LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 530 million members. With so many professionals on the platform, LinkedIn can be a goldmine for finding and collecting email addresses for business needs like marketing, sales, recruiting, etc. However, LinkedIn does not make it easy to extract email addresses en masse from member profiles. The platform has strict rules against scraping and spamming. So how can you ethically and legally gather email addresses from LinkedIn for your business needs? Here are some tips and strategies.
Why Gather Email Addresses from LinkedIn?
Here are some of the main reasons businesses want to collect email addresses from LinkedIn:
– Lead generation – Email addresses allow you to reach out to prospects and start conversations. LinkedIn profiles contain a treasure trove of data to identify promising leads based on job title, skills, company, location and more.
– Recruitment – Email outreach can help you connect with potential job candidates for open positions. Especially passive candidates not actively job searching.
– Sales prospecting – Email is still one of the main ways sales teams connect with potential new customers. LinkedIn profiles provide insight to target key decision makers.
– Event promotion – Email invites and reminders are crucial for promoting events and driving attendance. LinkedIn lets you filter profiles by location and industry to build targeted invite lists.
– Partnerships – You can use LinkedIn to find and email relevant businesses to propose strategic partnerships and collaborations.
– Staying in touch – Maintaining a database of LinkedIn connections’ email addresses allows you to periodically check in and nurture relationships.
Limitations of LinkedIn Email Gathering
While LinkedIn can be a valuable source of professional email addresses, there are some limitations to be aware of:
– No bulk export – LinkedIn does not allow users to export email addresses en masse or scrape them from profiles. So collecting emails must be done manually.
– Connection required – You can only view the full profiles and email addresses of your 1st-degree connections. For 2nd and 3rd-degree connections, you can send InMail messages.
– Low response rate – Cold emailing people you’re not connected to on LinkedIn tends to have lower response rates compared to warm outbound emails.
– Missing emails – Many LinkedIn users don’t add their email addresses to their public profiles. You’re limited to those who do.
– Restricted access – LinkedIn restricts the number of InMail messages you can send per month based on your account type.
– Spam risk – Mass emailing LinkedIn members risks your messages getting flagged as spam if not done carefully.
Search for Email Addresses in LinkedIn Profiles
The most direct way to gather emails on LinkedIn is to search for and extract addresses one-by-one from member profiles. Here are some tips for this manual approach:
– Search by criteria – Use LinkedIn’s advanced search to find prospects based on keywords, job titles, companies, locations and other filters.
– Check for email field – Once you open a profile, look for the “Contact info” section and see if an email address is listed.
– Export into spreadsheet – Copy and paste valid email addresses you find into a spreadsheet or CRM system.
– Personalize connection requests – When sending connection invites, customize the message to improve your chances of acceptance.
– Use LinkedIn contact tools – Utilize the “Add a personal note” field when requesting to connect to provide context.
– Follow up promptly – After connecting, follow up with your new connections via email or InMail in a timely manner.
– Refine search approach – Keep refining your search criteria and messaging based on response rates.
Leverage Your LinkedIn Network
Another approach is leveraging your 1st-degree LinkedIn connections to expand your reach and gain email introductions:
– Request intros – Ask your connections to introduce you via email to relevant 2nd-degree connections in their network.
– Get referrals – Have your connections refer you and your outreach when emailing their contacts.
– Offer recommendations – Provide recommendations to your connections in exchange for email introductions.
– Share opportunities – When you discover job openings, business deals, or events relevant to your network, share them via email.
– Collaborate on content – Work with your connections to co-create content and co-promote it to each other’s networks.
– Personalized outreach – Make sure all email outreach via your connections is personalized based on each recipient’s specific LinkedIn profile.
Use LinkedIn Groups for Prospecting
LinkedIn Groups based on topics, industries, locations, and interests are another way to connect with prospects and gather emails:
– Join relevant Groups – Search for and join Groups related to your target prospects, customers, partners etc.
– Engage in discussions – Active participate in Group discussions by posting, commenting, liking, and sharing. Provide value.
– Connect with members – Once you build rapport through engaging content, connect directly with Group members.
– Analyze member profiles – Identify Group members that fit your ideal customer profile for email outreach.
– Personlize InMail – Use InMail to personalized reach out to Group members you’re not connected to.
– Monitor engagement – See which members engage most with your InMail messages and content. Prioritize them.
– Offer to assist – Position yourself as an advisor who can provide tips and assistance related to the Group’s focus.
Work With a Sales Development Rep
For a more hands-off approach, you can hire a sales development rep (SDR) skilled at leveraging LinkedIn for qualified lead generation:
– Provide prospect criteria – Give the SDR clear guidance on your target prospect profile and outreach goals.
– Allocate budget – Factor in the SDR’s salary, benefits, tools, and other costs. Set realistic email volume expectations.
– Use prospecting tools – Equip the SDR with sales automation tools to identify prospects and track outreach.
– Personalize messaging – Make sure the SDR tailors emails and connection requests for each prospect.
– Stress relevance – Instruct the SDR to only email prospects relevant to your business to avoid spam complaints.
– Review processes – Check in regularly on the SDR’s workflows to ensure effective prospecting tactics.
– Analyze results – Have the SDR report on email metrics, including number sent, open rate, response rate, unsubscribes etc.
– Refine approaches – Work with the SDR to keep improving search criteria, templates and workflows to get better results.
Buy Targeted Email Lists
You can also buy targeted lists of LinkedIn prospect email addresses from specialized providers like Connectifier and others. Some key considerations if exploring this route:
– Vet providers – Carefully vet any email list provider on reputation, sourcing methods, data quality, privacy compliance, etc.
– Confirm opt-ins – Ensure all list contacts have specifically opted in to receiving emails from third parties.
– Scrub against spam lists – Run the lists against consumer email blacklisting services to remove spam traps or risky contacts.
– Review sources – Ask list providers to explain exactly how and where they source the LinkedIn email addresses.
– Segment data – See if providers can segment lists by job role, company, location and other filters to target ideal prospects.
– Test performance – Start with small test batches from providers first before committing to larger email list purchases.
– Personalize content – Avoid spam flags by personalizing email content based on each prospect’s LinkedIn profile data.
– Monitor complaints – Track unsubscribe rates, abuse reports and spam complaints to identify any problematic list sources.
Use Prospecting Browser Extensions
Browser extensions like Clearbit Connect, Octopus CRM and others can help identify and collect email addresses from LinkedIn profiles:
– Install extension – Add the prospecting extension to your Chrome, Firefox, or Edge browser. Most offer free version with paid tiers.
– Connect accounts – Link the extension to your LinkedIn so it can access your connections.
– Enable permissions – Allow the extension access to required LinkedIn data like profiles and contacts.
– Set up lists – Create lists and segments to save prospects based on specific criteria.
– Browse prospects – The extension will automatically scan profiles and highlight email addresses.
– Export emails – Use the extension’s tools to batch export collected email addresses into a spreadsheet.
– Personalize outreach – Make sure all exported email prospects receive personalized messaging.
– Monitor compliance – Carefully review extension privacy policies and terms of use to avoid violations.
– Refine preferences – Adjust the extension settings to target more relevant prospects and improve data quality.
Use Data Enrichment Tools
Data enrichment tools like Clearbit, RocketReach, Lusha, and others can also help attach email addresses to LinkedIn profiles:
– Install app – Add the data enrichment app or extension to your email platform, CRM, or browser.
– Upload LinkedIn profiles – Export and upload target LinkedIn profile links into the platform.
– Match profiles – The app will automatically match and attach data like email addresses to LinkedIn profiles.
– Prioritize matches – Focus on prospects with the highest firmographic fit based on role, company, location etc.
– Filter quality – Review matched email addresses and filter out any that appear invalid or risky.
– Personalize outreach – Use matched profile data to customize and personalize your email pitches.
– Enrich other fields – Use the tool to add phone numbers, Twitter profiles, org charts, and other data to contacts.
– Monitor usage – Track tool usage against contract limits to avoid any overage fees.
– Assess performance – Evaluate the number and quality of emails matched to gauge the tool’s effectiveness.
Summary of Key Points
Here are some key takeaways on the best practices for gathering email addresses from LinkedIn:
– Manually search for and export email addresses from LinkedIn profile contact info sections. Use LinkedIn advanced search to filter prospects.
– Leverage your 1st-degree connections for introductions and referrals to their networks.
– Join relevant LinkedIn Groups to build relationships and credibility with prospects.
– Consider hiring an SDR to specialize in targeted LinkedIn prospecting and email outreach at scale.
– Carefully vet and buy targeted prospect email lists from reputable providers like Connectifier.
– Use browser extensions like Clearbit Connect and Octopus CRM to help highlight and export email addresses.
– Employ data enrichment tools like Clearbit, RocketReach and Lusha to attach email addresses to LinkedIn profiles.
– Avoid spam complaints by fully personalizing your outreach based on each prospect’s LinkedIn profile.
Sample Outreach Email Templates
Here are a few email template examples you can customize when reaching out to prospects sourced from LinkedIn:
Connection Request Email
Subject: Connecting on LinkedIn
Hi [First Name],
I saw we share some common connections and interests in [industry/topic] on LinkedIn and wanted to connect with you here.
I’m currently working on [project/initiative] as a [role] at [company]. I think there could be potential ways for us to collaborate and support each other’s efforts, especially around [relevant goals].
I’d love to schedule a quick call to introduce myself and learn more about your work. Are you available for 15-20 minutes sometime next week?
Looking forward to connecting.
Best,
[Your Name]
Referral Email
Subject: Quick introduction from [Mutual Connection]
Hi [First Name],
[Mutual Connection] suggested I reach out and connect with you here on LinkedIn.
We’re both involved in [industry/topic] – you as [title] at [company] and myself on the [relevant project/role] side at [company].
Now seemed like a good time to touch base as I’m exploring ways to collaborate with other leaders in this space. I’d love to schedule a call to exchange ideas whenever works for you.
Let me know if you might have some time in the next couple weeks!
Best,
[Your Name]
Follow Up to InMail
Subject: Following up on LinkedIn outreach
Hi [First Name],
I wanted to follow up on the InMail message I sent you last week connecting via LinkedIn. I know how busy things can get, so I’m sure it may have gotten lost in the shuffle.
I was reaching out because of [reason relevant to them based on LinkedIn profile]. I thought there could be an opportunity to [work together/collaborate/connect] in some capacity given our similar backgrounds in [industry/topic].
If you have 15-20 minutes in the next few days, I’d love to talk more over the phone or meet over coffee. Let me know what might work for you.
I look forward to connecting!
Best,
[Your Name]
Top Tools and Services for LinkedIn Email Prospecting
| Tool | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Clearbit Connect | Chrome extension that identifies and exports LinkedIn prospect email addresses |
| Hunter.io | Finds email addresses for a company’s employees based on LinkedIn profiles |
| Octopus CRM | Suite of Google Chrome extensions for LinkedIn automation and lead generation |
| Lusha | Browser extension and data enrichment platform that attaches emails to B2B profiles |
| RocketReach | Finds and verifies email addresses for 50 million professionals |
| Connectifier | Generates targeted prospect email lists filtered by LinkedIn data |
| Mailshake | Desktop app for automating personalized LinkedIn outreach campaigns |
| Woodpecker | LinkedIn automation tool for prospecting, scheduling meetings, and follow-ups |
| Buzzstream | All-in-one LinkedIn & email prospecting platform for sales teams |
| Dux-Soup | Headless browser to automate LinkedIn messaging and extract prospect data |
Conclusion
LinkedIn’s depth of professional profile data makes it a goldmine for sourcing targeted B2B prospect contact information like email addresses. While LinkedIn makes it challenging to extract emails in bulk, a variety of effective tactics and tools can help you build targeted prospect lists. As long as you remember to fully personalize your outreach, gathering emails from LinkedIn can significantly expand your lead generation and sales prospects. Just be sure to do so ethically and avoiding spamming. With strategic prospecting and compelling messaging, LinkedIn emails can provide the crucial starting point for fruitful customer conversations.
