Here’s what I’ve learned about crafting LinkedIn communications from the millions of messages we’ve sent:
On one hand – Just in the past year, we’ve sent over 2,000,000 LinkedIn messages to decision makers worldwide on behalf of our clients.
On the other hand – We hate spam and love building good relationships.
And this is not a conflict of values not at all.
Here’s what I’ve learned over the past few years from managing hundreds of LinkedIn outreach activities for hundreds of tech companies, startups, organizations, and brands in the B2B world.
First and foremost, It is entirely legitimate to reach out to people on LinkedIn with business proposals. LinkedIn’s mission is to connect people professionally to create business opportunities. Here’s how to do it right.
Release the Assumption That LinkedIn Messages Are Spam or “Unpleasant”
If someone in your audience doesn’t want to receive messages, they can disable the option. In reality, the vast majority of users do not block this feature and enjoy the ability to communicate on the platform.
LinkedIn’s declared mission is exactly that, and they proudly state it everywhere, even here: https://about.linkedin.com/
Or, as LinkedIn puts it:
The mission of LinkedIn is simple: connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful.
If a particular person doesn’t want to receive messages on LinkedIn, they can disable the option or turn off notifications. We’re not doing anything illegitimate, so release that fear.
If our message isn’t relevant, they can ignore it or respond that it’s not relevant – it’s all fine.
Basic Rules for Direct Messaging on LinkedIn
- Respect the recipient and their time.
- Keep it short!
- Get to the point.
- Use short sentences.
- If writing in Hebrew, use gender-neutral language (לך, איתך, עבורך).
- Be straightforward – state the main point that will interest the recipient at the beginning of the message.
- Avoid superlatives and excessive exaggeration (a little is fine).
- Proofread for correct grammar and eliminate double spaces.
- Generously space between lines; it’s easier to read text when it’s spread out, and scrolling is okay.
- Write as you would speak, like talking to a colleague or friend, not too formal, but not too casual.
- Address the person by their first name, and if possible, include the company name (not as listed in the company register, but how normal people say it).
- If your audience is small (a few hundred/thousand people), it’s sometimes worth reading profiles and adding a personal line about an article they wrote, a company they work(ed) at, or a skill they have.
- If unsure who the relevant person is, it’s fine to ask for a connection to the right person. You’d be surprised how many people are willing to help.
- After connecting and sending a message, you can send one follow-up message after a few days and at most one more, but if there’s no response after that, let it go for a few weeks. Assume that anyone who accepted the connection also read the message but didn’t respond because it’s not relevant to them.
- Every company is “the leader in its field,” and every product is “the smartest/most advanced/best” – such terms have lost relevance on LinkedIn.
- When messaging professionals, assume they understand the jargon and professional terms.
- Just before finalizing the message, ask yourself, if you were the recipient, what would you think of the message and the sender? Would you respond?
What Not to Do
- Don’t try to be overly creative or clever; write straightforwardly.
- Don’t push or hard sell. Explain who you are and why you’re reaching out – if it’s interesting, they’ll respond.
- Avoid unnecessary buzzwords; the recipient should understand the message within 5-10 seconds.
- Don’t bluff; don’t write “I saw your profile” / “I read that you…” if you didn’t actually do that.
- There’s a fine line between a personal, casual, eye-level message and one that’s too informal. Don’t cross it.
- Avoid vague and general descriptions of the product/service. Be laser-focused on your offer.
- Don’t send a message that you yourself wouldn’t respond to or at least be curious about or read to the end.
- People are very sensitive to bullshit, spam, excessive formality, and lack of professionalism. Avoid all of these.
- Don’t use automation tools – they’re illegal and will only cause trouble for you (but that’s for another post).
What Actually Works
- One structure we use:
- Opening: Hi [First Name]
- Who I am / we are and the role: Not mandatory
- Why I’m reaching out: Not mandatory
- The value we provide (and how, but not mandatory):
- Who it’s for:
- Call to action: I’d love to show you / chat / meet / present / send
- You can sign with your name and details.
- You can add a link to something interesting and relevant (video/link).
- Another shorter structure (suitable for those available for LinkedIn chats):
- Opening: Hi [First Name]
- Why I’m reaching out + reason:
- The value we provide:
- Is it relevant to you? (Invite to start a conversation):
- Another short structure for those unsure who the relevant contact is:
- Opening: Hi [First Name]
- I’d appreciate your help connecting with the right person in your organization
- The value we provide:
- Who do you think is the relevant person to speak with?
- Another option: Approach in stages. The first stage describes in one line what you do and then “If you’re interested, I’d be happy to send more details here or by email.” Then, after showing interest, send a longer message with all the full information.
LinkedIn Marketing is About Building Relationships
Not everything is here and now. Yes, LinkedIn messages can generate immediate leads, but most people won’t turn into leads right away. It’s recommended to keep in touch with your audience, offer to talk in a few weeks or months – they’ll appreciate it and it will pay off in the long run.
More than generating leads, LinkedIn is good for lead nurturing, i.e., nurturing relationships with your leads.
People love to help, advise, and connect with the right person, provided you approach according to all the rules here.
If you sent a message and someone asked a question in return, the minimum is to be available to respond within a few hours / a day at most and strive to move the conversation to email/phone.
Your target audience is likely defined and finite. The way you approach reflects on you and your company. People tend to remember more than you think, and what remains is the experience. You don’t want to leave people with the experience that you’re annoying, spammers, or desperate. Quite the opposite. We want to create the experience of great professionals offering excellent value at the right time, available for those who want to proceed, with minimal fluff and maximum practicality, value, understanding of needs, and high-quality and precise communications.
What do you think? I’d love to hear your feedback at daniel@webbee.digital