You know the drill. Another day, another batch of cold emails sent, another handful of polite (or not-so-polite) rejections, and a pipeline that looks more like a trickle than a torrent. Sound familiar?
What if the problem isn’t your copy, targeting, or timing? What if the missing ingredient is something much simpler and more human?
Enter: social warming.
What is social warming?
Social warming isn’t just a trendy add-on to your sales playbook. It’s the secret sauce that powers modern, high-converting social selling strategies.
Social warming is the foundational strategy within the broader world of social selling. It’s about maximizing your results by being recognized and trusted before sending a message.
“What is the goal of social selling? The goal of social selling is to build more of your pipeline from approaches like nearbound, which is a warm way to land deals rather than just increasing volume so that cold outreach works for us, that’s the main goal.” – Viktor Hatfaludi, B2B sales Expert
Social warming is a deliberate, long-term play. Think marathon, not sprint. The average? You’ll invest 2 to 3 months between that first interaction and a real pipeline opportunity. But if you want real results, it’s not just worth it—it’s non-negotiable.
If you’re looking for a quick fix, stick to cold calling or mass email, which we do not recommend at LGM. But if you want a sustainable, scalable, and future-proof approach, social warming is your ticket.
“What we are doing with social warming is building familiarity, so when we send our first email, it has a chance to stand out in the sea of spam emails that your prospect receives.” – Viktor Hatfaludi
Did you know?💡
In our Allbound Academy, we’ve dedicated a chapter to the social selling approach and best practices. Don’t hesitate to take a look.
Why has social warming become essential?
Personalization isn’t enough
Let’s be honest: the days when “Hey {{FirstName}}” counted as personalization are long gone. AI has made sending personalized emails so easy that everyone’s inbox is overflowing.
“AI has made sending ‘personalized’ emails so easy that people’s inboxes are full. You need to find a way to stand out.” – Viktor Hatfaludi
Consider this real-world example from Viktor: a multichannel campaign run on 250 prospects without social warming:
82% deliverability
Less than 10% acceptance rate
6.8% response rate
Not bad, right? Those are industry average numbers.
But here’s the trap: send more, multiply your results. At least, that’s what most teams try. In reality, even highly personalized mass outreach hits a wall: Your prospects are tuning out.
Run the same campaign after integrating social warming, and the numbers tell a different story:
100% deliverability
48% of prospects accepted the LinkedIn connection request
8% response rate
Suddenly, you’re not just another message in the void. You’re the familiar face, the known name, the person already on their radar.
Creating familiarity to stand out
Three keys to breaking through the noise today:
Relevant messaging: Nail your copywriting. Say what matters, when it matters.
Timely topics: Align your outreach with real, observed buying intent.
Familiarity with the sender: Earned through social warming.
“If someone has never heard about you, doesn’t have a reason to trust you, and this is the first time you are popping up in their inbox, they might not even open your email.” – Viktor Hatfaludi
Social warming is about ensuring your prospect is already familiar with you and your ecosystem when your message lands. Maybe they’ve seen your company name. Maybe your name rings a bell. Perhaps they’ve even engaged with your content.
When that happens, your message is more likely to be read, your offer more likely to be considered, and your meeting more likely to be booked.
Raising your response rate: The social warming way
Want to boost your reply rates? Start by interacting with content that matters to your prospect.
Pre-requisite: Know your persona, their sector, and their interests—cold.
“Familiarity is about getting in front of the people as much as possible and one of the best ways to do that is to land in the notification section of your prospects.” – Viktor Hatfaludi
It’s not just about being seen. It’s about being remembered.
Show, through your content, that they’re better off with you than without you.
3 common social warming mistakes (and how to avoid them)
#1: Treating social warming as a “One and Done” tactic
Social warming isn’t a checkbox. Too many sales teams treat it as a quick prelude: Like one post, drop a generic comment, and you’re good.
Reality: Familiarity takes time. You need consistent, repeated interactions.
Actionable fixes:
Show up repeatedly: Comment, like, and share regularly—not just once.
Vary your touchpoints: Don’t just stick to posts. Engage with stories, polls, and even mutual connections’ content.
Be present in their notifications: The goal is for your name to pop up multiple times before you ever send a DM.
#2: Focusing on quantity over quality
Spam is spam, even if it’s in the comments section. Mass-liking, copying the same comment everywhere, or sending identical connection requests? You’ll blend in with the bots.
Actionable fixes:
Customize every interaction: Reference something specific in their content.
Engage meaningfully: Ask questions, share insights, or build on their ideas.
Quality > Quantity: Ten thoughtful interactions beat a hundred generic likes every time.
#3: Skipping the profile audit
Your profile is your digital handshake. If it screams “sales pitch incoming” or is incomplete, your social warming efforts will fizzle.
Actionable fixes:
Buyer-centric profile: Highlight how you help, not just what you do.
Clear, credible story: Use your About section to show value, not just list achievements.
Show proof: Testimonials, endorsements, and relevant content matter.
Avoid pitchy headlines: Focus on outcomes your prospects care about.
Social warming is the step that makes all the other steps count.
When you invest in building familiarity:
Your emails stand out in crowded inboxes.
Your connection requests get accepted.
Your conversations start warmer, flow more easily, and convert faster.
Your pipeline grows with less friction and more predictability.
Next steps
The new sales reality isn’t about more volume. It’s about more relevance, more trust, and more human connection.
If you want to build a pipeline that converts, don’t just send more messages. Start showing up. Start warming up. Start being the person your prospects already want to talk to—before you pitch.
That’s the power of social warming. And it’s yours for the taking.
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