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The basic connection note
Use when: You had a friendly conversation and want to stay connected.
Hi [first name], great meeting you at [event name] and hearing about [specific detail]. Would be glad to stay connected.
LinkedIn is often the only way to reach someone when you did not swap cards. A blank connection request is easy to ignore, but a note that says where you met gets accepted. These templates are deliberately short, because LinkedIn limits the length of connection notes and people read them on their phones.
Short answer
Send a connection request with a short note that names the event and one detail from your conversation, within a day of meeting. Keep the note to one or two sentences; save any ask for a message after they accept.
Connect while they still remember you. Many people check LinkedIn on the way home from an event.
If you want a call or a meeting, ask in a message after the connection is accepted, not in the request itself.
If you know you will see them again at a recurring event, a quick message beforehand turns a stranger into a familiar face.
Use when: You had a friendly conversation and want to stay connected.
Hi [first name], great meeting you at [event name] and hearing about [specific detail]. Would be glad to stay connected.
Use when: You bonded over a topic or a speaker.
Hi [first name], enjoyed our chat about [topic] at [event name]. Let's keep comparing notes.
Use when: They accepted and you want a short call.
Thanks for connecting, [first name]. I have been thinking about what you said on [specific detail]. Would you be open to a 20-minute call in the next couple of weeks? Happy to work around your schedule.
Use when: You meant to exchange details but the event ended first.
Hi [first name], we spoke near the end of [event name] and I did not catch your contact details before you left. Good to connect here.
Use when: You will both be at the same event again.
Hi [first name], good to meet you at [event name]. I will be at [next event] too. Would be great to catch up there.
Yes. A short note that names the event makes your request recognizable and more likely to be accepted.
LinkedIn limits connection notes to a few hundred characters, and the exact limit can depend on your account type. One or two sentences fits easily and reads best.
Email is better for a specific next step, such as a meeting. LinkedIn works when you only have their name, or as a light way to stay connected.
After they accept your request. Asking in the request itself feels like a pitch and lowers the chance they accept.
Write a one-line note as soon as the conversation ends. In Genify you can say it out loud and Lily saves it to the contact, so the detail is there when you write.
Scan cards, save what you talked about by voice, and get a follow-up draft that references the conversation, so these templates write themselves.
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