How to Automate LinkedIn Connection Requests

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 send out numerous connection requests much faster than you would be able to do yourself.
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)
2. Salesflow (cloud-based tool)
3. Dux-Soup (browser extension)
4. Expandi (cloud based tool)
5. Zopto (cloud-based tool)
6. Octopus CRM (browser extension)

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 LinkedInwe
   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.

Leverage Social Selling to Build More Connections

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

He also exceeded his quota.

How? He leveraged social selling on LinkedIn. In other words, he:

• shares insights, experiences, and helpful materials with his network
• consistently shows up as a resource
• engages meaningfully in industry conversations
• engages with his own GTM team to expand their reach

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 this social selling process. This happens safely through LinkedIn APIs and SOC-2.

With the help of Letterdrop tooling, you can:

• 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.)

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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.