Just because you can pay $100 and get an Expandi subscription that will allow you to do automated messaging, it does not mean that your Linkedin lead generation is an automated process. 

The sad fact though, is that if you’re looking for an entire automated process, that’s not what we do at SalesBread.

(You will learn why further into the article. Bulk messaging on autopilot is a bad idea.)

BUT, we can say with great confidence that because our process isn’t solely automated (like it is with many in the industry,) we have been able to generate close to 7000 + sales-qualified leads within the past 24 months. 

Our average connection rate on Linkedin is 45% and our average positive reply rate is 39%. 

(Here’s how we generated 183 sales leads for a SaaS company in 130 business days.)

We are receiving daily sales qualified leads, even in really tough industries. 

And this article will share how we do it whilst using automated messaging tools like Expandi, the right way. 

(If our stats have resonated with you, and you would also like 1 guaranteed sales lead per day (or your money back) hop on a free 15-minute strategy call with us here.)

What we’ve learned…

We’ve learned after 4 years of trial and error, and before that, the same in the cold email space for 6 years prior, is to use these LinkedIn automation tools to our advantage… 

BUT we give these tools 2 things that are NOT automated.

1: A carefully selected group of prospects…

… That are going to receive your Linkedin outreach message. – Meaning, that we break these people down into segments and make sure that there is a REAL good reason why they are actually on our prospect list in the first place.

We would like to think that anyone who lands up on our prospect list is in for a real treat. 

And we aren’t just saying that jokingly. 

This group of prospects has fit a very specific set of criteria that entitled them to receive an offer from one of our clients that will generally make their work life better.

And anyone who doesn’t meet this strict criterion isn’t added to our list. 

Our prospect lists are like exclusive groups…

Seriously.

There’s no messaging thousands of Linkedin users, hoping for a yes with SalesBread. 

Our outreach is very intentional and strategic. 

2: A lot of personalization goes into our messaging…

That’s going to show the prospect that, while the message might be automated, we’re really only using Expandi to help us take care of follow-ups.

That’s the only benefit we see with using automation software like Expandi. 

It’s like… “Hey, Expandi, please help just schedule follow-ups properly.”

Everything else is so personalized that we don’t even consider using Expandi as an automated message. 

Expandi is just going to help follow up with another personalized message if a prospect doesn’t get back to us right away…And that’s very valuable for us.

Point blank… How do we do this?

When we upload a batch of prospects to Expandi, we spend a lot of time adding different columns on Google Sheets (3 team members in fact) that contain handwritten, NOT Chat GPT, crappy personalization…

Sometimes our personalized messages will contain 4 different merge tags.

Essentially our prospects are getting 4 uniquely created sentences just for them. 

So, does SalesBread use automated LinkedIn messaging?

Yeah, we do in a sense because we are asking a tool to follow up for us, but since each prospect has so much personalization in the automated message, we’re seeing 20 – 45% positive reply rates regularly. 

In fact, we don’t have a single campaign that’s getting worse than a 20% POSITIVE reply rate on Linkedin.  

Notice that we haven’t even scratched the surface with copywriting for Linkedin campaigns, in this article.

But obviously, if your message has the wrong tone, or is too salesy, you’re going to have a hard time getting responses even with personalization and automation. 

So check out some of our other articles on copywriting and strategy. 

Which merge tags should you use?

Everyone who does Linkedin prospecting uses “company name” and “first name”.

We don’t even count that as personalization, because you should be using those “tags” anyway. 

Here are 4 must-have “merge tags” to use.

1. You must use a personalized intro sentence 

See our CCQ resource and remember to have a look at a prospect’s Linkedin profile to find personalized information to use for your outreach campaign. 

2. Add notes on the company product/service

In order to write something ultra-personalized, read up about the company’s product or service; you can also even mention something about the company’s mission. Sometimes we also drop in on what their competitors have been doing (we will even name-drop specific competitors.)

3. Use relevant case studies

You’re also going to want to absolutely mention relevant case studies on how your company has helped other companies. But don’t just add a link to your case studies page, rather cherry pick a case study that is most relevant to this specific prospect. 

4. Use a customized “P.S.” section

We also like using a customized PS at the end of our connection requests or follow-ups. Once again, use something personalized about your prospect in the P.S. It could even be a recent update on the company if you’re reaching out to founders, CEOs, or executives.

Here’s an example: 

Here are some of our expert lead-generation tips

• Have a super refined target audience prospect list that’s based on current buying data.

• You might want to invest in a Linkedin Sales Navigator account, it just simplifies your workflow and the Linkedin search filters are really handy, if you use them the right way.

• Use third-party data providers for advanced search filters and to verify contact information.

• First, reach out to your second-degree connections, and supplement that by sending InMails

• Filter through “recently posted” on Linkedin as well; this will make sure that you are reaching out to prospects who are active on the social media platform.

• If you choose automation tools, make sure that they aren’t Chrome extensions. Cloud-based tools that have a dedicated IP address and mimic human behavior are much safer to use. You don’t want to get your Linkedin account restricted. 

• Use A/B testing to see which messages work the best with which prospect segments.

• Send 3-5 follow-up messages every 3 days until you get a reply. 

• Have your salespeople reply in real-time as humans when a prospect responds to your message.

Some final thoughts

So the only reason why we use Linkedin message automation is mainly for follow-ups.

A human should not have to go into Linkedin every 3 days and write a follow-up and wait for the prospect to reply. This can be done by a robot.

So Expandi does this for us, but it stops sending follow-ups once a prospect responds to our messages, AND then we reply with a human and not a robot. 

Handing picking your prospects, researching your prospects for personalization, writing personalized messages, and replying once a prospect responds should be done by your sales team or a team of experts.

If you’re looking for some inspiration, have a look at our following resources: 

• 60 LinkedIn Connection Request Message Templates
• 20 Of The Best Linkedin Automation Tools to Try Out in 2023. This article will discuss tools like Dux-Soup, Linked Helper, Expandi, and many others, along with their advanced features, pricing, and customer reviews. 
• 7 Linkedin Inmail Examples Guaranteed to Bring You Qualified Leads

BUT if you’re unhappy with your response rates and conversions, we would love to help you out.

Hop on a free 15-minute strategy call below, and let’s see how we can increase your metrics and qualified leads. 

(Our pricing is less than hiring a full-time SDR and we are happy to integrate with any CRM tool.)