LinkedIn InMail Templates and Best Practices That Get Replies

Most LinkedIn InMail messages get ignored. Not because the offer is bad or the sender is wrong — but because the message is. A generic "I'd love to connect" or a wall of text about your product is a fast track to the trash folder.

This guide gives you proven LinkedIn InMail templates for every use case — sales, recruiting, networking, and partnership outreach — plus the best practices that separate a 30% reply rate from a 5% one.

What Is LinkedIn InMail (and Why It's Different from Connection Messages)

LinkedIn InMail lets you message people you're not connected to. You get a limited number of credits per month depending on your premium plan, so every message counts.

Unlike connection requests (which have a 300-character limit and need acceptance first), InMails let you write longer, more considered outreach and reach people who haven't opted in to hear from you. That raises the stakes — and the expectations.

The key difference: connection message = low friction, low bar. InMail = higher friction, higher bar. You need to earn the reply.

Why Most InMails Fail

Before the templates, the honest autopsy:

Too long. If your InMail looks like an essay, it dies on mobile.
Me-focused. "I'm reaching out because we help companies like yours…" Nobody cares. What's in it for them?
No specificity. Vague compliments ("I noticed your impressive background") feel like copy-paste and are.
Buried ask. The actual request is in paragraph four. They never get there.
Wrong timing or context. Pitching a CISO at 8am Monday about switching vendors = no.

Fix those five things and you're already ahead of 80% of InMail senders.

The Anatomy of an InMail That Gets Replies

Every high-performing InMail has four components:

Hook — Why are you reaching out to this person, now? Be specific.
Relevance — What problem do you solve or what value do you offer? One sentence.
Proof or credibility — Why should they take you seriously? (Optional but powerful.)
Clear, low-friction ask — One specific ask. Easy to say yes to.

Keep the whole thing under 150 words. Yes, really. Shorter messages get more replies.

LinkedIn InMail Templates by Use Case

Sales Outreach InMail Templates

Template 1: Triggered by a post or content

Subject: Your post on [topic]

Hi [First Name],

Saw your post about [specific topic] — the point about [specific detail] was spot on.

We work with [type of company] to [specific outcome, e.g., reduce churn by X%]. Given what you're dealing with at [Company], thought it might be worth a 15-minute conversation.

Worth a quick call this week?

Why it works: Opens with a genuine, specific reference. Does not pitch immediately. Asks a yes/no question that is easy to answer.

Template 2: Mutual connection

Subject: [Mutual contact] suggested I reach out

Hi [First Name],

[Mutual contact] mentioned you're working on [relevant problem or initiative].

We helped [similar company] [specific result]. Happy to share what worked if that's useful.

Open to a quick call?

Why it works: Social proof up front. Short. Stakes feel low.

Template 3: Company trigger event (funding, new hire, expansion)

Subject: Congrats on the Series B

Hi [First Name],

Congrats on the raise — scaling a [GTM/engineering/support] team fast after a round is one of those fun challenges.

We work with companies at exactly this stage to [specific outcome]. Would it make sense to talk?

Why it works: Relevant trigger creates natural timing. Acknowledges their reality without assuming they have a problem.

Recruiting InMail Templates

Template 1: Passive candidate

Subject: [Role title] at [Company] — worth 10 minutes?

Hi [First Name],

Your experience in [specific area] caught my eye — particularly [specific detail from their profile].

We're building out our [team name] at [Company] and this role is one we'd typically struggle to hire for. You're exactly the profile we'd want to talk to.

No pressure if the timing is not right — but would a quick conversation be okay?

Why it works: Specific flattery (earned), acknowledges their time, removes pressure.

Template 2: Re-engaging a former candidate

Subject: Things have changed at [Company]

Hi [First Name],

We spoke about [role] back in [month/year]. Since then, [something has changed — new leadership, new direction, better comp structure].

If your situation has evolved at all, I'd love to reconnect. No obligation — just a genuine conversation.

Why it works: Acknowledges the previous touchpoint. Positions change as relevant to them, not just to you.

Template 3: Student or recent grad

Subject: Starting your career in [field]?

Hi [First Name],

Your work on [project or thesis] at [University] stood out. We have a [role] open that could be a strong fit for someone with exactly your background.

It's an early-career role with real ownership from day one. Want to learn more?

Why it works: Specific reference signal shows you actually looked. "Real ownership" addresses the number one concern of new grads.

Networking InMail Templates

Template 1: Requesting advice

Subject: Quick question from a fellow [industry] person

Hi [First Name],

I've been following your work on [specific topic] — your approach to [specific thing] is something I've been thinking about a lot.

I'm navigating a similar challenge at [Company/context]. Would you be open to a 20-minute call? Happy to share what I've learned too.

Why it works: Mutual exchange framing. Specific, not gushing.

Template 2: Event follow-up

Subject: Great to meet at [Event]

Hi [First Name],

Enjoyed our conversation about [specific topic] at [event]. You mentioned [something specific they said].

I'd love to stay in touch — any interest in a proper follow-up call?

Why it works: Specificity proves it's not a mass message. Builds on an existing interaction.

Template 3: Industry peer connection

Subject: Connecting two [industry] builders

Hi [First Name],

I run [Company], which [one-line description]. I've been following what you're building at [their company] and respect the direction.

No specific agenda — just think it'd be valuable to know each other. Open to a 20-minute call?

Why it works: Peer framing, low stakes, transparent about the lack of agenda.

Partnership InMail Templates

Template 1: Integration or co-marketing

Subject: [Company A] + [Company B] — shared audience?

Hi [First Name],

We both serve [specific audience]. Our customers often ask about [their product], and I imagine the reverse is true.

I'm exploring whether there's a co-marketing or integration angle worth building together. Would you be the right person to explore this with?

Why it works: Leads with shared value, not what you want. Asks if they're the right contact rather than assuming.

Template 2: Referral partnership

Subject: Referral arrangement worth discussing?

Hi [First Name],

We refer customers to [adjacent service] regularly but haven't formalised anything. Given what [their company] does, there might be a natural two-way arrangement here.

Would this be worth 20 minutes?

Best Practices That Lift Reply Rates

1. Personalise the subject line

Generic subject lines like "Opportunity" or "Quick question" are death. Reference something real: their company name, a recent post, a shared context.

2. Write for mobile

Over 60% of LinkedIn is accessed on mobile. If your InMail requires scrolling, it's too long. Aim for 3–4 short paragraphs max.

3. Send on Tuesday–Thursday

Monday is inbox chaos. Friday is mentally checked out. Mid-week outreach performs better.

4. Follow up once — not three times

If they haven't replied in 5–7 days, one brief follow-up is fine. Anything beyond that damages your credibility and LinkedIn sender reputation.

Follow-up template:

Hi [First Name] — just bumping this up in case it got lost. Happy to keep it brief if you'd prefer.

That's it. Short, non-pushy.

5. Use free InMail credits smartly

LinkedIn offers free InMail credits for Open Profiles — people who've opted in to receive messages from non-connections. Prioritise these when prospecting at scale.

6. Match tone to seniority

Junior candidate or early-career professional? Warmer, more encouraging. C-suite exec? Crisp, direct, no hand-holding. The tone signals whether you understand their world.

7. Test your subject lines

If you're sending InMail at volume, A/B test subject lines. Something as simple as including their company name versus their first name can shift reply rates significantly.

How to Write LinkedIn Content That Earns InMail Opens

Here's something most people miss: a strong LinkedIn presence makes your InMails work harder. When someone receives your message and clicks through to your profile, what they see either validates you or kills the reply.

That means:

A headline that communicates what you actually do (not just your job title)
Posts that demonstrate expertise and judgment
A summary that sounds like a person, not a CV

Use the LinkedIn Headline Generator to write a headline that holds up under scrutiny. And if your posting cadence has been inconsistent, the LinkedIn Post Generator can help you build a visible presence before your next outreach push.

A warm profile does not just help you look credible — it actively increases InMail response rates because people can verify you're a real, thoughtful professional.

InMail vs. Connection Request: When to Use Which

Scenario	Use InMail	Use Connection Request
Cold outreach to executive	Yes
Peer networking		Yes
Recruiting passive candidates	Yes
Following up after an event		Yes
Sales to VP+ without a mutual	Yes
Community or content engagement		Yes

Connection requests are free and lower friction. Save InMail credits for outreach where you need to send a complete message upfront or where the recipient is unlikely to accept a blind connection.

Common InMail Mistakes to Stop Making

The fake compliment. "I came across your impressive profile" reads as automated and lazy. If you can't point to something specific, skip the compliment entirely.

The thesis statement opener. "I'm the Head of Sales at XYZ, where we help companies like yours to achieve best-in-class results through our innovative platform…" Deleted before the second line.

Attaching a deck or link immediately. Don't. It reads as mass outreach and LinkedIn's algorithm may flag it. Wait until they've replied.

Asking for too much. "Would you be open to a 45-minute demo call?" is asking for a lot from a cold message. "Worth a quick 15 minutes?" is much easier to say yes to.

Following up aggressively. Two messages total, max. After that, you're not persuasive — you're annoying.

Writing Your Own InMail Templates

The templates above are starting points. The best InMails are the ones you've refined over dozens of send-and-test cycles. Track your reply rates, note what changes you made, and iterate.

A few things to personalise every time:

Reference something specific from their profile, posts, or company
Name the trigger that made you reach out now
Match the ask to what's realistic in a first message

And before you send anything, read it aloud. If it sounds like a human wrote it, send it. If it sounds like a LinkedIn automation sequence, rewrite it.

LinkedIn InMail works when it respects the recipient's time and intelligence. Use these templates as a foundation, but always make them yours.

Want to sharpen the rest of your LinkedIn presence while you're at it? The LinkedIn Summary Generator and LinkedIn Hook Generator are free tools that help you build the profile credibility that makes your outreach land.