Messaging strangers on LinkedIn can be fine if done thoughtfully and politely. The key is understanding when it’s appropriate, what the motivations are, and how to craft respectful messages that provide value to the recipient. With hundreds of millions of members, LinkedIn offers the opportunity to connect beyond your existing network, but it requires care and etiquette to avoid coming across as spammy or intrusive.
Consider Your Motivations
Before reaching out to someone you don’t know on LinkedIn, reflect on why you want to message them. Are you interested in connecting for networking, mentorship, exploring job opportunities, or just saying hi? Having a clear purpose will help shape an appropriate message and establish reasonable expectations.
Networking is a common motivation for messaging LinkedIn connections. Introducing yourself and expressing interest in someone’s career path or industry is generally fine. Just be sure to personalize the message and offer value, not just ask for something outright.
Seeking career advice or mentorship is also a valid reason for messaging, especially if you share common backgrounds or interests. Be clear about what you’re looking for and show you’ve done your homework on their background. Flattery goes a long way, but insincere buttering up can backfire.
Messaging about potential jobs and opportunities may be beneficial too. If someone works at a company you’re interested in, it doesn’t hurt to kindly inquire about open positions. But don’t treat strangers like a personal headhunter or expect inside info from someone you’ve never interacted with.
In some cases, there may not be an obvious professional motivation at all. Curiosity about someone’s work, desire for new connections outside your bubble, or just saying hello are fine too. Aim for a casual, conversational tone in these situations and avoid being pushy.
Review Their Profile Thoroughly
Before reaching out to a stranger on LinkedIn, invest time reviewing their profile so your message shows you’ve done your homework. Look for common ground, shared interests and experiences, groups and affiliations, career highlights and goals.
This research will help avoid basic questions they’ve surely fielded before. It also enables more personalized, thoughtful messages than a generic canned script. Show you’ve taken time to understand who they are and tailor your tone and topics accordingly.
If someone’s profile is sparse or they seem very private, messaging may not make sense. There are still ways to craft a respectful note but less shared context to work with. Evaluate if there’s enough info for a meaningful, personal exchange versus just a cold sales pitch.
Make the Initial Pitch Count
The opening message sets the tone for any LinkedIn conversation. For cold outreach, make it warm, brief, casual, and compelling enough to pique their interest. Get to the point clearly but avoid sounding demanding.
Keep first messages under three sentences if possible. Summarize who you are, why you’re reaching out, and include an open-ended question to spark dialogue. Avoid spelling or grammar mistakes that undermine professionalism.
Referencing something specific in their background shows care and attention. But don’t get too effusive with compliments about how amazing they are. Sincerity and brevity get better results than hyperbole.
Close with a question or comment that encourages a response, rather than just making a request. The goal is sparking a two-way conversation, not just pitching something outright.
Watch Your Tone
Mind your tone when messaging LinkedIn strangers. Avoid language that seems too familiar, aggressive, or entitled compared to someone you’ve never actually met or interacted with.
Stay polite, patient, and professional. Don’t refer to someone by their first name if they use a more formal name on their profile. And never start with overly casual greetings like “Hey Jim!” if you’re not actually acquaintances.
Sounding gracious and humble generally goes over better than an overconfident or pushy attitude. Expressing admiration for someone’s career achievements or skills and asking to pick their brain is usually well received.
If someone doesn’t respond initially, avoid sounding offended. Not every message will get a response and that’s okay. Follow up politely if you want but don’t badger people if they don’t reciprocate interest.
Personalize Each Message
Copy-pasted messages are easy to spot and often ignored. Strangers will engage more if you personalize each note based on their profile and your specific reason for reaching out.
Read their about section thoroughly and call out common experiences, affiliations, career paths, or interests. Mentioning insights from their work history shows you took the time to understand their background.
Tailor your tone based on cues from their profile. Formal tone for senior titles, casual for shared hobbies, congratulatory for recent promotions or new jobs. Show you cared enough to notice these details.
Don’t make it all about you and your needs. Keep the focus on who they are and why you appreciate their work. Make it a conversation, not a speech about why they should help you.
Provide Value Up Front
When messaging LinkedIn strangers, think about what useful information or insights you can provide them rather than just asking for a favor. Offer value upfront to start relationships on a helpful note.
Suggest articles or resources related to their work. Share a recent news item or trend relevant to their industry. Compliment work you admire and explain why specifically.
Position yourself as someone trying to be helpful, not just asking for something. Establish common ground and interests before making any requests down the line.
People appreciate when strangers take the time to notice their work or offer thoughtful feedback. Look for chances to provide value versus just pitching your needs.
Have Clear Goals
Approach messaging with clear goals to stay focused and avoid wasting time. Know exactly why you want to reach someone and what you’re hoping to get from the interaction.
If you need advice on breaking into an industry, say that upfront. Those willing to mentor will self-identify. For networking, ask for a phone call or coffee chat.
When exploring job opportunities, share your background and inquire about open positions or referrals. With less clear goals like saying hello, accept that many may not respond.
Being direct but undemanding gives the recipient context without pressures. Help them understand how they can assist you rather than just expecting generic help.
Avoid Hard Sells
Resist high-pressure sales tactics when messaging LinkedIn strangers. Pushing too hard for meetings, referrals, or favors generally backfires.
Don’t demand someone’s time or attention without any existing relationship. Frame requests as polite inquiries, not imperatives. “I’d love the opportunity to connect sometime” is better than “Let’s set up a call.”
If mentioning your services or products, do it organically. Wait for relevant moments versus forcing unnatural pitches into the conversation.
Follow the recipient’s lead and cues. If they seem open to chat but disinterested in meeting up, don’t keep insisting. Accept not every message will convert to a sale.
Consider Response Rate Expectations
Messaging LinkedIn strangers leads to lower response rates than contacting established connections. Set realistic expectations to avoid frustrations.
In most cases, less than 25% of cold messages receive responses. Higher for targeted networking and lower for unsolicited sales outreach. Focus on quality over quantity.
Don’t take non-responses personally. Many factors affect whether someone engages. Try not to flood inboxes just hoping for a few bites. That annoys recipients and damages your brand.
Review your process if response rates seem abnormally low. Refine targeting, messaging frequency, and outreach techniques. But accept cold messaging is often a numbers game with wasted efforts.
Respect Opt-Outs
Some LinkedIn members indicate they don’t welcome unsolicited messages from strangers. Respect those who opt-out by noting “No cold messages please” on their profiles.
Messaging anyway ignores clearly stated preferences. Forcing interactions on people who don’t want them will breed resentment, not opportunities.
Look for other networking and engagement channels. When in doubt, just move on versus risk being labeled a spammer. Plenty of people on LinkedIn do welcome thoughtful outreach.
Honoring others’ communication preferences ultimately strengthens your brand as a respectful networker. Just let it go gracefully when strangers decline interactions.
Follow Common Courtesy
As with all online communication, common courtesy goes a long way when messaging LinkedIn strangers. Be patient, polite, and considerate as you would with someone you just met in-person.
Address people appropriately and don’t try overly familiar language. Share, don’t just take or request. Follow up appreciatively if someone responds, even if declining your request.
Don’t get defensive or angry about non-responses. Don’t spam messages. Respect others’ time and space. Build relationships gradually, not just hard sell immediately.
With care and consideration, most LinkedIn members are open to meeting new people. Lead with your genuine, human side and messaging strangers can uncover all sorts of possibilities.