According to several LinkedIn surveys, the average InMail reply rate is 85%, 3 times higher than the response rate from emails. 89% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn for lead generation; 62% are successful at it. With these numbers, it’s easy to see that LinkedIn outreach works.
However, you can use automation to get even more engagement on LinkedIn. That is if you use these tools correctly. Here’s everything you need to know about LinkedIn automation.
LinkedIn Automation: Is It Safe?
While it’s true that most of us want to use LinkedIn automation to expedite the outreach process, there’s a concern that these tools will block your account. This fear isn’t unfounded. After all, it states clearly in LinkedIn’s terms that automation software isn’t allowed on its platform.
LinkedIn has a built-in flagging system that bans accounts if the platform notices bizarre activity. For example, if your automation tool sends connection requests that go beyond the usage limit.
However, that doesn’t mean that automation software, in general, will get you flagged. You just need to find a tool that mimics human behavior, sets limits, and offers complete customization. LinkedIn automation software from Salesflow is a great example of one of these tools.
How to Use LinkedIn Automation Safely For Outreach
Before starting your outreach campaign, you need to find a reputable tool that has a lot of satisfied customers. There are some tools that may send 100 InMail messages in a second, which isn’t humanly possible. Others may add buttons or sections to your LinkedIn profile.
Any tool that changes the LinkedIn interface will be flagged immediately, but some tools will let you correct the delays between automated actions. However, it’s better if that’s done for you.
Personalizing your LinkedIn InMail messages and checking up on your daily LinkedIn activity are other things you can do to prevent flagging. Your interactions with the platform have to come off as “humanly inputted” at all times, and only the best automation software can do that.
Networking Basics: How Automation Impacts LinkedIn Outreach
There are multiple ways to network on LinkedIn, but connection requests, InMail, and LinkedIn Groups are among the best. With automation, you can start streamlining outreach instantly.
Automation for Connection Requests
One of the benefits of LinkedIn outreach is that the platform doesn’t punish you for having a large network. In fact, it’s better if you expand your network as much as possible to gain access to more warm leads. Even if a connection isn’t in your niche, their connections could be.
Both LinkedIn and most automation software let you target your prospects. You can filter connection requests based on someone’s industry, title, gender, experience, and work history.
As a rule, you shouldn’t narrow down your search targets too much, or you’ll limit the number of requests you can send. Remember that LinkedIn professionals won’t accept connection requests from spammy-looking profiles, so update your profile until it’s at 100% completion.
LinkedIn Groups also provide a lot of opportunities for outreach, but you need to be clever with how you target your industry. You’ll have to manually search through Groups before automating comments there because you have to grasp how people in your audience communicate.
LinkedIn automation is more likely to target people in industry-specific groups. Look at what groups they post in to find more connections, ideas for content, or warm leads.
Automation for LinkedIn InMail
Sending your recent connection a personalized InMail message is the best way to get their attention. Like any marketing strategy, InMail has a specific science behind it. You need to find a mutual connection and offer something valuable while also keeping the message short.
To keep your InMail automation-friendly, it’s better to put general information in the body of your message and add a personal touch via tags and keywords. A good automation software will scan your connections for their name, industry, and interests before filling in the blanks.
Here’s an example of what an automated InMail template may look like:
Hello (first_name) (last_name),
It’s a pleasure to e-meet you! I saw that you were interested in (interest_1(social media marketing) and (interest_2(analytics reporting)) after I connected with you. My company (company_name) actually has a software called (product_name) that helps with just that! If you use the coupon code (coupon_code) at our website (website_line) at checkout, you can try it for 30-day free! Thanks for connecting, and have a great rest of your week!
Regards,
(your_first_name) (your_last_name)
This message is personable, offers something for free, and doesn’t waste the customer’s time by saying you “could” help them. You’re proving that you, your business, and your product are necessary for their lives. After the user responds, switch to manual responses if necessary.
If your InMail messages are a part of your campaigns, use your software to view its key metrics and data insights. That way, you can improve your outreach in the future.
