Posted by Ben Kniffen in Uncategorized
The other day I got an LinkedIn InMail cordially inviting me to a Korean Sourcing Exchange event for top U.S. based retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers. Flattered that I was, I decided to not reply to that InMail, let alone attend the event.
Why? Well there are a multitude of reasons…and more than just because I am not a top U.S. based retailer, wholesaler, and/or manufacturer.
Believe it or not, this is not the first time I have received a random, spammy InMail. It happens occasionally and very rarely have I ever responded to any of them.
But before I go on, let me explain a bit about LinkedIn InMails.
InMails allow you to send a direct message to ANY LinkedIn member you’re not connected to or share a group with.
You can purchase InMails for $10 a pop or you can upgrade to a linked premium account where you are allotted a certain number of InMails per month.
So back to why I didn’t respond.
Know your InMail Audience
Obviously the person sending the InMail did not review my profile in-depth before sending me this message. That’s a big No-No and 
screams, “I am SPAM!”
There is nothing on my profile related to sourcing, retail, or manufacturing…so why this person thought I was a good fit, I will never know. Had she even just had a quick peep at my profile she would have realized this, and not wasted her money on a costly InMail.
Her InMail would have been a ton more effective had she done her research before sending out this message.
By taking the time to target higher quality prospects, she would’ve had a much higher response rate (I can almost guarantee her response rate was crap).
Personalize Your Message!
The first line of this InMail read, “I would like to cordially invite you to our upcoming limited 1 week event.” Not only is that boring, but she didn’t even take the time to address me personally.
There was no, “Hey Jamie, I thought you’d be interested in this event coming up.” There was no greeting at all!
Always use the prospects name…and make sure you spell it correctly. This is your one chance to make a positive first impression. Do so wisely.
Also, it helps response rates if you reference something from your prospect’s profile; their Alma mater, former company, something from their summary, whatever. It shows you took the time to actually READ their profile and it makes them feel special.
Keep it Short, Sweet, & Conversational.
There is absolutely no reason you should write a short novel when sending an InMail. The InMail that I received was 4 paragraphs long. I pretty much tuned out after the second sentence.
And it’s not just that the InMail was too long, it was extremely dry. You don’t need to overdo it on the superlatives, but keep it causal and inviting enough to actually open a conversation.
Make Sure the Links Work
One thing this lady did right was to include a link to a website where I could get more information.
Always include a link if you are 
promoting an event…as well as a clear call to action. Give your prospects a REASON to respond.
However, I went to click on the link and it didn’t work! It appeared that the website was down for construction.
So even if I was interested in attending the event, I wouldn’t have been able to get more information.
Make sure you double check those links before you direct ANY of your prospects to your site.
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InMail can be extremely useful when trying to reach out and connect with prospects. And with just a little bit of effort and time, you can reach high quality prospects and see a great response rate.
Have you been successful with InMail? Leave a comment and let us know!
