6 Best LinkedIn Message Templates for Sales Professionals and Teams

LinkedIn is a fantastic platform for outbound sales. It’s home to tons of key decision-makers, and lots of them use the platform to identify and vet vendors.

But… that also (counterintuitively) makes getting good results on LinkedIn more difficult. So many people and brands are trying to sell solutions that your target prospects feel overwhelmed. And when that happens, your outreach ROI starts to drop.

To stand out in saturated inboxes, it's important to fine-tune personalized, effective, and conversion-oriented LinkedIn messages. In this Uptown Creation guide, we will share six templates that have generated great results for us in the past.

Let’s dive right in.

6 Proven LinkedIn Message Templates to Generate Leads and Sales

1. The Initial LinkedIn Message after Connection Request Template
2. The Case Study Follow-Up Message Template
3. The Nudge Follow-Up Message Template
4. The Break-Up Follow-Up Message Template
5. The Content-Sharing Message Template
6. The Event Invite Message Template

1. The Initial LinkedIn Message after Connection Request Template

This is a LinkedIn message template that works great because it accomplished three things in a very short amount of time:

• It starts with a pattern disrupt
• It addresses the elephant in the room (that you’re cold-messaging them).
• It establishes your credibility.
• It closes with a clear CTA.

I know this is random [prospect’s name], but you seemed like the best person to reach out to for this.

I’m chatting with some [prospect’s job title]’s that know they should be doing more to [solve perceived problem].¹

At a high level we help [target market] businesses like [customer] and [customer] solve [key problem] with [product/service].

Would it be alright if I shared a few ideas for how you can [solve perceived problem]?²

¹. This line addresses the elephant in the room. The key is to be very specific about your connection with the person, beyond generic lines like “we have a few mutual connections.” Find something unique to plug in here.

² We recommend playing around with this question a bit. It should be specific enough to show that you’ve done your homework but not so salesy that it turns people off.

2. The Case Study Follow-Up Message Template

If the message above doesn’t get a response, it’s time to send the follow-up. The goal here is to follow a similar format but to keep it brief.

Forgot to mention [prospect’s name] - We just helped [customer] solve [perceived problem] in [result time frame]

If we were able to help you do something similar would this be worth a conversation?

If the prospect doesn’t respond after your connection request follow-up message, try getting on their radar by engaging with (liking and dropping relevant comments on) their LinkedIn content. Still no response? Cut your losses and move on.

3. The Nudge Follow-Up Nudge Message Template

Respond accordingly if you get a positive reply to your first or second connection request message. If the response is negative? Thank them for replying, and end the conversation. 

If the prospect accepts your request but doesn’t reply to your message? Give it some time. But if you don’t hear back after 2 or 3 business days, use this template to give a quick nudge.

Thoughts [prospect name]?

4. The Break-Up Follow-Up Message Template

Use this template if your prospect asks for more information on your solution or to follow up on a post-connection message that hasn’t been replied to.

If you’re responding to a request for more information: Following up on our last conversation, here’s some more info on how [your company] can help you.

If you’re following up on an ignored post-connection message: Seems like my timing is off for solving [perceived problem], [prospect’s name].

Before I mark you as no fit - if we were able to help you [measurable result] would that be worth a conversation?

No worries if not, just let me know if I’m totally off base here.

5. The Content-Sharing Message Template

Use this template when you find a relevant company or third-party post that can help you revive or start a conversation with a prospect.

“Saw this post [post link], and I immediately thought of you because of [personal detail].

It talks about:

• [key point 1] 
• [key point 2]
• [key point 3]

I think [key point 1] is especially relevant to [specific issue or pain point], and I wanted to share it with you.

Let me know if you have any questions or just want to pick my brains. I’m always happy to share relevant content and talk about [prospect industry]!

6. The Event Invite Message Template

Finally, use this template when you have an event to promote.

Saw your recent post about [topic + link] and it caught my eye. I’m sure you get these all the time, so I’ll be quick! 

I'm [your name], [your position] at [your company]. We're hosting an [event type] on [date] called "[event name]". It's all about [brief description]. Your post made me think you might be interested in attending.

If so, I'd love to extend an invite. You can RVSP here: [link].

Looking forward to seeing you there!

[your name]

5 Tips for Writing LinkedIn Messages People Actually Want to Read

1. Only Contact People Who Are Likely to Respond

Bad targeting will always lead to a bad response rate. And a bad response rate means your LinkedIn outreach is more time-consuming, expensive, and frustrating than it needs to be.

There are tons of ways to find higher-quality leads on LinkedIn, like:

• Boolean search
• Sales Navigator search filters
• LinkedIn groups
• Referrals
• LinkedIn analytics

Looking for guidance? Book a free strategy call, and we’ll help you define a demographic profile that will connect you with your ideal clients.

2. Use a Catchy, Concise Subject Line or First Sentence

Your subject line can determine whether you get a response or connection acceptance. Keep it short and straight to the point. Don’t say too much upfront—a little mystery encourages prospects to open the message out of curiosity. 

And where possible, try for a personal connection, like highlighting a past employer, an alma mater, or a shared interest. These tips also apply to the message body.

3. Avoid Being Predictable

We’re talking about “dirty”, overused phrases like:

• “I’d love to add you to my network.”
• “Thanks for connecting.”
• “Let’s see what ways we can mutually support each other.”

As soon as a prospect sees a pattern that they recognize from skimming the hundreds of other messages crowding their inboxes, your chances of getting a response drop to basically 0%. 

4. Leverage Your Existing Network

Confirm if anyone who works at your company is already connected to the prospect. Mentioning the colleague’s name is a quick way to pique interest, especially if they know the person personally.

If you can’t find a shared connection, check if you are connected to anyone who has endorsed their skills or consistently engages with their LinkedIn content. Highlighting this mutual connection shows that you’ve done your research and might be worth listening to.

5. Share What’s in It for the Prospect

 Your first message may not necessarily include answers to the question “What’s in it for me?” but a follow-up should. 

Share details like:

• Problem being solved
• Potential cost savings and ROI
• Past clients and positive reviews
• Customer support quality

Get Expert Guidance on LinkedIn Outreach

Incorporating relevant prospect data and optimizing your LinkedIn profile positions you to get more message replies faster. So, research your potential clients to personalize each message and curate a professional, active, and trustworthy LinkedIn account. 

Need help with drafting more winning LinkedIn messages or executing a LinkedIn outbound and lead generation strategy? At Uptown Creation, we help B2B businesses turn LinkedIn into a main source of leads and sales by developing and implementing manual outreach strategies. 

Book a free strategy call, and let’s chat about how we can help.