How to write a LinkedIn message with AI

Steps

1. 1

   Read their profile first.

   Look at their title, how long they have been in the role, what they post about, and their company page. Pick one real thing to mention.

2. 2

   Decide what you want.

   A connection, a short reply, or a call. Pick one. A connection note should not also pitch and ask for a meeting.

3. 3

   Use a prompt below.

   Paste the fact and your goal. Ask for a few versions.

4. 4

   Cut the AI words.

   Delete flattery, long openers and anything that sounds like a cover letter.

5. 5

   Send it yourself.

   Send from your own account and reply to answers yourself. People can tell when nobody is there.

Prompts you can copy

The connection note

Write a LinkedIn connection note to [name], [title] at [company].
One real fact about them: [fact, like their recent post topic, their new role, or a shared group]
Why I want to connect: [one line]

Rules: under 250 characters. Write like a short text to a coworker. No pitch, no meeting ask. No "I came across your profile", "I'd love to connect", "impressed", "inspiring", or "synergy". No emojis. Give me 3 versions.

The first message after they accept

[Name] accepted my LinkedIn request. They are [title] at [company].
What I do, in plain words: [one line]
Why it might matter to them: [one real reason, like they are hiring for X or they posted about Y]

Write a message under 50 words. Thank them in 3 words or less, then say what I do and why I thought of them. End with one easy question that is about their work, not a meeting ask yet.
Sound like a person typing on their phone. Mostly lower case is fine. No buzzwords.

Fix my draft

Here is a LinkedIn message I wrote:
[paste]

Make it sound less like AI and more like me texting. Cut it to under 50 words. Remove flattery, long intros and anything that sounds like a sales email. Keep any real facts I wrote. Show the new version only.

Example

This is a made-up example.

What you know: "Jen is a new VP of Sales at an industrial parts distributor, started 2 months ago. She posted about building out her inside sales team."

A connection note that sounds human:

"Hi Jen, congrats on the new role. I run a team of cold callers that work with distributors, and your post on building inside sales hit home. Would be good to be connected."

A first message after she accepts:

"thanks Jen! you mentioned building out inside sales. while you hire, my team could call your accounts so the new reps start with warm leads. how are you splitting new accounts vs existing right now?"

Tips

• One real fact beats three compliments.
• If you would not say it at a trade show booth, do not send it.
• Do not paste the same message to 100 people. Change at least the first line for each person.
• Voice notes and short replies feel more human than long messages, if your app lets you send them.
• See more DM ideas in the LinkedIn DM guide and tips for finding leads on LinkedIn.

Words that make it sound like AI

• "I came across your profile"
• "I hope this message finds you well"
• "I'd love to connect and explore synergies"
• "Your impressive background"
• "In today's world" and long lead-ins
• Long lists of what you offer

Cut all of these. Start with the one real thing.

FAQ

How long should a LinkedIn connection note be?

Short. LinkedIn sets a character limit on notes, and the limit can change, so keep it to one or two sentences. Under 250 characters is a safe target.

Should I pitch in the connection note?

No. The note is to get accepted. Save the reason you are reaching out for the first message after they accept, and keep that one short too.

Can I use AI to write LinkedIn messages at scale?

You can draft faster with AI, but each message still needs one real, checked fact about that person. Sending the same AI message to hundreds of people gets ignored and can get your account limited.

What if they don't reply?

Send one more message later that brings something new, like a useful link or a question about their post. Do not send "just bumping this".

Rather have it done for you? We build the system that handles your outreach, one time, and you own it. See how it works.

First posted October 28, 2026. Last updated October 28, 2026. Free to copy and use, CC BY 4.0.