Master LinkedIn Cold Messaging: Templates, Outreach Tips & Strategies

While cold emails have a 1% response rate, cold LinkedIn messages can get you an average reply rate of 85%!

So if you’re a recruiter tired of looking for the perfect candidate, it would be foolish not to take full advantage of LinkedIn’s messaging capabilities.

What is LinkedIn Cold Messaging?

A cold message is a message sent to someone who doesn’t know you and doesn’t expect to hear from you. This outreach type can be sent through various channels, not only LinkedIn - such as email, Facebook, and more.

In LinkedIn, cold messages from unknown people are usually called InMail and appear in this messaging category.

Since cold outreach on LinkedIn involves reaching out to someone who has never spoken to you, it’s relatively difficult to get responses and requires some type of strategy to be successful.

Why LinkedIn Cold Outreach is a Powerful Candidate Search Tool

LinkedIn is professional-focused, but at the same time, it’s a social network. So, its goal is to connect you with individuals for collaboration, networking, learning, and more. Using this platform is a way for you to reach exactly the people you need to reach.

Remember, users on LinkedIn update their information themselves. It’s the best candidate database out there, always updated and powered by users. So don’t hesitate to make a cold outreach on LinkedIn.

Preparing for LinkedIn Cold Messaging Success

How to cold message someone on LinkedIn? Cold messaging on LinkedIn is a key strategy for recruiters looking to connect with top talent. To increase response rates and build meaningful relationships, preparation is essential. Here’s how to set yourself up for success in LinkedIn cold outreach.

1. Develop a Messaging Strategy

Before reaching out, have a clear plan for cold outreach on LinkedIn:

Define your goals

Are you sourcing for immediate hires, building a talent pipeline, or networking for future roles?

Segment your audience

Group candidates based on experience, industry, or skill sets to personalize outreach.

Create message variations

Test different messaging styles to see what resonates best (e.g., casual vs. professional tone, detailed vs. concise).

Set outreach schedule

Plan initial messages, follow-ups, and engagement tactics to stay on a candidate’s radar.

2. Optimize Your Profile

Candidates are more likely to engage with a recruiter who has a professional and approachable profile.

• Use a clear, friendly profile picture.
• Write a compelling headline (e.g., "Helping Tech Talent Find Their Next Great Opportunity")
• Keep your “About” section candidate-focused, highlighting how you help professionals find great roles.
• Ensure your contact details are visible.

3. Define Your Target Candidates

Before reaching out, research your ideal candidate’s background:

• Industry, role, and experience level
• Skills and qualifications
• Common career paths and motivations

Get inspired by our recent blog post - Candidate Profile: How to Create the Best One

When you make all these preparation steps, you’re ready to start your cold messaging. Let’s explore the key rules of the messages themselves.

How to Craft an Effective LinkedIn Cold Message

1. Don’t apologize

How to send a cold message on LinkedIn? First, don’t be afraid to text someone. LinkedIn is a professional network, and as long as your message is professional, you have every right to send it.

So you should never start your message with “Sorry to bother you” or “I know you’re busy, but…”

Instead, start with confidence, avoid apologies, and get straight to the topic you want to discuss. Being clear upfront will help you gain the other person’s attention and interest (and respect) more quickly.

🚫 Bad Example:
"Sorry to bother you, I know you’re really busy, but I wanted to reach out about an opportunity."

✅ Good Example:
"Hi [Name], I came across your profile and was impressed by your experience in [specific skill/industry]. I’d love to connect and share a role that aligns with your expertise."

2. Be clear about your goal

Next, make sure your message is clear about what you want. Avoid jargon and wordy sentences and say what you really mean. The clearer and more direct you are, the more likely you’ll get a response.

For example, some recruiters send cold LinkedIn messages to job seekers like, “Would you like to look at our vacancy and tell me what you think?”. Or they ask, “Can we get on a call for 15 minutes?” without knowing exactly what the purpose would be. It’s way too general. Candidates wouldn’t know what to look for without investing a lot of time, so they usually don’t respond.

🚫 Bad Example:
"Would you like to look at our vacancy and tell me what you think?"

✅ Good Example:
"I’m hiring for a [Job Title] role at [Company], and your experience in [specific skill] caught my eye. Would you be open to a quick chat to see if this aligns with your career goals?"

3. Ask for 1 action

Make sure to only ask for one thing in your first cold message, not multiple actions. If you ask too many questions or want candidates to perform too many steps, it will become too complicated and overwhelm the reader. You can always ask for more after they answer the first question. But the key to getting the first response in a cold LinkedIn message is to keep it short and simple at the beginning. Make it easy for them and you’ll hear back more often.

🚫 Bad Example:
"Can we connect, check out this job posting, and schedule a call for next week?"

✅ Good Example:
"Would you be open to a quick 15-minute chat this week?"

4. Keep it short and nice

The best cold LinkedIn messages would be under 100 words. 50-75 words is ideal. When someone opens your outreach message, they’re much more likely to read (and respond) if it seems manageable and easy to read at first glance. Your cold LinkedIn message should be an invitation to read!

Always remember to respect the spacing. Try to send two or three small paragraphs instead of one big paragraph, for example. This goes for email, LinkedIn, and any other online platform.

🚫 Bad Example (Too long & dense):
"Hi [Name], I work at [Company] and we’re currently looking for a [Job Title] with experience in [Skill 1, Skill 2, Skill 3]. After reviewing your profile, I believe you’d be a great fit. Let me know if you're interested, and we can set up a time to discuss this further."

✅ Good Example (Concise & structured):
"Hi [Name], your experience in [Skill] stood out to me.

We have a [Job Title] opening at [Company] that could be a great fit. Would you be open to a quick chat?"

5. Personalize your message

How to write a cold LinkedIn message to keep it simple and unique? You should always add some personalization to show the reader that you’re not just copying and pasting the same message to a bunch of people.

Best cold LinkedIn messages feature personalization and tailoring because it helps you get more responses. If you spend a few seconds pasting a generic message to someone, they’re not going to bother responding to you in most cases.

🚫 Bad Example:
"Hey, I have an amazing job opportunity for you. Let me know if you’re interested!"

✅ Good Example:
"Hi [Name], I noticed your background in [specific experience or project], and I think you'd be a great fit for our [Job Title] role at [Company]. Would love to connect!"

6. Avoid attachments

Attachments and files are a no-go in your cold messaging on LinkedIn. If you want to get more responses, it’s best to keep your first outreach piece just as text. When you send a message on LinkedIn, the recipient will see the bottom of the message first when they open it.

You don’t want the first thing they see to be a big PDF or Word document or a huge paragraph with two or three links. Imagine getting this when you’ve never spoken to someone before. It’s too aggressive and will get the conversation off on the wrong foot. They probably won’t respond at all if you do this.

How to cold email on LinkedIn? You can add a link to your vacancy in the first LinkedIn cold message so that potential candidates can open it and understand quickly whether they’re interested in your role. By the way, make sure you send a healthy link to your corporate domain. Tech-savvy candidates will not open a link if it looks suspicious.

🚫 Bad Example:
"Here’s a PDF with our job description. Let me know what you think!" (Includes a big attachment.)

✅ Good Example:
"I’d love to share more details—would you be open to a quick chat?"

LinkedIn Cold Message Templates and Practical Examples

We’ve just looked at the steps for successful cold messaging, so now let’s look at some real examples and templates for cold messaging on LinkedIn.

Recruiting Outreach Message

Best for LinkedIn cold outreach strategy of recruiters reaching out to potential candidates

🚫 Bad Example (Generic & Vague):
"Hey, I have a great job opportunity for you! Let me know if you're interested."

✅ Good Example:
Subject: Exciting Opportunity in [Industry/Role]
"Hi [Name], I came across your profile and was impressed by your experience in [specific skill or project]. We’re currently hiring a [Job Title] at [Company], and I think your background in [relevant experience] could be a great match. Would you be open to a quick chat this week?"

Why this LinkedIn cold message template works: It’s specific, personalized, and provides a clear next step.

Networking & Relationship Building

For professionals looking to build connections without selling anything upfront.

🚫 Bad Example (Too Generic & Self-Focused):
"Hi, I’d love to add you to my network!"

✅ Good Example:
"Hi [Name], I came across your recent post on [topic] and liked your perspective. I’d love to connect and exchange insights on [industry or interest]. Looking forward to staying in touch!"

Why this LinkedIn cold message template works: It references a specific interest, making the request more natural.

Business Development & Sales Outreach

For introducing your product or service without being too pushy.

🚫 Bad Example (Too Salesy & Aggressive):
"Hi [Name], I help businesses like yours grow revenue by 10x! Let’s book a call to discuss how we can work together."

✅ Good Example:
"Hi [Name], I noticed your company is growing in [industry]. I specialize in helping [business type] with [the problem you solve]. Would you be open to a quick call to see if this could benefit your team?"

Why this LinkedIn cold message template works: It focuses on the recipient’s needs, not just a sales pitch.When you send a message on LinkedIn, the recipient will see the bottom of the message first when they open it

Follow-Up Message

For following up after no response without being pushy.

🚫 Bad Example (Desperate & Guilt-Inducing):
"Hey, just following up since I didn’t hear back. Are you ignoring me?"

✅ Good Example:
"Hi [Name], just wanted to follow up in case my last message got buried. No worries if now isn’t the right time—happy to reconnect when it makes sense for you!"

Why this LinkedIn cold message template works: It’s low-pressure and keeps the door open.

After an Event or Webinar

For connecting with someone after meeting at an industry event.

🚫 Bad Example (Too Formal & Stiff):
"Dear [Name], it was an absolute pleasure meeting you at [event]. I would like to continue our conversation."

✅ Good Example:
"Hi [Name], really enjoyed our chat at [event]! I’d love to stay connected and keep the conversation going on [topic discussed]. Let’s keep in touch!"

Why this LinkedIn cold message template works: It feels natural and keeps the conversation open-ended.

Tailoring LinkedIn Messages for Specific Roles or Goals

The steps and cold LinkedIn message templates above should be a good starting point for reaching out to people about jobs, but it’s important to test out a few different approaches and see what works best for you. The best approach for you will depend on your location, industry, etc.

Also, pay attention to the customization in our cold LinkedIn message templates. Your LinkedIn cold message should be tailored to the recipient’s role, industry, and career goals to improve response rates. If you have access to a job description, company insights, or recent activity from the candidate’s profile, you can customize your LinkedIn outreach message to make it more relevant.

Know your audience – research their role, company, or job description.
Keep it personal – reference something specific from their profile or activity.
Be clear about your goal – whether it’s a job, networking, or a business pitch.
Make it easy to respond – ask for one simple action (e.g., a quick chat).

With the right adjustments, your LinkedIn cold messages will feel more natural, relevant, and engaging—leading to better response rates.

Conclusion

Use this material as a starting point for LinkedIn cold messaging strategy, but always think about what else you can test or how you can refine things for your industry and customize LinkedIn outreach messages.

Take your time, look through the cold LinkedIn message templates, think about every sentence you write, and keep the LinkedIn outreach message short and sweet. If you do this, you’ll be well on your way to writing great messages that grab candidates’ attention and get responses.

Then track your results: how many people you reach out to and how many responses you get for each strategy or type of LinkedIn outreach message. Good luck with your cold messages!

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