25 proven LinkedIn DM templates organized by situation — connection requests, follow-ups, warm outreach, cold outreach, and follow-up sequences. Copy, personalize, and send.
Filter by category to find the right template for your situation. Every template includes the situation it's for and why it works.
Hi [Name] — I've been following your content on LinkedIn and your take on [topic they posted about] really resonated with me. I work with [your ICP] on [your result]. Would love to connect and stay in each other's orbit.
Why it works: References their specific content so it doesn't feel templated. Short and non-pitchy.
Hi [Name] — I commented on your post about [topic] and wanted to connect properly. What you said about [specific point] is exactly what I see with my clients too. Great perspective.
Why it works: Reminds them where they've seen you before. Creates continuity.
Hi [Name] — I help [ICP] achieve [result] through [your method]. Saw your profile and thought we'd be a good connection. No pitch — just building my network of [industry] professionals.
Why it works: Transparent about what you do without pitching. The 'no pitch' line disarms skepticism.
Hi [Name] — Great meeting you at [event/community]. I really enjoyed our conversation about [topic]. Let's stay connected here — would love to continue the dialogue.
Why it works: Warm context makes the request feel natural and expected.
Hi [Name] — [Mutual connection's name] suggested I reach out to you. I work with [ICP] helping them [result]. [Mutual connection] thought there might be good overlap in what we do. Happy to connect.
Why it works: A mutual referral is the strongest trust signal you can use in a cold request.
Hey [Name] — Thanks for connecting! I looked at your profile a bit more after you accepted. Really interesting work with [their company or niche]. Out of curiosity — what's the biggest challenge you're working through right now with [relevant topic]?
Why it works: Opens with genuine curiosity, not a pitch. Asking about their challenge starts a real conversation.
Hey [Name] — Circling back from our conversation a few weeks ago. I know things get busy. Just wanted to see if [the problem you discussed] is still something on your radar — or if priorities shifted. No worries either way.
Why it works: Low-pressure follow-up. Acknowledges that life happens. Easy to respond to.
Hey [Name] — I put together a quick guide on [topic relevant to their pain point] that my clients have found really useful. Happy to send it over if it would be helpful — no strings attached.
Why it works: Giving value before asking for anything builds trust faster than any pitch.
Hi [Name] — I noticed you checked out my profile recently. If you were looking into what I do and want to know more, I'm happy to share more context. No obligation — just wanted to make it easy to reach out.
Why it works: Profile views are a buying signal. This gives them a low-friction way to engage.
Hey [Name] — It's been a while since we connected. I've been deep in [what you've been working on] this past year. I see you've been [something notable from their profile or posts]. Would love to catch up briefly — are you open to a 15-min call sometime?
Why it works: Acknowledges the time gap honestly. Ends with a clear, low-friction ask.
Hey [Name] — I saw you engaged with my post on [topic]. Glad it resonated! Since you're thinking about [that topic], I'm curious — is that something you're actively working on right now, or more something on your radar?
Why it works: They already showed interest. This opens a conversation at the exact point of engagement.
Hi [Name] — Really appreciate you sharing my post on [topic] — that means a lot. I checked out your profile and it looks like you work with [their audience]. Do you find [that topic] comes up a lot for your clients/team too?
Why it works: Sharing is the strongest form of engagement. This message rewards them and starts a dialogue.
Hey [Name] — I left a comment on your post about [topic] — it sparked a thought I wanted to share directly. I've seen [related insight from your experience] a lot with my clients. Would you be open to a quick conversation about it?
Why it works: Continues the conversation in a private channel. The transition feels earned.
Hi [Name] — You asked about [their specific question] in my comments. I have a lot of context on that from working with [ICP]. Happy to share what I know — want to jump on a quick call, or would you prefer I send some thoughts here?
Why it works: Responding to a specific question signals you were listening. Offering both call/DM respects their preference.
Hey [Name] — I've noticed you've been engaging with a lot of my content on LinkedIn over the past few weeks. Really appreciate it. I'm curious — what's your situation with [relevant topic]? I help [ICP] with [result] and it sounds like it might be relevant.
Why it works: Consistent engagement is a strong buying signal. Naming it directly creates a personal moment.
Hi [Name] — I work with [ICP like them] helping them [result]. I came across your profile and it looked like a strong fit. I know you're probably getting a lot of DMs, so I'll keep this short: would it make sense to have a 20-min conversation about [specific pain point]? If not, no hard feelings.
Why it works: Acknowledges the spam problem. Respects their time. Makes a specific ask with an easy out.
Hi [Name] — I noticed you're [their role] at [their company]. I work with a lot of [similar companies] on [result]. One thing I see consistently is [common pain point]. Is that something you're dealing with too, or have you already solved for it?
Why it works: Shows you did your homework. Ends with a question that's easy to answer yes or no.
Hi [Name] — I saw that [their company] recently [trigger event: raised funding, launched product, hired team]. Congrats! That usually means [relevant challenge] becomes a priority. I specialize in helping [ICP] navigate exactly that. Would a quick call be useful?
Why it works: Trigger events create urgency and show you're paying attention to their world.
Hi [Name] — I was looking at [their company/niche] and noticed [specific observation]. Most [ICP] I work with struggle with [related challenge] at this stage. I have a framework that's helped [result]. Worth a 15-min call?
Why it works: Leads with insight, not pitch. Positions you as someone who can diagnose, not just sell.
Hi [Name] — I have an idea for [their company/goal] that I think could [result]. Would it be okay if I shared it with you? It'll take 2 minutes to explain. If it's not relevant, I promise I won't follow up again.
Why it works: Asking permission before pitching is the ultimate pattern interrupt. Almost everyone says yes.
Hey [Name] — Just bumping this up in case it got buried. Did my last message land okay? Happy to clarify what I do if the context was unclear.
Why it works: Short and non-pushy. Gives them an easy reason why they didn't reply (it got buried).
Hi [Name] — I don't want to keep pinging you if this isn't relevant. Last message from me: I help [ICP] [result]. If the timing is right in the next few months, feel free to reach back out. If not, wishing you the best.
Why it works: The 'last message from me' line is a powerful psychological trigger. Closes the loop while leaving the door open.
Hey [Name] — Really enjoyed our call last week. Following up on our conversation about [specific pain point they mentioned]. I put together a quick summary of how we'd approach this for [their company] — want me to send it over?
Why it works: Personalizes the follow-up to what you actually discussed. The offer to send something gives them a reason to engage.
Hi [Name] — Checking in on the proposal I sent over. I know decisions like this take time. Is there anything in the proposal that raised questions, or any objections I can address? Happy to hop on a 15-min call to talk through it.
Why it works: Invites objections rather than avoiding them. Shows confidence and creates an opening.
Hey [Name] — I've reached out a few times and haven't heard back — totally understand, life gets busy. I'll take this as a 'not right now' and won't follow up again. If things change down the road, my door is always open. Best of luck with [their goal].
Why it works: Break-up messages often get the highest reply rates of any follow-up. People don't want to feel like they left you hanging.
Most LinkedIn DMs fail for one of three reasons. Master these rules and your reply rate will be in the top 10%.
The most common DM mistake is opening with what you do and what you offer. Nobody asked. Lead with something about them — their content, their company, their role — before you ever mention yourself.
Hi [Name], I'm a LinkedIn growth expert and I help consultants like you 3x their leads. Would you be open to a call?
Hi [Name] — I saw your post about [topic] and it really resonated. I work in a similar space with [ICP]. Would love to connect.
Asking for a 'quick call' is too big an ask for a cold message. Ask for a reply, an opinion, or a piece of information first. Build micro-commitments before you ask for 30 minutes of their time.
Would you be open to a 30-minute discovery call to see if there's a fit?
Quick question — is [pain point] something you're actively working on right now, or has that been solved?
Mass-templated DMs are instantly recognizable and instantly ignored. Reference something specific — a post they wrote, a company milestone, a mutual connection, or a role change. One specific detail is worth more than a perfectly written pitch.
Hi [Name], I noticed you're in the [industry] space. I help professionals like you achieve better results.
Hi [Name] — Your post about [specific topic] from last week was spot on. Especially the part about [specific point] — that's exactly what I see with my clients too.
These 8 patterns will get your message ignored (or get you reported as spam).
These templates are a starting point. Spur AI's Growth plan generates personalized DMs for each prospect — pulling from their LinkedIn profile, recent posts, and company details automatically.
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For a first message, keep it under 100 words — ideally 50–75. Longer messages signal that you're going to ask for something big. The goal of the first DM is to get a reply, not to close a deal. Short messages with a clear, low-friction question outperform long pitches every time.
Not in the first message. Links in cold DMs look like spam and trigger LinkedIn's spam filters. Build rapport first — ask a question, get a reply — then offer to send a resource if they show interest. Let them ask for the link; don't push it.
Send a maximum of 3 follow-ups after your initial message. If someone hasn't replied after 4 total messages, a break-up message (final follow-up) is your last move. Following up more than that crosses into harassment territory and damages your reputation.
LinkedIn DMs don't have a strong time-of-day effect the way email does. Focus on quality and personalization rather than timing. That said, Tuesday–Thursday during business hours typically see slightly better response rates than weekends or Monday mornings.
True personalization at scale requires systems: segment your prospects by profile type, build 2–3 templates per segment, and add one personalization token (their recent post, company milestone, or shared connection) per message. Spur AI's Growth plan includes a DM generator that pulls context from your prospect's profile and recent content to auto-personalize each message.
Spur AI generates AI-personalized LinkedIn posts, DMs, and profile copy — trained on your voice and your niche. Start converting connections into conversations today.
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