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When prospecting on LinkedIn, reaching out to new people is tough. But it’s also the best outbound method to generate leads and sales through LinkedIn.
Why should you use LinkedIn messaging? And how would you craft a LinkedIn message that will get read and replied to?
To boost your chance of being answered favorably, your LinkedIn copywriting skills are your best ally.
In this article, I’ll show you how to master your LinkedIn messages, and give you practical tips that will get them read and answered!
Why should I use LinkedIn messages in my prospecting strategy?
As I said in the introduction, if you’re trying to generate B2B opportunities, LinkedIn messages might be one of your best move.
Simply because almost everyone – including your leads – is active on this social network. Active means that they connect at least one or several times in a week.
By being active, your lead journey on LinkedIn might include :
- reading the LinkedIn posts they’re exposed to,
- searching for some information,
- accepting new network connection requests,
- reading the messages people (=you) sent them.
If you’ve read my latest Linkedin lead generation guide, you already know that there are two groups of methods to find opportunities: inbound and outbound. LinkedIn plans will allow you to activate many different actions.
Sending LinkedIn messages will activate leads through the outbound path, which is interesting because it’s super fast.
Best practices to use in LinkedIn message
When sending a LinkedIn message, it’s not always about the content.
Yes, you definitely need to make sure your message is structured properly, but you also need to pay attention to some other things:
Be direct
Tell them what you want them to do or what you expect to happen. Not in a demanding way (obviously), but in a request posed as to why they might be interested.
Don’t start pitching right away! Be direct in that you want to pitch them something but vague enough that they get intrigued but not drawn aback.
Hey there! I see most of my network reacting to your posts and I wanted to introduce myself. Would you be interested in connecting? 👋🏼
Simple, subtle, and to the point.
We have a full guide on LinkedIn connection messages where we dive much deeper into this subject so make sure to check that out!
Always follow up
This isn’t really a best practice, but more of a general guideline to adhere to.
When you’ve connected with someone on LinkedIn, it’s important to follow up your initial message with another one -and then another. This could be as simple as:
Hey, I’m glad we connected! What are you working on?
If you’re doing sales outreach, you can even be more aggressive and add more follow-ups as you go.
Our sales stats show that leads generally reply more from the 3rd to 4th follow-up, so don’t hesitate to follow up multiple times.
Disclaimer ⚠️
A high reply rate does not mean a positive response.
Try insulting your leads… You’ll still get a high reply rate. However, they probably won’t be very positive replies. 🙃
How do you fix this it? Make sure you qualify your leads properly!
But there’s a catch: You’re not going to follow up ONLY on LinkedIn!
This is precisely why La Growth Machine is the way to go!
Multichannel prospecting is simply the best way to go when it comes to sales, and multichannel selling software like La Growth Machine lets you do just that. You can create automated campaigns with messages sent on LinkedIn, Email, and even Twitter! LGM even allows you to find phone numbers and email adresses on LinkedIn.
And the best part? You have it all in one easy-to-use interface: the La Growth Machine Inbox:
You can track your conversations for every lead, and even respond directly from the Inbox using whichever channel you want.
Personalize your message:
Speaking of sounding more human, personalizing your messages is key. Always try to mention something specific about the person you’re trying to reach out to. It could be something from their profile or recent posts.
Remember the last time you responded positively to one of those “Dear Sir/Madam” messages? Yeah me neither… 🙄
People won’t engage with generic messages, and this is where La Growth Machine comes in clutch.
You have over 20 different variables to personalize your messages with, ranging from the classics such as First and Last Name and Company Name to Custom Attributes that you can personalize however you wish.
This way, you can make sure each message is personalized and tailored specifically for each lead, increasing the odds of them responding positively.
Demonstrate your value:
This is the most important best practice to consider when writing messages on LinkedIn. People are busy, and they don’t have time for useless messages that make them lose their precious time.
You need to demonstrate your value in each and every message, so the person you’re trying to reach out to knows why they should take their time to answer.
Think hard about your target’s needs and pain points, and how you can help them with your solution.
The more value you demonstrate in each message the better! Here’s an example from a recent campaign I ran:
Hey {{firstname}}
I saw that you’re recruiting a {{customAttribute1}}*. Congratulations on your team getting bigger!
If you ever want to get more replies, without necessarily increasing your workforce, you should try a multichannel approach. With {{identity.companyName}}, you can use LinkedIn, email, and even Twitter to engage where your leads really are! Which gets you 3.5x more responses 😇
*customAttribute1 = roles that have to do with Sales Development and Business Development.
Let your personality shine through:
Lastly, don’t be afraid to let your -or your brand’s, personality shine through when crafting your messages. People are more likely to engage with a message that reflects the sender’s personality, instead of one that looks like it was crafted in a robotic manner.
Let some of your humor, enthusiasm, and values show through in each message to make sure your leads know that there is a real person behind the screen.
4 LinkedIn message templates that work amazingly well!
We want to help you get started right away. Use the following templates to help get you started on your way to building a great network and getting more business!
Initial Connection Message
Hello {{firstname}}, I saw you were also on the {{eventName}} webinar.
Are you freelancing or working on a project? :)
40% reply rate
We have a full article on how to hook your leads on LinkedIn from the first message with templates that were statistically proven to work!
You can always check these performance thanks to LinkedIn KPIs.
Follow-up Message
Hey {{firstname}},
I wanted to connect because {I think we have similar interests | I’m looking to build my network in {{industry}} | I liked your post about {{topic}}}. Let me know!
(Add a GIF or a funny image to make your message more engaging!)
The “How can we help?” Message
Hi {{firstname}},
I saw your post about {{topic}}.. It looks like you could use a helping hand with {{pain point}}.
We have {{solution}} that could help you with this and reach your goals quicker.
Wanna know more? Book a time slot right here 👉 {{link}}
Let’s make it happen! 🙂
Soft Pitch Message
Hey there {{firstname}}! I was checking out {{companyName}} and noticed that our industry’s {{customAttribute1}} are active on LinkedIn. Want any tips on how to prospect like a pro? 😎
Here’s an example to illustrate what a Custom Attribute might be:
Example 🔍
Hey there Adrien! I was checking out La Growth Machine and noticed that our industry’s sales reps are active on LinkedIn. Want any tips on how to prospect like a pro? 😎
To be perfectly honest, these templates are a generic version of what our clients use.
It’s up to you now
Now that you have the powers of a sales prospecting genius, you can send the best LinkedIn messages to your target audience.
It’s really not that hard. It may seem like it is, but honestly, it all stems from a good segmentation and targeting.
I mean think about it… If you know and understand who you’re talking to, you will for sure know how you need to talk to them. That’s the most important!
Be natural, friendly, with a focus on the value you bring to the lead specifically, not the product itself.
This is what we cover in our article about copywriting strategy, so make sure you check it out!
Remember to use automation wherever possible and check out La Growth Machine to save you time and stress.
Happy messaging! 🙂
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