Roughly 25% of adults in the U.S. regularly use LinkedIn, and each day millions of messages are sent between users. From these conversations, everything from business collaborations to tech demos are planned. So much is possible on the platform, it’s merely a matter of who you know and what you have to say.
Growing a solid base of connections on LinkedIn is a valuable tool in itself, but once you possess them, further action is required to truly reap the rewards of the platform. You need to reach out effectively, and there’s more to it than just a standard social media greeting.
Making mistakes in your initial LinkedIn message can result in a neutral or nonexistent response. It’s worth taking the time to fine-tune your copywriting style so you can make an impression that not only lasts but leads to meaningful action with your connections.
1. Establish your hook early:
Whether it’s a sales pitch or simple outreach, any message should contain something of a hook to garner attention. Doing so right out of the gate is a must. If you fail to gain and hold a contact’s attention early, whatever you plan to follow up with is irrelevant.
Like the trailer to a must-see movie, you need to foster some curiosity in your audience. Open-ended questions that speak to a specific need, or an insightful comment on a recent trend or statistic work just as well.
These are proven methods in establishing a hook, pick one and play with the form until you feel like it’s ready for action. Once you have a few hook strategies in mind, then you can safely move forward and substantiate the conversation.
2. Introduce yourself (and provide real value):
When you get someone's attention on LinkedIn, you should take advantage of the opportunity.
Briefly introduce yourself and share any relevant credentials that will support your capabilities as a professional. Inquire about their background and goals, and then it’s safe to move into the pitch section of the conversation.
Be sure to highlight how both sides benefit from this, and take care to not come across as too needy or pushy. Treat the exchange of messages as a conversation about an opportunity, not just the pushing of a product or service.
It’s a business platform first and foremost so people are open to these kinds of conversations, but you can stand out from the pack just by being realistic about your aims.
3. Adapt to your intended audience:
Templates are n amazing way to cut down on time spent, but they can come across as spammy if they are relied on too heavily without any personalization. Your messaging will look more carefully crafted for the audience you are targeting if you include some personalized aspects.
Take the time to review the connection’s profile and see if you have an overlap in interests or background. These are opportunities to personalyze your copywriting message towards your audience, which will increase their overall chances of success. A comment or two that references this works wonders to give dimension to messages, and shakes off the spammy tone we all want to avoid.
4. Make Sense of urgency:
Setting limitations, such as time restrictions or urgency, can help transform communications into meaningful actions, even if you don't want to come out as pushy. Since only 22% of LinkedIn users check the site every day, you must take advantage of the opportunity to engage with them.
People are highly motivated by their fear of missing out, especially those with a business mindset who are constantly attempting to keep one step ahead of their rivals.
If you can prove that you provide solutions to their common problems, then all the right pieces are there for a mutually good fit. However, a sense of urgency can motivate action like nothing else as it forces a decision. This is good for both sides to decide if they want to go ahead or pass on a project rather than swing back and forth.
5. Trim the fluffy stuff
Although LinkedIn is by definition a social networking platform, most users don't use it to pass the time reading pointless messages or only for amusement. Sending a long message to someone you just connected with could be too much for them to handle. It takes time and effort to respond to each area, so if they don't know you well yet, it can be viewed as a harmful investment.
To start with, keep your communications brief and powerful. If all goes well, you can progress to lengthier, more in-depth messages; but, it's crucial to comprehend message copywriting timing.
Try to keep your wording to the essentials, even after you have moved past the initial stage. Eliminate all clumsy qualifiers such as "very" and "really." If a description is needed for an object, feel free to include something more complex and meaningful.
It will take consistent practice and application over time to become an expert message writer. But if you get a firm grasp on it, this is a talent that will add more value to your career and yourself than anything else.
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