linkedin-inmail
Applies to first contact on LinkedIn, before any relationship exists. Produces the message plus the signal it was grounded in.
Pick the vehicle first
Three formats, three different budgets. Don't blend them.
| Vehicle | Budget | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| Connection note | ~300 characters | Their profile offers connect, not message. One signal, one thought, a light ask or none. |
| InMail | Short subject + body under ~400 characters | They're open-profile, or they're worth spending a paid credit on. |
| DM after acceptance | ~600–1,000 characters | They accepted. More room, because they already opted in. |
The character limit is the discipline. A connection note that needs 400 characters is a note that hasn't found its point.
The four rules every draft passes
1. Earn the open. Subject lines carry most of the decision on InMail. Five to seven words, peer-to-peer, referencing something they care about rather than something you sell. "Quick question about your agency growth" is a vendor. "Your last three reviews — a pattern" is a peer.
2. Show you looked, in line one. A specific data point only someone who actually examined them would have. "Saw you're the founder of [company]" is a profile skim, not research. Real signals: their service mix, recent hiring, a podcast or article they did, their customer mix, a competitor mention, a location nuance. If you can't find a real signal, don't send — go find one.