LinkedIn InMails are the underdog of B2B sales techniques. Often overlooked, derided, or misused, when employed effectively, they can be a significant asset to your sales strategy.
well-structured InMail, tailored to your prospect’s needs and interests, can capture their attention, fostering meaningful conversations and, ultimately, fruitful business relationships.
This educational article presents the 14 best B2B LinkedIn InMail templates, perfect for enhancing your sales, engagement and conversion rates. Dive in and discover how to leverage these templates to revolutionise your sales approach on LinkedIn.
What is a LinkedIn InMail?
If you’ve ever had someone who is not one of your connections reach out to your inbox to advertise themselves, a product or service, you will have received an InMail. LinkedIn InMails are a marketing feature offered to Premium and Sales Navigator account holders. It allows them to reach out to connect personally with potential prospects.
Unlike emails, InMails tend to be more concise and less formal. This can make InMail writing surprisingly more challenging. Senders need to carefully assemble messages, making the most of the subject line and that crucial first sentence to attract a prospect’s attention.
There are two types of InMails available:
Free
Free InMails can only be sent and received by Premium and Sales Navigator account holders. If you want to receive free InMails, go to ‘View Profile’ by clicking your avatar in the top left hand corner. Click the ‘Edit’ icon on the right, click the drop down menu next to the gold LinkedIn logo, and toggle the Open Profile option to ‘On’. Then go to the ‘Settings & Privacy’ setting, navigate to ‘Communications’, ‘Who can reach you’, and click ‘Messages’. You can choose whether you want to receive Paid or Free InMails separately.
Untitled designPaid
Paid InMails are the only ones that basic LinkedIn account holders can receive. In other words, if you have a Sales Navigator or Premium LinkedIn account, you can send paid InMails to any account of your choosing.
Each plan has a certain amount of Paid InMails included for free. Premium members can opt to purchase more, which costs around £10 each. See how many InMails you have available by clicking on ‘Access my Premium’ under account settings.
Why are InMails worth sending on LinkedIn?
While cold emails can seem rather – well, cold – InMails are an excellent opportunity to connect with prospects personally. It’s especially valuable when connecting with a prospect with mutual connections with you – research has shown that a prospect is three times more likely to respond to an InMail sender who is a 2nd or 3rd-degree connection.
Connecting via InMail allows you to stay in contact with prospects and clients on your network – which is what LinkedIn is all about. After all, a partnership with a client is about more than just a business transaction. The caps on InMail allowances means you can focus more intently on crafting your message for the right recipients. Spam messages reduce, and quality connections prevail.
There’s a lot of pressure to write the right InMail, especially when on a budget. Luckily, we’ve made this job easier for you by providing some handy templates you can start with today.
14 Best LinkedIn InMail Templates For Sales & Lead Generation
1. A Basic Template
This template is a good foundation for a starter message, and it can be built out or edited to fit the intentions of you or your prospect.
Hi [prospect name],
[Challenge] is a huge issue in your industry, What solutions have you found to overcome it? My company [company name] has a [product] that can [USP]. Are you interested in hearing more? Let me know, and I can send you some more information. If not, please do let me know if any of your colleagues would find [product] useful.
Thanks,
[Your name]
2. A Conversation Template
Starting a casual conversation with a prospect is an effective way to avoid coming on too strong with your sales pitch. It also means you can build a relationship, founding trust which will be more likely to turn them into paying customers and boost your sales.
Hi [prospect name],
I saw your recent post on (topic) and am interested in building a connection with you to learn more about it. Are you working on anything exciting at the moment?
It would be great to connect!
Thank you,
[Your name]
3. A phone call template
Approaching a prospect on LinkedIn is a good opportunity to ask for a phone conversation. This means you can connect on an even more personal level with a prospect, with the space to go into detail on your product or service, answer questions, and reassure on any doubts.
Hi [prospect name],
Thank you for connecting!
I’m glad to have come across your profile. I work for [Company name], and we have developed a new launch [product].
It will be great to speak over the phone if you are interested in our [product]. Can you spare some time for a brief call at some point this week?
Looking forward to getting in touch with you,
Thanks,
[Your name]
4. A meeting request template
Requesting a meeting from the prospect is a fantastic opportunity to explain the finer features of your service or product in person.
Hi [prospect name],
I represent [company name] and our new launch [product] and am excited to reach out to you about it.
In case you are interested in our company, would you like to meet over a cup of coffee?
Do let me know if you are free any time this week. I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks,
[Your name]
5. A relationship-building template
It’s always valuable to connect with people and build lasting relationships. Going into a hard sell from the first InMail could risk a prospect being turned off and rejecting your connection request.
Taking the time to get to know your prospect will help you better understand how your product or service can help them. It also means you can build a genuine and lasting professional relationship, nurturing respect on both sides.
Hi [prospect name],
I want to build a healthy professional relationship with you, and in case our team at [Company name] can be of help to your business, please let me know.
Visit our website [link] if you’d like to know more about our company.
It would be great to connect with you sometime soon.
Thanks,
[Your name]
6. An event invite template
Whether it’s a product or service-related event, a networking event, a webinar, panel, or more, events play a huge role in helping you interact and network with prospects.
If your business is running an event, sending InMails to desirable attendees makes way for a permanent connection and ensures your event is successful.
Hello [prospect name],
As we have some mutual connections, I felt it would be good to connect with you. Our company is organising an event at [location] on [date], that I think you’d be interested in.
It would be great if you or your team could make it. Check out the details of the event here – [link]. Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks,
[Your name]
7. A free trial offer template
Free trials are a great sales approach to convert a prospect into a paying customer. You can approach new accounts with this, but it’s also a great way to approach existing connections that you haven’t contacted in a while.
Hi [prospect name],
I work with [company name]. I can offer you a free trial of [product] for a limited time only. Visit our website at [link] to find out more and let me know if you think it’ll be helpful for you.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
[Your name]
8. A work admiration template
Starting any conversation with a compliment establishes a positive dynamic. Admiring a prospect’s work will make them feel recognised, meaningful, and more likely to respond to your message.
Again, it’s a good route to building a meaningful and long-lasting professional relationship with a prospect.
Hello [prospect name],
I recently read your article / listened to your podcast / read an interview with you about [topic] and wanted to connect with you. I really liked (insert feature) about it.
As you have worked on [specialisation], you may be interested in something I’ve been working on.
I’d love to discuss this over a brief phone call. Are you free this week?
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Thanks,
[Your name]
9. A benefits-led template
Taking a benefits-led approach is all about addressing a prospect’s pain point. To flag this in an InMail, think about how your solution can make their professional life more manageable.
Think about a professional task that most people hate doing and how your solution answers that problem.
Hello [prospect name],
Are you fed up with [task]?
I agree – it takes up time that could be better given to more interesting tasks.
Luckily, my company has a [product] that will help you carry out [task] for you.
Do get in touch with me if you’d like to hear more. I’d be happy to set you up with a free trial.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thanks,
[Your name]
10. A case study template
Case studies are a gold dust storytelling tactic for any marketer’s arsenal. Prospects make purchasing decisions based on peer recommendations and case studies. This makes it a powerful conversation starter if you have one to hand.
Hi [prospect name],
I came across your blog post, which talks about your new initiative. Congratulations on your success with this!
Would you like to hear about others in your industry who have been successful with similar projects? I know four companies that have generated x% higher profits by using [product] for their project.
If you want to hear more, I’d be happy to forward you the case studies.
Regards,
[Your name]
11: A free asset download template
Soft leads such as free eBook, webinar or whitepaper downloads can be a great gateway to interact with prospects and get your name out there.
Hello [prospect name],
I loved your latest post on [industry topic], it really reminded me of the importance of [challenge or benefit].
On a related note,
I am working on creating an eBook that you might find interesting.
If you’d like an advanced copy, please let me know and I will send it over to you. All I ask for in return is your unfiltered feedback!
Let me know if it’s of interest.
Thanks,
[Your name]
12: An industry event follow-up template
Events are an excellent way to network and create lasting connections. However, it can be challenging to maintain these relationships after the event has ended.
Sending a friendly InMail to your industry contacts after an event can keep the conversation going and potentially lead to future collaborations or partnerships.
Hi [prospect name],
I hope you enjoyed the [event name] last week. It was great meeting you and discussing our shared interests in [industry/field].
I really enjoyed your insights on [topic discussed] during the panel discussion.If you ever want to catch up over a coffee or discuss any potential collaborations, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
I look forward to staying connected with you.
Thanks,
[Your name]
13: A B2B LinkedIn connection request template
Sometimes, it might be best to start with a simple connection request. But that doesn’t mean they have to be blank. In fact, please don’t send blank LinkedIn requests. They are impersonal and often get ignored.
Hi [prospect name],
I came across your profile through a mutual connection and was impressed by your experience in [industry/field]. I am also passionate about this area and would love to connect with you.
Let’s network and share insights on our industry! Please feel free to check out my profile and connect with me if you think we share similar interests.
Looking forward to connecting with you soon.
Thanks,
[Your name]
14: A customer or client referral template
Satisfied customers can be your best brand advocates. Leverage their positive experience by asking for a referral or recommendation.
Hello [client name],
I hope you have been enjoying [product/service] and seeing positive results.
I am reaching out to see if you would be willing to share your experience with others. Your opinion could inspire other businesses like yours to try our product/service.
If you know of anyone who could benefit from [product/service], please feel free to refer them to us. We would be happy to offer them a special discount as a token of appreciation.
Thank you for your support and for being our valued customer.
Best regards,
[Your name]
How to write a great LinkedIn InMail template
LinkedIn messages are a powerful tool for initiating conversations, particularly after interacting with a LinkedIn post discussing a topic of shared interest. Both your LinkedIn profile and your activity within the same LinkedIn group can bolster your credibility, paving the way for a well-received LinkedIn connection request.
The Linkedin InMail templates above should hopefully be good to go or serve as the building blocks for writing your own LinkedIn InMail message. When you’re sending an InMail chances are this is the first interaction you’ll be having with LinkedIn users.
But they are likely to receive paid InMails on a regular basis so you have to make sure you stand out. So how do you do that?
Here are 6 tips for writing your best LinkedIn InMail.
- Get your target audience right. This is key, make sure they are the right person.
- Create a compelling subject line. Would you open it?
- Be direct. How can you help them, why should they care?
- Give them something quick to do. View a report, try a tool etc
- Be natural. Speak as you would to them in person.
- Let them know why you are messaging them. Again, don’t be salesly, don’t over promise.
- Show how you can help them. Address pain points, what value can you add?
Avoid going in heavy, and be authentic
Remember that your recipient will have a busy LinkedIn inbox, so it’s all about making your InMail stand out in the right way so that it doesn’t get swept under the carpet.
This means keeping it short and sweet, open, and authentic. Whilst it may be easy-going in tone, don’t go lax on the grammar. And don’t make it sound formal and stilted. Write it how you would write it. Remember:
- Personalise your InMail so that it’s specific to the prospect
- Check that you haven’t left any brackets or placeholder text behind!
- Spell check thoroughly
- Read it back imagining you are the recipient
How long should a LinkedIn InMail be?
In order not to exceed the screen width of your recipients’ devices, it is important that you keep your message under three paragraphs and/or 150 words. A good rule-of-thumb when sending an InMail is viewing them on a mobile or tablet device before committing yourself to writing too much.
InMails are a great way to start conversations with people you know or meet online. It’s important that your InMail captures attention and conveys credibility, so keep it short (around 150 words generally works best). Don’t be salesy – focus on building relationships!
Closing thoughts
While these templates are meant as guidance, it’s worth reworking them to fit the way you would approach a prospect. Think about the InMail you’d want to receive – but make sure the one you are sending focuses on your prospect’s unique needs rather than on yourself.
Writing the right InMail can be a crucial ticket to a meaningful connection with a prospect. But the secret for success is the same for all marketing endeavours: timing, research, and good writing.
