July 7

Why Cold LinkedIn Requests Usually Fail

Increase Your LinkedIn Connection Acceptance Rate with the FACE Method

Every LinkedIn user has felt it—that awkward hesitation before hitting “Connect” with someone you don’t know. You pause, wondering: Will they accept? Will they care? And even if they do, will it mean anything? Research says your instincts are right. Cold LinkedIn connection acceptance rates, no matter how polished your note, hover around a modest 30% acceptance rate. And even if accepted, these connections often remain superficial—names in a list, not genuine relationships. Why? Because humans don’t bond with strangers; we bond with the familiar. It’s science, backed by psychology’s mere-exposure effect, which explains why familiarity breeds preference. Whether it’s hearing a song on repeat or seeing a face regularly, repeated exposure builds comfort and trust.

Introducing FACE: A Smarter Way to Connect

That’s why you shouldn’t jump straight into connecting. Instead, consider a smarter approach: the FACE framework. FACE—Follow, Appear, Connect, Engage—is your new best friend for LinkedIn engagement. It transforms cold outreach into warm relationship-building by leveraging simple psychology and strategic interactions.

Step 1: Follow to Learn and Understand

Imagine your prospect’s LinkedIn feed as their neighborhood coffee shop. Your first step—Follow—is akin to regularly stopping by to see who else visits and what conversations bubble up. Following isn’t passive; it’s an active choice to pay attention, opening a window into what matters most to your prospect. You’ll quickly learn their interests, preferred topics, and conversation styles. It’s market research without the awkwardness.

BUT, LinkedIn makes it harder than it needs to be by letting the algorithm, not the user, determine what content hits your feed. Luckily for you, you’re reading this post because there is a hidden LinkedIn filter that fixes that. Go read this LinkedIn networking hack post we wrote that shows you how to get the filter and use it to only see content from people you follow. 

Step 2: Appear Strategically to Build Familiarity

After you’re a familiar face, it’s time to Appear, becoming part of their daily routine. But just like in the coffee shop, you don’t chat with everyone all the time; you pick your moments. Thoughtful comments or insights during relevant conversations make your presence meaningful rather than intrusive. It’s not about frequency alone—it’s about timing and relevance. Science underscores this too: studies suggest it takes five to ten meaningful interactions before someone truly registers your presence positively.

Step 3: Connect When It Feels Natural

By now, you’re no longer a stranger—you’re the friendly regular they’ve grown accustomed to. Connecting now becomes natural, almost inevitable. Instead of coldly requesting to connect, you’re simply formalizing an existing relationship. A quick message referencing your recent interactions—”Enjoyed our discussions on [topic], let’s stay connected”—is both personal and genuine. Acceptance rates using this method climb significantly, often doubling or tripling that of a cold approach, with some LinkedIn campaigns reporting up to a 74% success rate.

Step 4: Engage to Cultivate Lasting Relationships

However, connection isn’t the end goal; it’s the beginning of genuine engagement. Too many LinkedIn connections fizzle immediately after the initial acceptance. The final step—Engage—is about nurturing the relationship you’ve just formalized. This is your chance to continue adding value, deepening trust, and positioning yourself as a reliable and insightful presence in their network. Not every engagement needs to be profound, but consistency in showing genuine interest and offering value creates authentic relationships, not just LinkedIn connections.

Why FACE Works: Harnessing Human Psychology

The brilliance of FACE is its simplicity wrapped around sophisticated psychology. It respects human nature, prioritizing relationship-building over transactional networking. By following this approach, you not only increase your connection acceptance rate, but more importantly, you build meaningful relationships. In a noisy digital world where everyone is clamoring for attention, thoughtful familiarity and genuine engagement stand out.

So before you click that next connect button, ask yourself: Have I put a FACE on this interaction yet? If not, perhaps it’s time to start.

Want to see what this looks like in practice?

Grab our LinkedIn Networking for Introverts Series. Even if you're not an introvert, it's chocked full of tips, hacks, and proven best practices to make your LinkedIn networking efforts more effective:

Agency Business Development Networking for Introverts
Master Effective Networking Strategies: Building Meaningful Connections Without Becoming a Nuisance
Introvert-Friendly LinkedIn Sales Techniques: The Art of the Subtle Sale
How to Leverage Content Marketing Strategies on LinkedIn to Attract Qualified Prospects
Building Connections That Matter: LinkedIn Sales Prospecting Strategies for Introverts
Networking for Introverts: How to Use Curated Content in Sales Prospecting

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This post was originally published on Painless Prospecting, the weekly sales and marketing blog created by the fine folks at Converse Digital. If you want to learn how to create, engage in, and convert conversations into new clients and customers, give them a call


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About the author

Tom is 30 year veteran of the sales & marketing industry with a penchant for stiff drinks, good debates and showing others how to combine the power of digital platforms and technology with the science of persuasion to turn conversations into customers.

He is the founder of Converse Digital, a former contributing writer for Advertising Age, and author of The Invisible Sale regarded by readers as a "must-read for any marketing and sales team."

The Invisible Sale has been described as: showing the reader how to rip down the communication barrier between sales and marketing teams in an easy-to-digest look at how both teams can work together to attract, measure, and close prospects in today's online landscape.

In the book, Tom breaks down his entire business development process, honed over a decade of practice, to create the ultimate field guide for anyone tasked with creating an effective business development program for themselves, their agency, or company.

And for those seeking to learn more about the art and science of persuasion, modern digitally oriented prospecting, effective lead nurturing without becoming a nuisance and closing more business deals, Tom has authored hundreds of articles available via his Painless Prospecting Newsletter Archives.

He is also a highly sought after sales & marketing keynote speaker who has graced stages in 52 cities, 27 states, and 7 countries spread across 4 continents.

He primarily speaking on topics of sales, business development, social selling, social media and the power of consumer experiences shared via social media as the ultimate form of advertising.

Tom's probably best known for his incredibly successful, groundbreaking social media campaign to rebrand Mardi Gras from "girls gone wild" to "family friendly fun" using nothing other than social media. That work led him to create his signature tourism marketing keynote -- The Soundtrack of our Life: Leveraging Visitor Experiences To Drive Visitation.

Too learn more about Tom's most requested talks, or check his availability, visit his professional speaker page.

You can also follow him on Twitter or connect with him on LinkedIn.


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