Reaching people on LinkedIn isn’t always easy when they aren’t your first connections. First, you will have to build your network, which takes a long time. And even this is not a guarantee that you will be able to reach the right decision makers. This is where InMail comes in handy – and today, we will see some LinkedIn InMail examples to help you along the way.
What is LinkedIn InMail? The 4 types of InMail tools
InMail is a tool that allows you to reach potential customers by sending them a direct message into their LinkedIn inbox. By default, you can send direct messages freely if a person is within your network (1st connection).
However, if you are not connected with someone on LinkedIn, you can’t just directly message them. Of course, you can always send them a connection invite and then a message if they accept you. However, if they don’t accept you, or you just want to reach more decision makers at the same time, you can use InMail for that.
Types of InMail tools
There are four ways you can send InMails to potential customers outside of your network:
Sponsored InMail
Sponsored InMail is a LinkedIn advertising format that allows you to send direct messages in a bulk, to thousands of people within your target audience at the same time. Prices may vary, although typically it’s around 0.80 – 1.00 EUR cents per InMail. So, a thousand InMails would be around 1000 EUR.
Premium Plans
You can also send InMails by purchasing one of LinkedIn’s premium subscription plans. However, the number of credits that you get is significantly smaller than Sponsored InMail. It varies between 5 and 30 each month, depending on your plan. Also, you can only send them one by one, and not in bulk like Sponsored InMail.
Sales Navigator
LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a very powerful lead generation tool that forms part of the Premium Plans. However, it also offers Business and Enterprise extensions that gives you up to 50 InMail credits per month, depending on the plan. With Sales Navigator, you can only send InMails one by one. LinkedIn has made it this way on purpose in order to reduce spam.
Open Profile
The last method doesn’t work with every person on LinkedIn, but it is a very interesting one to use whenever possible. You see, one of the features that LinkedIn Premium offers is the so-called Open Profile. This means you can send free InMails to paying members who choose to have their profile Open.
LinkedIn InMail Examples
As we just saw, there are multiple ways that you can send direct messages (InMails) to members on LinkedIn. And basically, you will have to pay for all of them in one way or another. Except for Open Profile, which is so rare that it is not really a good prospecting strategy in the long run.
This means that you will have to craft a really good and compelling message to ensure that you are reaching your target the right way. But sometimes, it´s difficult to start – especially if you don´t have absolutely any experience in sending InMails.
For this reason, I have compiled a selection of LinkedIn Inmail examples to help you begin crafting your message.
However, there is a little disclaimer. Because companies, products, and markets are so different, there isn´t such a thing as the “perfect InMail” that fits everyone like a glove. For this reason, I will be listing the pros and cons of each one so you can decide for yourself how yours should look like.
Also, these are real examples that companies have sent to me – but I have censored some of them to exclude private information.
1. Product Demo
- Context: Inviting the user to try a product demo
- Pros: Catchy intro, the message is short and straight to the point
- Cons: Not enough information
- My rating: 4.5 / 5
Hi Ani, your employees are the heartbeat of your organization. They are your biggest differentiator and they value career development now more than ever. In fact, 90% of executives say that developing employees is very important to the leadership at the company.
We would love to show you how LinkedIn Learning can help you facilitate a learning culture with a free demo.
As I briefly specified above, I like this example from LinkedIn because it´s short and gets straight to the point. On the negative side, I don´t think that they provide enough information about the product. For some users, this will not be convincing enough so that they can try out the demo.
Personally, I would include a short additional sentence to introduce the product.
2. Webinar Invitation
- Context: Webinar invitation
- Pros: Relatable introductory phrase, descriptive text
- Cons: Too much information
- My rating: 3.5 / 5
Hello Ani, if you manage the network in your organisation, and struggle with managing it, I invite you to view this eye-opening webinar.
This webinar, part of a series conducted by the X team, will provide a demonstration of how to deploy and manage network devices using X product.
X is an automation and configuration management technology used to provision, deploy, and manage compute infrastructure across cloud, virtual, and physical environments. Specifically, it can be used by network administrators to centrally manage the switches, routers, and other devices in an organization’s network infrastructure.
In this webinar, our expert will cover:
- Writing effective playbooks for network automation.
- Automating specific network administration use cases.
- Using X product to target devices from various hardware vendors, including Cisco, Juniper, and Arista.
In Example 1, we saw a brief and straight to the point message that catches your eye. However, example 2, although much more descriptive and detailed than the first one, is way too long. LinkedIn recommends to keep your InMail under 500 characters for higher efficiency.
On the fair side, the products seems quite complex and not easy to understand by anybody. Sometimes in these cases, people need more information to understand so that they get convinced to learn more.
However, you will have to find the right balance between too much or too little. After all, InMails should be an introductory message to your product, service, ebook or event. Not a full-blown presentation of everything that you offer! You can get to that once the user actually shows interest.
3. Ebook download
- Context: Ebook download
- Pros: Descriptive; the bullet points are very catchy;
- Cons: Too much information that feels like a filler; vague sentences.
- My rating: 3.5 / 5
Hi Ani, at LinkedIn, we’re committed to making sure that you find success with our targeting.
After all, the sheer power of LinkedIn’s targeting capabilities remains one of the key differentiators of our advertising solutions;
Armed with the right tools (and the right targeting), you can more effectively reach decision-makers on the world’s largest professional network.
Our latest guide to LinkedIn targeting is a step-by-step manual (with screenshots!) that can help you learn:
- What targeting criteria are available on LinkedIn and how to use them effectively
- Step-by-step examples of how to combine multiple targeting criteria together to reach your target audience
- How to leverage LinkedIn’s newly-launched interest targeting capabilities
- Tips to optimize your targeting strategy
…and much more.
Become a LinkedIn targeting expert by downloading your copy today!
The third one of our LinkedIn InMail examples is an interesting one. Why? Because I see one thing that I wouldn’t do if I had to write the InMail.
The example takes way too much to get to the point. The introduction is very long, and filled with generic, ambiguous phrases that are unnecessary. You don’t need 4 sentences to say that you have efficient targeting capabilities.
On another hand, the example focuses way too much on what the company offers. And not enough on what the user needs.
4. Brochure download
- Context: Brochure download
- Pros: Long, but none of the information feels unnecessary;
- Cons: Exceeds recommended number of characters – difficult to read for mobile users
- My rating: 4.5 / 5
Dear Ani, my name is Minh and I am the Managing Director of the MBA programme at X. We are seeking smart, well-rounded candidates who want to step up to new career challenges and pursue their dreams without limits. Your work profile and experience has caught my eye. You would bring great value to our class.
The X MBA is consistently ranked within the top three MBA programmes in the world by the Financial Times and comprises of high-performing individuals who are ready to become leaders. Here are some key reasons why you should consider the X MBA:
- International Exposure: study with 90+ nationalities in our campuses in Europe and Asia
- Excellent Return on Investment: less forgone salary with an accelerated 10-month programme
- Global Community: be part of our influential alumni network of 57,000+
- Employers love our graduates: 91% of X MBA students received an employment offer within 3 months of graduation
To learn more about the X MBA curriculum, scholarships available specifically for women and career support, please click on the link below to download our MBA brochure.
I look forward to hearing from you so that my team and I can guide you on the next steps.
The 4th one of our LinkedIn InMail examples is a really good one. Yes, it is quite longer than the recommended length, which would be very difficult to read on mobile. However, it has a really good flow, it is very easy to read, and none of the phrases seems vague or unnecessary.
5. Job Opportunity
- Context: Job Opportunity
- Pros: The job opportunity is well-presented and interesting by itself;
- Cons: The introduction doesn’t feel relatable; text is too long.
- My rating: 3.75 / 5
Ani M., have you ever thought of joining an international IT group? Do you consider innovation as the key for success?
X, the world leader in digital transformation, IT and networks is recruiting his future Associate Sales Representatives as part of its graduate program starting next July. This program will last a year consisting of a training on X products and technologies to become a trusted advisor to our customers. You will work closely with our clients, helping them solving their technology challenges and supporting them in achieving their business outcomes. You will have a chance to get X certified as well.
Looking at your profile, I was wondering if this opportunity might interest you. Please note that this position is for both new graduates and early in career people. Below, you can find the link towards the job description where your will be able to apply. link.com
You can also have a look at our interactive brochure to learn more about us and initiatives we are taking.
Don’t hesitate to contact me at X@gmail.com.
Out of all LinkedIn InMail examples we saw, I found this one really interesting because they chose this format to present a job opportunity. Which is something that not many companies do. In this case, even if it’s not perfectly written, it will call the attention anyway.
I think that some details included in the text are not necessary, and they could have reduced the length to make it easier for the reader. Especially on mobile devices.
6. Exclusive invitation
- Context: Invitation for a startup competition
- Pros: Very detailed and straight to the point;
- Cons: Exceeds the number of characters;
- My rating: 4.75 / 5
Dear Ani,
We’d like to invite you to participate in the business competition X Challenge 2019. We will award the most innovative European digital technology startups (growth stage) with a prize package worth €100,000 and help them grow in Europe and beyond. You’ll find more information and the application form here: link.com.
- Prize Package: International growth support worth €100,000, consisting of a full year of dedicated support by the X Digital Accelerator (no equity taken!) plus a cash prize. And last but not least international reputation and visibility.
- Categories: Digital Industry, Digital Cities, Digital Wellbeing, Digital Infrastructure, Digital Finance.
Eligibility Criteria: Startups in growth stage (scaleups) based in EU28, with an annual revenue of min. €300,000 or €2M in funding, max 10 years old.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me anytime here or at X@gmail.com
This is probably my favourite out of all LinkedIn InMail examples that we have seen so far.
Yes, it is twice the length that LinkedIn recommends, but it doesn’t feel vague or unnecessary. It gets straight to the point, and provides users with enough information to make their mind about the challenge.
7. Presentation
- Context: Product presentation / introduction
- Pros: Sorry, I can’t think of one 🙁
- Cons: The beginning is very cold, and the opposite of catchy;
- My rating: 2.5 / 5
Dear Ani, I wanted to make contact early this year to introduce X to you, as their Senior Business Development Manager UKI based in the UK.
As we begin the New Year, we are looking to expand our partner’s network by cooperating with companies that provide supplementary services to ours.
The X partner plan is not just another typical reseller program. It is a proven methodology developed to ensure a successful partnership which in return helps grow your business.
X, delivers in-store, online and omni-channel Loyalty solutions through a unified platform. X Cloud platform also provides real-time success metrics reporting and full campaign management via any channel.
Would you be available for a short introduction call to explain in detail the value that partnering with X can bring to your business?
Out of all LinkedIn InMail examples, this is probably my least favourite. However, I wanted to share it with you as an example of what not to do.
First, the introduction is really cold. They start the InMail as I was expecting them to text me, which is definitely not the case.
Second, they spend the whole message talking about themselves. And not a single line on what are the needs of the user that they pretend to solve with their product.
Third, maybe it’s me, but “is not just another typical reseller program” sounds just like another typical reseller program.
8. Product introduction
- Context: Product introduction
- Pros: Perfect length, short and sweet, straight to the point from the introduction
- Cons: Can’t think of one 🙂
- My rating: 5 / 5
Hi Ani, we’ve made it easier than ever before to post and share job posts. Discover more candidates with these effective features:
- Ease – List a job in minutes and track your applicants all in one place;
- Reach – Access over 500 million professional members;
- Quality – Optimized targeting puts your job in front of the right candidates at the right time;
Your next great hire is just one click away!
You thought that I wouldn’t give a 5-star rating to any of the LinkedIn InMail examples, right? Well, I thought the same. But this one was so good, short, and sweet, that I couldn’t stop myself! It gets straight to the point from the beginning, and lists just enough features to get you interested.
9. Event invitation
- Context: Event invitation
- Pros: Awesome introduction
- Cons: Way too long – 1800 characters!
- My rating: 4 / 5
Dear Ani, it’s a wild world out there! Chatbots are delivering customer service, companies are predicting their sales based on AI, we can have milk delivered to our homes in less than an hour at the push of a button, and soon it will be delivered by drones… It is a new economy, and it demands a new world of work.
Companies are competing to keep up in their sectors and are demanding new profiles for their departments: Marketing, Operations, Finance, IT, Development… you name it. Staying ahead of the game means understanding that technology is rewiring the way we work. Join X at our upcoming event, where we will discuss the latest trends in the sphere of Digital Transformation and discover how the job market, company structures and professional roles are evolving.
Agenda The New World Of Work -When technology meets business
When: Thursday 12th of April
Time: 19:00h
Where: X
I think that the introduction is brilliant! And probably the most attention-grabbing one from all of our LinkedIn InMail examples. However, the reason why I rated it 4 out of 5 is because of something that I didn’t paste here.
After the event details, the InMail had a full and very detailed list of all speakers, which I found quite unnecessary in this case – because there were so many. It made it really, really long, and nobody is going to read through that many people and their job positions.
Besides from that, I think that it’s a really good example.
Now, it’s your turn
What did you think of these LinkedIn InMail examples? Which one do you think could fit your company and industry the best? Have you already sent one, or are you just investigating the ad format?
Let me know in the comments below!
As always, thanks for reading my content, and I hope to see you in the next one!
