Incoming LinkedIn invitations: the prospect made the first move
Incoming LinkedIn invitations are the one signal where the prospect comes to you. Yet they often pile up in the network tab without an answer. Here is how to sort these requests, answer the ones that matter and open a real sales conversation.
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- Signal
- Sent you an invitation, pending for four days
- Why now
- He reached out, the ball is in your court.
- Suggested angle
- Ask him what brought him your way.
Treat incoming LinkedIn invitations like inbound requests
What happens: someone in your target invites you on LinkedIn
A connection request arrives. It often follows one of your posts, an event, a referral or just a search on your industry. Sometimes it comes with a note, often not.
Until you answer, the invitation stays pending. That backlog of pending invitations is the signal.
An incoming invitation is an open door, ask why they knocked
The person took the initiative. They know your name, and you can naturally thank them: unlike a profile visit, this gesture is addressed to you and can be mentioned freely.
Intentions vary, though. Some want to sell you something, others are growing their network, others genuinely care about your topic. Sorting against your target comes before any message.
LinkedIn: accept, thank them, ask one question
The first message follows acceptance closely. It thanks them, guesses the context carefully and asks one question. No sales pitch.
Hi {first_name}, thanks for the invitation, glad to be connected.
I see you are {role} at {company}. What brought you to my profile: something you are working on, or plain curiosity?
If it is {topic}, I have a few lessons from teams like yours to share.
Email: follow up on another channel if LinkedIn goes quiet
With no reply after a few days, a short email recalls the recent connection. The connection is a shared fact, so you can mention it.
Subject: following our connection
Hi {first_name},
We just connected on LinkedIn, at your initiative. I prefer writing here, as LinkedIn messages often get buried.
I help {function} leaders at companies like {company} with {topic}. Is that an open topic for you right now?
If so, 20 minutes is enough to see whether I can help. If not, no follow-up.
{my_name}
Phone: a short call, opened on their initiative
If the person fits your target and the exchange has started, a call is the natural next step. The reason is simple: they reached out.
Opening: Hi {first_name}, this is {my_name} from {my_company}. You invited me on LinkedIn recently, and I wanted to put a voice to the name. Do you have two minutes?
Context: What made you want to connect? Something going on at {company}?
Discovery: Around {topic}, how does it work in your team today?
Next step: If it is relevant, let us take 30 minutes to see what could help. When are you free?
In Prosperian, your pending invitations become a sorted list
- Step 01Pending invitations surfaceProsperian reads the LinkedIn invitations you have received and not yet handled. This signal is free.
- Step 02Sorted against your ICPEach sender is compared with your target: role, company, industry. You see straight away who deserves a reply first.
- Step 03Message drafted by the agentThe agent prepares the first message and, if needed, the follow-up email. You can approve from Slack.
- Step 04A controlled LinkedIn paceMessages count toward the cap of 20 actions per day per account, which you can lower.
- Step 05A call at the right timeReplies land in the unified inbox. The heat score rises and the prospect joins the power dialer queue.
What wastes an incoming invitation
- Letting invitations pile up for weeks.
- Accepting everyone without checking who fits your target.
- Answering with an automated pitch the moment you accept.
- Ignoring the note attached to the invitation when there is one.
- Forgetting that many invitations come from salespeople who want to prospect you.
An incoming invitation is not a request for a quote
- A good share of invitations come from salespeople, recruiters or contact collectors.
- Volume depends on your visibility: without posts, it stays modest.
- The person does not always remember why they invited you.
- The signal gets strong when the sender is in your target and replies to your first message.
Frequently asked questions
Can I mention the invitation in my message?
Yes. The prospect sent it to you, so thanking them is natural. It is the opposite of a profile visit, which stays discreet and is never mentioned.
Should I accept every invitation?
No. Sort against your target first. Accepting off-target profiles fills your network with noise and dilutes the audience for your posts.
How much does this signal cost in Prosperian?
Nothing: received invitations are a free signal. Only optional contact enrichment uses credits, and only when a result is found.
What if the sender wants to sell me something?
If they are outside your target, leave the invitation aside. If they fit, they may also be a buyer: acknowledge their approach, then steer the conversation to their own challenges.
How long should I wait before writing?
As little as possible. The more recent the invitation, the better the person remembers what made them reach out.
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