While the average LinkedIn message response rate hovers around 15-20%, we’ve developed and refined a messaging strategy at Prominence Global that can consistently achieve response rates of 80% or higher. The secret isn’t in clever sales tactics or manipulative techniques. The secret lies in understanding human psychology and creating genuine value from your very first interaction.
Don’t broadcast, converse
The first mistake most people make is to approach LinkedIn messages like they would an email campaign. They create generic messages that are designed to reach as many people as possible with minimal effort. This strategy will always fail, because it ignores the fundamental nature of LinkedIn as a professional networking platform where authentic relationships drive success. You need to undertake thorough research and be able to demonstrate your genuine interest in the person you’re reaching out to. Yes, that means you need to spend time learning as much as you can about someone, engaging with their content, and figure out how to establish common ground with them. When people can easily sense that you’ve taken time to understand their situation and have something meaningful to offer, their natural defensive barriers lower.
Shaping your LinkedIn message
Generic messages will, are, and always will be ignored. Effective connection requests establish clear context for the outreach, identify meaningful common ground or shared experiences, balance professional credibility with personal warmth, and suggest mutual value exchange rather than one-sided benefit. You can see why your research is so necessary! This personalised approach is a warm, yet professional, way of connecting with people. And those people will want to engage with you, and potentially build a business relationship with you.
The context of your LinkedIn message
Now that you’ve cooked up the right chemistry, you need to get your context right. Let’s outline a few fundamentals:
- Messages that reference and build upon that person’s recent posts, articles, or professional announcements feel timely and relevant. Use these as a starting point for a conversation.
- Remember recency bias: When your message connects to something that person has recently shared or experienced, it feels more relevant and urgent than generic outreach. This connection to recent events or content creates mental hooks that make your message more memorable and response-worthy.
Lead with value
We know you’re on LinkedIn to build up your leads and eventually try to sell to people, but that journey cannot start with a sales pitch. You need to take a long-term view, and focus on building positive relationships with people, over and above everything else.
Messages that focus on providing value and building genuine professional connections consistently outperform those designed to extract immediate benefits. That’s why you need to lead with value. Help the person you’re messaging to easily understand how you can make their life better or easier.
This might involve sharing industry insights, making valuable introductions, recommending useful resources, or offering expertise in areas where they face challenges. Make sure you’re leading with value first, and not a sales pitch. What you do now will build trust and credibility that form the foundation of lasting professional relationships.
Get your tone right
You need to be professional, but you need to remain approachable. Avoid using formal corporate language, and try to use a tone that’s conversational, yet professional. Write your LinkedIn message as though you are talking to a colleague at a networking event. While light, professional humour can be effective, make sure you’re not making a joke just for the sake of it. Use humour wisely, and it can help you to build positive relationships.
Don’t forget your call to action
Make sure the end of your message creates a clear path towards enabling the conversation to continue. Talk about sharing a relevant resource, or prompt them to chat to you about a shared interest. Our big tip? Make sure it’s not one-sided. The more you lead with mutually beneficial value, the more likely the person is to respond to you.
All things considered, your LinkedIn messages make all the difference. Consider them your first, digital handshake, and do the work so you make the right impression. If you want to ensure your LinkedIn message is responded to, you now know how to give it the very best chance!
P.S. Here are 4 ways we can help you accelerate your Lead Generation results:
- Follow Adam Houlahan’s LinkedIn Profile Now Click Here
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