LinkedIn

How to Master Your LinkedIn Notes

lemlist team
LAST UPDATED
May 14, 2024
READING TIME
7 min.

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?

How LinkedIn notes make you stand out

Maximize your chances of connecting with LinkedIn influencers by adding a personalized note. Here are a few reasons why:

  • Shows genuine interest. Prove you took the time to learn more about the person you're contacting by adding a personalized note to your LinkedIn connection invite. 
  • Increases response rate. People are more likely to reply when the connection request has a personalized message. Adding a human touch makes your prospects less likely to perceive the message as spam or automated. 
  • Improves network opportunities. Adding a LinkedIn note allows you to tell how they can benefit from connecting with you on LinkedIn.

How do LinkedIn Notes work?

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.

Role and Impact

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.

Making Connections

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.

How to write compelling LinkedIn notes

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.

1. Tailor your message

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.

2. Create a personal brand

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.

3. Showcase a mutual benefit

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 types and templates

LinkedIn notes vary in purpose and style, and understanding the different types can help you navigate your networking efforts more effectively.

1. Messages and requests for first-time interactions

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.

2. Post-meeting and interview follow-ups

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.

3. Requests for informational interviews or mentorship

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? 

Personalization strategies

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.

1. Align your Message with the recipient's interests

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.

2. Make your call-to-action engaging

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?"

3. Be polite and effective

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.

4. Follow-up without pestering

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.

LinkedIn Notes do's and dont's

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.

Strategies to make use of advanced LinkedIn features

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

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.

Use rich media and voice notes

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.

Measure success and react to challenges

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.

Account your progress

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.

Bounce back

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.

Key Takeaways

-> 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. 

Don't neglect tools

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.

FAQs

     
  • How often should I send LinkedIn notes?
    There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but consistency is essential without being spammy. Aim for regular, meaningful interactions rather than bulk messaging.
  •  
  • Should I always expect a reply to my LinkedIn note?
    No, not everyone will reply, and that's normal. Focus on the quality of your connections rather than the quantity of responses.
  •  
  • How can I ensure my LinkedIn notes stand out?
    Personalize each note, mention specific details showing you've done your homework, and ensure your message adds value to the recipient.
lemlist team
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G2 Rating
Price
Best for
Standout feature
Con
4.9
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star
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star
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$30/mo
$75/mo
$2,999/mo
Large, distributed sales teams
AI evaluation precision, gamified KPIs
Lack of tracking system
4.6
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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
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star
star
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$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
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star
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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
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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
ERP vs. CRM
ERP
CRM
Summary
Backbone of a business's internal operations.
Backbone of customer-centric interactions and operations.
Goal
To centralize and streamline core business processes in a company.
To increase customer experience, satisfaction and loyalty, and boost sales.
Focus
Internal operations and processes across departments (finance, accounting, inventory, supply chain, HR, and sales).
All interactions with leads and customers.
Manages
Internal business data like financial data, inventory levels, production details, supply chain, HR info.
All customer data like contact info, purchase history, communication history, customer preferences and more.
Users
Finance, accounting, operations, supply chain, and HR departments.
Customer-facing teams like sales, marketing, and customer service.
Benefits
Streamlines operations, improves data accuracy, enhances decision-making, boosts collaboration, increases productivity.
Improves customer relationships, increases sales, strengthens customer service, personalizes marketing campaigns, provides insights.
Price
$150 per user per year on average.
$10 to $30 per user per month on average.
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
Table
CDP Software
CRM Software
Approach
Data-centric
Customer-centric
Focus
Interactions across various channels and touchpoints, both online and offline.
Sales, marketing, and customer service interactions.
Functionality
Automatically collects, organizes, tags, and makes data available in real-time.
Helps businesses track customer interactions, sales pipelines, prospects, and service requests.
Goals
Personalized customer experiences across all channels.
Better customer relationships, streamlined processes, and improved profitability.
Benefits
Data integration, management, and accessibility, allowing for detailed analysis and segmentation.
Better communication within teams and with customers by organizing information about customer interactions and history.
Data Handling
Handles both identified and anonymous data, stitches together various data points.
Deals primarily with identified customer data.
Use Cases
Personalized marketing campaigns, targeted advertising, content customization across multiple channels.
Managing campaigns and leads, enhancing customer service, providing better customer support, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Examples
Insider, Bloomreach, Salesforce Marketing Cloud CDP
HubSpot, Salesforce Sales Cloud Lightning Professional, and Zoho CRM
CRM
Free plan
Best feature
Best for
Con
1. HubSpot CRM
square-check
Sales automation
Sales teams
Up to 1,000 contacts
2. Insightly
square-check
Custom fields
Basic needs
Not enough info about the free plan
3. Agile CRM
square-check
Deal and sales pipeline tracking
Small teams
Up to 10 users
4. Zoho CRM
square-check
Lead and contact management
Businesses of all sizes
Limited to 3 users
5. ClickUp
square-check
Unlimited tasks and unlimited members
Personal use
Up to 100MB storage
6. EngageBay
square-check
Live chat
Small and midsize enterprises
Up to 1,000 branded emails per month
7. Bitrix24
square-check
Unlimited users and 5 scrum teams
Big teams
Up to 5GB of cloud storage
8. FreshSales
square-check
Easy to use and simple setup
Beginners
Up to 3 users
9. Mailchimp
square-check
Very beginner friendly
Marketing teams
Send up to 500 branded emails per month
Type of Affiliate Marketing
Unattached
Related
Involved
Format
Paid advertising
Social media or YouTube channels
Dedicated website or blog
Focus
Quick income
Your niche
Your audience
Engagement with your audience
square-xmark
square-check
square-check
square-check
square-check
Very close connection with your audience
Pro
Little effort
Higher credibility thanks to your niche
Long-lasting and scalable
Con
Paid ads cost a lot
Potential for bias since you don’t use the thing you promote
Require time, effort, and dedication

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