InMail can be an extremely effective tool for sales professionals to connect with leads and prospects on LinkedIn. However, crafting an effective InMail that converts can be challenging. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through the key elements of writing a compelling sales InMail that gets responses.
What is an InMail?
An InMail on LinkedIn is a private, direct message sent to another member’s inbox. As a LinkedIn Premium subscriber, you get a set number of InMails per month to use for connecting with prospects and leads.
InMail has a few advantages over other outreach methods:
- Higher open and response rates – InMails have open rates around 20-25% compared to just 2-5% for cold emails.
- Built-in trust – Recipients recognize InMail as a legitimate communication channel on LinkedIn.
- No spam filters – InMails go directly to the main inbox unlike cold emails which often get blocked or go to spam.
This makes InMail a very valuable tool for sales prospecting outreach when used strategically and effectively.
How to Plan Your InMail Strategy
Before sitting down to write your InMails, it’s important to step back and think about your overall prospecting goals and strategy. Here are some key questions to consider:
- Who are your ideal prospects and targets? Identify titles, industries, companies, locations, etc.
- What are your objectives? Appointments, demos, free trials, etc?
- How will you source relevant prospects on LinkedIn? Search, groups, ads, etc.
- How many prospects will you need to reach your goals? Set monthly or quarterly targets.
- What information will you need to personalize outreach? Research prospects beforehand.
Having a documented strategy will help focus your efforts and increase the effectiveness of your outreach. It also ensures alignment across your sales team.
Crafting an Effective InMail Message
With your strategy defined, you can now focus on crafting compelling messages. Here are some proven best practices for writing InMails that convert:
Personalize the subject line
Avoid generic subject lines like “Quick Question” or “Proposal for You”. Instead, personalize it with the prospect’s name, company, or an insightful reference.
For example: “Suggestion for Acme’s social media strategy”
Highlight common ground in the opening
Look for any shared connections, groups, colleges, interests etc. Identifying common ground establishes rapport quickly.
For example: “I noticed we are both members of the Digital Marketing group, so I wanted to reach out.”
Get right to the value proposition
Summarize the core value proposition or key benefit you offer within the first 1-2 sentences. This hooks the reader right away.
For example: “We help banks like Wells Fargo save 20+ hours a week managing social media content with our AI solution.”
Emphasize how you can help
Focus the message on how you can provide value, solve a problem or meet a need. Make it about them, not you.
For example: “I’ve helped other credit unions in this area boost loan volume over 30% by optimizing their online lending workflows.”
Back up claims with social proof
Include evidence like customer stories, testimonials, case studies or examples to add credibility.
For example: “Innovative Bank achieved a 50% faster loan approval rate using our automation technology (see case study).”
Close with a clear CTA
End with a specific call-to-action to schedule a meeting, see a demo, sign up for a free trial etc. This gives the next steps.
For example: “Would you have 15 minutes this week to discuss if we might be a good fit to automate your lending workflows?”
Best Practices for InMail Length
The ideal InMail length is usually around 3-5 sentences or 50-100 words.
Going longer risks the recipient losing interest or not reading thoroughly. Being too short may not provide enough context.
Here is a sample InMail template of the optimal length:
Hi {First Name},
I noticed we are both members of the {Group/School/Company}, so I wanted to reach out.
{1-2 sentences summarizing value proposition}
{1-2 sentences demonstrating you understand their needs}
Would you have 15-20 minutes to discuss if we might be a good fit to {achieve objective}? Please let me know if you would be open to connecting.
Best,
{Your Name}
Tips for Sending InMails
Here are some additional tips to ensure your prospecting InMails are delivered and well-received:
- Include the recipient’s first name – this personalizes the message.
- Only send to 2nd and 3rd degree connections – don’t spam unrelated prospects.
- Use an eye-catching profile photo – builds credibility and trust.
- Send individual InMails one at a time – no bulk blasting.
- Follow up once if no response – try changing subject line.
- Consider the best days/times to send – early week and mid-morning tend to work well.
Templates for Common Sales Objectives
While each InMail needs to be personalized, starting with a template can make drafting faster and easier. Here are some sample templates for common sales objectives:
Setting a meeting
Hi {First Name},
I noticed we share some common connections, so I wanted to reach out. I lead the {Region} enterprise sales team for {Company}, where we provide {solution} to large banks.
I’m planning to be in {City} the week of {Date} meeting with mid-sized banks about ways we can help them cut costs and boost efficiency. I would value the opportunity to meet and get your insights into challenges facing regional banks like {Company Name}.
Would you have some time the week of {Date} to meet for coffee or over virtual call? Please let me know what might work best for you.
Look forward to hopefully connecting.
Best,
{Your Name}
Introducing your product
Hi {First Name},
I noticed from your profile that you head up marketing for {Company Name}, so I wanted to share a new tool that is getting great results for brands in your industry.
{1-2 sentences summarizing your product and key benefit}
Customers like {Company 1}, {Company 2}, and {Company 3} have seen {XX}% higher campaign conversions by using our platform. I’d love to show you a quick demo and get your feedback on whether this could help {Company’s} marketing efforts.
Would you have 15-20 minutes later this week for a quick virtual demo? Let me know if any time works well for you.
Look forward to connecting.
Best,
{Your Name}
Scheduling a call after meeting at an event
Hi {First Name},
It was great to meet you at the {Event Name} conference last week. I really enjoyed our conversation around the future of AI in banking.
As discussed, my company {Company} is working with several regional banks to automate their lending processes using AI. We’ve seen 35-40% efficiency gains which has freed up capital to fund more loans.
Would you have 30 minutes sometime in the next week to discuss whether our technology might be able to help optimize workflows at {Bank Name}? I have time available on {Date} and {Date}.
Let me know what might work best for you. Looking forward to continuing the dialogue.
Best,
{Your Name}
Following up after meeting someone at an event
Hi {First Name},
I enjoyed meeting you at {Event} last week and learning more about {Company’s} expansion plans.
As we discussed, I lead the {Region} sales team for {Company}, and we help companies like {Company Name} optimize their supply chain using AI and IoT sensors. This has helped customers reduce shipping delays by 30% on average.
I wanted to follow up, as I believe we could significantly help {Company} minimize its logistics costs and delivery times as you look to open 5+ new fulfillment centers this year. Would you be open to a call later this week to explore if this might be beneficial?
Let me know some times that might work for you, and I can send over an agenda beforehand. Looking forward to continuing the discussion!
Regards,
{Your Name}
Best Practices for Follow-Up
Even with well-crafted InMails, you may not always get an initial response. But it’s important not to get discouraged. Here are some proven follow-up strategies:
Wait at least 5 business days before following up
Give the prospect time to open, read and respond to your InMail before sending a follow-up. Following up too soon can seem pushy.
Change the subject line
Tweak the subject line slightly (e.g. add “Follow Up” or “2nd Request”) so your message gets a second look.
Remind them politely of your first InMail
Jog their memory by politely mentioning when you initially reached out and the topic discussed.
Offer an additional way to connect
Provide your phone number or calendar link and ask if another channel may be easier to schedule time to connect.
Consider waiting 2 weeks before following up again
Don’t harass prospects who don’t respond, but one additional follow-up after 2 weeks may convert some leads.
When to stop following up
If no response after 3 InMails, it’s usually best to move on and re-engage that prospect down the line once they are farther along in researching solutions.
Measuring InMail Effectiveness
To continually improve results, it’s important to track key InMail metrics over time. Here are some KPIs to measure:
InMail Open Rate = Opens / Sends
Benchmarks: 20-30% is good, >40% is great
InMail Response Rate = Responses / Sends
Benchmarks: 5-10% is good, 15%+ is great
Meetings Booked = Total meetings scheduled
Benchmarks: Varies greatly by industry, set goals relative to current performance
Month | InMails Sent | Opens | Open Rate | Responses | Response Rate | Meetings Booked |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January | 250 | 62 | 25% | 12 | 5% | 3 |
February | 300 | 90 | 30% | 18 | 6% | 5 |
Tracking metrics can reveal opportunities to refine your messaging, outreach targeting, follow-up cadence and more.
Tools to Help Craft and Send InMails
In addition to LinkedIn Premium, here are some tools to help streamline and scale your InMail outreach efforts:
- ReachOut – Automates finding contact info and sending personalized InMails at scale.
- Mixmax – Allows creating InMail templates that pull data from your CRM.
- Reply – AI-powered assistant that reminds you to follow up on unanswered InMails.
- Mailshake – Helps organize prospects and outreach campaigns.
- Crystal Knows – Browser extension that shows prospect background info right on LinkedIn.
The right tools can save hours of manual research and follow-up while still keeping messaging personalized.
Avoiding Common InMail Mistakes
Lastly, be sure to avoid these common InMail blunders that hurt deliverability and response rates:
- Using your monthly allowance all at once vs spacing out InMails.
- Sending InMails too frequently to the same prospect.
- Including attachments, images, or links in the initial message.
- Making it all about you vs showing value to the prospect.
- Sending impersonal InMails without customization or personal details.
- Writing excessively long InMails that recipients won’t fully read.
Following best practices and avoiding these mistakes will maximize the return from each InMail you send.
Conclusion
Executing an intentional InMail strategy is crucial to maximizing returns from your LinkedIn prospecting. Planning your program, crafting compelling messaging, methodically following up, and continually optimizing based on data are the keys to success.
With these best practices, templates, and tools, you can engage prospects in a genuine way and build the pipeline value vital to hitting your sales goals.