When Should You Send an InMail?
Founded in 2003, LinkedIn has around 930 million users, making it the most popular professional networking site. Now and then you will come across second-degree (LinkedIn members who are connected to your first-degree connections) connections with whom you want to connect. LinkedIn’s premium messaging feature InMail is designed to help you communicate with second-degree connections. To use this feature, you need to opt for a premium membership. Once you upgrade your account, you will be able to send InMails to any LinkedIn member.
The best time to send InMails
Do you, like several LinkedIn members, fret over the right time to send a LinkedIn InMail? Over the years, several businesses have come up with different theories on why they think that some time slots are better than others for sending InMails. For years, recruiters, marketers, and corporates have been struggling to figure out the best time to send InMails.
Truth be told, there is no best time to send InMails. If you go through different studies, you will find that any time of the day gets almost the same response rate. Why? Because people respond when it’s convenient for them (and it could be any time of the day or night).
How to send an InMail
Once you have upgraded your account, follow these steps to send your InMail:
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Use the Search box to find the member you want to connect to.
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Navigate to the person’s profile.
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Once you are on the person’s profile, click on the Send InMail button.
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When filling out the message form, decide whether you want to share your contact details with the recipient. If you want to send your contact information, select the Include my Contact checkbox.
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Compose your message.
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Click on the ‘send’ button to deliver your message.
InMail myths to avoid
When sending InMails, do not assume anything. To get the most out of your InMail campaigns, you need to steer clear of InMail myths. Let’s take a look at some common InMail misconceptions that are often considered true.
1. If a person rejects your first InMail, you cannot message them again
Many InMail users believe that if a person rejects their InMail, they are barred from sending the person another InMail. Nothing could be further from the truth. LinkedIn allows you to send another message to a person who rejected your initial InMail whenever you want. If a prospect rejects your InMail within 90 days, you get an InMail credit.
2. Bulk InMails have the same response rate as individual messages
Sending InMails in bulk may help you reach more people; however, your response rate is bound to take a hit. There is nothing great about run-of-the-mill bulk messages, which is precisely the reason why most of them never get noticed. A personalized message, on the other hand, shows your efforts to communicate with the recipient on a personal level, giving them a reason to open the InMail.
Studies show that the acceptance rate for personalized InMails is 13 percent higher than the average rate. On the flip side, the response rate of messages sent in bulk (in batches of 11-25) is 15 percent below average.
3. Detailed InMails have a higher-than-average response rate
If you plan to educate your prospect on your company values, culture, and philosophies, sending an InMail is not the best option. No one has the time to read a long and detailed InMail. Studies show that the response rate for InMails over 200 words is 13 percent less than average. The acceptance rate for InMails under 100 words, on the other hand, is 13 percent more than the average rate.
To help your readers avoid information overload, use short and sweet InMails. Because, your InMail subject is the first thing your recipient will notice about your message; use short, concise, and attention-grabbing subject lines.
The length of your subject line too can have an impact on your response rate. Studies show that the response rate for one and two-word subject lines is 13 percent higher than average. The acceptance rate for long subject lines (10 words or more), on the other hand, is 19 percent lower than average. The moral of the story: keep your InMail and subject line as short as possible (without compromising on quality, of course).
4. InMail response rates have taken a hit over the past few years
Various InMail myths circulating in the market suggest that response rates have taken a hit. If anything, the opposite is true. InMail response rates have constantly been rising across all segments. Thanks to constant algorithmic improvements, seeing unread InMails was never easier. These improvements have also made it possible for recruiters to find candidates with skills that fit the role.
