LinkedIn InMail messages are a great way to directly reach and engage with other LinkedIn members. However, there are limits on how many InMail messages you can send per day and month to prevent spamming. Here is a look at the LinkedIn InMail sending limits and best practices for making the most of your InMails.
LinkedIn InMail Limits
The number of InMail messages you can send per day depends on your LinkedIn account status:
| LinkedIn Account Type | InMails Per Day |
| Basic (Free) Account | 0 InMails per day |
| Business Plus Account | 15 InMails per day |
| Sales Navigator Professional Account | 25 InMails per day |
| Sales Navigator Team Account | 50 InMails per day |
| Recruiter Lite Account | 25 InMails per day |
| Recruiter Corporate Account | 50 InMails per day |
As you can see, free LinkedIn members do not have access to InMail messaging. You need to upgrade to a premium account like Business Plus, Sales Navigator, or Recruiter to send direct messages. The number of InMails allocated per day depends on the level of premium account.
In addition to daily limits, LinkedIn also enforces monthly InMail sending limits to prevent spam and abuse. The monthly limits are typically around 10 times the daily allowance. So Business Plus members can send around 150 InMails per month, while Sales Navigator Team accounts get 500 monthly InMails.
If you try to exceed the daily or monthly allotted InMails, LinkedIn will prevent additional messages until your limit resets the next day or month. Consistently hitting the caps may trigger limits on your account.
Best Practices for LinkedIn InMail
To maximize the effectiveness of your limited InMails, follow these best practices:
Personalize Each Message
Avoid copy-pasting generic InMail messages, which come across as spammy. Personalize each note to the recipient’s profile and your shared connections/interests. This helps ensure your message gets opened and read.
Send from a Full Profile
InMail messages sent from complete profiles with a profile photo tend to have higher response rates. Make sure your profile is robust before reaching out.
Target the Right People
Don’t blast your InMails broadly. Carefully target recipients who are more likely to respond and convert to connections or opportunities.
Follow Up Politely
If someone doesn’t respond initially, follow up once more politely. But avoid repeated messages if they continue to ignore you.
Watch Your Tone
Sound friendly and conversational, not overly salesy or desperate. Build a relationship first before pitching services.
Offer Value
Clearly communicate what’s in it for them. Provide useful information, resources, or recommendations of value.
Leveraging InMail for Sales Prospecting
InMail can be very effective for sales prospecting outreach to connect with key decision makers. Here are some tips for using InMail to generate more sales leads and clients:
Identify Target Accounts
Research and prioritize the list of accounts you want to obtain as clients. Start with existing customers or prospects already in your pipeline.
Find Key Contacts
Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to identify the decision makers and influencers at your target accounts. Focus on connecting with the right people.
Personalize with Research
Review their LinkedIn profiles and company websites to personalize your messages and show you understand their needs.
Communicate Value
Explain how you can help their business. Provide useful insights or content to start a relationship.
Make it Easy to Learn More
Include links to your website, content offers, or calendar to schedule a call to make next steps obvious.
Follow Up
If no response, follow up once more a week or two later with another valuable piece of content.
Expand Your Network
Even if they aren’t ready to buy now, connections provide access to referrals and future opportunities.
Leveraging InMail for Recruiting
InMail is also an important tool for recruiters to directly connect with potential candidates for open roles. Here are recruiting best practices for InMail:
Source Candidate Long List
Use LinkedIn Recruiter or Boolean searches to build a list of potential candidates that match the job requirements.
Review Profiles Thoroughly
Assess each candidate’s full profile to ensure their skills and experience align with the position needs.
Send Targeted Messages
Personalize InMails by mentioning specifics in their background that make them a great fit to show you did your homework.
Sell the Opportunity
Explain why the job and company are exciting opportunities worth exploring further for their career.
Follow Up Persistently
It can take multiple InMail touchpoints to get a candidate’s attention if they aren’t actively searching. Nurture them.
Watch Response Times
Note if they opened your message or responded, and how quickly. Faster response indicates higher engagement and interest level.
Move Quickly When Interested
When a candidate does respond with interest, act fast to schedule initial screening calls before they move on.
InMail Alternatives and Workarounds
If you hit your InMail limits, here are some alternative options for messaging LinkedIn members:
Upgrade LinkedIn Account
Upgrading to Business Plus or Sales Navigator will immediately increase your daily and monthly allotment of InMails.
Use Connections for Introductions
Ask existing 1st-degree connections to introduce you to the members you want to contact via InMail.
Message Recent Profile Visitors
You can send 1 free message to anyone who has viewed your profile recently without using InMail credits.
Wait to Accrue More
Daily limits reset at 12am PST every day. Monthly limits reset on the 1st of each new month.
Buy Additional InMails
You can purchase extra InMail credits à la carte in packages of 10, 25, 50, 100, or 200.
Use Other Communication Channels
Alternatives like email, phone calls, social media, events, ads, content offers, and mutual connections can also be leveraged.
Conclusion
LinkedIn InMail is a powerful tool for sales prospecting and recruiting outreach. But daily and monthly limits constrain how many messages you can send. Focus on personalizing InMails, targeting the right recipients, communicating value, and leveraging other channels to supplement when needed. With the right strategy, you can maximize the impact of your limited InMail messages on LinkedIn.
