LinkedIn DMs That Book Calls (With Message Templates)
Warm outreach, 5 message templates and the simple conversation flow I use to turn DMs into calls.
LinkedIn DMs that book calls start from a real reason to reach out, such as someone engaging with your content, keep the first message short and about them, ask a question instead of pitching, and only offer a call once there is a clear problem you can help with. Warm, personal outreach beats copy and paste sequences every time.
Most LinkedIn outreach fails for the same reason: it pitches a stranger in the first message. Nobody wants that, and everyone can spot it.
The approach I teach is simpler. Use your content to create warm conversations, then use DMs to find out whether someone actually needs help. Here is how it works, with message templates you can adapt.
Warm outreach vs cold outreach
| Cold outreach | Warm outreach | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you message | Strangers from a list | People who already engaged with you |
| First message | A pitch or a meeting request | A personal note and a question |
| How it feels | Spam | A normal conversation |
Warm outreach is slower to scale but far easier to convert. If you post consistently, you will have a steady list of warm people to talk to every week.
Who to message
Look for signals that someone is interested in what you do:
- They commented on or reacted to one of your posts.
- They viewed your profile.
- They accepted your connection request or sent you one.
- They downloaded a free resource or replied to your newsletter.
Before you message, spend 30 seconds on their profile. Are they someone you can actually help? If not, just be friendly and move on.
How to write the first message
The first message has one job: start a conversation. Keep it short, specific and about them.
- Reference the reason you are reaching out. Their comment, their post or their profile.
- Ask one easy question. Something they can answer in a sentence.
- No links, no pitch, no calendar. Not yet.
- Keep it under 300 characters. If it does not fit on a phone screen without scrolling, it is too long.
LinkedIn message templates
1. After someone comments on your post
Hey [Name], thanks for the comment on my post about [topic]. Curious, are you working on [related goal] right now, or was it more of a future thing?
2. After a profile view
Hey [Name], saw you stopped by my profile. I write mostly about [topic] for [type of person]. What are you focused on at the moment?
3. After a new connection
Thanks for connecting, [Name]. Looks like you are [something specific from their profile]. What made you start [their business or role]?
4. After they download a resource
Hey [Name], saw you grabbed [resource]. What were you hoping it would help with? Happy to point you to the most useful part.
5. Following up
Hey [Name], no worries if you are busy. Just wanted to bump this in case it got buried.
Adapt every template. If a message could be sent to anyone, it will be treated like it was.
How to move from conversation to call
Once someone replies, your job is to understand their situation, not to sell. A simple flow:
- Ask about their goal. "What are you trying to make happen in the next few months?"
- Ask about the gap. "What is getting in the way right now?"
- Share something useful. A post, a resource or a quick idea that helps, with no strings attached.
- Offer a call only if there is a fit. "Sounds like this is exactly what I help people with. Want to jump on a quick call and map it out?"
If there is no fit, say so and keep the relationship. Plenty of referrals come from people you did not sell.
How to follow up without being annoying
- Follow up once after three to five days if there is no reply.
- Keep follow ups shorter than the original message.
- After two follow ups, stop. Keep posting. They will see you in their feed.
Outreach mistakes to avoid
- Pitching or sending a calendar link in the first message.
- Long messages about you, your company and your services.
- Fake personalization, such as "I loved your profile!" with nothing specific.
- Automated sequences that send the same message to hundreds of people.
- Messaging people with no reason, when you could be posting content that brings them to you.
Outreach works best as part of a system
DMs convert when they sit on top of a strong profile and consistent content. People check your profile and your recent posts before they reply. If both are doing their job, half the selling is done before the conversation starts. The full picture is in how to get clients on LinkedIn.
If you want help building the whole pipeline, from profile to content to DMs to calls, that is exactly what we do in 1:1 coaching.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you write a LinkedIn outreach message?
Reference a real reason for reaching out, such as a comment or profile view, keep it under 300 characters, ask one easy question about them, and leave out links, pitches and calendar invites in the first message.
What is warm outreach on LinkedIn?
Warm outreach means messaging people who have already engaged with you, for example by commenting on your posts, viewing your profile or downloading a resource, instead of messaging strangers from a list.
How many times should you follow up on LinkedIn?
Follow up once after three to five days, and stop after two follow ups. Keep follow ups shorter than the original message.
When should you offer a call in a LinkedIn DM?
Only once you understand the person's goal and what is getting in the way, and it is clear you can help. If there is no fit, say so and keep the relationship.
