You've sent 500 LinkedIn messages this month. Response rate? 2%. Sound familiar?
I've watched thousands of sales teams make the same three mistakes on LinkedIn. The data is brutal - but it also shows exactly what to do instead.
Most LinkedIn messages read like they came from a robot.
I get it. You're busy. Templates seem efficient. But prospects can smell a mass message from miles away.
| Problem | Data |
|---|---|
| Generic messages | 0.7% response rate for generic outreach vs 9.3% for personalized messages |
| No personalization | 72% of people only engage with personalized messages |
| Non-personal outreach | 63% say they never respond to non-personal outreach |
| Text only | Over 60% of sellers report higher response rates with video |
Before hitting send, ask yourself: "Is this problem interesting to anyone but me?" If no, don't send it.
Use personal video to stand out. A quick video greeting makes you human in a sea of text.
I see sellers sending 200+ connection requests per week. They think more volume means more results.
This backfires spectacularly.
| Strategy | Result |
|---|---|
| LinkedIn limit | Max 100 connection requests per week allowed |
| Targeted approach | 30-45 targeted invites/day = 45% acceptance rate |
| Mass approach | Mass senders get single-digit acceptance rates |
Define your ideal customer profile first. Be specific:
"CFOs at 50-200 employee SaaS companies who posted about budget planning in the last 30 days."
Then send fewer, better messages to people who actually fit. Quality beats quantity every time.
This one surprises people.
80% of sales need 5+ follow-ups. Yet 44% of sellers quit after the first attempt. Nearly half of all sellers stop right when it gets interesting.
| Follow-up Facts | Impact |
|---|---|
| One follow-up | Increases response rates by 65.8% |
| Touches to get response | Average of 8 touches across channels |
| Multi-channel approach | 278% higher conversion with multiple channels |
Plan your sequence before you start. Here's a simple framework:
Space them out. Stay helpful. Don't be pushy.
These mistakes happen because manual outreach doesn't scale well. You either go generic or burn out.
The answer isn't more volume. It's better systems.
I'd automate the process while keeping the personal touch. Set up sequences that feel human but run without constant monitoring. Use video when possible—the data speaks for itself.
Most importantly, I'd track what works. Test different approaches. Double down on what gets responses.
LinkedIn outreach works when you treat prospects like people, not numbers. The data proves it. Now you just need to act on it.
Here's how to implement this:
Get the complete playbook with templates, video examples, and proven sequences that actually work.