Time to read: 4 Minutes. LinkedIn Sales Navigator IS worth the money. But only if you have an effective way to get buyers talking with you. Here is a proven (and repeatable) way to spark prospects curiosity in what you’re selling… AND get them asking for more details. I’ll provide an email / InMail template to make it easy.

What is LinkedIn Sales Navigator REALLY?

Access.

You’re buying access to a faster, easier way to view more prospects. Sales Navigator will also:

• allow unrestricted searching of LinkedIn’s database — using very good targeting filters;
• make automated lead suggestions for you (my clients tell me the automated suggestions are not very good);
• allow you to email prospects you don’t know (via InMail messages).

Is Navigator Worth it?

LinkedIn Sales Navigator IS worth it BUT only if you have an effective communications technique to get customers asking YOU for appointments.

Why not ask them for a meeting? Seems obvious. But it’s a non-starter.

LinkedIn InMail is guaranteed to deliver … BUT … it is not guaranteed to:

• earn a response
• spark curiosity in what you sell
• generate a meeting

InMail is also monitored and rated by LinkedIn. You must maintain an InMail reputation score in order to send messages. If enough prospects mark you as spam, you’re out of the game.

Having an effective communications technique to rely on (over-and-over) is the answer.

Why most LinkedIn Premium users waste it

Most of us fail because we mimic templates found on Google. Plus, we ask for meetings too soon… before customers realize they need one. Instead, ask for conversations that might lead to meetings. Smaller asks get better response rates… earning more conversations.

Stale templates (everyone is using) don’t work. Short, pithy provocations hitting on your target’s challenges do.

When I first meet coaching students (sellers) 90% of them are breaking these cold-emailing rules. They are:

1. Accidentally communicating “sales pitch ahead” to the prospect.
2. Writing messages taking more than 15 seconds to read.
3. Inadvertently signaling “I didn’t research you” and “I’m lower status” to buyers.
4. Encouraging deletion because subject lines are too specific. (reveal too much)
5. Focusing on earning a meeting rather than a conversation about problems.
6. Listing benefits. (that’s a blatant sales pitch)
7. Including links and attachments. (never do this; it always hurts response rate)
8. Asking for too much, too soon (e.g. requesting a meeting or call in email #1 is a big mistake)

How many of these no-no’s are you doing? All of this adds-up to lack of being provocative. Be careful. Don’t sabotage yourself.

By the way — here is an online “insiders” group focusing on getting conversations started using better communications techniques. 

Help clients become curious

Instead, help potential buyers become curious about your solution to their problem … or short-cut to their goal. Don’t ask for the meeting.

To spark conversation … that will lead to curiosity in what you sell … try this:

1. Prove you’ve done homework on the prospect (signal “this isn’t spam!”).
2. Make your message three to four sentences maximum.
3. After drafting, reduce the number of “I’s” and “my’s”  and “our’s” in your message to laser-focus on the reader.
4. Eliminate all adjectives and adverbs that tend to sound persuasive.

An odd (but effective) cold email technique

Here’s what I’ve learned through experience. To get response when using an InMail or a cold email message:

1. Spark curiosity with your subject line and message copy.
2. Provoke immediate response by help buyers start talking about themselves.
3. Avoid presenting your opportunity to prospects who don’t want it!

Your buyer doesn’t want opportunity. They may be open to talking about a problem or goal. But they don’t want your opportunity. Every day they’re presented with opportunities by sellers like you. Don’t be one of them.

Instead, provoke the pants off ’em.

Come and start practicing this technique. Come to our next live, online Email Writing Clinic. I’m coaching a small group of students.

What you “put into” Sales Navigator is ALL that matters. If you don’t follow this process your LinkedIn Sales Navigator investment will be wasted.

A better template (remember: no meetings)

Asking for appointments kills response rates. Assuming you’re not promoting an event, avoid this in your “first touch” email. If you forget and do ask for an appointment?

You’ll be rejected by 90 – 97% of perfectly good prospects. Because most don’t (yet) know they need what you’re offering.

The goal of your “first touch” InMail/email message is to earn the right to have a discussion.

Nothing else.

It’s exactly like an effective cold call. Here is one of my best-performing templates.

SUBJECT: this make sense for you?

[first name],
Willing to consider an unorthodox way to _________________ ? [what your customer wants, positively, or needs to avoid, negatively]

If yes, you may want to know how _______ [a competitor or enviable company] was able to _________________ [what your customer dreams of being able to do] … all without ____________. [what your customers believe they need to sacrifice, but don’t]

Are you open to a short email exchange—to hear more about how they did this? Then you can decide if a larger conversation is justifiable.

[your name]

WARNING: Don’t copy and paste the above into your email and hit send. This is a practice and my example may NOT be suitable for your challenge.

Start practicing with a group of peers. Here’s a way to get started.

Why this template works

To help you create your own version using the above template, let’s dissect why this approach is so doggone effective at sparking curiosity about what you’re selling. Success is mostly about creating curiosity in the prospect—fast.

The Subject is short and triggers the thought “does WHAT make sense?” (creating curiosity, encouraging the reader to open the email and find out)

Line 1 gets right to the point: Are you open to something super-different to help reach a goal or avoid disaster? There is not one moment where you reference yourself.

Line 2 doesn’t reveal (yet) what this strange new way is (purposefully). To create more curiosity (and avoid talking about ourselves) we shift focus toward a competitor of your target or a business they admire—how this business is able to achieve something they would like to achieve. (without having to sacrifice something they normally assume would be required to sacrifice)

Line 3 asks for a short email exchange (not a meeting) so they can decide if a more serious conversation is justifiable.

Line 4 asks for their decision, directly. And we end with the reader’s first name again… to further personalize the tone and look less like a templated email. We’re saying “I know this is your decision. I’m not afraid of what it may be… and I also know your name. You are not part of a mass emailing.”

This isn’t magic. It’s a technique — based on mental triggers. Join us and learn more!

Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions.