Are you looking to expand your network and get more high-quality leads? LinkedIn is an excellent platform to reach out and connect with prospects. In fact, 80% of the B2B leads that social media marketing companies receive come from LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is a website for professional networking that enables you to establish connections with people outside of your sector. With over 810 million members worldwide, LinkedIn continues to boost users' productivity and success.

A captivating, effective LinkedIn connection message can make all the difference between a busy decision-maker deciding to connect with you and your message getting lost among hundreds of others. It's also important to keep in mind that 98% of sales reps with more than 5,000 LinkedIn contacts consistently exceed their sales quotas.

So how do you send a cold LinkedIn message that will yield desired results? Keep reading to learn more about LinkedIn for B2B sales and tips to write effective LinkedIn InMail messages.

LinkedIn for B2B Cold Messaging

LinkedIn is the most popular platform for business. According to a recent Salesforce State of Marketing study, 62% of firms are already utilizing LinkedIn, and another 22% plan to do so within the next 12 months.

In addition to its large user base, LinkedIn is the best platform for lead creation due to the way its users interact with one another. Users of LinkedIn are already there to establish fruitful connections with other businesspeople. 

It is the best place for you to reach out to new prospects and share how your brand can benefit them. LinkedIn makes it easy to learn about your prospects so you can target the right audience. 

When selling to businesses, it can be difficult to stand apart from the competition. LinkedIn puts you in front of decision-makers and leaders at other companies who are always looking for new business opportunities.

Additionally, it's an excellent forum for showcasing your company's culture, the opportunities you provide, and the advantages of working with you.

Tips for Effective LinkedIn Connection Messages

Knowing what to write in a LinkedIn connection message is crucial because it's your chance to make a good impression. Once the connection is established, marketers can then concentrate on sending LinkedIn messages to further enhance the relationship. 

Follow these 10 tips to write an outstanding LinkedIn message request. 

1. Stay professional 

Before learning how to start a message on LinkedIn, you need to remember to always demonstrate a professional demeanor. Maintaining professionalism is crucial when contacting other professionals in an effort to network. Your message should be classy but not overly formal, with a minimal amount of personal references and unrelated topics.

2. Let them know how you found them

It's usually a good idea to explain to a prospect how you found their profile and what draws you to them. Did you, for instance, meet them at a networking event? Do they have a need for what you're selling? Have they expressed any interest in your offering? 

Explaining how you found them will increase their interest and grab their attention. 

3. Introduce yourself

If the person you're connecting with knows a little bit about who you are, they will be more likely to connect with you. Introduce yourself briefly, but don't get too personal, and stay away from unpleasant details. 

4. Be observant 

Every effective LinkedIn connection message should state why you’re reaching out. Remember that all interactions related to sales should always be directed at the buyer, not at you, so you must express your respect for their engagement and opinion. Show them you've done your research and value their time. 

5. Personalize your LinkedIn message 

Tell your possible connection why you want to connect with them before you do anything else. You may bring up a shared interest, connections, groups, or some other aspect that makes them feel like they should connect with you. When cold messaging on LinkedIn, it is extremely beneficial to bring up any points of common interest you may have with a person you are attempting to connect with. 

When cold messaging on LinkedIn, a lead should always be addressed by name, and you should strive to include information about the company. The more information you have on your prospect, the more likely you are to be accepted on LinkedIn.

6. What do they get out of it 

Since LinkedIn is a business-oriented social network, it's likely that most prospects will be curious as to how you will benefit them. If there is no value proposition in the connection request, the majority of sales representatives and managers will ignore it. If you explain to them what they stand to gain by accepting your request, they will be more inclined to connect with you. 

7. Avoid irrelevant messages 

Avoid just saying, "I'd like to add you to my network," if you want to send an effective LinkedIn connection message. With no personal information or points of commonality, they will likely reject your connection. 

8. Be clear about your intentions and expectations

Whether you’re trying to expand your network, increase sales, learn about someone’s work, or are in the market for a new job, make sure your intentions are clear in your LinkedIn message. Before adding each other on LinkedIn, make sure you both understand where the other stands. If you're not sure how to start a message on LinkedIn, here are some helpful phrases to include:

• "Connecting on LinkedIn would be fantastic."
• “I’m adding you on LinkedIn to get in touch.”
• "Let's connect on LinkedIn, please!

However, as we previously stated, you never want to leave it at that. Give them more details to increase their willingness to comply with your request.

9. Empathize

Always make sure your LinkedIn messages are genuine and sympathetic. After all, nobody wants to connect with someone who comes across as egotistical or insensitive. 

Reach out to them politely and let them know you want to connect with them. As long as it is genuine, you might also compliment them and state that you are looking to connect with people who share your interests or values. 

10. Avoid pitching yourself 

Professionals in business already receive enough telemarketers and spam calls attempting to sell them things; they don't need random strangers attempting to pitch themselves too. If you pitch someone who doesn't know you, you've already lost. Pitching in connection requests may make individuals feel frustrated and irritated, causing them to deny your request right away. 

However, just like the cold call isn't dead, neither is cold pitching; the key is effective targeting. Send a connection request instead of a cold reach-out, explaining what you do and just asking to connect. Once they are familiar with you and you are "friends" on LinkedIn, you may sell yourself.

Why Should You Care About Cold Messaging on LinkedIn?

The point of an effective LinkedIn connection message is to make personal connections. Growing a network of valuable connections that includes other people and companies in your field is crucial. By having a strong network on LinkedIn, you can reap all the benefits of social selling such as: 

• Identifying and attracting customers 
• Building trustworthy relationships
• Establishing credibility 
• Increasing brand visibility 
• Increasing traffic to your company’s website 
• Receiving high-quality leads 
• Increasing reach and conversions 
• Boosting sales 

LinkedIn is without a doubt one of the most effective ways to expand your business. However, LinkedIn won't magically generate leads for you; you must be proactive and engaging when contacting prospects.

By following our expert advice, you can develop powerful and effective LinkedIn connection messages and get the outcomes you've been hoping for.

Choose SalesHive for B2B Cold Messaging On LinkedIn

The start of a successful business relationship starts with an effective B2B LinkedIn connection message. Now that you know how to send a cold LinkedIn message like an expert, you can start making connections with your prospects. 

But do you lack the necessary time or resources? Do you require the support of a team of specialists who are qualified, experienced, and skilled? If so, don't be concerned; SalesHive is prepared to support your success.

The combination of our expert team members and proprietary technology makes it easier than ever to initiate conversations and schedule meetings with top-tier prospects. We connect on LinkedIn with the same prospects we're cold calling and emailing, then send follow-up messages to set up meetings so you can finalize the sale. 

Learn more about our B2B Sales Outsourcing Services today!