There are 65 million decision-makers on LinkedIn.
Are you trying to expand your network by connecting with professionals with influential roles?
You should master and take advantage of LinkedIn notes.
LinkedIn allows you to write notes up to 300 characters. So, how can you make the most of it?
Maximize your chances of connecting with LinkedIn influencers by adding a personalized note. Here are a few reasons why:
At the core of LinkedIn's networking tools are LinkedIn notes, a feature that allows you to send personalized messages to other professionals on the platform.
These notes can take various forms, from connection requests to follow-up messages after a meeting or interview.
LinkedIn notes are more than just messages; they are a gateway to new opportunities and professional relationships.
Whether you're reaching out to a potential employer, a colleague in your industry, or a prospective client, each note can either open doors or close them.
The impact of a well-composed LinkedIn note can be the difference between being noticed and being overlooked.
Every note you send is an opportunity to connect and expand your professional network.
By crafting personalized and thoughtful messages, you demonstrate your genuine interest in the recipient's work and your intent to engage in a professional relationship.
This approach increases the likelihood of acceptance and sets a positive tone for future interactions within your network.
Your LinkedIn profile is your digital handshake, and the notes you send are your voice in the conversation. You should craft both elements to captivate and connect.
Before you hit 'send', take the time to research your recipient.
Understand their industry, role, and interests to tailor your message in a way that resonates with them. This shows that you're not just sending a generic note but made an effort to understand who they are and what they value.
While professionalism is key, injecting your personality into your LinkedIn profile and notes can make you memorable.
Share your passions, experiences, and the unique perspective you bring to your industry. Let your brand shine through in every note you send, making every connection not just a professional one but also a personal one.
Tell them why they should connect with you. This could be that you're both working in the same industry, mention a common interest, or ask for their expertise on a specific issue.
LinkedIn notes vary in purpose and style, and understanding the different types can help you navigate your networking efforts more effectively.
How can you turn a stranger into a LinkedIn connection?
Use templates that are professional yet warm, and always include a reason for reaching out that is specific to the individual's background or current role.
Example: Hey! I just read your latest post, and I think you absolutely smashed it! I have some insights on the topic we could discuss.
After a meeting or interview, a timely LinkedIn note can keep the conversation going. Express your appreciation for the time spent and reiterate your interest in the discussion. It's an excellent opportunity to reinforce your enthusiasm and the value you can bring to the table.
Example: Hi, {{FirstName}}
After our meeting on Monday, I found this material related to the topic we discussed and I thought you might find it interesting.
For those seeking guidance or profound insight into their industry, LinkedIn notes can be a tool for requesting informational interviews or mentorship. Approach these requests with humility and respect for the recipient's time and expertise. A well-crafted note can pave the way for invaluable learning and growth.
Example: Hi, {{FisrtName}} I've been reading a lot about your masterclass on {{Topic}}, and I think your upcoming webinar is the best place to be. Could you give me some info please?
To truly stand out on LinkedIn, a personalized approach is key. Personalization shows you've taken the time to understand who you're connecting with and that you value the potential relationship.
Review the recipient's profile before crafting your LinkedIn note to identify shared interests or experiences. Use this information to tailor your message to resonate with them.
Mentioning a shared alma mater, professional organization, or a recent post they've made can create an immediate sense of connection and show genuine interest.
An effective call-to-action (CTA) in your LinkedIn note encourages the recipient to engage further. Whether you're asking for a connection, a meeting, or a response, your CTA should be clear, compelling, and easy to act on.
Instead of a generic "Let's connect," try "I would love to discuss our mutual interest in [topic] and see how we can support each other's goals. Would you be open to a brief chat next week?"
When networking on LinkedIn, maintaining professionalism is crucial. Always respect the recipient's time and avoid being overly familiar or pushy.
Keep your notes concise, but ensure they include all necessary information.
After sending a connection request or message, give the recipient adequate time to respond before following up.
A good rule of thumb is to wait at least one week. Additionally, if someone does not respond, it's important to accept this gracefully and not bombard them with messages.
Follow-up messages are an art form on LinkedIn. They should remind the recipient of your previous interaction and express continued interest in connecting without appearing desperate or spammy.
A follow-up note might say, "I wanted to reach out again as I'm still very interested in learning from your expertise in [area]. If you have the time, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to connect." Remember, always be courteous and accept that some connections may not materialize.
Networking on LinkedIn requires a delicate balance between being assertive and respectful. When reaching out with LinkedIn notes, there are several best practices to keep in mind.
✅ Do personalize each note to show genuine interest.
❌ Don't use generic templates without customization.
✅ Do keep your messages concise and to the point.
❌ Don't overwhelm the recipient with too much information or overly aggressive pitches.
✅ Do check for spelling and grammatical errors before sending.
❌ Don't underestimate the importance of a well-crafted message.
If you're familiar with LinkedIn's basic functions, leveraging advanced features can enhance the impact of your networking efforts. These features can provide new ways to communicate and showcase your professional brand.
LinkedIn Premium and Sales Navigator offer enhanced capabilities for users looking to expand their networking and outreach.
Premium provides additional insights into who's viewed your profile and the ability to send InMail to people outside your network.
Sales Navigator takes it a step further with advanced search filters, lead recommendations, and the ability to save leads and accounts, making it a powerful tool for sales professionals and recruiters.
Incorporating rich media such as images, PDFs, or videos can make your LinkedIn notes more engaging. This type of content can visually represent your work or ideas, making your message more memorable.
LinkedIn's voice note feature, available on the mobile app, also allows you to send a more personal and nuanced message through voice messaging. This can be particularly effective for making a warm introduction or expressing enthusiasm about a potential collaboration.
As with any marketing or networking strategy, it's important to track the effectiveness of your LinkedIn notes and adapt your approach based on the results.
Keep an eye on the acceptance rate of your connection requests and the response rate to your messages.
If you notice a trend of low engagement, it may be time to refine your messaging or targeting strategy. Use LinkedIn's analytics to understand how people interact with your profile and content, which can provide insights into improving your notes.
Not every LinkedIn note will result in a positive outcome, and that's okay.
If you're facing non-engagement or outright rejection, take it as an opportunity to review your approach.
Consider the timing of your messages, the relevance of your content to the recipient, and whether your call-to-action is clear. Use these insights to adjust your strategy for future communications.
-> Significantly boost your professional presence by adding LinkedIn notes to your networking efforts.
-> Get more impactful connections by focusing on personalization and leveraging LinkedIn's advanced features.
-> Keep in mind that networking is not just about expanding your contact list; it's about cultivating reciprocal and beneficial relationships.
-> LinkedIn notes are not about a one-time interaction but about building a network supporting your professional growth.
Several online resources, including LinkedIn's help center, offer templates and tips for creating effective LinkedIn notes. Consider using message templates as a starting point, but always tailor them to fit the individual you're reaching out to.
Tools like Grammarly can help ensure your notes are grammatically correct, while apps like Hemingway Editor can make your writing clear and concise.
You can also consider an automation tool such as lemlist to make your outreach that much easier.
G2 Rating | Price | Best for | Standout feature | Con | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.9 star star star star star | $30/mo $75/mo $2,999/mo | Large, distributed sales teams | AI evaluation precision, gamified KPIs | Lack of tracking system | |
4.6 star star star star star-half | Not publicly available | Sales operations and finance teams | Powerful configurability | Limited training resources and complex to navigate | |
4.4 star star star star star-half | Not publicly available | Mid-market and enterprise businesses | Comprehensive incentive management | Potentially high cost and steep learning curve | |
4.7 star star star star star-half | $15/user/mo $40/user/mo Enterprise: custom price | Complex sales structures and businesses of all sizes | Complex sales structures and businesses of all sizes | Steep learning curve | |
4.6 star star star star star-half | Not publicly available | Collaborative teams | Connected planning | Complexity and steep learning curve | |
4.6 star star star star star-half | Not publicly available | Companies with complex sales structures | Complex incentive compensation management (ICM) with high efficiency and accuracy | Complexity for smaller teams and potentially high costs | |
4.7 star star star star star-half | Not publicly available | Companies who want to automate commission calculations and payouts | Simplicity and ease of use | Lack of features like redirection | |
4.7 star star star star star-half | $30/user/mo $35/user/mo Custom: upon request | Businesses that need a comprehensive and user-friendly sales compensation management software | Ease of use and adoption | Lack of ability to configure the product based on user needs | |
4.8 star star star star star-half | Not publicly available | Companies with modern sales culture and businesses who want real-time insights | A built-in dispute management and real-time visibility | Users say it works slowly, customer support is slow | |
4.9 star star star star star | $30/user/mo $50/user/mo | Smaller sales teams | Powerful automation | Lesser user base and average user interface | |
4.7 star star star star star-half | Not publicly available | Companies with scalable needs | Automated Commission Calculations | Lack of filtering by date, no mobile app |
PRM Tool | Rating | Feature | Pro | Con | Mobile App | Integrations | Free Plan | Pricing |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.65 star star star star star-half | Org-wide alignment | User-friendly layout and database | Suboptimal as a personal CRM | square-check | Lack of tracking system | square-check | Team: $20/month Business: $45/month | |
4.7 star star star star star-half | Social Media Integration | Easy contact data collection | No marketing/sales features | square-check | Lack of tracking system | square-xmark 7-day trial | $12/month | |
4.75 star star star star star-half | Block Functions | High customization capability | Not a dedicated CRM | square-check | Limited | square-check | Plus: €7.50/month Business: €14/month | |
N/A | Open-source | Open-source flexibility | Requires extensive manual input | square-xmark | Limited | square-check Self-hosted | $9/month or $90/year | |
3.1 star star star | Simple iOS app | Ideal for non-tech-savvy users | iPhone only | square-check iOS only | Limited | square-xmark 1-month trial | $1.49/month or $14.99/month | |
3.6 star star star star-half | Smart Contact Management | Feature-rich and flexible | Reported bugs | square-check | Rich | square-xmark 7-day trial | Premium: $13.99/month Teams: $17.99/month | |
4.4 star star star star star-half | Customizable Interface | Customizable for teamwork | Pricey for personal use | square-check | Rich | square-xmark | Standard: $24/member Premium: $39/member | |
4.7 star star star star star-half | Integrated Calling | Integrated Calling | Too sales-oriented & pricey | square-check | Rich | square-xmark 14-day trial | Startup: $59/user/month Professional: $329/user/month | |
4.8 star star star star star | Business Card Scanning | Business Card Scanning | Mobile only | square-check | Limited | square-check | $9.99/month | |
4.45 star star star star star-half | 160+ app integrations | Comprehensive integrations | No free app version | square-check | Rich | square-xmark 14-day trial | $29.90/month or $24.90/month (billed annually) |
Capterra Rating | Free Trial | Free Plan | Starting Price (excluding the free plan) | Maximum Price (for the most expensive plan) | Best for | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.5 star star star star star-half | square-check 14-day | square-check | €15/month/seat billed annually | €792/month/3 seats billed annually + €45/month for each extra seat | Versatility and free plan | |
4.2 star star star star | square-check 30-day | square-xmark But it offers reduced price to authorised nonprofit organisations | €25/user/month | €500/user/month billed annually (includes Einstein AI) | Best overall operational CRM | |
4.3 star star star star star-half | square-xmark | square-check Limited to 3 users | Comprehensive incentive management | €52/user/month billed annually | Small-medium businesses and automation | |
4.5 star star star star star-half | square-check 14-day | square-xmark | €14/seat/month billed annually | €99/seat/month billed annually | Sales teams and ease of use | |
4.1 star star star star | square-xmark | square-check Limited 10 users | $9.99/user/month billed annually | $64.99/user/month billed annually | Free plan for very small teams up to 10 |
CRM goal | Increase the sales conversion rate for qualified leads from marketing automation campaigns by 10% in the next 6 months. | ||||
SMART Breakdown | 1. Specific: It targets a specific area (conversion rate) for a defined segment (qualified leads from marketing automation). | 2. Measurable: The desired increase (10%) is a clear metric, and the timeframe (6 months) allows for progress tracking. | 3. Achievable: A 10% increase is possible based on historical data and potential improvements. | 4. Relevant: Boosting sales from marketing efforts aligns with overall business objectives. | 5. Time-bound: The 6-month timeframe creates urgency and a clear target date. |
Actions | Step 1: Refine lead qualification criteria to ensure high-quality leads are nurtured through marketing automation. | Step 2: Personalize marketing automation campaigns based on lead demographics, interests, and behavior. | Step 3: Develop targeted landing pages with clear calls to action for qualified leads. | Step 4: Implement lead scoring to prioritize high-potential leads for sales follow-up. | Step 5: Track and analyze campaign performance to identify areas for optimization. |
Outcomes | Increased sales and revenue | Improved marketing automation ROI | Marketing and sales alignment | Data-driven marketing optimization |