The rules
- Under 300 characters (LinkedIn’s limit for notes on free accounts).
- One specific reference: a post, a hire, a move, a number on their profile.
- Why you, in half a sentence.
- No ask. The ask comes after they accept, ideally as a voice note.
- No link, no “quick question”, no “I help companies like yours”.
Template 1: the recent post
Hi {first name}, your post on moving from founder-led sales to a 4-person SDR team was the most honest thing I read this week. Building outbound teams was my job for a decade, so I’d like to follow how it goes.
Why it works: it proves you read something, and it gives a reason for you to exist in their network that isn’t a pitch. Acceptance rates on post-referencing notes are the highest we see.
Template 2: the new role
Hi {first name}, congratulations on the move to {company}. New sales leaders tend to rebuild outbound in the first 90 days, and I’ve done that a few times myself. Happy to compare notes if useful.
Why it works: new-in-role is the strongest timing signal in B2B. “Compare notes” is peer language, not vendor language.
Template 3: the shared background
Hi {first name}, fellow ex-{company} here (I was on the {team} side, 2013 to 2017). Noticed you’re leading sales at {company} now. Would be good to be connected.
Why it works: shared history is the fastest trust shortcut on LinkedIn. Only use it if it’s true. The ICP filter surfaces this automatically when it finds it.
Template 4: the hiring signal
Hi {first name}, saw you’re hiring three SDRs in Dublin. I ran SDR teams at Salesforce and Twilio and still find that phase the hardest to get right. Following along with interest.
Why it works: hiring is public, specific and relevant. It signals budget and priority. The note offers empathy, not a solution.
Template 5: the mutual connection
Hi {first name}, we’ve both worked with {mutual name}, who speaks highly of what you’re doing at {company}. Would be good to connect properly.
Why it works: a named mutual connection lifts acceptance more than any other single element. Only use a name if the person would be happy to be mentioned.
What Prospectio does with these
The ICP filter reads each profile and picks the reference automatically: a post, a role change, a hiring signal, a shared employer or a mutual connection. It then writes the note in the shape above, specific to that person, and only sends it if the prospect passed qualification. After they accept, the sequence moves to a voice note.