A blank connection request (LinkedIn's default 'I'd like to connect') is easy to ignore because it gives the recipient no reason to accept; a short personalized note referencing something specific -- a shared group, a recent post they made, a mutual connection, or a specific reason you're reaching out -- dramatically increases acceptance and response rates. The most effective outreach messages are short, specific, and end with a low-effort ask: asking for a 15-minute call is a bigger ask than asking one specific question that can be answered in two sentences, and the smaller ask gets a response far more often. One polite follow-up after a week of silence is reasonable and professional; repeated unprompted follow-ups read as pressure rather than persistence and tend to damage the relationship rather than help it.