When I opened LinkedIn today, I had 6 connection requests waiting for me, and all of them said the same thing:
I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.
It baffles me that everyone isn’t personalizing their invitations to connect — in fact, only a few people do. Those first 300 characters carry a lot of power.
How much time and effort should you devote to it? Just like in real life, business relationships take time to develop. It's an investment.
If you're in the B2B space, you must pay attention to a platform with over 600 million professionals actively using it worldwide. Whether you want to sell products, increase revenue, or boost brand awareness, you should be able to find a welcoming pool of potential customers to dive in.
On LinkedIn, often, a well-crafted customized message can go a long way. However, you might need help knowing what to write in that message box.
That’s why I’ve created 7 LinkedIn outreach templates for B2B, so you'll have the perfect words no matter who you’re connecting with. (Of course, you’ll want to customize them to appeal to your target audience.
In this guide, I’ll share some of my best Linkedin cold outreach templates that convert.
Let’s get started.
Linkedin Cold Outreach Templates for B2B
We’ve put our advice to the test and created cold outreach campaigns that target three audiences: marketers, sales teams, and recruiters.
Here are our simple yet successful templates and examples! 👇
#1. Cold Outreach Templates for Marketers
If you’re working in digital marketing, you’re constantly looking for opportunities to connect with other professionals, exchange ideas, learn, or find co-marketing opportunities.
Don’t be afraid to reach out.
Hi {first_name},
I love your projects for {company_name}, and I just needed to reach out to connect.
I'm a {my_occupation} and want to exchange notes as a fellow {job_title} working in {job_industry}.
I have a great project in mind, and I think we could help each other.
What do you say?
This is an initiation to connect templates that have worked great for us. Give it a try yourself!
Sometimes, people accepted the connection request but never really answered our message. So a day later, we came back with a short follow-up.
Hi {first_name},
Just wanted to send a quick follow-up. I would love to exchange notes on being a {job_title} in {location}, and go through some co-marketing ideas.
Do you want to hop on a quick call? I could send over some notes {IF email} at {email}{ELSE} in a message {END IF}.
Thanks, {my_first_name}
Since we went for an automated outreach, we wanted to make sure each message would have a personal touch and that each template fits any scenario.
So we amped up the message personalization by using smart If/Else placeholders, a dynamic formula that can accommodate template scenarios.
In short, these placeholders can make up for the missing fields in your prospecting list and replace the information automatically with the alternative text of your choice.
#2. Cold Outreach Templates for Sales Teams
When you’re working in sales, most of your time on LinkedIn is spent prospecting and reaching out to potential customers.
So applying successful methods can save you a lot of time.
We managed to sell Icereach to our early customers through cold outreach campaigns that primarily used the following drip sequence (with some alterations for A/B testing, of course):
Invite to connect
Initial direct message
Follow-up message
For the invite, we kept it simple, targeting different industries, but avoided any sales pitches.
Happy {weekday}!
{first_name}, always glad to grow a network with interesting people in {job_industry} industry and I came across your profile.
Let’s connect, {my_first_name}
The initial direct message centered more on the offer, even providing insights to support our claim.
Hey {first_name}, based on what we see with other organizations in {job_industry}, at least 2 hours of the day are wasted on prospecting manually.
Would your team at {company_name} benefit from driving more revenue with LinkedIn automation? Would love to show you how I think we could help.
Best, {my_first_name}
We packed up the follow-up with more information and stats on the product's benefits. And, of course, asked for a call to talk things over.
Hi {first_name},
As I haven’t heard back from you, I thought I would follow up with a proposal for a virtual coffee where we can discuss how you can boost your acceptance rate to +50% and reply rate to +5%.
Feel free to let me know what date works best for you, or if it’s easier, you can choose a time at: https://calendly.com/icereach/meet
#3. Cold Outreach Templates for Recruiters
Regarding recruiters, we also tested some shorter versions of connection messages, straight to the point, followed by a more detailed direct message.
Hey {first_name},
I saw you are working in IT recruitment and thought it’d be beneficial to connect.
Best, {my_first_name}
Once they accepted the invitation to connect, we sent our first direct message with concrete details on how our product helps them and offered a demo.
Hey {first_name},
Thank you for connecting. I know working in {job_industry} is hard from experience. The reason why I reached out earlier is to see if we can help you automate your Linkedin outreach, save you and your {job_title} over 40 hours in manual labor a month and increase your close rate by up to 33%.
Would you be interested in a 15-min demo and a free 7-day trial?
For recruiters, outreach efforts are constant, so the replies come in just a few hours.
Linkedin Cold Outreach Messages to Send
#4. Boosting Brand Awareness
Connection request:
Hello, {first_name}.
I’m also part of {name_of_the_group}.
Your name has popped up on the list here. I hope we can exchange ideas and learn from each other.
Best wishes, {my_first_name}
The first follow-up message after acceptance:
Thanks for connecting with me! I'm glad to be part of your professional network.
#1. Not-interested
Wait for a response to your initial follow-up. The goal is to initiate a conversation.
#2. People from the companies related to your field and interests.
Visit their profile. Wait to see if they visit back, and if they do, send a second follow-up message:
Hi {first_name},
I came across your profile earlier and thought I’d reach out to see if you're available to chat/meet soon.
Have a great day!
{my_first_name}
#3. People who can be beneficial to me.
Second follow-up message:
Hello, {first_name}.
I see you work as {job_title} at {company_name}. Often, I like to have a brief call with my new connection so we can explore how we may help each other now or in the future.
I'd be happy to share some LinkedIn or marketing insights that you or your marketing team might find useful.
If you’re interested, I invite you to visit {your_calendy_link} and select a time that is convenient for you.
Looking forward to speaking with you.
{my_first_name}
#4. High-profile individuals and business owners
Second follow-up message:
{first_name},
After connecting, I came back to your profile and noticed that you are the owner/{job_title}/founder of {company_name}.
We recently helped a SaaS company in increasing their response rate on LinkedIn by 25%. My team published a case study demonstrating how we did it, and I believe it is applicable to you and {your_industry}.
You can find a copy here {link_to_LinkedIn/blog_post}
Looking forward to learning from one another.
Best wishes,
{my_full_name}
Most marketing and software companies use the template above to find out if people are interested in what they offer.
Why Has It Been Successful?
Do you know why I love using this template so much?
#1. There is a common interest
Each group member has something in common with other group members in terms of interests and ideas. Try to connect with members who have been active within the last 30 days.
#2. Actions based on the response
We classify each prospect into a sub-group based on their response, which allows us to re-target the prospect with the ideal product or service.
#3. Trust
People prefer to connect with people they feel they can trust. What is better than shared interests?
#5. Outreach Influencer Audience Template
Problem
First, we looked for an industry expert in “LinkedIn marketing” in “The USA, Canada, and Europe” and industry “Marketing & Advertising”. Using the LinkedIn search, we skimmed through the popular posts and came across Artem Smirnov.
Why did we pick his post? It reads “How to get more clients on LinkedIn”, and that’s exactly what our target audience is looking to achieve.
We now need to collect all the profiles that interacted with the post. You’ll soon be able to do this automatically, simply copy-paste the post URL into LeadAutomate.
Script
Connection Request:
Hi, {first_name}! I noticed you're also a fan of Artem Smirnov's marketing tips. Getting new ideas on how to scale LinkedIn lead generation is always beneficial.
Let’s connect. {my_full_name}
First follow-up message after acceptance:
Great to be connected, {first_name}!
Which of Artem's lead generation techniques have you found to be the most effective?
I recently published a step-by-step LinkedIn marketing guide. It includes the templates and resources that assisted me in scaling a large, significant amount of conversations. I thought you might find it interesting.
So here it is: {link_to_article}
Second follow-up a week later:
Hi {first_name}, I was curious if you had the chance to check out the article. I'd love to hear your opinions if it provided you with any fresh ideas for your LinkedIn growth strategy.
Third follow-up:
Hello, {first_name},
I know it's a stressful time right now. I hope you're safe and healthy. I will leave my Calendly link here.
Whenever you have the time, I would be glad to discuss any feedback you may have about the article or simply exchange growth tips.
{calendy_link}
Why Has It Been Successful?
#1. There is a shared interest
We start a conversation knowing our targets are interested in a topic from the beginning.
#2. Call-to action
Ending a message with a Calendly link or inquiring when the prospect is available next are both excellent options.
#3. Creating interest
We offer free valuable content instead of pestering them with pitches to sell them a marketing tool. This demonstrates credibility.
#6. Recruitment Template
Problem
The majority of qualified candidates are busy and receive various offers each week. We recommend opting for hyper-personalization to catch the interest of the potential applicant.
Script
Connection Request:
Hello, {first_name},
I hope everything is going well for you. Looks like you've been extremely successful at {their_current_company}. If you ever consider changing jobs, {your_company} would be thrilled to welcome someone with {list_their_skills} and enthusiasm to the team.
I am confident that you'd be an excellent fit for a {position} in {location}.
Are you interested in having a chat?
Thank you, {your_name}!
First follow-up message:
Happy connecting {first_name}!
Just checking to see if you received my last message? I still believe that you'd be a great candidate for a {role} that we have open at {your_company}. Drop me a message when you have some free time, and we set up a call.
Best wishes, {your_name}
Why Has It Worked?
See, it doesn't take much to build that perfect recruiting strategy.
#1. Customization to the maximum
We made the offer more attractive by listing the skills they have listed on their LinkedIn profiles. It stands out in the sea of job offers created for an entire list of potential candidates. You can also include details about their previous work experience or accomplishments.
#2. A follow-up message
A follow-up message puts the ball back in the candidate's court and demonstrates genuine interest.
#3. Future opportunity
Even if the candidate isn't interested in the position right now, they want to keep a recruiter among their connections in case they want to change employment in the future.
Honorary Mention
Take a look at the following message I received:
Why did I feel compelled to respond to this message? They offered a terrific incentive to provide a list of potential candidates I believed would be interested and qualified for the job.
Here goes my response:
He got the answer he was looking for, as well as a potential candidate out of it. It strikes me as a clever approach to delegating work to others.
#7. Book More Demos Within 2nd-Degree Connections in your Field Template
Problem
This template aimed to boost the number of scheduled demo calls within our extended network. We searched for a "Marketing manager" and "2nd-degree connections".
Script
Connection request:
Hey {first_name}, you showed up in my feed, and I have to say — you’re one of the most intriguing personalities on LinkedIn.
Saw we share a few mutual friends on here as well, so I decided to join up.
Let’s connect?
{your_name}
First follow-up after they accepted:
Thank you for accepting!
I recently released "{your_latest_blog} or {your_recent_post_with_higher_engagement}” on a topic you might be interested in.
I'd really appreciate it if you could give me some input.
Cheers, {your_name}
Second follow-up message:
Seems like this isn’t relevant at the moment. If I’m wrong, just let me know.
Otherwise, if you're ever curious about the {article_post_you_shared}, ping me down the road :)
Cheers,
{your_full_name}
PS - If you change your mind or have some free time, feel free to use the link below to schedule a free strategy call: {calendy_link}
Why Has It Worked?
#1. Sense of humor
To begin with, humor and making others laugh is a cure for every pain. It is a great way to break the ice.
#2. Being persistent in a pleasant, non-pushy manner
Additionally, reducing the ask by including your calendly link at the end enhances the likelihood of the positive outcome you tried to achieve.
Key Takeaways
LinkedIn outreach takes some effort but equipped with this guide, you'll be well on your way to maximizing your connection and replies.
Keep in mind that these templates are only meant to serve as a guide, and we want you to keep your outreach as organic as possible. You'll have to experiment until you find your go-to message. The more you make it about your prospects, the more it will resonate with them.
A perfect method to assess if your outreach is the right one is to ask yourself: "Will I respond to THIS message if I get ten cold messages a day on LinkedIn?"
If not, play around with your messaging until you find what works best. If you answered yes, now is the time to think about how you might increase your reach. What better approach to speed up the lead generation process than to automate it?
