How I Decide When To Use LinkedIn InMail
Bruce Johnston
Sales and Marketing Consultant. LinkedIn Specialist: LinkedIn Training, LinkedIn Consulting and LinkedIn Coaching
LinkedIn InMail gets a bad rap. “It’s all spam.” “No one answers InMails.” and so on. But I think a lot of that comes down to a poor understanding of what InMail really is and how it can be used.
LinkedIn InMail is an in-app alternative to email. That’s it. It’s just a tool. Saying it is better or worse than email is like saying a Phillips screwdriver is better than a Robertson screwdriver. They both have applications where one may be better suited than the other.
But because of the way LinkedIn works, there are instances and places where I much prefer InMail to email. Here are three aspects that I like about LinkedIn InMail and that play a role in my deciding when InMail could be more effective.
Closed system?
LinkedIn is a closed system where you have tacit permission to send messages to people you do not know. LinkedIn users can turn off InMail anytime they like to keep from receiving messages from people who they are not connected with.?
While I receive as much and likely more spammy crap InMails than other people, I have no problem with being sent and receiving InMails...it’s the spammy crap aspect I don’t like.?
The research capability?
One of the great aspects of LinkedIn and Sales Navigator is that you can research people and come up with clues as to how people fit in their organizations.?
When I am going to send someone an InMail, I am doing research in three places: that person’s LinkedIn profile, the profiles of his or her obvious company peers that I have found using Search in Sales Nav, and their LinkedIn company page. In all of these areas I am looking for information I may be able to use in my message. For example, I will see something on their company page such as their headcount is way up in the past year (or way down!). Either of those two extremes can give me guidance as to what to say in my message, talking about their growth or their need to watch their costs.?
These things don’t always jump out at you, but there is often something there you can use.?
领英推荐
While the information you glean about someone in your research can certainly be used in an email, I will prefer to use InMail where it makes sense, which brings us to...
The user who is more likely to respond
I have found that LinkedIn users who use LinkedIn a lot are more likely to be open to receiving a message from a stranger, which makes sense. So I wondered how I could identify those people and it turned out to be pretty easy. I just look for people with lots of connections? - which I can see on their profile - and even more so, I look for people that are active on LinkedIn - which I can also see through their profile.??
If I find someone with two thousand connections who shows up on LinkedIn once or twice a week and comments on posts or shares other people’s posts, I like the odds that if I send him or her a message that they will read it. But if I send a message to a LinkedIn user who has two hundred connections and doesn’t look like they have been on LinkedIn for months, well that person doesn’t “get” LinkedIn and my odds of them ever even seeing my message let alone responding to it are awful.?
This is my not so secret InMail weapon, in that it is kind of obvious when you think about it. I only send InMails to people that I think are likely to actually open and see my message. You sure can’t get clues like this as to whether someone is more disposed to opening your cold email message.?
My experience is that when I send outreach emails and outreach InMails, the InMails sent to active people on LinkedIn get a higher response rate (14% higher in a program for a client who used both, for example). And that makes the effort worthwhile.?
While finding people more disposed to opening and reading my InMail message is one thing, it all comes down to the quality of your message when they do read it. Writing really good outreach messages, regardless of whether you are using InMail, Email or writing on coconuts being delivered by African swallows is hard work. I have found that I can write four and sometimes five LinkedIn InMail outreach messages in an hour and while many people would balk at that level of time and effort invested I have found that my results merit that effort.
I was surprised when I ran a survey of over one hundred of my connections with Premium or Sales Navigator accounts that barely half of them ever used InMail. If you are a Premium or Sales Navigator user, how do you use your InMail credits???
Obligatory boilerplate: I do not work for or have any association with LinkedIn, other than being a user who pays them for his Sales Navigator subscription every month.
Want more like this? (the newsletter I mean, not the disclaimer) I publish a weekly email newsletter on using LinkedIn effectively for Sales and Marketing. Each newsletter typically contains two to four articles, it’s free, and you can unsubscribe anytime. Here’s a link to the sign up page: https://practicalsmm.com/contact/
Controls Engineer | Automation Engineer | Electrical Design | PLC Software Design | HMI Design | PLC Programming | Commissioning | Special Machines | Control Systems | Electrical Maintenance | Safety Systems | OEM
2 年Do I have the option to not use in mail?
I must say that I don't really object to getting InMail messages. Many of them are a bit spammy, I agree, but if somebody has spammy intentions it's usually already clear after the first few words. Such messages are obviously crafted for mass mailing and not individually taylored, and there are only so many ways you can dress BS. But when the writer clearly shows that they know who I am and understand what i do, I also do them the favor of reading what it is they have to say.
Transform Your LinkedIn?? Success: Elevate Your Brand, Unlock Opportunities, Build Authority and Drive Growth. A LinkedIn? Trainer, Speaker, and Consultant for 12 years. I've got the Shirt! ???
2 年I always have you in mind Bruce as the one person I know that speaks highly of InMails, so kudos to you for that!???? Perhaps I'm reluctant to advise the use of them because however hard I try to make the point, people still feel they need to 'sell' in the copy they use. And they do this because everyone else tends to do the same! So for me, they are coming from a low point of relationship-building versus other methods I might choose. But as ever, you make me rethink my position on this question, so a big thanks for that!
Legal Recruiter ?? I Find Forever Homes for Elite Lawyers ?? Specializing in Partners for Midsize and Specialty Practices?? Career Strategy for GCs and Partners?? Let Me Put My Experience to Work for You
2 年Thanks for your perspective, as always Bruce Johnston I, however, have a totally different take on inmails. And I use them a great deal, every day in fact. Let me explain. I am a recruiter who is ALWAYS trying to get the attention of one particular candidate or another. My choices: phone (usually at the office since most ppl don't offer cell), email, or inmail. Phone is guarded by secretaries. Emails get lost among WORK or worse get sent to junk mail or are opened by secretaries. Inmails have the greatest probability of actually being seen by my target. So I pitch to them via inmails. Usually my goal is to get them curious enough to call me to discuss the opportunity. This has worked for me my entire career as a recruiter.