In this video, we discuss how to optimize your LinkedIn DM Strategy. We’ll discuss 10 LinkedIn DM dos and don’ts, then share DM examples and templates that incorporate those tips.
10 Dos and Don’ts for Your LinkedIn DM Strategy
I get a lot of DMs on LinkedIn, and almost all of them are flawed in one way or another. I have used these mistakes to create this list of 10 dos and don’ts for your LinkedIn cold outreach DMs. At least a few of these should improve what you are currently doing.
Don’t make it about you. Make it about them.
Just about all of the DMs I receive are salespeople communicating in an “all about me” way by reaching out and following this type of outline:
This is who I am and the company I am with.
This is what we sell/do/provide.
Do you need that?
Can we schedule a meeting to discuss this?
There are many problems with this type of approach, but one problem with it when reaching out to connections on LinkedIn is that it is all about the salesperson. You can improve your ability to not only grab the prospect’s attention, but also to ultimately get engaged by structuring your DMs so that you focus more on the prospect than on the product you are trying to sell.
Don’t sound like a salesperson. Sound like a businessperson.
Another problem with that approach is that it flags you as being a salesperson who is trying to sell something. Since your prospects get a lot of messages from other salespeople, when you signal to the prospect that you are a salesperson who is trying to sell something, you are likely to trigger their guardedness, leading to an instant delete.
You can improve your LinkedIn DM strategy by doing what you can to decrease how much you look like a salesperson. We are not saying to mislead the prospect or misrepresent who you are. But you can make small changes so that you look more like a businessperson than a salesperson, and this will immediately improve how your DMs perform.
Don’t do the ”instant pitch”. Delay or avoid the pitch.
A lot of salespeople do what I call the “instant pitch” on LinkedIn. This is where the salesperson sends an invite to connect, and after the connection request is accepted, they immediately follow that with a DM where they try to sell their product.
This is a flawed LinkedIn DM strategy for many reasons. But one main reason to avoid doing this is that it is a bit rude to try to pitch your product right after the contact has accepted you into their LinkedIn network. To avoid all of this, simply either delay your DM where you pitch your product or use a DM approach that is not so direct in terms of how you try to pitch your product.
Don’t sell the product. Sell the conversations.
Another mistake most salespeople make with their DMs is that they are all trying to sell their product. Even if they are not directly trying to take the order, they are still trying to sell the product by either asking the prospect if they need what they sell or trying to schedule an appointment to talk about what they sell.
There are many reasons why this is not the most optimal LinkedIn DM strategy. But one main reason is that the purchase is not the next sales process step. If we are going to move forward at all, the next step is usually to simply have a conversation, and we can greatly improve our DMs by focusing more on selling the conversation than on selling the product.
Don’t send long messages. Keep it to a few sentences.
A lot of DMs I receive are way too long in terms of word count. Word count is even more important with DMs than with cold emails because the LinkedIn email viewer is extremely small, making it very easy for DMs to look much longer than they really are.
To avoid prospects getting turned off by the length of your DM, try to keep your message to just a few sentences.
Don’t put the prospect to work. Ask closed-ended questions.
I frequently receive DMs where the salesperson tries to engage with me by asking a very broad open-ended question like:
What is your biggest challenge?
How did you get into that?
What do you like most about that?
While these might be good questions to ask when talking with a prospect, they are not great for LinkedIn DMs because they take time to answer; as a result, they are more likely to be ignored or deleted. With that, if you are going to ask questions in your DMs, try to make them closed-ended so that the prospect can easily and quickly answer, increasing the potential for a response.
Don’t ask if your other messages have been seen/read. Just send your next message.
For DMs I completely ignore, it is very common for those salespeople to send another DM asking if I have seen or read their other message. Not only is this a great way to annoy the person you are trying to sell to, but the answer to that question really does not help you much at all. Assume your message hasn’t been seen or read, then send your next message.
Don’t do the “bait and switch”. Be more honest and authentic.
If you customize your connection request invitations, don’t use a bait-and-switch. This is where a salesperson customizes the message to sound like they want to network by saying something like:
It looks like we have a lot of mutual connections. Let’s connect!
You have an impressive profile. Let’s connect!
Would love to have you in my network!
Then, after the prospect accepts the connection request, the salesperson hits them with the product-pitch DM. Avoid this bait-and-switch by either being more authentic with the invitation or not sending the product-pitch DM.
Don’t send one message. Send a series.
Don’t send only one DM to prospects and think that is going to be enough to get their attention and enough to get them engaged. Assume the prospects are busy, and with that, start with a LinkedIn DM strategy that is built around a series of direct messages.
Don’t only send DMs. Use a multi-touch approach.
If you really want to improve your ability to get connected with prospects on LinkedIn and generate leads, don’t rely solely on sending DMs alone. Use a multi-touch approach that includes cold emails to their email inbox, as well as phone calls if you can.
LinkedIn DM Examples and Templates
Here are some LinkedIn DM examples and templates built around those 10 dos and don’ts.
Networking DM
This is a direct message that uses more of a networking approach.
Hi Tom,
Good to connect. I see you are the founder of [Company]. Very cool.
Are you open to a brief intro call? Would love to learn more about what you all are doing and explore if there are any ways we can collaborate or share value.
Not trying to sell anything. I try to take LinkedIn connections to the next level by having a short call to learn about each other.
Business Conversation DM
This is a direct message that tries to invite a prospect to have more of a business conversation.
Hi Tom,
Good to connect. I see you are the founder of [Company]. Very cool.
I am with Web Pros and have 20 years of experience in web design.Are you open to a call to discuss current website trends?
Even if you aren’t looking to make a change, we can still have a productive call, as I can share thoughts and feedback on your current site.
Value Proposition DM
This direct message is built around the value we have to offer.
Hi Tom,
We help businesses to get more leads and revenue through their website by improving design and conversion rates.
I don’t know if you are actively looking to improve those areas and that is why I am reaching out.Are you available for a brief intro call to discuss your website? If nothing else, I can share some feedback on your site and update you on industry trends.
Pain Points DM
This direct message is built around the pain points we help to solve.
Hi Tom,
Many of the businesses we work with have websites that aren’t generating enough leads or revenue, often because of traffic and conversion rates.
I don’t know if you are concerned about those, and that is why I am reaching out, as we help to fix those areas.Are you available for a brief intro call to discuss your website? If nothing else, I can share some feedback on your site and update you on industry trends.
Customer Example DM
This DM shares an example of a customer we have helped.
Hi Tom,
We worked with Phones Plus and helped them to increase website leads and revenue by improving both traffic and conversion rates.
I don’t know if we can help you the same way, which is why I am reaching out.Are you available for a brief intro call to discuss your website? If nothing else, I can share some feedback on your site and update you on industry trends.
Product DM
This DM introduces our prouduct or service.
Hi Tom,
We are a web design agency and provide:
- Web and graphic design
- Search engine optimization
- Web hosting
I don’t know if you need to update or improve your site, which is why I am reaching out.
Are you available for a brief intro call to discuss your website? If nothing else, I can share some feedback on your site and update you on industry trends.
Keep Me In Mind DM
This DM tries to coach the prospect into keeping us in mind when they reach a point where they need to make a purchase.
Hi Tom,
I know you may need to update your website from time to time. We provide web design services, so please keep us in mind.
Some ways that we differ:
- Utilize AI and cutting-edge tech
- Innovative SEO techniques
- Ongoing support and maintenance
Let me know if you reach a point where you need to make a change and we can schedule a call to discuss – calendarlink.com/name
We hope these dos and don’ts and templates provide new ideas for your LinkedIn DM strategy!
