Too many business owners ignore their LinkedIn DMs. They post content, pray for engagement, then run away from the inbox like it’s full of spam and sales pitches. Which it probably is. But while you’re avoiding your messages, the smartest founders are building empires one conversation at a time.
The LinkedIn feed is a lottery. The algorithm decides who sees your brilliant post about transforming client results. Maybe 500 people if you’re lucky. But slide into someone’s DMs? You’re right there. No algorithm. No competition for attention. Just you and them, having a conversation that could change both your businesses.
I quadrupled my LinkedIn following to 38,000 in 18 months, with DMs playing a part in this strategy. Not only that, but many of my best clients came from inbox chats, not viral posts. Here’s how to make that happen for you.
Master the LinkedIn inbox, master your growth
Message your profile viewers first
Every day, people check out your profile. They read your summary, scan your experience, maybe save your post for later. Then they leave without saying hello. These people are interested enough to click through and learn more about you. Yet most founders ignore these potential leads in their analytics.
Message them within 24 hours. Keep it simple: “Hey Sarah, thanks for checking out my profile. what caught your eye?” No capitals. No formality. Write like you’re texting a friend. Most people expect corporate templates and automated sequences. When you show up like a human, you instantly stand out. Half will reply just because you surprised them by being normal. The other half were probably automated bots anyway.
Transform connection requests into relationships
Someone wants to connect but sent no message? Perfect opportunity. Before accepting, ask why. “hey david, appreciate the connection request. what made you reach out?” Filter out the sales vultures from people who genuinely want to know you. Start conversations.
Forget about the ones who don’t reply. The ones who do often share exactly why your work matters to them. Maybe they loved your post about pricing strategy. Maybe they’re facing the exact challenge you solve. You won’t know unless you ask. People on LinkedIn are turning blank connection requests into consulting contracts, all because they ask “what made you reach out?” instead of hitting accept and moving on.
Send connection requests worth accepting
Cold outreach gets a bad reputation because most people do it badly. They write novels about themselves, pitch on first contact, or send the same template (or Calendly link) to everyone. You’re better than that. Find people whose work you genuinely admire. Reference something specific they shared. Make it about them, not you.
“loved your take on team culture in remote companies. especially the friday ritual point. mind if we connect?” No life story. No sneaky sales agenda. Test using no capital letters to show you’re not an AI. Genuine interest in what they’re doing. When they accept, follow up with a question about their work. Build the relationship first. Business comes after trust is established. According to LinkedIn, personalized connection requests get accepted at 3x the rate of generic ones. Yet 92% of people still send “I’d like to add you to my professional network.”
Connect beyond the transaction
Every customer interaction is a LinkedIn opportunity. But most founders miss this stream of easy new network adds. Someone buys your course? Someone attends your workshop? Add them on LinkedIn. At Coachvox, I connect with every new customer personally. I want to get to know them in multiple places and understand their world.
These conversations tell you what’s happening in your market. What challenges keep your customers up at night. What solutions they’ve tried that failed. Your next product idea, your next pivot, your next breakthrough is hiding in these DMs with people who already believe in what you do. One conversation with a customer led me to creating our most popular feature.
Turn comments into deeper conversations
Someone writes a thoughtful comment on your post? That’s an invitation. They’ve raised their hand and said “this matters to me.” Don’t just heart their comment and move on. Slide into their DMs and continue the conversation. “your point about burnout really hit home. guessing there’s a story there?”
Now you’re not just another post in their feed. You’re someone who cares about their perspective. These people could become your best customers. Sometimes they become collaborators. Always, they become relationships. The LinkedIn algorithm might bury your next post, but it can’t touch a conversation that’s already started in the DMs.
Write LinkedIn direct messages people actually read
Forget everything you learned about professional communication. LinkedIn DMs aren’t formal letters. They’re text messages between humans. Write like you talk. Use lowercase when it feels natural. Skip the punctuation if it flows better. Be the refreshing change from all the nonsense flooding their inbox. Keep messages short. One or two sentences max. Ask questions that are easy to answer. When you make responding effortless, people actually do it. Your next big partnership, your next major client, your next breakthrough idea is one message away.
Access my best ChatGPT prompts to grow your personal brand on LinkedIn.
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