One of the most common questions I receive from financial professionals is, "Why are my LinkedIn InMails or messages not getting many responses?" In reviewing hundreds of messages recently, the most common issues tend to be that financial professionals don't type like they would speak and they try to close the deal on the first message. LinkedIn is actually a lot like online dating, if you think about it, and it starts with building a relationship first.
Below are some tips for improving your ROI of your LinkedIn InMails or LinkedIn messages.
1. Creativity counts
Creativity is most important when it comes to the subject line. We have all received an email from a sales person that says "Generate more leads with XYZ Company" or "Buy this. It will change your life" and, if you are like me, you instantly delete it. By simply adding some creativity and taking the time to actually look at the person's LinkedIn profile, you will improve your response rate drastically.
Here are some examples that actually prompted responses:
"Go Dawgs! // Nurses Rock // Digital Photography // Coffee?"
"Rugby // Northeastern // Mutual Connection – John Smith // Coffee?"
2. Make it personal
Don't forget to personalize your InMails or messages. As someone who met their wife on Match.com, I can tell you simply doing copy and paste and playing a numbers game doesn't work. This holds true on LinkedIn as well.
