LinkedIn is well-equipped with various useful features, one that catches the eye is its Premium messaging tool: LinkedIn InMail. We will walk you through how to leverage InMail more effectively to maximize your outreach strategy.
What Is LinkedIn InMail?
InMail is a premium messaging feature offered by LinkedIn. InMail allows users to send private messages to other LinkedIn members, even if they are not connected as first-degree connections. InMails are particularly useful for reaching out to individuals who may not be in your network or for making contact with professionals in a more formal and personalized way.
Here are some key points about LinkedIn InMail:
- Direct Communication: InMail enables you to send messages directly to other LinkedIn members, including those outside your network. This can be valuable for connecting with potential clients, job prospects, industry peers, or other professionals you want to engage with;
- No Connection Required: Unlike regular LinkedIn messages, which typically require a connection to send, InMail messages can be sent to anyone on the platform, regardless of your current network. This makes it a powerful tool for reaching out to individuals who are not yet connected to you;
- Credibility: InMail messages can lend credibility to your outreach efforts. Since InMail is a premium feature, recipients are more likely to view it as a serious and professional message. This can be especially helpful when you’re trying to make a positive first impression;
- Response Guaranteed: LinkedIn offers a response guarantee with InMail. If the recipient doesn’t respond within seven days, you get the InMail credit back, allowing you to use it for another message. This helps ensure that your investment in InMail credits is not wasted;
- Personalization: InMail messages should be personalized and relevant to the recipient to increase the likelihood of a positive response. LinkedIn encourages users to tailor their messages to the specific individual and the purpose of the outreach;
- InMail Credits: InMail is not a free feature. LinkedIn users need to purchase InMail credits to send messages using this feature. The number of credits required for an InMail message may vary depending on factors like the recipient’s LinkedIn settings and the level of premium membership they have. Users with premium subscriptions may receive a monthly allocation of InMail credits;
- Best Practices: When using InMail, it’s important to follow best practices to maximize the chances of a response. These LinkedIn InMail best practices include crafting a compelling subject line, keeping the message concise, and being clear about the reason for reaching out.
How Does LinkedIn InMail Work?
LinkedIn InMail is a tool to send messages to LinkedIn users who are not your first-degree connections. The bare minimum requirement to send an InMail is to have a Premium subscription of the platform, but those who wish to step it up a notch could also opt for LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Both of these services provide you with a set of “InMail Credits”, currency used to send out these messages. The messages themselves are restricted to 200 characters in the subject line and 1900 in the body.
Why Send LinkedIn InMail
LinkedIn has established itself as one of the best ways to grow your business network and boost your career significantly. InMail has not only added to this platform’s effectiveness but has grown to become one of its most popular resources among sales professionals and businesses alike. It allows you to reach out to high-profile individuals in different companies and industries, making LinkedIn InMail’s lead generation service an invaluable source to grow your business.
What puts LinkedIn InMail a cut above traditional email is its exclusivity. The fact that you get a limited number of InMail Credits makes getting an InMail a rarity of sorts compared to the hundreds of promotional emails received by LinkedIn users each day. Therefore, catching a prospect’s attention becomes much easier with LinkedIn Mail. Statistics show that InMails have a response rate of 10-25%, which is a staggering 300% higher than emails of similar context.
The Goal of Sending LinkedIn InMail
InMail can be used in a variety of ways, but the common goal is always to leave an impact on the receiver and prompt a reply. We’ve already established how InMail is a much more LinkedIn prospecting and lead generation tool than traditional email, but remember that its purpose is essentially the same: conveying your point clearly.
Establishing connections and broadening your outreach in the business circle is another goal of sending InMails. LinkedIn is a global hub of business professionals, and the InMail feature is an ideal way to make sure you are well-known in your particular field. As for growing your sales, an ample number of connections can definitely do wonders for you.
How to Get LinkedIn InMail?
To access InMail, you’ll need to have either a premium LinkedIn subscription or purchase InMail credits. Here’s how to get LinkedIn InMail:
LinkedIn Premium Subscription
LinkedIn offers several premium account types, including Premium Career, Premium Business, Sales Navigator and Recruiter. The availability of InMail credits varies depending on your subscription level.
Once you have a Premium subscription, you may receive a certain number of InMail credits each month, depending on your subscription type. These credits can be used to send InMail messages.
LinkedIn InMail Policy
LinkedIn InMail cost can vary depending on whether you opt to go with LinkedIn Premium or Sales Navigator.
LinkedIn Premium costs $29.99 per month compared to a much heftier $79.99 per month or $779.88 per year for a Sales Navigator subscription. The latter is more viable for sales professionals because of its advanced search functionality and a higher number of InMail credits.
How Many InMails Can I Send
The number of InMail on LinkedIn that you can send depends entirely on the number of InMail credits you have to your name.
Once you have InMail credits, you can use them to send messages to LinkedIn members who are not in your network. When you compose a message to a connection, you’ll see the option to use an InMail credit if you want to reach out to someone not in your network.
A Premium subscription will get you five credits every month, whereas Sales Navigator will get you 20. A team version of Sales Navigator InMail is also available and can upgrade you to 30 credits per month. These numbers are rolled over for three months, meaning you can accumulate up to 15 credits for Premium and 60 for Sales Navigator (90 in the case of the Team version) in that period.
Moreover, you will be given an extra InMail credit for every instance where you send out an InMail and receive a reply within 90 days. If this still proves to be insufficient, you’re free to buy credits for $10 each.
Purchase InMail Credits
If you have a free LinkedIn account or a Premium subscription that does not include InMail credits, you can purchase additional InMail credits separately.
To purchase InMail credits, go to your LinkedIn account settings, find the section related to InMail, and choose the option to purchase credits. LinkedIn typically offers various credit packages for purchase.
Tips to Use LinkedIn InMail Effectively
Using LinkedIn InMail for sales can, undoubtedly, bring fruitful results. However, to make fair use of this feature, you must know how to utilize it to its maximum potential. Writing a LinkedIn InMail for sales may sound like a simple task, but there are some tips and tricks that you should keep in mind.
Catchy Header
It is crucial to start with a subject line for LinkedIn message that interests your recipient. Be sure not to write a header that focuses solely on your sales pitch. Keep it relevant to how your reader could benefit from your product or services without actually making it sound like a blatant promotion.
Mutual Connections and Interests
In case you have a mutual connection or referral to your reader, make sure to point it out. Further, it is essential to study the recipient’s profile before writing your message. This could help you pick up specific shared interests and thus add a personal touch to the InMail.
Research suggests that a personalized message rather than an overused template can result in a 15% increase in response rate.
Keep it Simple and Short
Using LinkedIn InMail lead generation is a tricky business. Some people approach it by typing out lengthy paragraphs describing unnecessary details. Most busy professionals don’t have the time to go through these long messages. A concise InMail of around 200 to 500 characters has a much better chance of getting a response.
Maintain Your Profile
Last but not least, having an attractive LinkedIn profile is vital because it’s the first thing your recipient will look at after reading your message. A good-looking profile that is up to date is more likely to result in successful prospecting techniques.
Start Leveraging LinkedIn InMail
The sales business can be very demanding, and the ideal way to approach it is to build connections and relationships with your prospects. LinkedIn InMail has proved to be a cornerstone for successful sales prospecting, networking, job hunting, business development, or other professional interactions. All you need is a LinkedIn Premium or Sales Navigator subscription, and you’re good to go!
However, it’s important to use it thoughtfully and effectively, as overuse or poorly crafted messages may lead to a negative response or a lack of engagement.