Templates

Template: the first LinkedIn message after connecting

The first message after a connection is accepted should be short and ask one question the person can answer in a line. It should not pitch, link or ask for a call. Below are three versions: a question about their work, an observation and a question, and a question about a problem you can see.

Published by Sellinger AI. Numbers and settings checked on 24 October 2026 against the fact register. Report an error.

The text

Placeholders in square brackets are yours to fill. The wording is ours, not a quote from a customer.

Version 1: one question about their work

Thanks for connecting, [first name].

Quick question: how does [their team] handle [specific task] today, in house or with a partner?

Version 2: observation, then question

Thanks for connecting, [first name].

I saw [Company] [specific, public fact, such as opened a second site]. Has that changed how you handle [topic], or is it business as usual?

Version 3: a visible problem

Thanks for connecting, [first name].

When [type of company] grows past [stage], [problem] is usually the first thing to strain. Is that something you are seeing?

Why each line is there

Line by line
Line	Why it is there
Thanks for connecting	A plain acknowledgement, not flattery.
One question	One question is easy to answer. Three questions read like a form.
A public, specific fact	It shows the message was written for them.
No link and no meeting request	The aim is a reply. A meeting comes later, after interest.

What it measured

Not these exact words. In the Lamothermic campaign, the first message was one diagnostic question with a median of 33 words, no pitch and no link; 293 of 879 people messaged replied (33%). In the Uberwood agency campaign, 70% of all replies came to the first message, which asked one question.

When not to use it

When the person accepted because of an earlier conversation; continue that conversation instead.
When you cannot name anything specific about them. A generic first message wastes the acceptance.
When they replied to your request with a question; answer it.

How to use it in Sellinger

Leave it to the agent, which writes each message from the lead's own data and your persona, or paste this text into a step in Flow-Maker in the campaign's configuration drawer. The step's instruction box personalises a pasted message with the lead's data, so read the first sends before you widen the campaign.

Common questions

How soon after acceptance should I message?

Within a day or two, while they remember accepting. Sellinger's agent writes after the acceptance is seen, within your sending schedule.

Should the first message include a calendar link?

No. Send a link only after the person shows interest.

How long should it be?

Two to four short sentences. The Lamothermic first messages had a median of 33 words.

Sources and method

Wording is ours. Lamothermic and Uberwood figures from their case studies, Sellinger production data, read only.