The Connection Request step in LinkedIn Outreach automatically sends a LinkedIn connection request to each prospect in your campaign. You can include a personalized note with each request — and with SalesTarget.ai's personalization variables, every note can feel individually written even when sent at scale.
How Connection Requests Work on LinkedIn
LinkedIn allows you to send a connection request with an optional note of up to 300 characters
If the prospect accepts, they become a 1st-degree connection — unlocking the ability to message them directly for free
If the prospect ignores or declines the request, no further connection-based steps will trigger for that prospect
LinkedIn limits the number of connection requests you can send — SalesTarget.ai enforces safe daily limits automatically
Step 1: Add a Connection Request Step to Your Campaign
Open your campaign in LinkedIn Outreach → Campaigns.
In the sequence builder, click Add Step → Connection Request.
The Connection Request step editor will open.
Step 2: Write Your Connection Note
The connection note is your first impression — keep it short, relevant, and human. You have 300 characters maximum.
Best practices for connection notes:
Lead with relevance — mention something specific to them (their role, industry, or a recent post)
No hard pitch — the connection note is not the place to sell. Save that for the follow-up message.
Keep it short — 1–2 sentences is enough. Long notes often feel like spam.
Use personalization variables — make it feel 1-to-1
Example note:
Hi {{first_name}}, I came across your profile while researching {{industry}} leaders — would love to connect and share ideas.
Example note (referencing their content):
Hi {{first_name}}, been following {{company_name}}'s growth — impressive work. Would love to connect!
To use personalization variables, type {{ in the note field and select from the available variables.
Step 3: Set the Delay Before This Step
Connection requests work best when they're not the very first action. Consider warming up the prospect first:
Add a Profile Visit step 1–2 days before the connection request
Add a Follow step 1 day before the connection request
This way, the prospect has already seen your name before you ask to connect — increasing acceptance rates significantly.
In the step settings, set Wait X days after previous step before this action runs. Click Save Step.
Step 4: Configure What Happens After the Request
After a connection request is sent, the campaign needs to know what to do next based on whether the prospect accepts:
Condition | What SalesTarget.ai does |
Connection accepted | Proceeds to the next step (e.g., sends a message) |
Not accepted within X days | Either moves to an InMail step or ends the sequence for that prospect |
Click on the step that follows the connection request.
Set the condition — e.g., "Only run this step if connection was accepted."
Optionally, add an InMail step as a fallback for prospects who don't accept.
Tracking Connection Requests
From the Campaign Dashboard, you can monitor:
Requests Sent — total connection requests sent by the campaign
Accepted — how many have been accepted (and your acceptance rate %)
Pending — requests still awaiting a response
Withdrawn — any requests automatically withdrawn after being pending too long
Healthy connection acceptance rate: 25–40% is typical for cold outreach. Rates above 40% indicate strong ICP targeting and a compelling note.