There are a few key reasons why you may not be able to send an InMail on LinkedIn:
You’ve reached your InMail limit
LinkedIn limits the number of InMails you can send per month based on your account type. Here’s a quick overview of the InMail limits:
Account Type | InMails Per Month |
---|---|
Basic | 0 |
Premium Business | 25 |
Premium Career | 40 |
Sales Navigator Professional | 20 |
Sales Navigator Team | 50 |
If you’ve already sent your allotted number of InMails for the month, you’ll have to wait until your limit resets on the 1st of the next month. You can always upgrade your account to get more InMails per month.
You don’t have enough credits
In addition to the monthly limit, InMails also cost credits to send. Each InMail costs:
– 1 credit to message someone who’s in your network.
– 10 credits to message someone who’s outside your network.
The number of credits you get each month also depends on your account type:
Account Type | Credits Per Month |
---|---|
Basic | 0 |
Premium Business | 100 |
Premium Career | 150 |
Sales Navigator Professional | 50 |
Sales Navigator Team | 200 |
If you don’t have enough credits left to send an InMail, you’ll need to wait until your credits reset on the 1st of the next month. Upgrading your account gives you more credits per month.
Your recipient’s settings don’t allow InMails
Some LinkedIn members customize their settings to block InMails from people outside their network. So even if you have InMails available to send, your message won’t get delivered if the recipient has disabled InMail.
There’s no way for you to override this or force your InMail through. You’ll simply get a notification saying your message couldn’t be sent due to the recipient’s settings.
Your account is restricted
LinkedIn may restrict your account from sending InMails if you:
– Send too many unsolicited InMails.
– Get reported for sending unwanted or inappropriate messages.
– Violate LinkedIn’s terms of service or professional community policies in any way.
If your account is restricted, you’ll see an error saying your messaging privileges have been limited. You’ll need to regain access by resolving the issue that caused your block.
Why are InMails limited?
LinkedIn limits the number of InMails and enforces strict sending policies to:
Protect members from unwanted solicitation
Without limits, recruiters, salespeople, and marketers would send endless unsolicited InMails. Restrictions force senders to be more selective in who they contact. This helps prevent members’ inboxes from getting overloaded.
Encourage quality conversations
Knowing InMails are finite encourages senders to craft more meaningful, personalized messages. This promotes better engagement rather than spamming every possible connection.
Generate revenue
InMail credits are one of LinkedIn’s key monetization tools. Upgrading to send more InMails is a major incentive for members to pay for premium accounts.
How to get more InMails
Here are some tips if you want to increase your InMail capabilities:
Upgrade your account
The easiest way to get more InMails is to upgrade to a premium paid account. As shown in the tables above, higher tiers include more InMails and credits per month. For example:
– Premium Business increases your limit from 25 to 100 per month.
– Sales Navigator Team increases your limit from 50 to 200 per month.
Upgrading removes the most restrictive limits so you can send more InMails before hitting a cap.
Purchase additional InMails
If you don’t want to upgrade your entire account, you can purchase extra InMail credits à la carte. Add-on packages include:
Package | Extra InMails | Price |
---|---|---|
25 InMails | 25 | $45 |
100 InMails | 100 | $144 |
500 InMails | 500 | $480 |
This allows you to send more InMails above your normal monthly limit. It’s ideal for a short-term boost like a special outreach campaign.
Wait for limits to reset
If you’ve maxed out your InMails for the month, the easiest solution is to simply wait until your limits reset on the 1st of the next month. All accounts get their InMail and credit allotments restored at the start of each new month.
Set a calendar reminder so you remember to resume sending after your limits refresh.
Improve your targeting
Sending fewer low-quality messages can help your limited InMails go further. Take time to carefully target recipients who are likely to engage.
Personalize each InMail to resonate with their interests and goals. This improves the chance of a positive response even within strict limits.
InMail best practices
To maximize your limited InMails, follow these best practices:
Personalize every message
Avoid copy-pasted templates. Tailor each InMail to the recipient’s unique background and interests. This shows you took the time to review their profile.
Make the subject line compelling
Use the 50 character subject line to grab the recipient’s attention and inspire them to open your message. Get right to the value proposition.
Focus on how you can help
Explain how connecting would provide value to the recipient. Offer advice, share insights, or propose collaborating. Don’t make it all about you.
Keep messages concise
Get to the point within the first paragraph. Avoid giant blocks of rambling text. Use formatting like bullet points to make long InMails more scannable.
Follow up strategically
If your initial InMail goes unanswered, follow up once or twice more spaced a few weeks apart. But don’t harass recipients who never respond.
Alternative outreach options
If you’re completely out of InMails, consider these alternative ways to reach LinkedIn members:
Add as a Connection
You can send connection requests to anyone on LinkedIn for free without limits. But recipients must accept your request before you can message them.
Comment on a Post
Engage with a member’s content by commenting on their posts. Once connected, continue the conversation over message.
Join Groups
Participate in Groups related to your industry or interests. Connect with members by commenting and posting.
Follow Company Pages
Follow and engage with Company Pages to reach people who work there. Connect by commenting on posts.
Share/Like/Comment on Updates
Proactively engage with members by sharing, liking, and commenting on their updates. This grabs their attention so they notice you.
Search Based Ads
Target members through LinkedIn’s advertising platform using highly customized search criteria. But this can get expensive.
Conclusion
InMails allow you to directly reach LinkedIn members outside your network. But strict monthly limits restrict how many you can send. Upgrade your account, purchase more credits, improve targeting, follow best practices, and leverage alternative options to maximize your outreach capabilities within InMail constraints. With the right strategy, you can achieve your messaging goals even with InMail restrictions in place.