Rather than waiting for prospects to come to you — reach out to them! In particular, you should reach to all those targeted prospects you have saved in Engage AI.
They are the high-value prospects you want to take initiative with and reach out so you can move them to the next stage.
Before we share the tips on how to write a good message that will get you a response, let's start with big NO NOs.
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
You have received hundreds of these messages. They pitch to you right at the start and expect you to hand over thousands of dollars to a total stranger who reached out to you on LinkedIn. Why anyone would even consider trusting them is beyond one's imagination.
If you never bought or even talked to any of these people, you already know such messages would never work.
Instead, when you first reach out to them in the LinkedIn inbox, consider these tips:
Start by picking up where the conversation left off on the public post
Whether it's a shared interest, a common challenge, or an insightful comment, use it as a springboard to further engage with your prospect
Show genuine interest in their work, opinions, or recent achievements
Avoid jumping into scheduling a call, inviting them to attend your webinar, bombarding them with sales pitches
The first few messages you send are the most crucial. They are the second impression you will give, so you want to make them count.
Before we start, let's refresh on the Starbucks Moment.
Imagine you're a regular at a local Starbucks café, where you frequent thrice a week. During one visit, you spot a few other regulars and approach them for a chat. You make a casual comment as you pick up your coffee. You only continue to chat casually if they respond. You also only continue to talk about something deeper during the conversation as you understand their interest. You then take the conversation outside Starbucks once you have established a mutual connection.
The scenario above is similar to how you engage and talk with your prospects on LinkedIn. Although it is a digital environment, prospects won't want to chat merely because of a passing comment.
Your first two messages should be personalized and straightforward. It needs to have two key elements, which are:
A simple statement showing it is a personalized message rather than a generic one.
A simple question that only requires a simple Yes/No response to get them talking.
Example 1
Hey Randike, great to connect. Saw that you were on Questions, Wings and Things, love it. Did you enjoy it more than a normal interview? Jason
Example 2:
Hey Albert, Saw that you spoke at this Growth Mindset: The Key to Digital Transformation event earlier in the year as well. Has public speaking always come so naturally to you? Jason
You already know the importance of personalization, so we will not dwell on the why but on the how. From the examples above, we make the first statement about them and their past work.
Within LinkedIn
You can easily find examples by going through their LinkedIn profile and looking at these sections:
Posts and Articles
You should look for an old post or article instead of the latest one.
Experience
You want to look for something unique in the past rather than current roles.
Education, Licenses, Certificates and Courses
Look for something unique that only some people have done it.
Did you attend the same university or course?
Projects
They are usually very proud of their achievements in these projects.
Volunteering
A cause they deeply care about and spend time on.
Publications and Patents
These often require significant effort and time to achieve.
They will always love to talk about it.
Honors & Awards
Honors and awards will always have a special place in their hearts.
Languages
A second language that they speak.
You can guess their heritage based on this.
Interests
Top Voices, Groups, and Newsletters that they follow.
Outside LinkedIn
Often, you should consider going outside LinkedIn and searching for interesting information about your prospects on Google, News, and YouTube.
Using the information you found outside LinkedIn, you subconsciously convey to your prospects that you made a real effort to learn about them. You're different from the rest of the crowd, and you don't send template messages.
Make use of screenshots
You may have noticed we also use screenshots in our first few messages. Screenshots are an excellent tool for capturing attention, especially when it has their image in it. Again, they show you're different from all the other people who send them template messages.
Let's go back to the Starbucks scenario again. Would you respond to a stranger who tries to strike up a conversation with you by asking:
Why do you always come alone to the coffee shop?
What do you think about the politics in the country?
How do you run your business?
Would you like to book a time using my calendar link?
Do you want to download their free eBook?
Would you happen to have 30 minutes for a meeting to see how our services can help your business?
Do you think your website is making any conversions?
The scenario above is similar to how you engage and talk with your prospect on LinkedIn. Just because it's a digital environment does not mean they want to talk about complex topics or receive your sales pitch immediately after you connect.
It's about building the "Yes" ladder. People are more likely to agree to a large task after saying "yes" to a smaller one.
Commitment and Behavioural Consistency, Nielsen Norman Group
We start a conversation with prospects by asking simple questions, so we can build momentum for a later ask.
If you don't like being asked to jump on a call or buy a service by someone you just met at Starbucks, don't do it on LinkedIn.
Instead, ask them simple and relevant questions, such as
Did you enjoy it more than a normal interview?
Has public speaking always come so naturally to you?
Do you spend a lot of time volunteering for the cause?
Do you still remember the day the research paper was published?
Do you still remember the day you received the award?
You ask a question to allow them to answer it and start a conversation.
You ask a simple question so they don't have to make a massive effort or spend a lot of time responding to your question.
You ask a personalized question to show that you're interested in them.
In our experience, you need to send two or three messages to get a response.
This is especially true if you need to warm up high-ranking C-level executives in large enterprises. They are often busy and swamped with many spam messages on LinkedIn, so your messages may slip through the cracks, or they may need to check LinkedIn to see your messages.
You don't want to look desperate like others. Remember, you're different and you have a lot more to offer. So, you wait and return to engaging with their content on LinkedIn.
Generally, they respond to your engagements on their posts on LinkedIn because they want to project a good public image. Once they engage, you can also ask them if you can send them a direct message in the inbox.
After your initial outreach, continue to keep the dialogue alive over time. Keep conversations casual and natural, just like you would at a networking event. Reference another recent post, article, webinar, or achievement of the prospect. Share an event or news article you’ve come across that would be relevant to them. Connect on their level. Dive into their interests, whether professional or personal.
Ask yourself, “What can I do to make their lives easier or better?"
As you engage with prospects, take the time to understand their challenges in the areas where your products and services can offer solutions. Once you've built rapport and established trust, you'll have earned the opportunity to share how your offerings can address their needs effectively.
Finally, always respect your prospect's time and boundaries — after every touchpoint, make sure to wait a few days before reaching out again.
What is the next step after engaging in content?
When to continue conversation after engagement with prospects
