Above all else, be genuine.

What genuinely interests you about their experience or interests?

Use that commonality as an opening line, and if relevant be specific about your ask.

Not showing that you’ve done your research to establish a genuine connection or being clear about your ask (if relevant) are two common mistakes when communicating with others in general, but are fatal when the social norms of politely listening are completely gone in electronic communication.

Here are 5 different LinkedIn connection templates for 5 different circumstances.

General connection

Hi {first_name}, congrats on over __ years at _____! Your background in ___ piqued my interest because _______. I’m curious how you got into the space, why you’re still in it, and what type of skills you view as most crucial for success. Is that something you’d be open to sharing?

Connecting within my field

Connecting outside of my field

Connecting by expressing appreciation

Connecting & making an ask

Not everyone is going to have an overlap in interests with you, but you can hopefully find something that genuinely strikes a chord of curiosity in you.