With each passing day, our lives become more digitally advanced and convenient. Everything keeps changing at a fast pace and is replaced with something 3 times better than what we had before. And as far as business communication goes, the most used and accepted way to communicate was through emails.
But now there is a new player in the B2B communication field, and that is LinkedIn InMail. You must be familiar with LinkedIn and how it works. It helps to realize the frustration of not being able to connect with professionals who are not in your network. LinkedIn InMail is a feature you should get. With it, you seek a way to communicate to any professional before even establishing a connection with them.
LinkedIn InMail eliminates the waiting process. So, you do not have to wait after requesting a connection with a professional. The average response rate to a LinkedIn InMail is 3 times more efficient than general emails for B2B communications.
Now that you have been made familiar with what LinkedIn Inmail is, let's jump into its details to facilitate a better understanding of the topic:
What is an InMail on LinkedIn, and how is it any different from sending an email?
LinkedIn InMail is a feature that lets you communicate with professionals and recruiters on the platform. You do not have to wait for them to accept your connection invitation.
A general email is free. But, an InMail on LinkedIn is a premium feature for which you have to pay a small subscription fee of 10 dollars (for 100 credits of InMail). What's interesting is that for each response you get (regardless of it being a positive or negative response), you get a credit back.
So, if your team scores over 40 to 45% in the LinkedIn InMail response rate, then you get much more than your money's worth.
What is the process of sending an InMail on LinkedIn?
To send an InMail, you need to have a LinkedIn account with a premium subscription. You can easily send the InMail to any professional who is a member on LinkedIn. You can do it from the introduction section on their respective profile. You can also do this by sending a new message that you created for them. Now let us look at some steps that you need to follow to send a LinkedIn InMail:
Search for the LinkedIn profile member whom you would like to send an InMail to.
Find the "More" button on their LinkedIn profile's introduction section.
Click on the "Message" button from the drop-down menu.
Type in the subject field (optional)
Write your message in the text box.
Hit the "Send" button once done..
Things to note:
You can't send a LinkedIn InMail to a person who has changed their preference settings for not receiving the InMail.
You can not buy extra InMail credits outside of monthly allotments.
Why can you only send an InMail on LinkedIn? Is there any other platform to send LinkedIn InMail?
LinkedIn InMails is a premium feature that is exclusive only to the LinkedIn platform. It allows you to send an InMail to recruiters or anybody who is a LinkedIn member.
Also, you cannot type an InMail message over the 200 character limit for the subject. The message itself is supposed to be brief and should not exceed 350 words.
The LinkedIn InMail feature provides you with a better opportunity to connect with other LinkedIn members. But as the InMail facility is only limited to the platform itself, you cannot send an InMail outside of LinkedIn.
How should one respond to LinkedIn InMail?
The employers are eager to promote their branding and show you how attractive the job they are offering is. So, there are good chances that a recruiter or a hiring manager on LinkedIn might send you an InMail. You certainly must be thinking about how to respond to it?
Sure, a private message like that can make you feel unique and in demand. But you only get one shot to make a good impression on the recruiter. Hence, ensure to communicate genuinely, and directly. Share your insight clearly about what decision you made, whether you want the job or are on the fence about it.
How do you reach individuals on LinkedIn without sending them an InMail?
If you have a LinkedIn InMail, you can contact or get in touch with people without hassle or waiting. However, if you don't have a LinkedIn InMail subscription, then worry not. You can still try contacting people. All you would need is a little bit of patience and persistence.
Below are the steps you need to follow to contact professionals on LinkedIn without sending them an InMail:
Go to the person's LinkedIn profile whom you want to contact.
Click the "Connect" button on top of their profiles.
Add a note or a personalized message of why you wanted to connect with them. They are 2 times more likely to accept the connection and respond if you have added a personalized note with the request.
Tap on the "Send Invitation" button.
Once they accept your request, click on the "Message" button on their profile.
Compose your message and click "Enter" to deliver it whenever you're ready!
Sending a LinkedIn InMail to a recruiter or a hiring manager? How should you compose an InMail:
While composing a LinkedIn InMail, keep in mind that it is a conversation starter. So, try keeping it brief and to the point. Let the recruiter know why exactly you reached out to them.
Summary
Keep your LinkedIn InMail message to the recruiter conversational. The overall tone of the InMail should be formal and natural. Also, make sure that everything is spelled correctly. Acknowledge your familiarity with the industry segment or the work. Upgrading to LinkedIn InMail brings you a step closer to reach out for your dream company and dream job.