A sales rep crafts a LinkedIn message on her laptop amid a cozy, plant-filled workspace. Crafting outreach messages on LinkedIn that capture attention is a crucial modern sales skill. LinkedIn is full of decision-makers getting bombarded with generic sales pitches – yours needs to stand out in a good way. Here’s how to write LinkedIn messages that prospects can’t ignore:
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Personalize Immediately: The first line of your LinkedIn message should make it clear that this isn’t a copy-paste spam. Reference something specific to the person. For example: “Hi John, I saw your post about the new office design at Acme Inc – the photos look great, congratulations on the expansion!” This grabs John’s attention because it’s about him and his context, not a random sales spiel. It shows you did a bit of homework. Check their recent posts or activity, their profile (college, interests), or the company news section on their LinkedIn – find a hook.
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Keep it Short and Friendly: A LinkedIn outreach is not the place for a five-paragraph essay. Aim for a few brief sentences – just enough to pique interest. Use a friendly, conversational tone (imagine how you’d write if you were chatting with them at a networking event). Avoid overly formal language or, conversely, slang. Professional but warm is the goal. For instance: “As a fellow SF professional, I know how dull some offices can look. We’ve found a way to fix that with a splash of natural greenery. 😄”
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Highlight a Benefit or Insight: Once you’ve hooked them with personalization, deliver value quickly. You might share a quick relevant insight or statistic: “Did you know offices with plants can boost employee productivity by up to 15%? It’s a simple change that can make employees happier and even healthier.” By providing a useful or intriguing tidbit (ideally backed by a stat or credible source), you’re positioning yourself not just as a salesperson but as a resource. Alternatively, mention a relevant success story: “We recently helped another tech startup in SoMa redesign their space with plants, and their team has been raving about the new vibe.” This signals that you understand their industry and have proven results.
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Introduce The Mellow (Briefly) with Our Unique Value: After the hook and value insight, briefly say who you are and what The Mellow does – with a focus on our value proposition. For example: “I’m with The Mellow, a local SF plant design firm. We have exclusive greenhouse access to some amazing plant varieties, and we specialize in turning offices like yours into green, inspiring spaces. Plus, we handle everything from design to maintenance, so it’s hassle-free.” In a sentence or two, this conveys our uniqueness (access to rare plants, full-service, local expertise) and reassures them we make it easy (a key benefit for busy professionals). Remember to keep the spotlight on how this benefits them, not just how cool we are. It might help to imagine the prospect thinking, “Okay, but why should I care?” and ensure your intro answers that.
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End with a Light Call-to-Action: Finish your message with a simple, low-pressure call-to-action. On LinkedIn, that could be asking a question or inviting them to chat. E.g., “Would you be open to a quick chat or even a brief office visit? I’d love to see your space (or photos of it) and share a few tailored ideas.” Notice this is casual and framed as an offer to help/provide ideas, not a demand for a meeting. Even a question like, “Curious – have you ever considered adding plants to your office?” can engage them in a conversation rather than shutting it down. The goal is to prompt a response, not necessarily to close the deal in one message.
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Mind Your Tone and Formatting: On LinkedIn, big blocks of text are daunting. Use line breaks to separate thoughts (LinkedIn allows new lines in messages). For example, you might have one short paragraph that’s the personalized opener, a second that’s who you are + value prop, and a third for the CTA. This spacing makes it easily skimmable on desktop or mobile. Also, avoid ALL CAPS or too many exclamation points which can come off as spammy. You can use an emoji or two if appropriate (as in the smiley above) to convey friendliness, but use them sparingly and professionally.
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Connection Requests vs. InMail: If you aren’t already connected, you have two options: send a connection request with a note or use InMail (if you have Sales Navigator or a Premium account). For connection requests, definitely include a note – something like: “Hi Sarah, I enjoyed your recent blog on office design trends. As someone in the interior landscaping field, I’d love to connect and possibly exchange ideas on creating greener office spaces.” This is not a direct sales pitch, just a reason to connect. Once they accept, you can follow up with a fuller outreach message as above (don’t pounce with a huge pitch the second they hit accept; perhaps wait a day and then say thanks for connecting and segue in). If using InMail, you can send the full message right off the bat since you don’t need to be connected – just ensure it’s tailored.
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Follow Up Tactfully: If you don’t get a reply on LinkedIn, consider one follow-up a week or so later. Maybe send a second message that adds value: “Hey Mike, hope you caught my note last week. I stumbled on this article about biophilic design and thought of you – sharing here in case you find it interesting [link].” By giving something with no immediate ask (just a useful piece of content), you show that you’re not just about a hard sell. This might prompt them to reply, even if just out of appreciation for the info. After that, if there’s still silence, it’s usually best to move on or try a different channel (perhaps email) after some time.
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Sample LinkedIn Outreach Message: To put it all together, here’s a template:
Craft your LinkedIn outreach with empathy and authenticity – think of it as the start of a conversation, not a sales monologue. When done right, LinkedIn messages can open doors that traditional emails or calls might not, given how people prefer to network on the platform. Keep refining your approach, and soon your InMails will turn into real meetings and opportunities.