Writing cold messages on Linkedin isn’t too complicated. If you put in the right amount of research, you will get positive replies.
The problem with most salespeople who use Linkedin for cold outreach is that they send generic, copy-paste sales-type messages.
These messages lack personalization and if you think about it…
How often do you reply to sales messages?
Unless the company is offering you something of high value, you will most probably ignore it.
So if you’re stuck, with no positive replies and have no idea what you’re doing wrong – This article will help.
Plus, we will include some of our best message templates for you to adapt, doubling your positive reply rate.
(But if you would rather hop on a free 15-minute strategy call, let’s chat about your business. SalesBread guarantees 20+ qualified sales leads per day.)
But first…. Double-check your prospect list
Before you even start writing Linkedin messages you have to make sure that you have a super-refined prospect list.
The reason?
If you have a broad list of prospects, you might be reaching out to people who don’t want what you’re offering.
So even if you had the perfect cold outreach message, you’re not going to get any replies.
You want to go after a target audience who:
A.) Wants what you’re selling
B.) Has the budget to buy from you
C.) Has the buying power to make that decision
For example, if you’re reaching out to marketing managers, but it’s only the founders who have the buying power at their company, you’re going to waste time reaching out to people who can’t say yes to your product/service.
There are many other reasons why the “spray and pray” method just doesn’t work.
When your prospect list is ultra-refined you have a way better chance of finding qualified sales leads.
Read his article on list building, if you’re not sure how to build a super-refined list that gets results.
Once your list is perfect you can begin copywriting.
What you might be doing wrong
1. Your messages are too salesy
The first thing I did when I saw this message come in, was ignore it.
I didn’t even read past the first two words.
Why?
Because I knew it was a sales pitch.
If you’re sending similar messages to your prospects, the chances are they are doing exactly what I did.
Ignore your message.
We all have “sales blinkers” on.
Prospects are getting spammed daily on Linkedin. So when sales messages come through, their brains automatically think “Sales message…ignore.”
But what if you received a message like this instead:
Of course, you would reply.
Why?
Because this person is just starting a conversation.
There’s no warning signal that says “Red alert, red alert, it’s a sales pitch!”
These kinds of messages are known as a “pattern interrupt.”
This means doing something different from your average salesperson in order to stand out.
A pattern interrupt makes the prospect stop what they would usually do and behave differently.
When a prospect sees that you aren’t just trying to pitch to them, the chances of them actually replying to your connection request will be so much greater.
Your message shouldn’t be about selling, but rather about starting conversations. Say something that will get your foot in the door for further conversations that will eventually lead to a booked sales call.
2. You aren’t using enough personalization
Yes, some salespeople use basic personalization.
For example, they might mention the prospect’s name or the company that they work at. But the problem is, this isn’t enough to capture their attention.
In order to double your positive reply rates, you can’t use basic personalization.
You actually have to research each and every prospect and write each person a customized intro sentence.
Yes, this takes time but it’s worth it.
Also remember, if your list is ultra-refined, you will only have a couple of hundred prospects to reach out to instead of thousands.
So when researching prospects remember our CCQ formula.
- Compliment
(New job, great webinar, promotion, excellent social media posts.)
- Commonalities
(Belonging to the same Linkedin group, common ground about shared interests, knowing the same people.)
- Questions
(How do you deal with x problem, what’s the secret to success? Know any good hiking spots?)
Have a look at the prospect’s Linkedin profile in order to help you write a personalized message.
Here’s how:
Find something on their page that you can use to either compliment them on, mention a shared commonality or even ask a question.
For example:
“Loved your blog on XYZ. Especially the part about (mention something specific.) Would love to connect with you.”
Or
“Jack, I see that we are both in SaaS, curious to hear your thoughts about how you handle XYZ (prospects pain point)? Care to connect here?”
Or
“Hi, Michaela, Ben (a mutual connection.) from (company name) mentioned that you’re the person to chat to about (XYZ). For reference, my company does (solve pain points.) And he mentioned that our services might be of benefit to you. Interested in a quick chat?
(Your name.)
Notice that personalization is used in such a way to just get the conversation going.
Read this article for some connection request templates to use.
3. Your message is vague and your CTA is confusing
In your outreach strategy, you have to make sure that your direct messages are very specific.
If they are vague, your potential customers aren’t going to know what you want from them.
Be specific and transparent.
For example, you can mention that your company solves a specific pain point that they might be experiencing.
Or if you would like them to hop on a quick call, mention it in your follow-up messages.
Make it as easy as possible for your prospect to reply.
You could even say respond with a one-word answer.
A.) Yes this is something that I would like to chat about
B.) Now’s not the right time
C.) Something else
Here are some low-commitment, specific CTAs to use in your outreach campaign.
4. Your message is an essay
If you look at the above message, besides being salesy, it’s really long. Your message only needs to be 1 or 2 sentences. Nothing more.
People are busy.
If they get hit with a wall of text, the chances of them reading and responding to your message are going to be low.
Keep your outreach messages short and to the point.
Look at the message below sent by Jack the founder of SalesBread:
Linkedin prospecting is just about building relationships.
5. Your Linkedin profile needs a refresh
Have a look at your Linkedin profile. Is it professional? Would decision-makers want to engage with you based on your profile?
Remember that your profile is like a first impression.
If it looks unprofessional, prospects will be wary to respond to you.
Be specific about what you do and how you help your clients.
Your profile picture should be professional and preferably not a random selfie.
Below is a great example to follow:
Notice that the “about page” isn’t just a “resume”. It’s a valuable section that you can use to create a sales page for yourself and your company.
Linkedin Cold Message Templates
Linkedin connection requests
Linkedin follow-up message examples
Note: Remember to follow up every 3 days between 3 and 6 times.
InMail outreach templates
Read this article that discusses all you need to know about sending Linkedin InMails. But below are some templates that you might find helpful.
At SalesBread we prefer using direct messaging but InMail messages are supplementary for us when it comes to outreach.
Ready to double your positive response rates?
Then try the above methods. We are receiving between 45 -60 % positive reply rates on Linkedin by just using the tips above.
But if you would prefer to have an agency do the hard work for you, book a free 15-minute strategy session below.
