LinkedIn Premium InMail allows you to directly contact anyone on LinkedIn, even if you’re not connected. With Premium InMail, you can:
– Send messages directly to the inbox of any LinkedIn member without needing to connect first. This helps you reach the right decision makers.
– Get fast responses and high response rates compared to basic LinkedIn messages.
– Stand out with prominent placement in recipients’ inboxes.
– See exactly when your messages are read and get insights on each recipient’s company and role.
InMail messages bypass spam filters and go directly to the LinkedIn member’s inbox, giving you the best shot at connecting with influential people and hard-to-reach decision makers.
Who Can Use Premium InMail?
Here is a look at who can use Premium InMail on LinkedIn:
LinkedIn Account Type | Premium InMail Access |
---|---|
Free Account | No access to InMail |
Premium Career Account | 30 InMail credits per month |
Premium Business Account | 50 InMail credits per month |
Premium Sales Account | 100 InMail credits per month |
Premium Hiring Account | 150 InMail credits per month |
Premium Team Accounts | Custom InMail credits depending on plan |
As you can see, Premium InMail is only available to LinkedIn members who upgrade to a paid Premium account. Free members cannot send InMails. Each Premium account type includes a set allocation of InMail credits to use per month.
Some key things to note:
– InMail credits renew each month and do not roll over. Use your credits or lose them.
– You can purchase additional InMail credits beyond the monthly allocation. Each InMail costs $10.
– Team and Recruiter accounts can have customized InMail allocations depending on the plan.
So Premium InMail requires an investment, but delivers much higher response rates by directly reaching the right people.
How InMail Works
Here is an overview of how Premium InMail works on LinkedIn:
1. Locate the LinkedIn member you want to reach. You can search LinkedIn profiles normally. Premium InMail lets you message members regardless of whether they are 1st-degree connections.
2. Click “Connect” and select “Send InMail”. This opens the InMail compose screen.
3. Compose your InMail. Craft your message. You can write up to 1000 characters. Personalize each InMail to improve open and response rates.
4. Send the InMail. Hit send and an InMail credit will be deducted from your account. Your message goes directly to the recipient’s inbox.
5. Get insights on InMail performance. LinkedIn shows you when your message is opened and gives analytics on response rates.
6. Continue the conversation. If the recipient responds, you can have an ongoing dialogue all within LinkedIn Mail.
So InMail provides close integration with LinkedIn’s messaging platform for seamless professional conversations.
InMail vs. Basic LinkedIn Messages
How does InMail differ from LinkedIn’s basic messaging available to all members? Here is an InMail vs. basic LinkedIn messages comparison:
Feature | InMail | Basic LinkedIn Messages |
---|---|---|
Send messages to people not in your network | Yes | No |
Messages go to main inbox | Yes | No, separate “Messages” section |
Open and response tracking | Yes | No |
Higher response rates | Yes | No |
Bypasses spam filters | Yes | No |
Cost per message | $10 | Free |
As you can see, InMail provides much more visibility and higher response rates. But this comes at a cost, while basic messages are free.
InMail Use Cases
What are some good uses cases and examples of when to use Premium InMail?
Recruiting: Contact passive job candidates that aren’t actively applying. InMail lets recruiters reach the right people.
Sales prospecting: Connect with decision-makers and buyers at target companies. InMail provides direct access.
Business development: Initiate partnerships and deals by messaging key connections at partner companies.
Event invitations: Send personalized invites to speakers, sponsors, attendees and others.
Following up: Follow up on existing connections and conversations using InMail.
Connecting after meeting someone: After meeting someone at a conference or event, use InMail to continue the dialogue.
Reconnecting with former colleagues: Get back in touch with old coworkers and contacts at previous companies.
Requesting informational interviews: InMail executives, managers and other professionals to request informational interviews.
As you can see, InMail has diverse applications for sales, recruiting, business development, events, and maintaining your network. The key is personalizing messages to improve open and response rates.
InMail Tips and Best Practices
What are some top tips for getting results from Premium InMail? Here are some best practices:
– Personalize every message – Reference their background, interests, company, role, etc. Generic InMail goes ignored.
– Make the subject line compelling – Get them to open your InMail with a subject that speaks to their interests.
– Highlight shared connections – Proactively mention any shared connections to establish rapport.
– Keep messages concise – Get to the point quickly within 1000 characters. Long-winded InMail goes unread.
– Follow up persistently (but politely) – Follow up within 2 weeks if no response. But don’t overdo it.
– Include a call-to-action – Provide a specific CTA, don’t just end with your contact info.
– Use InMail selectively – InMail works best when messages are targeted and relevant.
Following these best practices will get you higher open and response rates. Personalized messages show you did your homework on the recipient.
InMail Metrics and Analytics
One of the best features of Premium InMail is the ability to see metrics on how your messages perform. You get insights right within your LinkedIn account.
Key InMail analytics include:
Open Rates – See what percentage of your InMail gets opened by recipients. This helps gauge interest levels.
Response Rates – LinkedIn shows what percentage of your InMail gets a reply. Higher is better.
Relationship History – Shows if you have any existing 1st-degree connections in common with the recipient. This indicates if they already know about you.
Company Details – InMail shows background on the recipient’s current company, job role, and work history.
Read Status – See exactly when your InMail was read and opened by the recipient.
These metrics help you refine your approach and increase effectiveness over time. You can see which kinds of InMail get the highest response rates.
InMail Compliance Requirements
LinkedIn has compliance rules and requirements when using Premium InMail. These help maintain professional standards on the platform.
Key InMail compliance requirements include:
– No inappropriate content – No offensive, discriminatory or unprofessional content.
– No selling products – InMail is for initiating professional conversations, not direct promotional messaging.
– Disclose affiliate links – Transparently mention any financial incentives or affiliate relationships you may have.
– No mass messaging – InMail works best when each message is personalized and targeted to the individual recipient.
– Honor opt-out requests – Immediately stop messaging anyone that requests you discontinue contacting them.
Violating these standards can get your LinkedIn account restricted or banned entirely. So always adhere to the InMail policies.
InMail Pricing
How much does Premium InMail cost to use? Here is a breakdown of InMail pricing:
– Monthly Premium Account Plans – Each Account type includes a set number of InMail Credits per month. See details above in “Who Can Use InMail” section.
– Additional Pay-As-You-Go Credits – You can purchase extra credits beyond your monthly allowance:
– 10 InMails for $100
– 25 InMails for $250
– 50 InMails for $500
– 100 InMails for $1000
– 200 InMails for $2000
– Volume Discounts – You can receive discounts for larger bulk purchases of 1000+ InMail credits
So the cost is the monthly Premium Account fee, plus any extra credits purchased as needed. Most Premium accounts will include enough credits for most use cases. But you can buy more a la carte.
Compared to other prospecting tools and lead services, InMail provides good value and ROI especially given the high response rates.
Conclusion
Premium InMail can be tremendously effective when used properly. It provides a way to directly contact LinkedIn members that you couldn’t reach otherwise.
Key takeaways include:
– InMail messages go directly to LinkedIn members’ inboxes for high visibility
– Personalize each message to boost open and response rates
– Use InMail selectively for the right high value prospects
– Monitor InMail analytics to refine your approach over time
– Adhere to LinkedIn’s compliance standards for professional messaging
While an investment, Premium InMail delivers results when used strategically for sales, recruiting, and business development efforts. The ability to directly message key decision-makers and influencers makes it worth the price.