Content-triggered connection request

When to use this template

Send within 24 hours of commenting on the prospect's post or within 48 hours of them liking/commenting on yours. This is the highest-converting of the four message types because the shared content moment makes the request feel earned, not cold. Do not use if there was no real content interaction - use the ICP-anchor variant instead.

The template

Hi {first_name} - {content_trigger_reference}.

{one_sentence_observation_that_adds_value}.

Thought it made sense to connect.
{your_first_name}

Variables

{first_name}

Prospect's first name only - never full name.

{content_trigger_reference}

Specific reference to the content interaction: 'liked your post on [topic]', 'saw your comment on [post]', 'your reply to [person]'s post landed'. Must name the specific topic, not just 'your content'.

{one_sentence_observation_that_adds_value}

One sentence that shows you actually read/engaged with the content - a brief agreement, a specific detail that stood out, or a related pattern. This is what separates your request from the templates the prospect has seen a hundred times.

{your_first_name}

Sign with your first name only - casual, not a formal sign-off.

Worked example

Hi James - liked your post on SDR ramp time last week.

The bit about not touching the script until week 4 matches exactly what we see with the consultants we work with - going slow on process earns faster results.

Thought it made sense to connect.
Stijn

How to use it

1. 1

   Run the 3-day pre-load first

   For Tier A prospects (best-fit ICP): Day 1 view their profile, Day 2 leave a substantive comment on their post, Day 3 send the request. Compressing this to one day reads as mechanical and drops acceptance rate by 15–20 points.

2. 2

   Reference the specific content, not the person

   "Liked your post on SDR ramp time" beats "loved your profile" by a wide margin. The content reference is verifiable - it signals real interest, not a template.

3. 3

   Add one sentence that shows you read it

   Pick the most specific, non-obvious detail from the post or comment and reference it directly. Specificity is the signal that separates a 55% acceptance rate from a 26% one.

4. 4

   Zero pitch in the request

   No CTA, no service mention, no 'I'd love to learn more about your business.' The request earns the connection. The first DM (within 24h of acceptance) starts the conversation.

5. 5

   Keep it under 300 characters

   LinkedIn's connection note limit is 300 characters. Draft this in a text editor and count before sending. The three-line format above runs ~200 characters with typical content.

Related templates

• Warm DM after the prospect engaged with your content →
  First DM triggered by the prospect commenting on, liking, or viewing your profile. Expected reply rate 22–30% vs 10.3% cold benchmark. The content engagement is the hook - use it explicitly.
• Cold DM with ICP-segmented opener (no prior interaction) →
  Cold DM structured around the 3-part first message anatomy: specific hook → insight or observation → low-stakes question. Average reply rate for a well-executed cold opener: 12–16% vs 10.3% benchmark. Poorly executed: 5–7%.
• Need Finding sequence - the 5-message Gate 3 arc →
  The structured 5-message sequence used to surface a prospect's real, felt, urgent problem in a DM context. Gate 3 (genuine pain disclosure) is the single most important gate in the pipeline - every gate before it is setup, everything after it is execution. 80% of positive replies come after the first follow-up.

More cold outreach templates

• Warm DM after the prospect engaged with your content →
• Cold DM with ICP-segmented opener (no prior interaction) →
• Need Finding sequence - the 5-message Gate 3 arc →