LinkedIn Messaging service allows one to send messages(text, photos, videos) to 1st-degree connections, group chats, etc, for free. However, to send messages to people you are not connected to there is a premium feature called LinkedIn Inmail.
In this blog, we will shed light on the LinkedIn Inmail feature and how you can use it to boost your LinkedIn account. Along with a few Cold message templates to get you started.
But before moving forward, we need to understand what is LinkedIn InMail service.
What are LinkedIn messages?
LinkedIn messaging service provides users with access to connect and communicate with various users and connections across the platform. Their users connect with each other by sending a connection request and then accepting them to get connected
To make someone your connection, you can also write a LinkedIn Connection Message while you send them a connection request. Connection requests with a message have a higher chance of getting accepted as they provide the other person with a sense of personalization.
LinkedIn messaging is a powerful service that provides one with the ability to convert LinkedIn into a Lead Generation and Sales Tool.
But what about messaging those who we don’t know? LinkedIn Inmail is the way to go,
LinkedIn Inmail is a premium feature that LinkedIn provides to its premium members to directly connect to anyone on the platform. These messages, as per LinkedIn, have 3 times more response rates than cold emails or connection requests.
Receiving LinkedIn InMail services could be disabled by the user in which case it is impossible to send LinkedIn Inmail. However, you could send a limited number of Inmails that you could send depending on the subscription plan you bought.
The panel is present under my premium page provided by LinkedIn, where you can check the number of Inmails you have:
- Career plan – 3 InMail messages/month.
- Business plan – 15 InMail messages/month.
- Sales plan – 20 InMail messages/month.
- Hiring plan – 30 InMail messages/month.
What are the various types of LinkedIn Messages?
Automation services are used to send a variety of messages on LinkedIn. Due to this, it is important to understand the difference between LinkedIn InMail, Sponsored messaging, and Open Profile Messages.
- LinkedIn InMail
- Sponsored Messages
- Open Profile Messages
#1. LinkedIn InMail:
This is a premium feature that is used for direct messaging another LinkedIn member automation for this requires a high cost due to the sheer potential it has as it does not require the need for sending a connection request before the message.
#2. Sponsored Messages:
A native advertisement delivered straight to the LinkedIn Messaging of your target audience is an efficient method to contact your audience through sponsored messaging.
#3. Open Profile Messages:
This type of messaging allows the user to send a message request in form of a connection request and then contact them. This is the primary messaging that all automation tools are applied to. This helps in directly contacting existing connections and exploring possibilities for more.
After understanding the various types of LinkedIn Messages there is a need to understand the structure of Inmail before writing one.
Structure Of LinkedIn InMail Message:
LinkedIn InMail is broadly divided into two categories i.e. Subject Line and Body text both of which are essential components.
- Subject line for LinkedIn InMail Message
- Body/Paragraph Text for LinkedIn Message
#1. Subject line for LinkedIn InMail Message:
200 characters long, is the beginning part of any inmail, this length is what one needs to make the most use of to capture the attention of a prospect.
LinkedIn Inmail’s subject line is the pitch, that you use to grab the attention of the user and make sure they read it entirely. The LinkedIn Inmail subject line acts as the first impression, and we all know how important a first impression is.
#2. Body/Paragraph Text for LinkedIn Message:
LinkedIn Connection Message is used to introduce yourself and ask the other person to build a relationship with you. An Inmail, on the other hand, could be sent to anyone on the platform. Body text could be as long as 2000 characters, and as per the professional nature of the platform, the content should be written to the point.
Body text generally contains a product pitch or an invitation for a demo call. This is a bit confusing; what are the different types of LinkedIn Messages anyway?
How To write a LinkedIn InMail?
Writing a LinkedIn Inmail for the first time could be challenging, even more so if you have a very specific function in mind be it sales, promotion, or even recruiting.
There are certain methods or practices that you must follow for LinkedIn Inmail Subject Line and LinkedIn Inmail Body Text. We will also provide you with a few insider tips:
- Alpha/Beta testing
- Plan Everything
- To The Point
#1. Alpha/Beta testing
Alpha/Beta testing(A/B) is often used when one launches a product/ campaign with different configurations to see what works for the brand. This is an important practice as it is difficult to understand how the market or prospects would react to all kinds of templates and designs.
Which is exactly the point where A/B testing comes into play. Even for Cold messaging campaigns or LinkedIn Inmail Campaigns, Alpha/ Beta testing could be done where different templates, follow-up message templates, etc., could be utilized to see what works.
Once the results for which pitch worked and showed better results in analytics, you can decide which campaign to move forward with. We at Salesrobot provide you with an opportunity to A/B test the marketing campaign to make sure you get the best that we can offer.
#2. Plan Everything
LinkedIn Inmails have more chances of getting read by a prospect than any other form of message, due to which the need for planning it all, also increases significantly.
The first is the need to time the content you wish to send, i.e. at what time it is ideal for sending an Inmail( According to LinkedIn, it is between 9-10 Am) and to also plan how personalized the Inmail is.
Hitting the right form of the hyper-personalized message at the right time would increase your chances of getting a response. Personalization could be done on a variety of grounds:
- Reaching a milestone
- Wishing them a birthday
- Commenting on a case study
- Appreciation toward Volunteer work
The list could go on and on, but these are the few places where hyper-personalization might just get you a lead.
Salesrobot provides you with an opportunity to hyper-personalize your message, be it in In-mail, connection messages, or comments.
On the other hand, LinkedIn is quite strict against accounts that use bots and have created an algorithm for catching such behaviour as well. As a human, one cannot be online 24x7 and needs to sleep and do other chores except browsing LinkedIn.
Salesrobot takes care of it all, from providing randomizing timing for your messaging to frequent breaks while sending mass messages like a human.
#3. To The Point
An Inmail with up to 400 characters is most likely to get a response; why you ask?
Because our attention span nowadays, due to all the tech and distractions, is just 8 seconds and any text that even looks long inherently acts as a barrier for us to respond to the said material.
After writing a catchy subject line (We would provide a few suggestions, so keep scrolling), one needs to make sure that the body text is properly organized and answers these questions:
- Who are you, and how did you find them?
- Why are you reaching out to them?
- What do you offer( Also known as CTA or Call-To-Action)
5 LinkedIn Cold Message(InMail) Templates that you should use
Here are some of the LinkedIn Cold message (InMail) templates:
- The Problem Solver
- Humour Path
- Compare and Compete
- The Barter
- The Quick Question
#1. The Problem Solver
One of the most commonly used templates on LinkedIn is to provide your prospect with a solution to a problem that you might know that they are experiencing. Due to personalization to a problem they are facing, the chances of InMail being read and receiving a response becomes higher.
Example:
Subject Line: Hi [Prospect Name], It seems like you are facing [Issue], and I would like to suggest this,
I am [Your name] from [Company]
I recently came across your post on [Topic], and it looked to me like you are facing some trouble going forward. I would like to connect with you by offering a solution to the same.
It seems like the issue here is:
- Manual processing
- Lack of awareness about the latest options
This might be a bit confusing, but no worries, me and my team will help you every step of the way until you reach the goal that you have in mind.
Looking forward to continuing this conversation,
[Your name]
#2. Humor Path
Everyone is attracted to humor and that is why it is one of the most successful methods of writing an LinkedIn InMail.
Example:
Subject Line: Knock. Knock
Are you not going to ask, who’s there?
It gets pretty boring constantly checking LinkedIn for new messages, pitching prospects, and browsing for opportunities. So take this moment to relax through this InMail, isn’t that right [Prospect Name]
This message is pretty short and to the point, I would like to get your attention to our [Product] and [The Solution].
I hope we can continue this conversation,
[Your Name]
#3. Compare and Compete
This tactic is comparatively difficult to pull off but pretty easily breaks the ice. You provide an example of competition and then pitch your product along with the advantage it offers and how it is better than the competitor.
Example:
Hi, [Prosepect Name]
It looks like you are currently using [Competitor’s product] which is serving your [Need]. I would like to introduce to you [Our Product]. Which would provide you with similar and more, services than [Competitor’s product].
Without taking much of your time, [Product] provides you with [Advantage/Edge] over others.
Does this come across as something interesting?
If yes, We would like to connect with you and provide with you a demo/trial to help you understand how the product works and how we might be able to serve your needs.
[Your Name]
#4. The Barter
A common practice on LinkedIn is to barter with someone for something in return. It is more about pitching the other person to get you in connection with a prospect. People who come with referrals have almost 70% more chances of getting accepted and converting the other person into a customer.
Example:
Hello, [Prospect Name]
It looks like you are also in the same [Industry/company/field] as me. I would like to connect with C-suite executives and other individuals in a POR in the [Industry/company/field]. Can we help each other out with referrals?
If you are interested in this two-way street, I would love to connect with you
Looking forward to a positive response
[Your Name]
#5. The Quick Question
One of the best ways to pitch someone is to make it not look like a pitch at all. This trick makes the person on the other end perceive it so that you are there to ask about something and not pitch them.
Example:
Subject Line: Quick question about [Topic or subject]
Hi [Prospect Name]
I would like to ask you a question in marketing, about the topic [XYZ] and would like to get your insight on the same.
Looking forward to connecting,
[Your name]
To Conclude LinkedIn InMail:
LinkedIn Inmail is a great service that LinkedIn provides to its premium users, and with this article, you have all the information and some more to get started with the service.
A good LinkedIn Inmail is a composition of a variety of factors including a Subject Line and a good targeting strategy as per the audience. At Salesrobot we provide you with the ability to create your own Inmail outreach campaign along with a plethora of automation services.
If you are looking to understand how automation works, feel free to check out our LinkedIn Automation blog.
Sending LinkedIn Inmails and connection requests manually can be a hectic task but if you are looking for automating this service you can use Salesrobot for the same.
We provide hyper-personalization along with a time randomization algorithm that ensures that your account can generate maximum return while ensuring that it stays under the radar.
If that interests you, contact us and we would provide you with a demo ride :)
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