How do I delete an InMail message on LinkedIn Sales Navigator?

LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a powerful tool that allows you to identify, connect with, and nurture leads. As you engage with prospects on LinkedIn, you may find yourself wanting to remove an InMail message that you previously sent. Here’s what you need to know about deleting InMail messages on LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

Why You Might Want to Delete an InMail Message

There are a few reasons why you may want to delete an InMail that you sent through Sales Navigator:

• You made a mistake or typo in the message.
• You realized the prospect wasn’t a good fit after sending.
• You found out the prospect changed roles or companies.
• You want to remove old messages to declutter your outreach.
• You want to avoid sending duplicate messages if you reused a template.

Whatever the reason, it’s easy to remove an InMail so it’s no longer visible in your outreach history or the recipient’s inbox.

How to Delete an InMail Message

Deleting an InMail that you sent through Sales Navigator only takes a few steps:

1. Log into your Sales Navigator account and click on “My Network” at the top.
2. Go to the “Messages” section and click on “Sent”.
3. Find the message you want to delete and hover over it. Click on the 3 dots icon next to the message.
4. A dropdown menu will appear. Select “Delete message”.
5. Confirm that you want to delete the message by clicking “Delete” again.

And that’s it! The InMail will be removed from your outreach history and the recipient’s inbox instantly.

Important Notes About Deleting InMails

Here are some key things to keep in mind when deleting InMail messages in Sales Navigator:

• You can only delete messages you have sent, not ones you’ve received.
• Deleted InMails cannot be recovered, so only delete if you’re sure.
• The recipient will no longer be able to view or respond to deleted messages.
• Bulk delete options are not available – you must delete one message at a time.
• Sales Navigator does not notify recipients when an InMail is deleted.

When Does Deleting an InMail Make Sense?

Generally, it makes sense to delete an InMail message if:

• The message contains inaccurate information or errors.
• The prospect is clearly not a fit for your offerings.
• You want to remove old outreach messages from your account.
• You want to streamline your messaging and remove duplicates.

However, you may want to avoid deleting an InMail if:

• The message is your initial outreach to a good prospect.
• You want to preserve a history of communication with a prospect.
• The message led to positive engagement that you want to reference.

Pros of Deleting InMail Messages

Here are some of the benefits of deleting InMail messages when appropriate:

• Corrects mistakes – Deleting lets you remove messages with errors or inaccurate details.
• Keeps inbox clean – Removing old messages declutters your outreach history.
• Prioritizes better prospects – Deleting messages to bad prospects focuses your account on key leads.
• Prevents duplicated messages – Deleting reused templates avoids sending duplicates.
• Improves account performance – Removing ineffective messages can improve your response rates.

Cons of Deleting InMails

There are also a few drawbacks to consider when deleting InMails:

• Loss of communication history – Deleting messages also removes historical conversations with prospects.
• No notifications to recipients – Prospects won’t know an InMail was deleted from their inbox.
• No ability to recover – Accidentally deleted messages cannot be retrieved.
• Time-consuming – Manually deleting each message takes more time vs. bulk options.
• Metrics affected – Response rates, etc. may change if you remove sent messages.

Best Practices When Deleting InMails

To make the most of the ability to delete InMail messages, keep these best practices in mind:

• Avoid deleting initial outreach messages unless there are errors.
• Only remove InMails that clearly won’t lead anywhere positive.
• Delete messages in batches to efficiently declutter your outreach.
• Remember recipients won’t know an InMail was deleted.
• Be prudent about deleting messages with valuable prospect conversations.
• Review InMail metrics regularly to delete ineffective messages.

InMail Deletion Options by LinkedIn Plan

The ability to delete sent InMail messages is available across LinkedIn Sales Navigator plans, but with varying deletion limits:

As you can see, more expensive LinkedIn plans offer greater flexibility for cleaning up your InMail outreach history. Free users cannot delete messages at all.

Tips for Managing Your InMail Strategy

Here are some additional tips to optimize your overall InMail strategy and outreach effectiveness on LinkedIn Sales Navigator:

• Personalize each InMail to show you read the recipient’s profile.
• Follow up on messages that get views but no response.
• Ensure your LinkedIn profile is complete before messaging prospects.
• Use subject lines that create curiosity and interest.
• Track InMail metrics to identify areas for improvement.
• Test different messaging styles and offers to see what resonates.
• Leverage LinkedIn’s Lead Recommendations to identify your warmest prospects.

Conclusion

Deleting LinkedIn InMail messages allows you to remove ineffective or erroneous outreach from your Sales Navigator account. While deleting messages takes more effort than bulk options, it can optimize your inbox, focus on better prospects, and improve your overall InMail strategy. Just be mindful of drawbacks like losing communication history and no notifications to recipients.

With the right approach, judiciously deleting InMails where appropriate can take your LinkedIn outreach to the next level.