If you’re sending LinkedIn connection requests and hearing crickets, you’re not alone. Most people’s messages get ignored because they sound like spam or, worse, like they were written by a bot. This guide is for recruiters, founders, SDRs, and anyone who wants to stand out (without spending hours crafting every single message). We’ll walk step-by-step through using Expandi’s dynamic placeholders to craft LinkedIn connection messages that feel truly personal—without faking it or wasting your time.
Let’s keep it real: most automation tools promise “personalization.” But if your message says “Hi {first_name}, I noticed you work at {company}”—that’s not personal. That’s fill-in-the-blank. Below, you’ll learn how to use Expandi’s features to do better.
Why most LinkedIn connection messages get ignored
Before you even touch Expandi, it’s worth a gut-check: what actually makes someone accept your connection request? Spoiler: it’s not using their name or company. It’s relevance, authenticity, and effort.
Here’s what doesn’t work: - Obvious templates (“I saw we have mutual connections, let’s connect!”) - Generic flattery (“Impressed by your profile!”) - Straight-up sales pitches
What does work: - Showing you actually know who they are - Mentioning something specific and relevant (not just scraping their job title) - Keeping it short and human
Dynamic placeholders help—if you use them well. Done poorly, they just make bad messages faster.
Step 1: Get clear on what “personalized” really means
If you’re thinking, “I’ll just use {first_name} and {company} and call it a day,” think again. True personalization means your message can only apply to that person.
Some ideas: - Referencing a recent post or article they shared - Mentioning a unique part of their background - Connecting on a shared interest or experience
You can automate some of this with Expandi’s dynamic placeholders, but you need the right data first.
Pro tip: Before you start, actually read a few target profiles. You’ll quickly spot what stands out (or doesn’t). Don’t rely on placeholders to do all the work.
Step 2: Build a quality LinkedIn search and export the right data
Expandi pulls in LinkedIn profile data to power its dynamic placeholders. The quality of your search determines the quality of your personalization.
- Create a focused LinkedIn search. Use filters to zero in on the type of people you actually want to connect with. The narrower your search, the easier it is to write relevant messages.
- Export your search to Expandi. This usually means saving your search results as a CSV or syncing via Expandi’s Chrome extension.
- Check your data. Make sure the fields you want—like recent activity, headline, or location—are actually available. Not all data is pulled by default.
What to ignore: Don’t obsess over getting every data point. Most people never use more than 2–3 dynamic fields in a message anyway.
Step 3: Get familiar with Expandi’s dynamic placeholders
Expandi supports a handful of dynamic fields you can use in your messages. The basics:
- {first_name} — Obvious, but don’t overuse.
- {last_name} — Rarely needed.
- {company_name} — Decent for context, but not enough on its own.
- {job_title} — Useful if you can make it specific.
- {location} — Only mention if it’s relevant.
- {icebreaker} — The wildcard. This is a custom field you can populate in your CSV with something specific about each person (e.g., “Congrats on your recent move to Berlin!”).
Pro tip: The {icebreaker} field is where real personalization happens. Yes, it takes more work up front—but it pays off in replies.
Step 4: Write your message templates (with examples that actually work)
Here’s where most people screw up: they try to sound “professional” and end up sounding fake. Keep it short, real, and specific.
Template 1: The “I actually checked out your profile” approach
Hi {first_name}, saw your post about {icebreaker}. Would love to connect and hear more about your work at {company_name}.
{icebreaker}could be “your talk at SaaStr” or “your recent post on remote work.”
Template 2: The mutual interest angle
Hey {first_name}, noticed we both care about {icebreaker}. Always keen to chat with others in {job_title} roles. Open to connect?
{icebreaker}might be “open source sales tools” or “B2B SaaS marketing.”
Template 3: Hyper-relevant compliment (only if it’s real)
Hi {first_name}, really appreciated your article on {icebreaker}. I’m working on similar challenges at {company_name}. Mind if we connect?
- Don’t fake compliments. If you can’t find something real, skip this template.
What to avoid: - Messages that are longer than 400 characters - Anything that sounds like a pitch - “I’d love to add you to my network” (everyone knows why you’re here)
Step 5: Add custom data to your CSV (the secret sauce)
If you want your {icebreaker} to feel personal, you’ll need to do a little manual work. Yes, this is more effort—but even doing this for 50–100 people beats sending 1,000 generic messages.
- Create a column in your CSV called “icebreaker.”
- Fill it in with something specific about each person. This can be a recent post title, a shared connection, or a unique fact.
- Double-check for errors. A bad placeholder (“Congrats on your recent post, {icebreaker}!” when the field is blank) makes you look lazy.
Pro tip: Hire a VA or use a tool like PhantomBuster for scraping data, but always do a quality check. Automation is great until it makes you look like a robot.
Step 6: Upload your data and set up your campaign in Expandi
- Import your CSV to Expandi. Map your columns to the right fields—especially your custom ones like
{icebreaker}. - Paste your template. Use Expandi’s editor to drop in your message, making sure the placeholders match your columns.
- Test with a small batch. Send to 10–20 people first and check the results. Are the messages filling in correctly? Are you getting replies?
- Review and iterate. If you’re not getting responses, tweak your templates or icebreakers. Don’t just “set and forget.”
What to ignore: Don’t obsess over A/B testing 10 different templates. Start with one good, specific message. Quality > quantity.
Step 7: Stay human. Don’t automate everything.
Expandi makes it easy to scale outreach, but don’t let it turn you into a spambot. A few hard truths:
- LinkedIn users can spot automation from a mile away.
- If your message could have gone to anyone, it’ll get ignored.
- It’s better to send 50 truly good messages than 500 lazy ones.
Quick sanity check: Before launching, ask yourself—if you got this message, would you reply? If not, go back and fix it.
Pro tips for better results (and fewer headaches)
- Keep your messages under 300 characters. Shorter almost always wins.
- Personalization beats volume. If you’re not getting replies, make your message more specific—not just longer.
- Don’t pitch on the first message. Your goal is to connect, not close a deal.
- Respect the limits. Expandi has daily limits for a reason. Don’t try to outsmart LinkedIn’s anti-spam filters.
- Always check your placeholders. Nothing kills trust like “Hey {first_name}.”
Final thoughts: Keep it simple, keep it real
You don’t need the fanciest tools or the most complicated templates. The best LinkedIn connection messages are the ones that sound like a real person wrote them. Expandi’s dynamic placeholders can help if you use them thoughtfully. Start small, iterate, and remember: you’re writing to humans, not just data fields.
Now go send a few messages you’d actually want to receive. That’s the real “hack.”