LinkedIn Sales Navigator allows you to send personalized messages to multiple prospects at once to generate more leads and opportunities. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to send mass messages on LinkedIn Sales Navigator:
Step 1: Compose Your Message
The first step is to compose the message you want to send out. Keep these tips in mind:
- Personalize the message by merging fields like first name, last name, company, etc.
- Keep the message short, casual, and conversational.
- Ask a question or make a call-to-action to get prospects to respond.
- Avoid overt sales pitches or spammy language.
- Test your message by sending it to yourself first.
Step 2: Identify Your Target Audience
Who do you want to receive this message? You can target prospects in a few ways:
- Saved Lead Lists – Send to existing lists you’ve created.
- Search – Search for keywords, titles, companies, etc.
- Filters – Filter by location, industry, company size, etc.
- Similar Contacts – Find contacts similar to your existing connections.
Target recipients who will find your message relevant. Avoid blasting everyone as this can hurt your sender reputation.
Step 3: Compose Your Campaign
Once you’ve got your message and audience, it’s time to set up your campaign:
- Go to the Sales tab and click “Send Messages.”
- Give your campaign a name and upload your list of recipients.
- Paste in your message and insert merge fields if needed.
- Set a daily sending limit so you don’t flood inboxes.
- Select which data points to capture like replies, clicks, etc.
- Schedule the campaign or send immediately.
Step 4: Review and Send
Before sending your campaign, carefully review:
- Does the message preview look correct with merge fields populated?
- Does your test message look good in your own inbox?
- Are you targeting engaged recipients who will find value?
- Is your sending cadence appropriate and not too aggressive?
Once everything looks good, send out your messages! Monitor open and reply rates to optimize future campaigns.
Tips for Successful Mass Messages
Here are some additional tips for getting results from your mass messaging campaigns:
- Personalize – Use merge fields to add the prospect’s name, company, location, etc. Generic messages get ignored.
- Follow Up – If a prospect engages, follow up personally to continue the conversation.
- Test Different CTAs – Try asking a question, offering content, or inviting to events to see what resonates.
- Experiment – Try different targeted audiences, messages, content offers, etc. and tweak based on results.
- Use Triggers – Leverage events like new connections, new jobs, or shares to trigger relevant messages.
- Rotate Content – Refresh your message content regularly to avoid sounding repetitive.
- Monitor Performance – Check open, clickthrough, and reply rates to refine over time.
LinkedIn’s Guidelines
When sending mass messages, be sure to follow LinkedIn’s guidelines:
- Only target 1st-degree connections or members who’ve engaged with your content before.
- Spread out sending over multiple days and keep message volume low.
- Use relevant subject lines and avoid misleading content.
- Always include an unsubscribe option.
- Promptly remove unengaged prospects from your lists.
- Stop messaging members who don’t respond or ask to opt out.
Violating LinkedIn’s policies could get your account restricted or banned. So tread carefully and focus on quality over quantity.
What Results to Expect
Don’t anticipate an extremely high response rate when sending mass LinkedIn messages. Here are some typical benchmarks:
- Open Rate: 20-30%
- Clickthrough Rate: 5-15%
- Reply Rate: 2-5%
The key is following up personally with prospects who do engage to turn them into leads. With testing and optimization over time, you can steadily improve your performance.
Tools to Use
Here are some tools that can streamline mass messaging on LinkedIn:
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator – The built-in “Send Messages” feature covered here.
- Mailshake – Chrome extension to integrate LinkedIn messaging.
- Outreach.io – Send, track, and analyze campaigns.
- Woodpecker – Schedule messages and follow-ups.
- Mixmax – Embed video, track opens/clicks, and more.
- Drift – AI-powered engagement platform.
Carefully evaluate tools against LinkedIn’s policies and your unique needs.
Alternatives to Mass Messaging
If mass messaging doesn’t fit your strategy, consider these alternative outreach channels:
- InMail – Send individual personalized messages.
- LinkedIn Ads – Target prospects with highly relevant ads.
- Company Pages – Engage your target accounts.
- Groups – Participate in industry/role-specific groups.
- Content Marketing – Attract prospects with valuable content.
- Events – Network in-person at conferences, meetups, etc.
A diversified approach across multiple channels is often most effective.
The Key to Success
The most important factor for success with mass LinkedIn messaging is the quality of your outreach.
Target engaged prospects who will welcome your message. Avoid spamming everyone with generic pitches.
Craft personalized value-driven messages tailored to each recipient. Focus on starting meaningful conversations, not just blasting promotional content.
With a thoughtful, member-first approach you can generate quality leads at scale on LinkedIn while maintaining your hard-earned reputation and relationships.