LinkedIn Cold Message Examples That Bring Results

Want to make your LinkedIn outreach work? Whether you're connecting with prospects, clients, or collaborators, sending the right LinkedIn message is key to getting a response.

In this guide, you'll find cold LinkedIn message templates that are easy to customize and ready to use.

Skip the guesswork and start crafting messages that help you stand out and make connections.

TL;DR

• Cold messaging vs. warm messaging: Cold messages are for initial contact with someone unfamiliar, while warm messages follow up with someone you’ve already engaged with.

• You’ve got three types of LinkedIn cold messages: connection requests, follow-up messages after connecting, and InMail messages to reach out to non-connections.

• LinkedIn has specific limits for sending cold messages and connection requests: Most users get around 100 connection requests per week; InMail credits are based on your premium account type (e.g., Premium Career: 5/month, LinkedIn Sales Navigator: 50/month).

• Check out our 12 real-life templates and use them to craft LinkedIn messages that get results.

• PhantomBuster makes LinkedIn warm messaging easy by automating engagement tasks before sending connection requests and following up with potential customers. Pricing starts at $56/month.

Start your FREE 14-day PhantomBuster trial now!

Cold messaging vs. warm messaging

When it comes to LinkedIn messaging, cold and warm approaches are very different.

Cold messaging is when you reach out to someone you have had no prior contact with. It's important to personalize your cold message, be clear about your purpose, and keep it brief.

You’re essentially introducing yourself and creating a reason for them to engage with you.

On the other hand, warm messaging happens after you’ve already engaged with the person. Maybe they accepted your connection request or liked your post.

At this stage, your message can be more conversational and reference past interactions to build rapport.

Types of LinkedIn cold messages

Here’s a breakdown of the different types of LinkedIn cold messages:

• Connection requests messages: These are the first messages you send when requesting to connect. Keep it short, genuine, and let them know why you'd like to connect—like a quick intro and a reason why it's worth it.

• Follow-up messages after connecting: After someone accepts your connection, follow up by adding value or asking a question that keeps the conversation going naturally.

• InMail messages: For people you're not yet connected to. Since it's a paid feature, get straight to the point and make your offer clear to capture their interest quickly.

LinkedIn cold messaging limits

LinkedIn has specific limits for sending cold messages and connection requests, whether you have a free or paid account.

Most LinkedIn users can send around 100 connection requests per week, though this can vary based on activity and engagement.

When it comes to InMail messages, the limits depend on your LinkedIn premium plan.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Premium Career: 5 InMails/month.

• Premium Business: 15 InMails/month.

• Sales Navigator Core: 50 InMails/month.

• Recruiter Lite: 30 InMails/month.

LinkedIn cold message template for connection requests

Networking with a peer

Hi [First Name],

I came across your profile while exploring professionals in [specific industry/field]. I noticed that we both share a passion for [common interest or topic]. I’d love to connect and exchange insights about our experiences in the industry!

Looking forward to connecting!

Best,
[Your Name]

This LinkedIn cold message is friendly and highlights a shared interest, making it more likely that the recipient will accept the connection request.

It can also work if you share a mutual connection or if you are both members of a specific LinkedIn group.

Reaching out to an influencer

Hi [First Name],

I’ve been following your work on [specific project or publication] and I truly admire your insights on [related topic]. Your recent article on [mention a specific article or post] resonated with me, and I’d love to connect to learn more about your perspective on [related subject].

Best regards,
[Your Name]

This cold message shows genuine interest in the recipient's work and provides a reason for the connection, which can increase the chances of acceptance.

Reaching out to a former colleague

Hi [First Name],

I hope this message finds you well! I noticed that you’re currently with [Current Company]. I fondly remember our time at [Previous Company] and would love to reconnect and catch up. Let’s connect!

Best,
[Your Name]

This connection message template taps into a shared experience, fostering a sense of familiarity and encouraging reconnection.

Connecting with someone from a conference or event

Hi [First Name],

I enjoyed your presentation at [Event/Conference] on [specific topic]. Your insights into [specific point they made] really resonated with me. I’d love to connect and continue the conversation!

Cheers,
[Your Name]

Referencing a shared experience at an event helps personalize the connection request and creates a ground for mutual connection.

Engaging with a professional in a related field

Hi [First Name],

I came across your profile while researching leaders in [related field]. I’m currently working on [specific project], and I think your perspective would be incredibly valuable. I’d love to connect and share insights!

Best regards,
[Your Name]

This cold LinkedIn message establishes relevance and the potential for mutual benefit, which can encourage acceptance.

LinkedIn cold messages templates for follow-up messages

Following up on a shared post

Hi [First Name],

Thank you for connecting! I just read your recent article on [specific topic] and found it incredibly insightful. I’d love to hear more about your thoughts on [related question or topic]. Would you be open to discussing this further?

Looking forward to your reply!
[Your Name]

This follow-up shows appreciation for their work and invites a deeper conversation, making it engaging and relevant.

Offering help or collaboration

Hi [First Name],

I appreciate you connecting with me! I see that you’re working on [specific project or initiative] at [Company]. If there’s any way I can assist or collaborate, I’d love to discuss this further. I believe we can create value together!

Best,
[Your Name]

This follow-up presents a win-win situation, showing a willingness to contribute and collaborate rather than just seeking favors.

Engaging about an industry topic

Hi [First Name],

Thanks for connecting! I really enjoyed reading your post on [specific topic]. I’m currently working on [related project or topic] and would love to hear your thoughts on [specific question or aspect related to their post].

Hope to chat soon!

Best,
[Your Name]

This follow-up message references a shared interest or experience in the same industry and opens the door for further conversation, making it more engaging.

Requesting a brief chat for insights

Hi [First Name],

I appreciate you accepting my connection request! I’m impressed by your work at [Company] and would love to get your insights on [specific topic related to their expertise]. Would you be open to a quick 15-minute chat next week? I’d really value your advice.

Thank you!
[Your Name]

This message is direct and respectful of their time, making it clear that you value their expertise without being too pushy.

Best LinkedIn InMail message examples

Problem-solution approach

Hi [First Name],

I noticed you're a [Role] at [Company]. Are you currently facing challenges with [specific issue]? We've helped similar companies in [industry] achieve [specific outcome] by using [your product/service]. I'd love to share some insights on how we can help you reach [goal].

Let me know if you'd be open to a quick chat.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

With this cold message, you'll get straight to the point by highlighting potential challenges or pain points and offering a practical solution.

Direct value offer

Hi [First Name],

I’ve been working with companies like [Company], and I believe [your product/service] could be a great fit to solve [pain point]. We’ve recently helped [another similar company] achieve [result], and I’d be happy to show you how we did it.

Would you be available for a 10-minute call next week?

Best,
[Your Name]

Basically, you're showing them how your product can solve a problem for them, then setting up a call to dig deeper.

Engaging with content

Hi [First Name],

I came across your work at [Company], and I think you'd find our latest [blog post/report] on [related topic] insightful. It covers strategies that could help your team [achieve goal]. Here's the link: [Insert link].

Let me know your thoughts!

Best regards,
[Your Name]

This message opens the door to an easy, relevant conversation without sounding like a standard sales pitch.

Best practices for writing a cold LinkedIn message

Here are a few simple tips to follow when writing cold LinkedIn messages:

• Use personalization techniques: Make it personal! Mention their role, a shared interest, or even a recent post they’ve made. Personalizing your cold message beyond their name makes it clear you’re not just using generic cold message templates.

• Keep your message short and relevant: No one has time for a long sales pitch from someone they don’t know. Be brief, get to the point, and make sure the message focuses on something they care about.

• Add a clear call-to-action: Don’t leave them guessing what to do next. Whether it’s scheduling a quick call or asking for their opinion on something, make the next step obvious and easy to follow up on.

• Forget the “me, myself, and I” approach: It’s not about you! Focus on their needs, their challenges, or how you can offer value to them. Show that you're here to help, not just to promote yourself.

Common mistakes to avoid

It’s easy to make a misstep when sending a LinkedIn cold message, but there are a few big ones to keep in mind if you want to improve your results.

Here’s what you should steer clear of:

• Sending overly generic messages: Don’t be the person sending cookie-cutter messages that scream “copy-paste.” And forget the buzzwords! No one is excited to hop on a call to "explore potential synergies." Just drop “synergies” altogether—it’s a major turn-off.

• Failing to follow up appropriately: One message isn’t enough. But there’s a balance. Too much too soon can be annoying, and too little can leave you forgotten. Space it out, and keep the follow-up relevant and polite.

• Ignoring the recipient’s profile and interests: If you haven’t taken a few minutes to check their profile or what they’re posting about, it shows. Don’t send messages that are completely out of sync with their role or interests. Make it relevant to them!

Tools to automate cold LinkedIn messages

When it comes to automating your cold LinkedIn outreach, the right tools can handle the heavy lifting off your plate, letting you focus on strategy instead of manual tasks.

Here’s why using automation for cold messaging on LinkedIn changes everything:

• Automate connection requests: Save time by sending multiple personalized invites at once.

• Follow up without stress: Automate follow-up sequences so you never forget to re-engage prospects.

• Get richer data: Extract LinkedIn profile info to personalize your outreach.

• Multi-channel engagement: Engage with prospects not just on LinkedIn, but across multiple platforms.

Now, let's have a look at the best tools on the market right now.

PhantomBuster

PhantomBuster is the best LinkedIn automation tool for cold outreach and prospecting.

It’s great for handling everything from sending connection requests to scheduling follow-up sequences—all without manual effort.

Here’s how you can use it:

• Automate connection requests: Set up your LinkedIn outreach to ensure your message gets in front of the right people, without the need for manual intervention.

• Schedule follow-ups: Consistent follow-up is critical for successful cold messaging. PhantomBuster allows you to queue and send personalized follow-ups after connecting.

• Scrape real-time LinkedIn data: Build targeted lists using up-to-date information from LinkedIn searches, events, and posts. This lets you aim your outreach at the most relevant prospects.

• Personalize your outreach campaign: Pull in enriched data like job titles or emails to customize each message, making it more relevant and effective.

Try PhantomBuster free for 14 days!

Pricing: PhantomBuster offers a 14-day free trial, and its plans start at $56/month—ideal for scaling up your LinkedIn cold outreach.

Combine PhantomBuster and AI for personalized messages

Alright, let’s say you want to enrich leads who've interacted with HubSpot posts on LinkedIn.

Here’s how you can combine PhantomBuster and AI to create personalized LinkedIn cold messages in just a few steps.

• Scrape leads from LinkedIn: Use Phantoms such as the LinkedIn Company Post Commenter and Liker Scraper to scrape a list of people who have commented on or liked HubSpot posts. Now you’ve got a list of relevant leads.

• Export leads: After scraping, you export the list of leads, including valuable information such as names and LinkedIn profile URLs, into a CSV file. Or you can use the "My Phantoms" option to directly set up a new Phantom by using the previous results as input.

• Generate personalized messages: Use PhantomBuster’s AI LinkedIn Message Writer tool to craft targeted connection requests or follow-ups. You can use a custom prompt or build one with the tool. For example, mention the comments or likes from HubSpot’s post in your outreach template. This makes the message feel more personal and increases the likelihood of getting a response. Here's an example you can use:

Write a compelling, concise LinkedIn sales connection message based on the LinkedIn profile data fed to you and the instructions below. Act as me - <your name>, <your job title> at <your company name>.

The goal is to establish a connection, showcase my value proposition, and generate interest in potential business collaboration.

Please make sure to personalize the message, keep it under 280 characters, and include the following elements:

1. Mention something about their comment on HubSpot's post.

2. Clearly state exactly one purpose of the message, such as exploring potential collaboration, sharing insights, or discussing a specific opportunity.

3. Provide a concise and compelling value proposition for my product: <name of your product>, <value proposition of your product>.

4. Conclude the message by expressing gratitude and adding, “Let’s chat!”

That's all it takes to send specific LinkedIn cold messages for each lead on your list.

Dripify

Dripify is an easy-to-use LinkedIn automation software that helps streamline your outreach and lead generation efforts on autopilot.

Here's how to use it:

• Automate LinkedIn connection requests and follow-ups: Saves time by sending messages on your behalf while keeping it personalized.

• Create personalized drip campaigns: Build campaigns that automatically move your potential clients through a sequence of actions.

• Track campaign performance: Get clear insights on how well your LinkedIn outreach is doing and make adjustments to improve results.

Pricing: Dripify offers a 7-day free trial, and its paid plans start at $59/month.

Expandi

Expandi is a LinkedIn automation software that helps you scale your outreach and manage campaigns efficiently.

Here are some features you can use for your LinkedIn cold message campaign:

• Scrape LinkedIn data: Pull leads directly from LinkedIn searches, groups, or Sales Navigator to create highly targeted outreach lists.

• Automate LinkedIn messaging: Send connection requests, follow-ups, and custom messages automatically without manual intervention.

• Set up smart sequences: Build adaptable sequences that respond to how your leads interact with your messages, so you're always on top of things.

• Track everything with analytics: Measure your campaign’s performance and adjust your strategy based on detailed insights.

• Integrate email providers: Sync your email platform for a unified outreach experience.

Pricing: Expandi offers a 7-day free trial, with pricing starting at $99/month.

Conclusion

There you have it — LinkedIn cold messaging doesn’t have to be a mystery.

With the right strategies and examples, you can tailor your messages to get better responses, build meaningful connections, and boost the success of your lead generation and cold outreach campaigns.

Ready to put these tips to the test? Start crafting your own LinkedIn cold messages with PhantomBuster's free trial and see the results for yourself!

Start your FREE 14-day PhantomBuster trial now!