LinkedIn InMail allows you to directly contact anyone on LinkedIn, even if you’re not connected. But with great power comes great responsibility – you need to make sure your InMails are an appropriate length. A short one or two sentence InMail looks lazy and spammy, while an extremely long one risks not even being read. So what’s the optimal length for LinkedIn InMails? Let’s take a look at some best practices.
What is LinkedIn InMail?
LinkedIn InMail is LinkedIn’s internal messaging system that allows you to directly contact any LinkedIn member, regardless of whether they are in your network or not. Some key things to know about InMail:
- InMail credits are required to send InMails. You can purchase credits or get a limited number for free with certain LinkedIn accounts.
- InMail sits separate from LinkedIn’s main messaging system and will show up directly in the recipient’s inbox.
- Recipients can choose to reply for free or ignore the message.
- InMail cannot be used to send spam or unsolicited promotional content.
InMail opens up new opportunities to directly engage your target prospects and contacts. But with the ability to message anyone comes the responsibility to do so in a professional, non-spammy way.
InMail Length Best Practices
So what is the recommended length for a LinkedIn InMail? Here are some best practices to follow:
Aim for 50-100 words
In general, 50-100 words is the ideal length for an introductory InMail. This gives you enough space to personalize the message and explain why you are reaching out, without overwhelming the recipient with a huge block of text.
3-4 short paragraphs or 5-6 sentences is usually sufficient. You want the recipient to be able to quickly scan and understand the purpose of your message.
Personalize the InMail
Personalized InMails have much higher response rates than generic “spam” InMails. Take the time to customize your message to the recipient’s profile and explain why you are uniquely interested in connecting with them.
Call out specifics like:
- A company they work for
- A shared connection
- An interest or hobby you have in common
This shows you took the time to understand who they are and why they are relevant to you.
Lead with the value proposition
Get right to the point – explain who you are and why it is worthwhile for them to connect with or respond to you. Articulate what you can offer them or how you may be able to help.
You want them to immediately grasp why they should care about your InMail versus dismissing it as spam.
Make it scannable
Use short paragraphs, bullet points, bolding, or other formatting to make your InMail easy to quickly scan. Dense blocks of text are more likely to be ignored.
Breaking your message into 3-4 short coherent paragraphs is optimal for scannability.
Close with a clear call-to-action
End your InMail with a specific call-to-action, like requesting to connect, asking for a phone call, or inviting them to an event.
This gives the recipient a clear sense of what the “next step” is if they want to engage further. Don’t leave things ambiguous.
When to Write Longer InMails
While 50-100 words is recommended for most introductory InMails, there are some cases where writing a longer 200+ word InMail makes sense:
- Following up – If this is a follow up InMail to an existing conversation, recap your previous exchanges and provide more detail.
- Complex proposals – If you are proposing an extensive partnership, strategic alliance, etc, more detail may be warranted.
- Thought leadership – Longer “thought leadership” InMails can work in some cases if truly unique value is provided.
However, even in these cases, aim to be as concise as possible and make strategic use of formatting to enhance scannability.
InMail Length Guidelines by Type
Here are some more specific InMail length recommendations based on the type of InMail:
Introductory InMail
- 50-100 words
- 3-4 paragraphs
- Personalized to the recipient
- Clear value proposition
Follow Up InMail
- 100-200 words
- 4-5 paragraphs
- Recap previous conversation
- Provide additional details
- Pose specific questions
Complex Proposal InMail
- 200-300 words
- 5-6 paragraphs
- Outline specifics of partnership/alliance
- Provide sufficient details
- Include a call-to-action for next steps
Thought Leadership InMail
- 200-500 words
- 5+ paragraphs
- Provide unique value/insights
- Leverage lists, stats, examples
- Be very engaging
Formatting Best Practices
Proper formatting is crucial to enhancing the scannability and engagement of your InMail. Here are some key formatting tips:
Use short paragraphs
Keep paragraphs to 1-3 sentences maximum. Large blocks of text are daunting and easy to disengage from.
Bold key talking points
Bolding your critical talking points helps them stand out. But don’t overdo it.
Bullet key lists
Use bullet points to call out key lists, stats, accomplishments, etc. Breaks up the text.
Include headings
Add headings for key sections like Introduction, Proposal, Next Steps. Allows quick scanning.
Be concise
Avoid rambling. Get to the point quickly and cut out unnecessary words. Streamline your thoughts.
Use numbers and stats
Quantitative details stand out and lend credibility. But use them sparingly.
Avoid over-formatting
Things like excessive bolding, italicizing, underlining, CAPITAL LETTERS quickly look messy. Use judiciously.
Conclusion
To summarize key points:
- For most intro InMails, 50-100 words is ideal
- Follow up and complex proposals may warrant 100-300 words
- Thought leadership can use 200-500 words if truly compelling
- Always personalize and add value for the recipient
- Make your InMails scannable with formatting and concise writing
- End with a clear call-to-action
Following these best practices will help ensure your InMails are read, respected, and responded to instead of ignored. The quality of your message trumps the length, but find the right balance for each situation. Master the art of the high-impact InMail.