How to Reach Out to Someone On LinkedIn in 2026 (+Templates!)
TL;DR
Before reaching out, optimize your profile so it converts visitors. Identify your goal and target audience, build an outreach strategy with follow-ups, and warm up prospects by engaging with their content first. Use the 48-hour window after connecting to send your first message. Tailor your approach for recruiters, alumni, job applications, referrals, old connections, and non-connections. Avoid elevator pitches, cookie-cutter templates, unproofread messages, and overly personal openers. Outly automates the whole sequence while keeping every message personal.
LinkedIn has over a billion members. Most of them are reachable with a single message. And yet, the vast majority of LinkedIn outreach gets ignored.
The problem isn't the platform. It's the approach. This guide walks you through exactly how to reach out on LinkedIn in a way that earns replies, with real templates you can adapt and use today.
This Blog Is for You If...
- You're in B2B sales and want to generate more pipeline from LinkedIn
- You're job hunting and want to reach out to recruiters or hiring managers
- You're a founder trying to build partnerships or find early customers
- You're a student or recent grad looking to connect with alumni
- You've been out of touch with someone and want to reconnect
Whatever your goal, the principles are the same. Let's start with the foundation.
Optimize These Profile Elements Before You Reach Out on LinkedIn
1. Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile
Your message is only half the equation. Before someone replies, they'll click your profile. If it doesn't look credible, they won't respond no matter how good your message is.
Three things matter most:
Your headline. Don't just list your job title. Write a headline that explains what you do and who you help. "Helping SaaS founders build outbound pipeline" is more compelling than "Account Executive at Acme Corp."
Your photo. A clear, professional headshot. Not a group photo, not a logo, not a blurry selfie.
Your summary. Two to three sentences that explain what you do, who you work with, and what outcome you create. Keep it human, not corporate.
Once your profile is solid, your messages will convert at a higher rate without changing a single word.
2. Identify Your Goal and Target Audience
Before you send a single message, know exactly who you're reaching out to and why. LinkedIn's search filters let you narrow by job title, company, industry, location, seniority level, and more.
Don't just search for "CEO" or "VP of Sales." Get specific. "VP of Sales at B2B SaaS companies with 50-200 employees" is a much more useful starting point.
Note: Sales Navigator gives you even more granular filters, including technology used, company growth rate, and recent job changes. If you're doing outreach at volume, it's worth the investment.
3. Create a LinkedIn Outreach Strategy (and Follow Up)
One message rarely closes the loop. A structured sequence, connection request, welcome message, value-add, soft ask, dramatically outperforms a single cold message.
Map out your sequence before you start:
- Day 0: Personalized connection request
- Day 1-2 after acceptance: Welcome message
- Day 5-7: Value-add message (article, insight, resource)
- Day 10-14: Soft ask
Please note: Follow-ups should add something new each time. Don't just resend the original message with "just checking in" at the top. That's the fastest way to get ignored.
4. Interact With Your Prospects' Content
If you have time, engage with a prospect's content before sending a connection request. Like a post, leave a thoughtful comment, or share something they wrote. This creates familiarity before your message arrives.
One or two genuine interactions over a week or two can meaningfully increase your reply rate. When your message lands, it doesn't feel cold.
How to Reach Out to Your Recent Connections on LinkedIn
The 48-Hour Window Strategy
When someone accepts your connection request, you have a window of peak receptivity. They just said yes to connecting with you. That's the best moment to start a conversation.
Send your first message within 48 hours of them accepting. Keep it short, warm, and focused on them. Don't pitch. Just open a conversation.
Template:
"Thanks for connecting, [Name]. I've been following [Company]'s work in [space] and it's impressive. What's keeping you busiest right now?"
Pro Tip: Reference something specific from their profile or recent activity. "I saw your post about [topic] last week" is infinitely better than a generic opener.
How to Reach Out to Recruiters on LinkedIn
Recruiters receive dozens of messages per day. To stand out, be specific and make their job easy.
Lead with your current situation, what you're looking for, and why you're a fit for roles they typically fill. Don't ask them to "keep you in mind." Ask a specific question or make a specific request.
Template:
"Hi [Name], I'm a [role] with [X years] of experience in [industry]. I'm actively exploring new opportunities and noticed you specialize in [space]. I'd love to share my background if you're working on any relevant roles. Happy to send my resume or connect for a quick call."
Keep it under 150 words. Recruiters skim. Make the key information impossible to miss.
How to Reach Out to Alumni on LinkedIn
Shared alma mater is one of the strongest warm openers on LinkedIn. Alumni connections have a built-in reason to help each other.
Be specific about the connection: graduation year, shared program, mutual professors, or campus organizations. Then make a clear, modest ask.
Template:
"Hi [Name], I noticed we both went to [University], though a few years apart. I'm currently [situation] and would love to get your perspective on [specific topic]. Would you be open to a 15-minute call?"
Note: Don't lead with "I'm looking for a job." Lead with curiosity and a specific question. The job conversation can come naturally if the connection develops.
How to Reach Out on LinkedIn for Maximum Sales
For sales outreach, the goal of the first message is to start a conversation, not close a deal. Resist the urge to explain your product in the first message.
Lead with a problem your prospect likely has. Ask if it's relevant. If they say yes, you've earned the right to share more.
Template:
"Hi [Name], I work with [type of company] on [specific problem]. Curious whether that's something you're actively thinking about, or if it's on the back burner right now?"
Here's a quick tip: Research your prospect before reaching out. A reference to their recent post, their company's growth, or a challenge specific to their industry makes your message feel personal even at scale. Tools like Outly can pull this context automatically from each prospect's profile.
How to Reach Out to Someone on LinkedIn After You Applied for a Job
Reaching out after applying shows initiative and can get your application noticed. But do it right.
Don't ask the hiring manager if they received your application. Instead, express genuine interest in the company and ask a thoughtful question about the role or team.
Template:
"Hi [Name], I recently applied for the [Role] position at [Company] and wanted to reach out directly. I'm genuinely excited about [specific thing about the company or role]. Would you be open to a brief conversation about the team's priorities?"
Please note: Don't reach out to the same person multiple times if they don't respond. One message is initiative. Two is pressure.
How to Reach Out on LinkedIn for Referrals
Referral requests work best when you've already built some rapport. If you're asking a near-stranger for a referral, you're asking for a lot.
If you have an existing relationship, be direct and specific. Tell them exactly who you want to be introduced to and why.
Template:
"Hi [Name], I noticed you're connected with [Target Person] at [Company]. I'd love an introduction if you think it makes sense. I'm [brief context on why you want to connect]. Happy to send you a short note you could forward if that's easier."
Making it easy for them to say yes, by offering a pre-written intro note, dramatically increases the likelihood they'll follow through.
How to Reach Out to Someone on LinkedIn After a Long Time
Reconnecting with someone you haven't spoken to in years can feel awkward. The key is to acknowledge the gap without making it weird.
Reference something specific that prompted you to reach out: a post they wrote, a company milestone, or a shared memory. Then make a low-pressure ask.
Template:
"Hi [Name], it's been a while! I saw your post about [topic] and it reminded me of our time at [company/school]. Would love to catch up if you're open to it. No agenda, just reconnecting."
How to Reach Out to Someone on LinkedIn Who Is Not a Connection
If you're not connected with someone, you have two options: send a connection request with a note, or use InMail if you have Sales Navigator or Premium.
For connection requests, keep the note under 200 characters and give them a clear reason to accept.
Template:
"Hi [Name], I've been following your work on [topic] and would love to connect. Your perspective on [specific thing] has been genuinely useful."
Note: If they have Open Profile enabled (visible as a "Message" button even when you're not connected), you can message them directly without using InMail credits.
4 Things to AVOID When You Reach Out to Someone on LinkedIn
1. Ditch the Elevator Pitch
Nobody wants to receive a sales pitch from a stranger. The connection request and first message are introductions, not sales presentations. Save the pitch for after you've established a reason to talk.
2. Cookie-Cutter Message Templates
Templates are a starting point, not a final product. If your message could have been sent to 500 people without changing a word, it's too generic. Add at least one specific detail that shows you actually looked at the person's profile.
3. Sending Messages Without Proofreading
Typos and grammatical errors signal carelessness. Read your message out loud before sending. If it sounds awkward, rewrite it. A message that sounds natural when spoken will read naturally too.
4. Don't Get THAT Personal
Referencing someone's personal life, family, or non-professional social media activity is creepy, not personalized. Keep your references to professional context: their work, their company, their industry, their LinkedIn content.
LinkedIn Link Preview Issues and Solutions
When you include a link in a LinkedIn message, the platform generates a preview. Sometimes this preview is broken, outdated, or shows the wrong image.
If you're sharing a link and the preview looks wrong, you can disable the preview by clicking the X on the preview card before sending. This removes the visual clutter and lets your message text do the work.
For posts (not messages), put links in the first comment rather than the post body. LinkedIn's algorithm suppresses posts with external links, so this workaround preserves your reach.
How to Reach Out on LinkedIn: The Definitive Outreach Strategy
The best LinkedIn outreach follows a simple pattern: warm up, connect, converse, add value, ask.
Most people skip the first three steps and go straight to the ask. That's why most LinkedIn outreach fails.
If you want to run this sequence at scale without spending hours on manual outreach, Outly automates the entire process. It builds personalized messages for each prospect based on their profile data, manages your follow-up sequences, and tracks your results. Starter plan from $39.99/month, Pro from $79.99/month.
Ready to turn LinkedIn into a lead generation machine? Start your free trial with Outly and run personalized outreach campaigns at scale.
