LinkedIn InMail: Is It Worth It? Here’s How You Can Use It

What if there is a way to send messages to people without having to connect with them?

That’s what LinkedIn InMail offers to everyone.

It might not be as fancy as the other techniques that you can deploy on the platform, but it still remains to be an option for some prospects that you want to message directly.

In this guide, we take a look at how we can still leverage LinkedIn InMail to get to those hard-to-reach leads.

What is LinkedIn InMail?

It is a LinkedIn Premium feature that allows you to send a message to any person on the platform even if you are not connected. It allows you to contact someone without having to be introduced or generate contact information.

If you are a LinkedIn member, you can simply send a direct message from your profile page or from search results using LinkedIn Recruiter.

It is also worth noting that InMail credits like job slots can be pooled by contract and are easily accessible to everyone on the contract.

If you avail of the LinkedIn Recruiter license, it comes with a given number of InMail credits per month. Depending on the Recruiter account you will get, the number of InMail credits will also vary.

Normally, InMail credits are renewed every month on the first day of your billing cycle. Credits can also be collected month after month, but you have to remember that they will expire in 120 days. It is best to make a mental note of that now.

Each InMail message can accommodate up to 200 characters on the subject line and 1900 characters in the body.

What are the chances that the recipient will read the message?

Interestingly, LinkedIn will give you InMail credit if your recipient responds within 90 days. LinkedIn is quite proud of the InMail feature, especially its effectiveness.

The platform wants its members to see that InMail is low-risk, so long as you identify your recipients carefully.

Expect, however, that there is the likelihood that your recipients will not answer your first message.

But there is a strong chance that they will open it out of curiosity.

Or, at the very least, take a look at the message preview and subconsciously see your pitch.

Reports show that open rates go as high as 85%, while clickthrough rates can exceed 5%.

Using these numbers, it is safe for you to assume that you will at least get a sales impression even if your recipient never interacts with you.

How to Send a LinkedIn InMail Message

1. Go to the person you want to send a message to
2. Click on “More” in the introduction section followed by “Message *name of recipient”
3. Type in your subject
4. Type in your message

And presto, you have just sent a LinkedIn InMail message!

Read more: LinkedIn Read Receipts: How Do I Know If Someone Sees My Message?

How do you make an effective InMail message?

There are a few basic formatting guidelines that you may want to consider when making your message. Sometimes, a person in a hurry will easily overlook them.

1. Do not forget to write down the subject of your message.
2. Impress the importance of your message.
3. Try to personalize your message to make the recipient feel important.
4. Do not overwhelm your recipient with a lot of information.
5. Mention something worth thinking about.

What do I include in my InMail message?

The key is not to overdo it.

Quite often, people do not like getting emails from people they do not know. Worse, if it’s from a company that is obviously selling something. Keep your tone light and friendly.

Remember the following:

1. Give your recipient a clear idea of what you are writing about and why you are sending it to him or her.
2. Think of people that you may both have common associations such as a classmate from high school, a former supervisor, a previous co-worker, etc. Studies show that mentioning a common acquaintance increases your chances of getting a reply by 27%.
3. Give your recipient a good reason to reply to your message by asking them for advice, opinions, or referrals.

The Preview Text

Remember, the first sentence that you stick in your InMail is the most critical since that’s what appears in your prospect’s inbox. It doesn’t necessarily have to be sales-y, but it has to get the reader to “keep reading”.

The easiest way to leverage it is to treat it like a LinkedIn headline.

Instead of telling people,

“I’m a marketer that does x, y, and z”

You could try a variation like:

“Hi! I help x industry get to z”

Here’s the thing.

People already know it’s going to be a marketing email, so why not make the best use of it and try to create brand awareness while you’re at it?

Read more: What is a Good Headline for LinkedIn? The Ones That Drive Conversion

What are the advantages of using LinkedIn InMail?

1. You can easily track the responses you’re getting from the people you wrote to.
2. LinkedIn will show you how effective your message was.
3. You can send any LinkedIn member a message even if you don’t know one another.
4. It is possible to reach passive and active job candidates on your network.

Takeaways from LinkedIn InMail

You don’t necessarily need LinkedIn InMail, but it’s a viable option, especially if you want to expand on the tools that you are using to reach out to your leads.

We find that it’s a good add-on rather than a basis for an entire campaign.

However, there are still other cost-effective solutions.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use your InMail credits.

No matter what you choose, remember that the end goal is to get people interested In what you’re selling. Whether or not they reply, trust that the majority of individuals will open your direct message even if they don’t feel like it.

Weigh your options and consider which one among these choices will get the job done in the end.