As the undefeated champion of B2B networking, sales outreach, and lead generation, LinkedIn stands tall among social platforms. This platform is the go-to hub for professionals seeking new opportunities, partnerships, and valuable business-related content. After all, nobody joins LinkedIn “just for the thrill of it.”
What makes LinkedIn exceptional is its user base. 4 out of 5 LinkedIn users drive business decisions, not to mention Fortune 500 executives having a strong presence on the platform. And the cherry on top? According to data from HubSpot, LinkedIn is ranked three times higher in terms of visitor-to-lead conversion rate (2.74%) than both Twitter (.69%) and Facebook (.77%). Impressive, right?
So, how can you tap into this goldmine to expand your sales network and schedule more sales calls? The key is to get creative with your outreach strategy, mix approaches, and think outside the box!
Outline:
Before you go all-in on LinkedIn sales outreach, beware of its connection limits! LinkedIn may seem like a dream come true with its highly organic traffic and vast audiences, but there’s a hidden pitfall to watch out for.
In early 2021, it introduced new limitations on connection requests. This drop from over 1,000 connections per week to a meager 100 sparked heated debates among businesses relying on LinkedIn for sales outreach and lead generation.
LinkedIn likely introduced these limits to crack down on spammers and maintain professionalism through quality, personal connections.
Per the current LinkedIn connection limits, you can send around 100 connection requests per week or an average of 20 invitations per business day. While you could send all 100 in a 24-hour period, you risk getting flagged. To play it safe, spread your invites evenly throughout the week.
Once you hit your limit, you’ll receive an automated message: “You’ve reached your weekly limit of invitations.” You need to wait 2-3 days before sending more invitations.
Pro-tip! Learn how to outsmart LinkedIn connection limits with our free e-book. |
Now, let’s imagine you’re sticking to the rules, dotting your i’s, and crossing your t’s, but LinkedIn STILL decides to limit your outreach connection requests. Possible reasons could be:
Whatever your case is, the truth is that we need to adapt and get more creative with your outreach strategy to book those sales calls! How about combining your email outreach with LinkedIn efforts?
Here’s how we can do it 😉
Before you reach out to potential leads, take the time to develop an ideal customer profile (ICP) that pinpoints your most valuable customers. Remember, you can’t simply market to everyone!
A solid ICP helps you understand how to solve your prospects’ current problems and develop targeting strategies to convert your top buyers.
To gain a better understanding of your audience, consider the following aspects:
By combining these insights, you’ll end up with a clear picture of your ideal client, like:
Our perfect client is a UK-based B2B SaaS company with a 10+ sales team annual revenue of $20M+, catering to SMEs seeking modern sales solutions to tackle their primary pain point: sales automation. |
Now that you’ve got your ICP locked and loaded, it’s time to dive into the thrilling world of LinkedIn prospecting.
First, collect emails from LinkedIn users’ profiles and reach out using advanced email automation tools without relying on the platform’s prepaid features. For instance, Snov.io LI Prospect Finder is a data-finding tool designed for this purpose.
It offers multiple ways to find your ideal leads:
In addition, you may use the Snov.io in-app email finding tool to find emails from the list of LinkedIn profile URLs.
Pro-tip! To find out more about each LinkedIn search approach powered by Snov.io LI Prospect Finder, read our post. |
To give you a taste, let’s explore how to collect leads via LinkedIn search using LI Prospect Finder. Here’s a quick rundown of the basics you need to know:
Here’s a quick rundown of the basics you need to know:
Pro-tip! Set a timeout of 10-25 seconds for contact lists longer than 10 pages! |
Once you’ve gathered your leads, they’ll be stored in your Snov.io account. Now, you’re all set to connect with those high-value prospects and skyrocket your sales!
As you can see, we’ve managed to collect 151 leads whose emails were automatically categorized by the system based on their validity (see the upper right corner of the app layout).
For instance, 92 emails are marked with a green dot, meaning they are valid and actively used by their owners. 64 emails are marked orange, indicating that the system isn’t certain whether they are valid or not. Five are marked red, signifying that they are non-existent or invalid addresses.
After collecting your prospects and their email addresses, it’s time to make some magic happen. Build and schedule multi-channel campaigns with the Snov.io LinkedIn Automation Tool and increase your prospect’s engagement rate.
This tool will automate your LinkedIn touchpoints (profile views, post likes, connection requests, messages, and InMails) and smartly combine them with your email outreach. This way, you’ll say goodbye to the tedious routine of connecting to your prospects on LinkedIn manually and say hello to time and money savings!
Set triggers to your email campaigns based on your recipients’ activity, such as email opens, clicks, or Calendly meeting bookings. Plan and automate follow-ups to never miss on any opportunity.
Additionally, you can set the time the system has to wait until the next email is sent, either in hours or days, with the help of the delay feature. It helps space out emails evenly, so you’re not bombarding the prospect with consecutive messages every time the trigger is activated. This way, you won’t come across as a spammer.
And don’t worry about safety – Snov.io LinkedIn Automation Tool is a cloud-based solution with a dedicated IP and smart limits.
Another bonus? With this tool, you’re destined to boost your LinkedIn SSI and become a more reputable LinkedIn user.
Alright, now that we’ve covered the basics of email outreach, let’s get into some extra tips and tricks to help you take your email game to the next level. These strategies will make sure you’re all set to outshine the competition and win big in the sales arena. Ready? Let’s go!
Do you ever wonder how some people craft emails/InMails that make you click “Open” without a second thought? Here’s a secret: they follow the timeless AIDA principle:
Say, you approach a CMO from your newly collected list to remind them of a pending LinkedIn connection request. NYU and MIT professors concluded that shorter emails are more likely to receive a response or action taken (like a link click). People appreciate brevity and simplicity.
So, follow these simple rules to make every word count:
Check out these templates you may steal away and use for your outreach:
Subject Line: Did you check your LinkedIn? Hello [Name], I stumbled upon your recent LinkedIn post about [Post Topic] and was seriously impressed with your insights! I’ve just sent you a connection request, as I’d love to discuss the topic further and ask you a couple of burning questions. Your expertise could really enlighten me! Once we’re connected, let’s find a time to chat on LinkedIn, shall we? Looking forward to our conversation! [Your Name] |
If LinkedIn limits prevent you from sending a connection request, include a link to your LinkedIn profile in your email, asking the lead to send a connection themselves.
Subject Line: Your content rocks! Hello [Name], Just came across your LinkedIn post on [Post Topic] and decided to reach out. The way you dwell on the problem totally changed my perspective on the matter! I’ve got a few questions about the topic and would love to hear your thoughts. Let’s connect on LinkedIn and spark a discussion. Here’s my profile: [Profile Link]. Can’t wait to chat! Have an amazing day! [Your Name] |
Once they’ve accepted or sent you a connection request, wait a bit (say, 2 days) before approaching them with something substantial. Since you’ve already established a connection, feel free to dive into a deeper conversation about your lead’s main pain point. Keep these tips in mind:
By mentioning a problem and immediately alleviating the pain with your offering, you’ll motivate leads to take action to prevent potential negative consequences for their business. Painting a black picture of what can happen to them without addressing the problem (and how solutions like yours can help) will slightly push them to start seeking such.
Here’s how you can approach crafting a personal message:
Subject Line: Can’t be silent about it! Hello [Name], Reading your marketing tips for newly-established businesses, I couldn’t help but think that, like many others, you might’ve faced the challenge of generating new leads. Buying leads to jumpstart a new business may seem like a quick fix, but what happens when everyone else is contacting the same leads? Talk about a crowded market, right? Frustrating, indeed. Let us put your frustration to rest with [Product Name]. Our platform was designed to help businesses like yours find reliable, fast, and efficient ways to generate quality leads tailored to your specific needs. Get started right now! Generate leads and verify emails with our FREE and easy-to-use Chrome extensions. Visit [Product Name] for more tools and info! Wishing you unstoppable success, [Your Name] |
Most prospects skim through your outreach messages, so always make sure they can find a clear CTA that answers the all-important question: “What do they want from me?” If they can’t find an answer, they’ll assume your message lacks purpose and won’t read further.
However, if you indicate a clear time, they’ll figure out you aim to book a meeting. Details like these matter, as they make your leads read your message out of curiosity: “What is it that they offer?” This applies to any CTA, whether joining a meeting or sharing thoughts on your content.
With that said, keep these tips in mind:
At Snov.io, we love using Calendly so our leads can book meetings on their terms super easily. It integrates seamlessly with Snov.io calendars, eliminating any worry about double-booking. Basically, you just share a link to your business or personal Calendly and let your prospective clients book a meeting with you. Our email templates include a built-in “Calendly link” option for any cold email outreach tool.
The beauty of Calendly-as-CTA lies in its versatility: it works for any email campaign type or stage. By offering direct meeting opportunities in nurture, re-engagement, or welcome emails, you can connect with prospects at any point in the buyer’s journey, increasing your chances of landing a call.
At the same time, Calendly-powered CTAs provide a polite, non-pushy way to ask for what you want. Give your leads the option to either reply to you or book a meeting without any fuss.
Here’s a sample Calendly-inspired email for your drip campaign sequence:
Subject Line: Stress-free lead generation solution! Hello [Name], In our previous conversation, we discussed the challenges of acquiring quality leads in sufficient quantities. After some thought, I have the perfect solution for streamlining lead generation and verification. As a devoted user, I’d recommend [Product Name]. I can vouch for its comprehensive toolset designed to tackle every stage of the sales cycle. Most importantly, its Email Finder excels in omnichannel prospect search, leaving no stone unturned. What’s more, you can ensure top-notch lead quality with Email Verifier thanks to its rigorous 7-tier verification process. Say goodbye to unnecessary emails cluttering your list. Plus, with automated follow-ups and personalized email outreach, your business will be customer-centric from the get-go. To see [Product Name] in action, simply use the link below to book a demo at your convenience. I’m here to help and can’t wait to show you what it can do for your business! [Your Calendly Link] Cheers, [Your Name] |
The triggers you set at the beginning of your drip campaign will immediately notify you if your prospect has opened your Calendly link.
If they have, you could follow up with another email asking whether they are okay with a vacant time slot of yours or suggest moving to other dates:
Subject Line: Your demo awaits! Hello [Name], I’m checking in again about the [Product Name] demo we discussed before. Have you found a suitable date and time for our meeting? I understand that scheduling can be a bit tricky, so I’d be glad to help you with that. Does [Day and Time] work for you? If not, feel free to suggest another time that fits your schedule. Looking forward to hearing from you! [Your Name] |
If it’s a solid yes, send a confirmation message a day before the meeting to double-check with them. If they go silent, you can always get back to them in the future with a solid excuse 🙂
Subject Line: Friendly reminder! Hello [Name], I hope you and your team at [Company] are doing well. Just a quick check-in to follow up on [Product Name] for more efficient lead generation and verification. It’s been [X days, weeks, months] since we discussed this, and I don’t want this tool to fall off your radar! Would you like to schedule a call? Here’s a link to my calendar so that you know my timing. [Your Calendly Link] In case it doesn’t work for you, please let me know about a convenient date and time. Looking forward to hearing from you! [Your Name] |
Use the power of AI: Did you know that the Snov.io Campaigns Tool has an embedded Email AI Writer – a GPT-powered writing assistant, helping you write engaging emails in no time? Write your own prompts or use in-built presents and Snov.io Email AI Writer will generate messages specifically personalized for your business goals. |
Booking sales calls on LinkedIn takes a lot of time and effort. It seems challenging but totally doable! Curiosity killed the cat, but creativity never did! With the best LinkedIn automation tool in your arsenal, you can combine and automate your email and LinkedIn outreach, ensuring that at least one of the channels will hit the mark. Meanwhile, apply personalization tips to make templates shine on both platforms.
You’re all set now!
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