Category: LinkedIn + Sales Strategy. For B2B salespeople and founders who want to improve reply rates from LinkedIn DMs and cold email.
The LinkedIn Message Playbook
Most LinkedIn messages fail because they sound like every other message in the inbox: generic opener, immediate pitch, calendar link. The prospect has seen it 40 times this week.
This playbook covers the full sequence from connection accepted to meeting booked. Every message references real engagement, builds on shared context, and makes the ask feel natural.
Message 1 — connection note, sent with the request. Under 300 characters. References something specific about them: a post they wrote, a comment they left, a mutual connection, a job change, or a content piece they shared. Not a pitch — just a reason to connect that's about them.
Message 2 — first DM after acceptance, sent 1–3 days after acceptance. Opens by referencing the reason you connected. Offers something relevant without asking for anything. Ends with an open question. Under 80 words.
Message 3 — the value bridge, sent 3–5 days later if there's no reply, or if they replied but didn't commit. Shares a relevant resource — a post, framework, or case study — with a one-sentence contextual note. No ask.
Message 4 — the soft close, sent 5–7 days after Message 3. Brief. Acknowledges this is the last touch. Makes a specific low-friction ask (a quick call, a specific question, a referral). Leaves the door open.
What not to do:
- Never send a calendar link in Message 1 or 2
- Never open with "I came across your profile"
- Never pitch your product in the connection note
- Never use a template that could have been sent to anyone
- Never follow up on the same day as the previous message
The Authority Email Playbook
The authority email framework produces:
- 68% open rate
- 4.2x reply lift vs standard cold email
- 12-second average read time — meaning people actually read it, not just open it
The difference: authority-led emails reference your reputation, your content, or your external appearances. The recipient has seen your name before, so the email doesn't feel cold.
Framework 1 — the Warm Signal Email. For prospects who have engaged with your LinkedIn content. Opens by referencing the specific post or engagement, bridges to the problem you help with, and makes a low-friction ask.
- Subject: under 7 words, no question marks, no all-caps
- Line 1: the specific signal (they commented on X, they shared Y)
- Lines 2–3: one sentence on what you help with and who for
- Line 4: the ask — one sentence, a question not a pitch
- Total: under 80 words
Framework 2 — the Authority Reference Email. For prospects who haven't engaged with your content but operate in your space. Opens with an external credibility signal: a podcast appearance, media mention, or case study from their industry. The recipient hasn't seen your name but can immediately see why you're worth reading.
Framework 3 — the Mutual Connection Email. Opens with a shared connection or shared community. The warmest cold email you can send: short, personal, low-friction.
Subject line formulas that work:
[Their name], [specific observation]
Re: [topic they care about]
[Mutual connection] suggested I reach out
Quick question about [specific thing]
[Result] for [company type like theirs]
Formulas that don't work:
- "Following up" in any subject line
- Questions with question marks in subject lines
- Anything with their company name and "partnership" in the same subject
- All-caps words
- Anything over 8 words
Free downloads: The LinkedIn Message Playbook · The Authority Email Playbook