Here’s the New Reply I’m Using When Strangers Invite Me to Connect on LinkedIn

1. The Sales Pitch

Thanks for your invite. I hope you don’t mind my bluntness: I’m skeptical of people who want to “collaborate” or “learn more.” I try hard to make my LinkedIn profile comprehensive — besides which, my website outlines how I help people.

For these reasons, when a stranger invites me to connect with a variation on the above message, that almost always means one thing: They’re trying to sell me something.

Now, the caveats: It’s possible they do in fact have a project for me. And this isn’t an either/or situation; it’s possible I can become a client of theirs and they can become a client of mine.

That said, having received many of these invites and scheduled calls with many of the senders, I’ve learned that potential clients tend to be direct: “I need to write an op-ed.” “I need help with a slide deck.” Or: “I don’t have any needs right now, but I’m always looking for ghostwriters.”

If I’ve misconstrued your message, please do correct me — I’d be delighted to be wrong. The above reply is a form letter that I paste when I suspect the sender has done the same.

2. The Empty Invite

Hi there, I didn’t see a note with your invite, so I’m sure you can imagine my curiosity. Are you looking for a ghostwriter? Did you attend one of my workshops? I look forward to hearing from you.

3. The Copy and Paste

Hi there, To be honest, this message feels like it could be copied and pasted to anyone. In these situations, did you know that LinkedIn allows you to “follow” people instead of “connecting” with them? Perhaps that’s the best way to proceed for now, until we get to know each other. Thanks.

4. The Financial Advisor

Thank you for inviting me to connect. I’m declining for three reasons. First, to be blunt, I don’t see any benefit for me. As a salesman, I know that the best way to convince someone to do something is by appealing to his self-interest. Second, your invite isn’t specific to me; the same exact message could apply to a wide variety of people. Finally, in my experience, folks in your industry use LinkedIn to solicit clients. To save you time, I’m very happy with my financial advisors. The bottom line: I hope you appreciate my candor and use it constructively.