6 Creative Ways to Make Your LinkedIn Messages Stand Out in 2023

As a sales professional, you know that LinkedIn can be a powerful channel for prospecting and starting conversations with potential buyers. With over 830 million members worldwide, the platform offers an enormous opportunity to connect with decision makers across all industries.

However, the reality is that most LinkedIn messages go unanswered. The average response rate for LinkedIn InMail is just 10-25%, meaning 3 out of 4 messages are completely ignored.

And it‘s no wonder – today‘s B2B buyers are absolutely inundated with generic, spammy sales pitches on a daily basis. One study found that the average person receives over 120 emails per day, while decision makers often get 2-3X that volume.

Standing out in a sea of noise is increasingly difficult, but critical if you want to land meetings and close deals from your LinkedIn outreach. The key is to ditch the generic templates and craft hyper-personalized, relevant, value-added messages that grab the recipient‘s attention from the very first line.

Here are 6 creative strategies to take your LinkedIn messages from flat to fabulous:

1. Mention a Specific Detail from Their Profile

One of the easiest ways to show a prospect that you‘ve done your homework is to reference something specific from their LinkedIn profile in your message. This could be:

• An article they recently published
• A shared connection you have in common
• An award they won or accomplishment they posted about
• A school they attended or certification they earned
• An initiative or project they seem to be working on

For example, you might say something like:

"Hi Sarah,

I noticed that you recently shared an article on the challenges of scaling marketing automation at mid-size companies. I really enjoyed your perspective on the importance of cross-functional collaboration to make these programs successful.

It got me thinking about a case study I worked on with a similar company that was able to increase MQL volume by 150% in 6 months by implementing some of the strategies you mentioned. Would you be interested in seeing some of the specific tactics they used?

Best,
[Name]"

By mentioning a piece of content they wrote, you not only show that you consumed it, but also open the door to a discussion on a topic they are clearly passionate about. Now you‘ve differentiated yourself from all the other reps sending generic connection requests or demos asks.

2. Highlight a Shared Experience or Common Connection

We humans crave connection and a sense of belonging. It‘s psychologically proven that we tend to like and trust people who seem similar to us.

As a sales rep, you can use this natural affinity bias to your advantage by highlighting a shared experience or mutual connection with your prospect in your LinkedIn message. Some ideas:

• Membership in the same professional association or online community
• Attendance at the same conference or event (past or upcoming)
• Working in the same industry or for competitor companies in the past
• Volunteering for or supporting the same nonprofit organization
• Pursuing similar hobbies or interests outside of work
• Earning a degree from the same college or certification program
• Connecting with the same person on LinkedIn or in real life

For example:

"Hi Mike,

I see we are both members of the Revenue Collective Slack group – I‘ve really been enjoying the lively discussions happening in the #sales-enablement channel lately. Have you been following that thread on the best sales coaching tools?

I‘m actually working on a blog post rounding up some of the top options and would love to get your input given your experience leading sales enablement at XYZ company. Do you have any favorites you would recommend I include?

Cheers,
[Name]"

Not only have you tapped into their innate desire to help "one of their own", but you‘ve positioned yourself as a credible member of their tribe worthy of their time and insights. Even if your request doesn‘t directly lead to a sales conversation, you‘ve laid the groundwork for a warm relationship.

3. Personalize Your Message with a GIF or Meme

Want to instantly inject some personality into your LinkedIn messages? Add a funny GIF or meme that relates to the recipient‘s industry, role or interests.

With thousands of GIFs to choose from across Giphy, Tenor and other sites, you can find a relevant visual for almost any scenario. For example:

• If your prospect posts a lot about their dog, include a cute puppy GIF
• If they work in a fast-paced industry like tech, choose a high-energy or action-packed GIF
• If they seem to have a good sense of humor, go for a funny meme that might make them laugh

Just be sure to keep it professional and avoid anything too edgy or controversial. When in doubt, err on the side of caution.

Here‘s an example:

"Hey Amanda,

As a fellow coffee addict, I had to reach out after seeing your post about finally finding the perfect cold brew blend.

I‘m curious, what‘s your go-to brewing method? I‘ve been experimenting with a few different techniques but always looking to up my game.

Also, I saw you are heading up demand gen at ABC company – how are you feeling about your lead volume and quality lately? I have some ideas that might help you boost both.

Let me know if you‘re open to a quick virtual coffee chat next week!

Cheers,
[Name]"

The key with using GIFs in LinkedIn messages is to make sure they are super relevant to the person and add to your message, not distract from it. A random GIF with no context will just confuse people. But a well-placed one can be the perfect way to break the ice and show some personality.

4. Ask for Their Advice or Feedback

Everyone loves to feel like an expert. Asking for someone‘s advice or feedback is a powerful way to build rapport and start a conversation based on their knowledge.

The key is to be specific in your ask and reference something relevant from their profile. For example:

"Hi Tom,

I saw that you have 15+ years experience in B2B product marketing and recently led a go-to-market strategy for a new AI-powered analytics tool. Very impressive!

My company is actually in the early stages of launching a similar product and I would love to get your thoughts on positioning and messaging.

Do you have any tips for crafting a compelling value prop that resonates with data leaders? Or common pitfalls to avoid?

I know you must be super busy, but even a few quick insights would be greatly appreciated. Happy to return the favor anytime!

Best,
[Name]"

Not only have you stroked their ego by positioning them as an expert, but you‘ve given them an opportunity to talk about themselves and their accomplishments. That‘s a recipe for a response!

Just be sure you are asking for advice on something specific that clearly ties to their experience. A generic "can I pick your brain?" request will likely go unanswered.

5. Share a Relevant Resource or Piece of Content

Providing value should be at the heart of every sales interaction, and LinkedIn messages are no exception. One easy way to do this is to share a helpful resource or piece of content related to the recipient‘s industry, role or goals.

Some ideas:

• A blog post, ebook or whitepaper your company created on a topic they care about
• A third-party report or study with interesting data or takeaways for their business
• A template, checklist or tool that could make their job easier
• An invite to an upcoming webinar or event related to their field
• A podcast episode or video interview featuring an expert they might learn from

The key is to choose something highly relevant to them that they will actually find useful – not just a thinly veiled product pitch.

For example:

"Hey Sam,

I know you are always looking for ways to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to sales enablement best practices.

I just came across this new research report on the State of Sales Enablement in 2023 and thought of you. It‘s packed with benchmarks and insights on how companies are using technology, content and training to drive revenue growth.

You can download a free copy here: [link]

I‘d love to hear your thoughts on the findings. Do they align with what you are seeing in your own organization?

Also happy to walk you through how our sales enablement platform is helping companies solve some of the key challenges highlighted in the report. Let me know if you‘re interested in learning more!

Cheers,
[Name]"

See how the focus is on providing value first, not immediately jumping into a sales pitch? By leading with a relevant resource, you‘ve shown that you understand their challenges and goals and want to help – not just close a deal.

6. End with a Thought-Provoking Question or Clear Next Step

The goal of every LinkedIn message should be to elicit a response and keep the conversation going. That means ending with a compelling call-to-action that makes it easy for the recipient to engage.

One effective technique is to ask an open-ended question that sparks their curiosity and gets them thinking. For example:

• "What‘s the biggest challenge you are facing with [topic] at the moment?"
• "I‘m curious, have you explored using [strategy/technology] to improve [metric/goal]?"
• "Quick question – what are your top priorities for [department/initiative] this quarter?"

These types of questions show you are genuinely interested in their situation and eager to learn more. They invite a dialogue vs. a simple yes/no answer.

Another approach is to end with a clear next step that makes it dead simple for them to take action. For example:

• "Are you available for a quick 15-minute call on Thursday or Friday to discuss this further?"
• "I‘ll be in NYC next week for a conference – would you be up for grabbing coffee?"
• "I‘ll send over a few times for a web demo – do you prefer morning or afternoon meetings?"

The key is to be specific and concise, so there‘s no ambiguity or friction in moving forward. The easier you can make it for them to say "yes", the more likely they are to engage.

Pulling It All Together

Crafting personalized, relevant LinkedIn messages that stand out in a crowded inbox is both an art and a science. But by putting these 6 strategies into action, you‘ll be well on your way to sparking more conversations and booking more meetings with your ideal prospects.

Remember, the key is to do your research, add value, show personality, and make it easy for them to respond. With a little creativity and persistence, you can turn LinkedIn from a noisy distraction into your most powerful sales channel.

Now if you‘ll excuse me, I have to go respond to the 27 LinkedIn messages I just got while writing this article! 😉