How to Automate LinkedIn Connection Requests

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TL;DR:

• Automating LinkedIn connection requests can help you scale your network faster and more consistently.
• Popular tools for automating LinkedIn connection requests include LinkedIn Helper, Salesflow, Dux-Soup, Expandi, Zopto, and Octopus CRM.
• Use automation tools responsibly to avoid account suspension and follow best practices such as avoiding overloading prospects and targeting the right audience.
• Leveraging social selling on LinkedIn can help improve connection rates and build genuine relationships.
• Tools like Letterdrop can automate social selling processes, creating targeted LinkedIn content and identifying engaged prospects.

Booking more meetings on LinkedIn starts with making the right connections. The more connections you make, the more prospective deals you're able to move forward.

There are LinkedIn automation tools that can help you connect to target accounts at scale efficiently — as long as you use them responsibly.

Why Automate LinkedIn Connection Requests?

The reasons for automating your LinkedIn connection requests are somewhat obvious.

1. You can scale your network faster and more consistently. Automation tools allow you to streamline numerous connection requests much faster than you would be able to do yourself, saving you hours of time.
2. Some tools allow for targeted messaging. These tools can personalize connection requests for you based on the recipient's profile, role, or industry, making each connection request feel more personal.
3. Some tools come with analytics. Many LinkedIn automation tools come with analytics features that help track the performance of your connection requests. This can help you better understand what's working and what isn't, especially if you add messages to your connection requests.

6 Popular Tools for Automating LinkedIn Connection Requests

We've narrowed down a list of the most popular LinkedIn automation tools and indicated which are extensions or separate apps.
1. LinkedIn Helper (tool and browser extension)

LinkedIn Helper allows you to send thousands of requests in bulk, bypassing LinkedIn's outgoing request limits to an extent
2. Salesflow (cloud-based tool)

Salesflow automates LinkedIn connection requests and integrates with LinkedIn Sales Navigator for better targeting. It's designed for B2B sales teams to run message campaigns efficiently, including connection requests.
3. Dux-Soup (browser extension)
Dux-Soup automates LinkedIn connection requests and profile visits. It works seamlessly within your browser, letting you schedule and personalize connection outreach.
4. Expandi (cloud based tool)
Expandi is ideal for large outreach campaigns, allowing users to automate personalized LinkedIn connection requests based on detailed audience targeting.
5. Zopto (cloud-based tool)
Zopto automates LinkedIn connection requests and offers safe, personalized outreach for sales teams and recruiters, complete with detailed analytics to track success.
6. Octopus CRM (browser extension)
Octopus CRM automates LinkedIn connection requests in bulk, compatible with Free, Premium, Sales Navigator, and Recruiter Lite accounts, helping users expand their networks efficiently.

There are also tools to scrape LinkedIn for leads, but that's for the scope of another post.

Before you get started, it's best to first create a list of your target ICP in Sales Navigator to serve as a database for the automation tool that you choose.

We also recommend not attaching messages to your connection requests — our CEO still gets 20% connection rate this way.

Here's a general guide on how to use these tools to start automating LinkedIn requests.

1. Download and install the tool from their official website
2. Log into LinkedIn
   1. Find the tool's icon in your browser to launch the tool, OR
   2. Launch the tool separately. Follow in-tool instructions to connect the tool to LinkedIn
3. Go to a "New Campaign" section and choose "Auto Invite", "Connection requests", or anything similar
4. Select your target audience using LinkedIn search or Sales Navigator. Alternatively, upload a list
5. (Optional) Customize your connection request message to add a personal touch
6. Set up daily limits to avoid getting flagged as spam. You can also set up daily schedules
7. Click "Start" to begin sending connection requests automatically

You Need To Use Automation Tools Carefully

Most of these connection automation tools bypass LinkedIn to impersonate you.

This puts you at a high risk of account suspension if you're not careful about putting parameters in place.

Here are some best practices to using automation tools responsibly.

1. Avoid Overloading Prospects: Set a reasonable limit on the number of connection requests you send daily to avoid triggering LinkedIn’s spam detection systems.
2. Target the Right Audience: Use LinkedIn’s filters to direct your connection requests to people who are likely interested in your business. This approach reduces the risk of being perceived as spam and increases your chances of meaningful engagement.
3. Respect LinkedIn’s Policies: Ensure your automation practices align with LinkedIn’s terms of service. Avoid sending identical messages to large groups or engaging in other behaviors that LinkedIn may flag as spam.

How to Improve Your Connection Acceptance Rate

(We have a full and separate guide for improving LinkedIn reply rates, if you're interested.)

People don't want to accept connection requests from strangers unless the stranger is worth connecting with.

If you have a profile that's not very interesting and are a random salesperson, nobody will accept your request since they know you're going to bother them with a pitch in their DMs.

Instead of just automating connection requests, you should also think about how to get your prospects to accept requests.

Certain job titles get a higher acceptance rate, like someone with the same job title as your prospect (they want to connect with peers). Tough luck otherwise.

The best way to improve your odds is to become a person worth connecting with.

Here’s how:

• Publish Helpful Content Regularly: share insights, relevant experiences, and helpful materials with your network for free. Letterdrop can automate this for you from your sales calls, blog URLs, and video URLs.
• Convey Value in Your Profile: Optimize your LinkedIn profile to highlight your expertise and the value you bring.
• Engage Meaningfully: Start conversations in the space and genuinely engage with what your prospects are posting.
• Share personalized images, videos, and voice notes where applicable to increase your conversions.

Our founding BDR, Ryan Patel, increased his LinkedIn connect rate from 11% to 21% in a matter of months through social selling like this. (You can read more by accessing this study on the impact of social selling on connect rates.)

He also exceeded his quota.

Here's how folks respond.

You need to build trust and provide value if you want to not only improve your connection rate but also improve the quality of those connections.

Don't just take it from us. Experts like Greg Costigan (Zenefits) maintain that sellers need to become perceived as experts in their field to sell and book more meetings.

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Automate Social Selling Safely with SOC-2

The best part is that Ryan and everyone else on the Letterdrop team automates his connection requests and this social selling process. This happens safely through LinkedIn APIs and SOC-2.

With the help of Letterdrop tooling, you can:

• Automate your connection requests safely, with the ability to withdraw requests that don't get accepted.

• Create targeted LinkedIn content from sales calls. Letterdrop can generate LinkedIn posts based on real customer questions from sales calls.

• See which accounts are engaging: Letterdrop identifies and gives a historical breakdown of who interacts with your content, helping you focus your outreach on engaged and interested prospects.
• Automate team engagement: Our tool automates likes, comments, and shares from your team, maximizing the reach of your posts. (You need the right people engaging with your content to maximize impact.)

Some FAQs

Can I Send Unlimited Connection Requests on LinkedIn?

• LinkedIn has a maximum limit of 30,000 first-level connections.
• Once this limit is reached, you cannot add more connections until some are removed.
• You can send approximately 20-25 connection requests per day and up to 100 per week if you approach it strategically.

Is Linkedin Automation Illegal?

• Using automation tools on LinkedIn, such as bots or browser plug-ins, is not illegal, but if used irresponsibly they are against LinkedIn's User Agreement.

Let Tooling Automate Connections and Social Selling

By using the right tools and adhering to best practices, you can scale your outreach while maintaining a personal touch. Remember, the goal is not just to increase connections but to build genuine relationships that can lead to meaningful business opportunities.

Combining automated connection requests with consistent, value-driven engagement through social selling can help you unlock the full potential of LinkedIn. We can help you there.