talking about the benefits for your prospect. Your invitation message is not a resume! Your target audience doesn't care that you are “dynamic and motivated”; they want to understand what you can do for them.

Talk about yourself briefly to introduce yourself and establish credibility, but reach out to your prospect quickly. Highlight what you have to offer him: expertise, feedback, a tool, content...

Your message should tell your prospect about him, his problems, his goals. Not about you and your background!

Mistake 3: Making a sales pitch

LinkedIn is a professional social network, not a sales platform. So avoid invitation messages that look like commercial pitches in disguise at all costs.

Of course, you can talk about your product or service, but in a subtle and indirect way. The idea is to arouse interest, not to sell head-on.

Instead, talk about the benefits you can bring, the results you've generated for other customers, the insights you can share... But save the detailed presentation of your offer for later, once the relationship is established.

Your invitation message should make you want to know more, not stun your prospect with a sales pitch!

Mistake 4 : Request an appointment from the first message

It is a variation of the previous point. Asking for a sales appointment from the first message means going a bit quickly. Even if that's your end goal, you can't skip steps.

Your invitation message should first establish initial contact, generate interest, and start a conversation. You can then gradually bring up the idea of a date, once the relationship is a bit more established.

But at the invitation stage, settle for a softer hook: a written exchange, content to share, an opinion to give... In short, something that does not require too much commitment and allows a dialogue to be initiated.

Requests for appointments at first contact are unlikely to succeed and are especially likely to scare away your prospect!

Mistake 5:  Neglecting follow-up and reminders

Last mistake to avoid: thinking that a single invitation message will suffice. In most cases, you will have to repeat one or more times before getting a response.

Your prospect is busy, he receives a lot of messages, he may simply forget to answer you. A simple reminder message a few days later can make all the difference.

Likewise, once your invitation is accepted, don't disappear into the wild! Start a conversation, provide value, offer an exchange... In short, create a real relationship that can lead to collaboration.

An invitation message is just the start of your interaction. To transform, you will have to set up a whole cycle of follow-up and reminders. Don't overlook this essential aspect of your prospecting!

The best tool to automate and optimize your LinkedIn invitations

Now that you've mastered the art of inviting messages, all you have to do is practice! But sending invitations manually can quickly become time-consuming, especially if you're aiming for large volumes.

Fortunately, there are tools to make your job easier and optimize your LinkedIn prospecting.

Hublead: An all-in-one automated prospecting solution to find your qualified prospects

Hublead is a multi-channel prospecting solution (Email, LinkedIn...) that integrates a powerful LinkedIn automation module. It allows you to find prospects, collect their information, and automate your invitation sequences.

The software has advanced features for dynamic message personalization and action programming. You can set up complex scenarios and automate your entire prospecting cycle.

The strength of Hublead is its ability to combine LinkedIn prospecting with other channels such as email. This allows you to create high-performance cross-channel sequences.

There you go, you know everything about LinkedIn invitation messages! With these tips and tools, you have all the cards in hand to optimize your prospecting and generate more qualified leads.

Remember that quality and personalization are the keys to a successful invitation. So take the time to target your prospects well and to write authentic and high value-added messages to them. The results will be there!

And if you want to go further in automating your LinkedIn prospecting, don't hesitate to test a tool like Hublead. You can put your prospecting on automatic pilot and focus on the relationship with your prospects!