At Pitch121, we’ve been busy testing, measuring, and refining LinkedIn outreach strategies for our clients across various B2B sectors. As we prepare to launch our comprehensive LinkedIn Outreach Handbook, we wanted to share a glimpse into one of the most intriguing questions we’ve explored: Do personalised connection notes actually outperform blank requests?
Our early research has uncovered several surprising insights that challenge the standard advice about LinkedIn outreach. While we’ll be revealing comprehensive data in our upcoming handbook, here’s a preview of what we’ve discovered:
These preliminary findings suggest that many sales people may be missing out through poor profiles and general LinkedIn engagements.
One of the most compelling findings from our research relates to what happens after the connection is established. While many LinkedIn strategies focus exclusively on maximising connection acceptance, our data suggests this may be a shortsighted approach:
As we’ve analysed thousands of LinkedIn interactions across multiple industries, we’ve identified patterns that could transform how B2B organisations approach their lead nurturing strategies on the platform.
Our research has revealed intriguing differences in how connection strategies perform across different seniority levels. In our upcoming handbook, we’ll be sharing detailed insights on:
These variations suggest that a one-size-fits-all approach to LinkedIn outreach is unlikely to deliver optimal results across your entire prospect base.
Beyond the quantitative data, our research included qualitative interviews with many LinkedIn experts. Their perspectives on connection requests and what makes people accept or not offer valuable context for our findings:
"There's a disconnect between what makes me accept a connection and what makes me respond to a message afterward. They're two completely different decisions."
"I've noticed my perception of a connection changes dramatically based on what happens in the days after I accept. The initial request is just the beginning of the story."
These perspectives align with our quantitative findings and suggest opportunities for B2B organisations to refine their LinkedIn outreach approach.
Based on our early findings, we believe many organisations may need to reconsider their fundamental approach to LinkedIn outreach. Our upcoming handbook will provide a comprehensive framework for:
Our research included insights from those on the receiving end of connection requests, providing valuable perspective on how different approaches are perceived:
"The LinkedIn connection request is like a digital handshake. I evaluate it differently than the conversation that might follow."
"I'm more interested in why someone wants to connect than how they ask to connect. That 'why' often becomes clear in what happens next."
These perspectives highlight the importance of viewing LinkedIn outreach as a multi-stage process rather than a single transaction.
Our complete LinkedIn Outreach Handbook will go deeper into these findings and provide actionable guidance on:
We’ll be sharing specific templates, examples, and detailed case studies showing these principles in action across different B2B sectors
