Use a LinkedIn direct message to reopen a relationship for a reason that belongs to the person receiving it. An existing connection makes sending easier than completely cold outreach.1 Before reading the message, the recipient can see your face, headline, mutual connections and recent activity.2 That visible profile context becomes part of the opening. Keep the note short, specific and easy to answer.
| Stage | What you are trying to learn | Example question |
|---|---|---|
| Choose | why this person should hear from you now | What makes this message specific to them? |
| Check | whether your public context supports the message | Does my profile make the reason credible? |
| Write | whether the note gives useful context and an easy reply | Can they understand the reason without asking for setup? |
| Send | who has the strongest relationship to the recipient | Should I send it, or use the existing relationship? |
| Develop | whether the reply gives enough signal to continue | What did their response reveal about fit or timing? |
Choose the reason
Start with relevance and choose the route. The connection gives you a relationship to work from, so make the reason belong to this person.
Use a LinkedIn message when the question is specific to the person.3 If you spot a close connection to a prospect, send the prospect a LinkedIn message while the context is fresh.4 Some people need to receive a LinkedIn message before they reply.5
Write the personal reason in plain language before opening the message box. If it takes a long explanation to say why this person, the reason is still broad. The draft should point to something they can recognize, answer or correct.
Write the opening
Write for a reply. Give the recipient enough context to understand why you reached out, then leave room for their response.
A personalized acknowledgment of the previous connection can generate immediate engagement.6 Use a short three-part structure:7 start with the acknowledgment, add a relevant observation or useful context, and end with a soft CTA. A case study, data point or specific observation about the company can supply the added context, and the note can stay under 80 words.8
The first touch should educate the prospect, build trust and credibility, and use a soft CTA.9 Keep the request easy to answer. Ask for a reaction, perspective or small piece of context that lets the conversation move without a formal meeting pitch.
One LinkedIn DM was one sentence.10 If the message needs a long setup, remove background the recipient does not need yet.
Check the sender context
Read the message alongside the profile attached to it. Check your visible context before sending and make sure the wording fits what the recipient will see.
Read the message as if you had no private context about yourself. Does the profile make the reason easy to believe? Would the recipient know why you chose them and what kind of response you want? Fix any mismatch before sending. A clear message can still feel strange when the sender's visible context points somewhere else.
Use the relationship well
The sender
- If an internal employee, message the prospect
- If the existing connection, send from your own
When another person inside the company already has the strongest relationship with the recipient, have that relationship carry the message. This keeps the outreach close to the reason it is relevant.
When an internal employee is connected to the prospect, that employee should message the prospect on LinkedIn.11 Give that person the reason, context and intended outcome, then let them write in their own voice. A handoff works when the sender can explain why the message belongs in the relationship.
When you are the existing connection, send from your own account and keep the note consistent with how you would speak in a normal exchange. The recipient should recognize a person starting a conversation, not a campaign being delivered through a familiar channel.
Develop the exchange
Conversation deserves another question
- If answer changes your understanding, follow that change
- If gives you no opening, stop adding detail
After the person replies, use the answer to decide whether the conversation deserves another question. Keep the exchange responsive and let the other person's wording set the next move.
After a LinkedIn connection, the goal is to keep engagement going and determine whether the person is a short-term prospect, a long-term prospect or a prospect at all.12 Ask about the point they responded to instead of jumping to a prepared sequence. If their answer changes your understanding of the situation, follow that change.
Let the conversation develop naturally.13 Move forward when the reply gives you a clear reason to continue. If it gives you no opening, stop adding detail and choose a different route or leave the exchange alone.
What not to do
These mistakes can make a connected contact feel like a broadcast or bury the reason you had to write. Keep them beside the draft while you edit.
- Do not pitch immediately in the LinkedIn DM. Show gratitude first.14
- Do not use overly formal language. Communicate like a human in the message.15
- Do not send a lengthy message. Treat the exchange like a text conversation.16
- Do not treat silence as proof that the message had no effect. LinkedIn messages can produce few responses while still putting your face and message in front of recipients.17