Cold Messaging on LinkedIn: Proven Techniques

Mastering the art of cold messaging on LinkedIn can be a game-changer for your business. By reaching out to potential clients directly, you can expand your network, generate leads, and ultimately close more deals. But crafting the perfect cold message takes skill and finesse. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through proven strategies for finding the right prospects, writing compelling copy, and automating your outreach efforts.

You'll learn how to save time and boost your response rates by up to 30%. Whether you prefer the classic manual approach or want to leverage AI-powered tools like Bardeen, we've got you covered. Get ready to take your LinkedIn prospecting to the next level and watch your business grow!

Find the Right People to Cold Message on LinkedIn

To find the best prospects for cold messaging on LinkedIn, you need to define your ideal customer profile (ICP). Then, use LinkedIn's advanced search filters to zero in on leads that match your criteria.

1. Define Your Ideal Customer Profile

Start by listing out key characteristics of your perfect buyer, such as job title, industry, company size, and location. Consider what traits your best existing customers have in common. Analyzing their LinkedIn profiles can reveal insights to search for in prospects.

2. Use LinkedIn's Advanced Search Filters

Enter a job title in the LinkedIn search bar and select "People" to see a list of professionals in that role. Then click "All filters" to access the advanced search options. Filter your results by:

• Connections (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
• Location
• Current company
• Industry
• Profile language
• Nonprofit interests

Applying multiple filters will help you create a targeted list of prospects that match your ideal customer profile. You can also build a prospect list to save your search and easily run it again later.

3. Join Relevant LinkedIn Groups

Search for LinkedIn groups related to your target industry or that your ideal buyers belong to. Join these groups and engage in discussions to build credibility with potential prospects. Commenting on their posts will help get you on their radar before cold messaging.

4. Analyze Profiles of Existing Customers

Examine your best customers' LinkedIn profiles to identify commonalities. Note the skills, experience, interests, and groups that many of them share. You can then search for these same characteristics in prospects to find leads similar to your top buyers.

By defining your ideal customer and leveraging LinkedIn's advanced search capabilities, you can build a hyper-targeted list of prospects to cold message. Learn more about cold outreach strategies to craft compelling message copy that gets responses from these leads.

Craft LinkedIn Cold Messages That Get Responses

To write LinkedIn cold messages that actually work, you need to personalize each message, keep it concise, focus on providing value, and end with a clear call-to-action. Mentioning something specific from the prospect's profile shows you've done your research.

1. Personalize Each Message

Take a minute to look through your prospect's LinkedIn profile and find something you can mention in your message. Perhaps they recently published an interesting article, were quoted in the media, or shared an insightful post. Referencing this in your cold message demonstrates that you're not just sending a generic copy-paste template.

For example: "Hi Sarah, I noticed you shared a great post last week about the future of AI in healthcare. I loved your perspective on how machine learning can help improve patient outcomes. I actually work for a startup doing something very similar - would love to chat more about this!"

2. Keep It Short and Sweet

No one wants to read a long-winded message from a stranger. Aim to keep your initial cold message under 100 words. Share just enough to pique their interest and make them want to learn more.

Lead with the value you offer, not what you're selling. Mention a specific problem you help companies like theirs solve, or an interesting industry insight. The goal is to quickly demonstrate relevance and credibility.

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3. Focus on Providing Value

Your first message should be all about them, not you. Rather than immediately pitching your product or service, focus on starting a conversation and building a relationship.

Ask a thoughtful question about their business or share a helpful resource related to their industry. Position yourself as someone who can offer valuable insights and expertise, not just another salesperson trying to meet quota.

4. End With a Clear Call-to-Action

Always end your cold messages with a specific request or question. This makes it easy for the prospect to respond and gives them a reason to do so.

Avoid vague CTAs like "let me know if you'd like to chat sometime!" Instead, try something specific like: "Are you available for a quick 15-minute call next Tuesday or Wednesday to discuss this further? Let me know what works best for your schedule."

By writing concise, personalized LinkedIn messages that offer value and end with a clear CTA, you'll be well on your way to starting more conversations with qualified leads. Next up, we'll dive into how to automate outreach and use automation to scale your efforts.

Time Your LinkedIn Cold Messages for Maximum Impact

To get the best results from your LinkedIn cold messages, you need to test different days and times, create multi-touch sequences, leverage automation tools, and continually monitor and adjust your approach. For example, Susan, a B2B SaaS sales rep, saw a 30% lift in response rates by sending her messages on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

1. A/B Test Days and Times

Not all days and times are equal when it comes to cold outreach. Experiment with sending your LinkedIn messages on different days of the week and times of day. Track your open and response rates to identify patterns.

Generally, weekday mornings and afternoons tend to work best, as people are settling into work or looking for a break. But this can vary by industry, role, and persona. The key is to test and find what works for your specific audience.

2. Create Multi-Touch Sequences

One message is rarely enough to get a response. Create sequences with multiple touchpoints, such as a connection request, followed by 2-3 messages spaced out over a couple weeks.

Each touchpoint should provide value and build on the previous one. For example, your first message could be about their recent post you enjoyed. Then your second could mention a relevant case study. And your third could invite them to a webinar. Stagger the messages to avoid coming across as spammy.

3. Use LinkedIn Automation Tools

To scale your LinkedIn cold outreach, use automation tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator to build prospect lists and Dux-Soup to automate sending the messages. Learn more about automate sales prospecting for efficient outreach.

These tools allow you to set up campaigns that automatically send connection requests and follow-up messages. Just be sure to monitor your metrics and adjust as needed. Over-automation can get your account flagged, so it's important to proceed with caution.

4. Monitor Metrics and Adjust

As with any outreach, continuous optimization is key. Regularly check your campaign metrics, such as connection accept rates, message open rates, and response rates. A/B test different subject lines, body copy, and CTAs to see what resonates.

If certain messages or sequences are underperforming, don't be afraid to switch things up. Iteration is the name of the game. With the right approach and a commitment to experimentation, you can maximize the impact of your LinkedIn cold messages.

Finding the optimal time to send your messages and leveraging automation will amplify your cold outreach on LinkedIn. Don't just wing it - use data to guide your approach. Ready to move on to the final piece of the puzzle? Next up, we'll cover how to effectively follow up with prospects to turn connections into conversations.

Turn LinkedIn Connections into Conversations with Effective Follow-Ups

Following up effectively is crucial to nurturing the connections you make through LinkedIn cold messaging. It allows you to build relationships, stay top of mind, and ultimately turn connections into meaningful conversations that can lead to opportunities. Here are some best practices for automating follow-ups to keep in mind when crafting your follow-up messages.

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1. Allow 3-5 Days Before Following Up

If you haven't received a response to your initial message after a few days, it's appropriate to send a brief, polite follow-up. Wait at least 3 days so you don't come across as pushy or impatient, but don't wait much longer than 5 days or your message may get buried.

A simple message like "Hi [Name], I wanted to follow up on the message I sent last week about [topic]. Let me know if you have any thoughts or would like to discuss further. Thanks!" can do the trick.

2. Add Value with Each Touch

Rather than just saying "checking in" or "following up", make each follow-up message valuable by itself. Share a relevant article, case study, or insight that your prospect may find helpful or interesting.

For example, "Hi [Name], I came across this case study on how [company] achieved [result] by [doing X] and thought you might find it interesting given our discussion on [topic]. Let me know what you think!" This demonstrates that you're thinking of them and want to be helpful, not just self-serving.

3. Know When to Move On

If you've followed up 2-3 times with no response, it's probably time to move on. Continuing to pester someone who isn't engaging will likely only annoy them and hurt your chances of connecting.

Send a final message acknowledging that they may be busy and that you don't want to be a nuisance. Leave the door open by providing your contact info and welcoming them to reach out anytime. If they don't respond, focus your efforts on other prospects.

4. Stay Organized with a CRM

As you scale your cold messaging on LinkedIn, it quickly becomes difficult to keep track of where you're at with each prospect. Using a CRM or spreadsheet to track your messaging touchpoints, response status, and next steps with each person is crucial.

Set reminders for yourself to follow up at the right times and make notes on previous interactions so you can pick up where you left off. This keeps you organized and ensures no one slips through the cracks.

Persistence pays off when it comes to LinkedIn cold messaging. But there's a fine line between being appropriately persistent and annoying your prospects. Focus on adding value and strengthening the relationship with each interaction, and know when to respectfully back off.

Thanks for sticking with us through this guide on how to cold message on LinkedIn for success! Just don't forget to actually send those follow-ups, or all your hard work crafting messages will go to waste. Happy prospecting!

Conclusions

Cold messaging on LinkedIn is a powerful way to connect with potential customers and grow your business. This guide covered the essentials for success:

• Identifying the right prospects to target
• Writing compelling cold message copy
• Optimizing the timing and automation of your outreach
• Effectively following up to turn connections into conversations

Now that you know how to cold message on LinkedIn, don't let that knowledge go to waste - your next big opportunity could be just a message away!