The short answer
LinkedIn outreach templates are reusable messages for each step of a LinkedIn sequence. A complete sequence has five steps over about three weeks: a connection note, a first message after the accept, a follow-up with a new detail, a value touch such as a resource, and a polite breakup. Each step should add something new.
On this page
- The 5-Step LinkedIn Outreach Sequence at a Glance
- Step 1 and 2 Templates: Connect, Then Start the Conversation
- Step 3 and 4 Templates: Follow Up, Then Give Value
- Step 5 Template: The Breakup Message
- What to Do When They Reply at Any Step
- A Worked Example: One Account, Five Messages
- Running LinkedIn Outreach Templates for Every Account
- Get the note, angles and follow-ups for any account in three steps
- FAQ
Key takeaways
Five steps, three weeks: Connection note, first message, follow-up, value touch, breakup. Spread over about three weeks, it's persistent without being pushy.
One job per step: Connect, open a conversation, add a detail, give value, close the loop. Mixing jobs makes messages long and vague.
Plan angles upfront: Pick three angles per account before step one. Each later step uses a fresh one, so nothing repeats.
Any reply ends it: A reply, even a no, stops the sequence. From there it's a conversation, not a template.
The 5-Step LinkedIn Outreach Sequence at a Glance
A sequence works because each step has one job and arrives with something new. Here is the shape, with day counts starting from the connection request.
| Step | When | Its only job | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Connection note | Day 1 | Give a reason to accept | Under 200 characters |
| 2. First message | Within a day or two of the accept | Start a conversation | 3 to 5 lines |
| 3. Follow-up | 4 to 7 working days later | Add a new detail | 2 to 3 lines |
| 4. Value touch | About a week later | Give something useful, no ask | 2 to 3 lines plus one link |
| 5. Breakup | About a week later | Close the loop politely | 2 lines |
Pick three angles before you start. For each account, note a trigger (what changed), a peer pattern (what similar companies struggle with) and a resource (something useful to share). Steps 2 to 4 each use one, so no message repeats another. Our list of sales trigger events helps with the first angle.
Step 1 and 2 Templates: Connect, Then Start the Conversation
The note earns the accept. The first message earns the reply. Neither one pitches. More variations live in our connection request message and first outreach message guides.
Step 1: Connection note (trigger angle)
Hi [Name], saw [Company] is [trigger]. I work with [peer type] going through the same thing. Would be good to connect.
Step 1: Connection note (no note)
Skip the note when you have nothing specific. A blank request from a relevant profile beats a generic note. Save your note for accounts where you have a real reason.
Step 2: First message after the accept
Thanks for connecting, [Name].
I reached out because [Company] is [trigger].
Usually that means [likely problem]. Is that fair, or is something else driving it?
If they never accept, the LinkedIn path ends at step 1. Withdraw requests that sit pending for weeks and move those accounts to email, using the same angles.
Step 3 and 4 Templates: Follow Up, Then Give Value
These two steps do the heavy lifting with people who accepted but didn't reply. Each brings a fresh angle. For more options by situation, see our LinkedIn follow-up message templates.
Step 3: Follow-up (peer pattern angle)
Hi [Name], one more thought.
A pattern I keep seeing with [peer type]: [pattern].
Does that match what you see at [Company], or is it different for you?
Step 4: Value touch (resource angle)
[Name], no ask here. This [resource: one-page guide to X] has been useful to
[peer type] working on [problem]: [link]
Thought it might be relevant given [Company]'s [trigger].
The value touch must stand on its own. If the resource only makes sense after a demo, it's a pitch in disguise. Share something they'd forward to a colleague.
Step 5 Template: The Breakup Message
The breakup closes the loop, and it often gets the most replies in the sequence because it's the easiest message to answer. Keep it short and free of guilt.
Step 5: Breakup
Hi [Name], I'll take the quiet as "not now," which is completely fine.
If [problem] moves up the list, or someone else owns it, I'm easy to find here.
Step 5: Breakup with a referral ask
[Name], last note from me on this.
If [problem] sits with someone else at [Company], a name would be much appreciated.
Either way, thanks, and good luck with [trigger].
Don't fake a breakup. If you plan to check back next quarter, say so: "I'll check back after [quarter]." Calling a message your last and then writing again teaches the prospect that your words don't mean much, and they'll treat every future message that way.
What to Do When They Reply at Any Step
A reply ends the sequence. From that moment you're in a conversation, and templates stop. Here is how to handle the common replies.
| They say | What it usually means | Your next move |
|---|---|---|
| "Interesting, tell me more" | Curious, not yet committed | Two lines on what you do, then offer two specific times |
| "Not a priority right now" | Timing, not fit | Ask what would make it a priority, then set a reminder |
| "We already use [tool]" | Switching sounds like work | Ask what they'd change about it, if anything |
| "Talk to [colleague]" | Referral | Thank them and ask if you can mention their name |
| "Not interested" | A real no | Thank them, stop, and don't add them to another sequence |
A Worked Example: One Account, Five Messages
Here is the sequence for one fictional account. Northwind sells quoting software; Maya Chen runs pricing at Halden Freight, which just posted three pricing analyst roles.
- Day 1, note. "Hi Maya, saw Halden is hiring three pricing analysts. I work with brokers going through the same growth. Would be good to connect."
- Day 3, first message. "Thanks for connecting. Hiring three analysts at once usually means quote volume is outgrowing the desk. Is that fair?"
- Day 9, follow-up. "A pattern I see at brokers your size: spot requests stall when two desks share one inbox. Same at Halden?"
- Day 16, value touch. A one-page checklist on routing spot quote requests, with no ask.
- Day 23, breakup. "I'll take the quiet as not now. If quoting speed moves up the list, I'm easy to find."
Run email alongside it. The same angles work in a short email thread, spaced between the LinkedIn steps. Our LinkedIn and email outreach cadence shows how to interleave them, and the cold email follow-up sequence covers the email side.
Running LinkedIn Outreach Templates for Every Account
The templates take minutes to fill. The three angles per account take the time, and they're what make the sequence work. For a list of 30 accounts, that's hours of research before the first note goes out.
Send by hand, prepare in bulk. Write the whole sequence for an account at once, log the steps as CRM tasks, and send each one yourself on the day it's due. Our guide to safe LinkedIn automation explains why the send should stay human.
Get the angles written for you. Edithly's LinkedIn message generator reads each prospect's website and writes a connection note, email variants on different angles and follow-ups with a purpose for each, from one round of research. You map them onto the five steps and send every message yourself.
How Edithly does it
Get the note, angles and follow-ups for any account in three steps
Edithly reads the prospect's website and writes a LinkedIn connection note, email variants built on different angles, and follow-ups with a stated purpose for each, all from one round of research. That gives you the raw copy for every step of the sequence.
- 1
Click the Email Outreach tile
Pick Email Outreach on Home and set the number of variants. More variants means more distinct angles for later steps.
- 2
Enter the account and contact
Add the company name and website, then the contact's name and LinkedIn URL. Use Notes for anything you know, like a recent launch.
- 3
Generate and map it to steps
Click Generate email outreach. Use the LinkedIn note for step 1 and the angles and follow-ups for steps 2 to 5, then send each from LinkedIn yourself.
Website
Ready
- Variant A · Hiring angle
- Subject lines
- Body
- Follow-ups · Day +3, +7
- LinkedIn note
- Do not say
- By hand
- 30 to 45 minutes to research and write a full sequence per account
- With Edithly
- A few minutes per account, then light editing
Frequently asked questions
How many messages should a LinkedIn outreach sequence have?
Four or five touches is a common shape: a connection note, a first message after the accept, one or two follow-ups that each add something new, and a polite breakup. More than that in someone's LinkedIn inbox starts to feel like pressure. If there's no reply after five, move to email or pause the account.
How long should a LinkedIn outreach sequence last?
About two to four weeks from connection request to breakup. Leave a few working days between messages so each one has room to land. Remember that the clock really starts when they accept, which can take days or never happen, so plan an email path for people who don't accept.
What is a breakup message on LinkedIn?
It's the last message in a sequence, telling the prospect you'll stop reaching out and leaving the door open. A good one is short, has no guilt in it, and often gets a reply because it's easy to answer. For example: 'I'll take the silence as not now. If that changes, I'm easy to find here.'
Can I automate a LinkedIn outreach sequence?
Tools exist that send LinkedIn sequences automatically, but LinkedIn's User Agreement prohibits using bots or unauthorized automated methods to add contacts or send messages, and accounts can be restricted. The lower-risk approach is to prepare the copy in advance, then send each step by hand with a CRM or task reminder.
Can Edithly write LinkedIn outreach templates for my accounts?
Edithly writes per-account copy rather than generic templates. For each prospect it researches their website and writes a LinkedIn connection note, email variants on different angles and follow-ups with a purpose for each. You map that copy onto your sequence steps and send every message yourself. It does not send or automate LinkedIn.