Are you tired of your direct messages getting ignored?
If you're like many small business owners, you wish you could reliably get responses to the direct messages that you send on LinkedIn.
When you send direct messages, it often feels like your messages are disappearing into a void. You might find yourself asking yourself “what did I do wrong?”. You know how important it is to have a reliable way to connect with potential clients, but the thought of constantly sending more DMs is exhausting.
You’re not alone. Direct messaging requires a thoughtful approach and well-defined strategy.
I want to be clear: getting potential clients to reply to your direct messages is not only achievable but worth working toward.
When you learn this skill, you will be able to choose who you work with instead of waiting for folks to find you. When you learn how to convert direct message conversations into discovery calls and sales, you’ll feel control over your client pipeline. No more taking on just anyone willing to pay—now you can intentionally build a roster of clients who are aligned with your values and goals.
(Dive deeper into why DMs don't have to be salesy here.)
Once you’ve honed this skill, you’ll have a powerful and reliable tool for generating leads. You’ll feel relieved knowing you can create client opportunities whenever you want. And the best part? You’ll no longer feel salesy or icky when sending those DMs.
Instead, your messages will feel natural and flow well—because you’ll know you’re offering real value to people who want it. You’ll have ability to connect with your ideal clients in a way that feels good and aligned.
Strategy 1: Make your messages personal
Prospects can spot a generic message instantly (just as they can spot a copy and pasted one!). So, when sending messages, mention something specific about their business and ask thoughtful questions that shows genuine interest. Pay careful attention to what they said, and respond to it. Your goal is to sound like a human, not a robot, which builds trust and makes people more likely to respond.
Strategy 2: Stop pitching so quickly
Many small business owners believe that the fastest way to a new client is to pitch in your first message. While this strategy can work, especially when done at scale (I'm talking about sending hundreds of messages), it probably doesn’t feel aligned with how you want to run your business. I get that!
That’s why I don’t recommend pitching right off the bat. Instead, I suggest you first build trust with your prospect and get to know their situation. This path takes more time but leads to long-term success and sustainability.
Strategy 3: Contact the right people
It can be tempting to follow a "spray and pray" approach of sending a lot of messages to a lot of prospects, hoping something will stick. However, I don't recommend doing this because you'll end up talking to folks who aren't a good fit for your service. And since it'll feel discouraging and you won't get results, you'll dread sending messages.
Instead, contact those who are most likely to benefit from your offer. In my coaching program Leads on LinkedIn, I'll teach you the exact strategies to identify those who are poised to have above-average interest in your services.
As a result, you'll have much better DM conversations, and those conversations will actually get you closer to a full roster of clients.
Discover why you dread sending direct messages today by reading this short blog post.
Strategy 4: Create (and update) your lead list
If you aren't tracking your leads, you're letting leads fall between the cracks and neglecting the fruits of your marketing labor.
When you track leads, you'll have a list of exactly who to follow up with and when. You will collect only the most important information about each leads so the system feels light and easy to maintain. In my program Leads on LinkedIn, we develop and refine your lead tracking system so that it serves you and guides all your outreach.
Strategy 5: Follow up with your prospects
It's easy to assume that if someone doesn't reply once, they're not interested. However, your prospects are busy, and a lack of response doesn’t always mean a lack of interest. Actually, it often doesn't mean a lack of interest!
Thoughtful, timely follow-up can keep the conversation alive and move prospects closer to working with you and getting the support they need.
Now that you know these mistakes to avoid, you might be wondering "but who should I message? "
To start, I recommend sending messages to your ideal clients - the people who you suspect directly need your services.
If you have a strong network, you may already be able to do that by searching your existing network for specific key words. However, if your network isn't tailored for your ideal cleints, you may first need to broaden you LinkedIn network so that you're connected with the right folks. You can do this by sending connection requests to those who match your ideal client characteristics.
When you target the right people, your messages are more likely to be well-received, and you'll create stronger connections with those who can become clients.
By taking a smart approach to LinkedIn messaging, you'll get more replies and build real relationships with your prospects. You will choose who you work with, generate leads when you need them, and feel good about in the process.
How I can help you
When I start working with a small business owner, we always start with organic marketing efforts. We begin by optimizing your profile so that you clearly explain your credibility, who you serve, how you serve them, and what action the profile viewer should take.
Then, we create a custom LinkedIn strategy for you so that you can feel comfortable navigating LinkedIn and find right-fit clients for your business. We learn how to use DM outreach and content to bring the right clients into your orbit so you can consistently grow your business. And lastly, you implement the strategy with my support.
Learn more and get started here.
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