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Cold Emails for LinkedIn InMail

When we talk about B2B communication, only one platform comes to mind: Email.

When email was first introduced in 1972, no one expected it to become the primary medium of professional conversations that it is today. Many companies have offered unique emailing platforms throughout the years, and with tech giants like Google spearheading the innovations, it seems we will continue to use email for any conversation that’s corporate-related.

As we advance further into tech and everything digital, having an email account is almost as essential as having a phone. For those of us in the business industry, it isn’t Facebook or Twitter that greets us the moment we open our eyes. It’s email.

Countless messaging apps have surfaced in the past decade, but one stood out to become a competition to email. LinkedIn has indeed been an effective platform for prospecting, and many are choosing the LinkedIn network over cold emails.

By definition

Everyone is familiar with email (or Electronic Mail). Because it’s considered as the easiest and most effective way to connect with professionals, you’ll rarely find an individual or business organization that doesn’t have at least one email account. 

LinkedIn, on the other hand, is a social platform used by professionals to connect with people in the industry. Its convenience comes from removing a step in the prospecting process: manually searching for significant people in organizations you want to tap. 

Getting your money’s worth

Probably one of the reasons why email is widely used is that it’s a free platform. Users can create as many accounts as they would like, and this is extremely cost-effective for companies who have a dedicated address for each department and function. Sending cold emails is free, and you get a $40 return on investment for every dollar spent on email. The challenge comes in during the sales pitch crafting, which can eat up time and money.

LinkedIn has a free plan, but if you want full access, you’ll need to pay a premium fee. Indeed, if you’re here to do lead generation, this is a wise investment. You’ll be exempted from any LinkedIn network restrictions, and you can freely view profiles of possible clients. When it comes to business, time is as good as money.

Fighting over inbox attention

Email is the current go-to for business pitches and cold messages. Decision-makers receive hundreds of emails weekly from sales and B2B marketing people. This explains why many of us try to come up with an enticing subject line or greeting just to get them to open our message.

LinkedIn’s inbox is more exclusive, and users don’t need to dig into a pile of messages to filter through what’s worth looking at. Sending an important sales pitch to a smaller inbox has a better chance of getting noticed.

Additionally, LinkedIn users don’t log in to the platform simply to kill time. They open their accounts with a specific intention, and you can be sure that it’s career or business-related. It’s easier to target leads who are already in “professional mode” compared to those who may merely be opening their email accounts to check for updates.

Finding the right people

Traditional email doesn’t offer many tools on lead generation. For marketers who prefer cold messaging, the search engine is their go-to. By manually listing target companies and scouting for decision-makers, it can take up quite a lot of time and effort for a task that can be automated instead.

This is where LinkedIn boasts its advantage. With a single click, you can view your prospect’s profile to get information on his company, his Linkedin connections, and his position. Apart from that, LinkedIn’s algorithm offers people suggestions based on your current LinkedIn network. Who knows, you might find people who can drive your next sale – even without looking for them.

What should you choose for your business?

Any successful lead generation strategy doesn’t stop at the first sales pitch. Usually, it takes quite a few messaging exchanges before you achieve conversion. When it comes to sending out your sales pitch, showing your interest in your client matters. The more you reach out and get to know your leads, the higher your chances of converting them into customers.

If you’re still in the gray area on which platform to choose, you can utilize both platforms to maximize your B2B marketing efforts. Use LinkedIn to grow your database and send out multiple initial pitches, and then move to email to nurture your relationship with your contacts. 

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