LinkedIn InMail can be a great way to connect with potential clients, partners, or job opportunities. However, sending an initial InMail is only the first step. Following up effectively is key to turning your outreach into meaningful conversations and relationships.
Should you follow up after sending a LinkedIn InMail?
Yes, you should follow up if you don’t receive a response to your initial InMail. Many people receive a high volume of messages on LinkedIn and yours may have gotten lost in the shuffle. A friendly, polite follow up shows you’re serious about connecting and keeps your message top of mind.
When should you follow up after an InMail?
As a general rule, follow up 5-7 business days after sending your initial InMail if you haven’t received a response. This gives the recipient reasonable time to reply while still keeping the conversation fresh.
Here are some recommendations on when to follow up:
- Follow up 5 business days after sending an InMail to someone you have an existing relationship with or have met in person before.
- Wait 7 business days to follow up with someone you don’t know, like a prospective client.
- If you’re following up with someone about time-sensitive information like an upcoming event or deadline, follow up within 3-4 days.
How many times should you follow up?
As a general rule, don’t follow up more than 2-3 times total. Here are some recommendations on follow up frequency:
- Send your initial InMail.
- Follow up after 5-7 business days if no response.
- Follow up again 5 business days after your first follow up.
- One final follow up is optional 5 business days later.
Any more than 3 follow ups becomes excessive and risks annoying the recipient. Use your best judgment based on your relationship with the person.
What’s the best way to follow up on LinkedIn InMail?
The best way to follow up on a LinkedIn InMail is with another personalized InMail referencing your original message. Don’t simply re-send the same InMail again. Here are some tips:
- Refresh their memory by mentioning when you last connected and the topic of your initial message. “I reached out last Tuesday about [topic] but wanted to reiterate my interest in connecting with you.”
- If you have any new updates relevant to your outreach, include them. “Since we last spoke, I saw that [new development] so I wanted to check back in.”
- Remind them why you want to connect without sounding desperate. “Connecting could be very beneficial for [reasons] so I’d appreciate the opportunity to stay in touch.”
- Consider changing the call-to-action. For example, instead of requesting a phone call, you could suggest meeting at an industry event you both will be attending.
- Change up the messaging while keeping it relevant and personalized. Don’t make it seem like a copied and pasted template.
What should you include in a LinkedIn InMail follow up message?
The follow up InMail should be concise while refreshing their memory on who you are and why you want to connect. Include the following elements:
- Subject line referencing your previous outreach. “Following up on my InMail about [topic]”
- Brief reminder of who you are and when you last reached out. Jog their memory.
- 1-2 sentence recap of why you want to connect. Focus on shared goals/interests.
- Any relevant updates since your last message.
- Direct call-to-action, but don’t make demands. Suggest meeting for coffee or getting on a quick phone call.
- Expression of thanks and understanding. “I know you’re very busy, so I appreciate your consideration of my invitation.”
Keep the follow up message focused. Long blocks of text can be ignored, so get to the point quickly.
What’s the tone and voice for a good follow up message?
The tone of your InMail follow up should be friendly, conversational, and sincere. Here are some tips on the right tone:
- Friendly and approachable, like reaching out to someone you already know
- Genuine and direct. Say exactly why you want to connect.
- Avoid sounding desperate or pushy. Don’t demand or plead.
- Polite and gracious. “I’d appreciate the opportunity…”
- Understanding about their lack of response. Don’t sound annoyed.
You want to sound confident but not arrogant. Make your interest clear while also demonstrating patience and understanding if they haven’t gotten back to you yet.
What are some good subject lines for a LinkedIn follow up?
The subject line is your chance to catch their eye and entice them to open your message. Use clear, direct headlines that reference your previous conversation.
Here are some example subject lines for LinkedIn InMail follow ups:
- Following up on our LinkedIn connection
- Circling back about [industry/topic]
- Connecting on [shared interest or goal]
- Wanted to retry connecting!
- Reconnecting per my last InMail
Avoid vague subject lines like “Follow up” or “Touching base” that could signal a sales pitch. The subject line should get across that you have an existing conversation to continue.
How do you write a follow up message if they viewed your profile?
If you see the recipient viewed your LinkedIn profile but didn’t respond, call that out in your follow up message. Mentioning they viewed your profile makes it harder for them to ignore you.
Here is an example message if they viewed your profile:
SUBJECT: Following up since you viewed my LinkedIn profile
Dear [name],
I noticed you visited my LinkedIn profile last week but I’m yet to hear back about [reason you connected]. I wanted to follow up because I think [benefit of connecting] could be very valuable for both of us.
[Optional brief recap of shared goals or reason for connecting]
Let me know if you’d be open to [request like getting coffee, a phone call, etc]. I appreciate you taking the time to view my profile and consideration of my invitation.
Best,
[Your name]
Calling out that they viewed your profile makes it harder for them to pretend they didn’t see your message. But maintain a positive, optimistic tone rather than sounding accusatory.
What are some reasons a LinkedIn connection might not respond?
There are many reasons someone may not respond to your initial InMail other than lack of interest. Here are some common reasons for no response:
- They simply missed your message in their inbox
- Too busy to respond right away and forgot to follow up later
- Unsure if they want to connect and still deciding
- Want more information from you before committing to a conversation
- Concerned your conversation will turn into a sales pitch
- Unclear on who you are or how you could help them
A friendly, value-focused follow up helps address many of these concerns. Don’t take non-response personally or as an outright “no.” Patience and persistence pay off.
When should you stop following up?
As a general rule, stop following up after 3 unanswered InMails. After 3 attempts, continuing to message them comes across as spammy, pushy, or desperate.
Here are some signs it’s time to stop following up:
- You’ve sent 3 InMails spaced 5-7 days apart with no response
- They viewed your LinkedIn profile but still didn’t reply after multiple follow ups
- Your InMail says “unable to deliver” indicating you’re now blocked
- They replied asking you not to contact them again
At that point, it’s best to move on and refocus your efforts elsewhere. Continuing to message could damage your reputation or get your account flagged. Don’t take it personally and focus on more promising connections.
What’s a graceful way to end the conversation if they don’t respond?
If you’ve reached out 3 times with no reply, bring closure to the conversation in a professional way. Here are some tips for a graceful exit:
- Thank them for their time and consideration of your invitation
- Leave door open, if they reevaluate they can reach out to you
- Wish them the best and say you hope your paths cross in the future
- Avoid sounding bitter, angry, or embarrassed about the non-response
- Take the high road and be polite. Don’t call them out.
Here is an example message wrapping up an unanswered conversation:
“Hi [name],
Just wanted to thank you again for considering my invitation and taking the time to look over my LinkedIn profile. I understand you likely have many requests on your plate. If you revisit this and change your mind, please don’t hesitate to reach back out. I wish you the very best and hope we cross paths again soon.
Regards,
[Your name]”
End respectfully on a positive note. This preserves your reputation and leaves the door open down the line.
What should you do if they respond after initially ignoring you?
If the recipient finally responds after ignoring your initial InMails, proceed with caution. Here are some tips on how to respond:
- Thank them for getting back to you and acknowledge the delay
- Don’t sound irritated they ignored you earlier
- Politely ask what made them reconsider connecting now
- Recap your invitation and shared interests
- If the timing no longer works for you, politely decline to avoid frustration
Your response will depend on why the delay occurred and whether you’re still interested in connecting. Gauge their interest level before getting into substantive conversation. But don’t punish them if they finally came around and saw value in speaking further.
Conclusion
Following up after sending a LinkedIn InMail is critical to making meaningful connections. Be patient, add value, and focus on shared interests and goals. With persistence and care, many recipients will open up after initial non-response. But know when to move on and end conversations gracefully if needed. Thoughtful, strategic follow up helps turn inbound relationship-building into huge opportunities.
