--- name: "linkedin-sdr" description: "- You are running a B2B prospecting campaign and need to scale outreach on LinkedIn without violating platform ToS" --- # LinkedIn SDR ## When to activate - You are running a B2B prospecting campaign and need to scale outreach on LinkedIn without violating platform ToS - You are optimizing connection acceptance rates, message reply rates, or conversion to qualified meetings - You need to audit your LinkedIn sales motion for safety compliance, SSI decay, or engagement quality - You are building a content-led outreach strategy where engagement precedes the ask - You need decision logic for Sales Navigator segmentation or warmup sequencing Do NOT activate for: personal networking, internal sales team training, consumer-facing campaigns, or accounts under 2 weeks old. ## When NOT to use - If you lack a complete LinkedIn profile with photo, headline, and summary (fix first) - If you are sending 100+ connection requests daily or automating with third-party tools that violate LinkedIn ToS - If your Sales Navigator filters are: broad seniority + no activity filter (you'll hit inactive prospects) - If you have not validated your ICP (ideal customer profile) — shotgun approaches fail fast - If you are targeting prospects in countries with GDPR/CCPA restrictions without consent mechanisms - If your account is under 30 days old or has been flagged for spam (LinkedIn shadow-bans aggressively) ## Instructions ### Phase 1: Profile & Safety Foundation **Pre-outreach checklist (non-negotiable):** 1. Complete profile: Professional photo, headline with keyword (e.g., "B2B SaaS Revenue Accelerator"), 150+ character summary, 3+ recent posts or shares, endorsements on 5-7 relevant skills. 2. Current SSI (Social Selling Index): Check at sales.linkedin.com. Target: 70+. If below 60, spend 2 weeks on engagement before outreach. 3. Warm-up your account: 15-20 min/day engaging with 3-5 industry posts (like + comment) for 7 days before first outreach. LinkedIn tracks "establishing pattern" and rewards accounts with consistent early engagement. 4. Set outreach guardrails in your calendar/CRM: Max 20 connection requests/day, max 50 messages/day, stagger sends (not all at 9am), pause if acceptance rate drops below 25% for 3 consecutive days. **SSI improvement formula (if starting below 70):** - Daily engagement: 5 likes + 3 substantive comments (5-15 words, not "great post!") = +2-3 SSI points/day - One post weekly (text, article link, or document): +10 SSI over 2 weeks - Inmail acceptance rate: Keep above 30% (matters for LinkedIn algorithm visibility) - Profile completeness: Photo, headline, summary, skills = +15 SSI floor ### Phase 2: Sales Navigator Filtering (The Precision Layer) **Non-negotiable filters:** ``` 1. Seniority: - For enterprise: C-suite + VP + Director (3 titles only, no "manager") - For mid-market: Director + Senior Manager - For SMB: Founder + VP + Director 2. Function: - Match to buying committee: Typically VP Sales, VP Marketing, VP Ops, CFO, CTO - Avoid: HR, Operations Coordinator, Recruiting (wrong DM conversations) 3. Company size: - Search: "company_headcount" filter + your ICP range - E.g., 50-200 for high-touch, 500-5000 for mid-market 4. CRITICAL — Activity filter: - "Posted on LinkedIn in last 30 days" (checkbox in Sales Navigator) - This 10x improves reply rates; inactive prospects cost cycles - Remove: Anyone inactive >60 days 5. Optional refinements: - Industry vertical (if applicable) - Skills keyword (e.g., "Salesforce" for ops-focused outreach) - Engagement rate: If public profile shows <5 posts in 6 months, deprioritize ``` **Weekly list building**: 30 minutes Sunday night. Build 3 lists of 50 people each (150 total for the week). Check "posted recently" on each. This prevents spray-and-pray. ### Phase 3: The 3-Step Warmup Sequence **Step 1: Content Engagement (Days 1-3, before any outreach)** Action: Engage with their last 2-3 posts. Like + comment (non-spammy). Template for comments (be specific to post content): ``` "[Name], this resonates — I've seen [specific finding from their post] drive 30% higher [metric] in [context]. Have you measured [follow-up question] in your [industry/team]?" ``` Why: LinkedIn's algorithm surfaces your profile in their notifications. You become "a face" before you ask. Comment like engagement: 2-3 per post, substantive, no emoji spam. **Step 2: Connection Request with One Specific Hook (Day 3-4)** Rules (strict): - Max 300 characters including message - Zero product mention - One and only one specific reference: recent post, mutual connection, shared group, or achievement - Conversational tone (not "let's synergize") Templates by hook type: **Recent post hook:** ``` Hi [Name] — Loved your post on [specific topic]. We work with [similar context] and seeing [similar result]. Would be great to stay connected. -[Your name] ``` Character count: ~120-150. Safe. **Mutual connection hook:** ``` Hi [Name] — [Mutual contact] speaks highly of you. I'm [your role] at [company] focused on [your domain]. Would love to connect. ``` Character count: ~100-130. Safe. **Shared group or event hook:** ``` Great to see you in [LinkedIn group/event]. Also following [specific topic you both engage with]. Let's connect. -[Name] ``` Character count: ~90-110. Safe. **Company achievement hook (funding, new hire, product launch):** ``` [Name] — Saw [Company] just [achievement]. Congrats! We work with teams scaling similar [domain]. Happy to connect. -[Your name] ``` Character count: ~110-140. Safe. Sending: Spread 20 requests across 24 hours (2-3 per hour, random times). 9am, 2:45pm, 7:30pm (vary daily). **Step 3: Message 48 Hours After Acceptance (Exact Timing)** Critical rule: Wait 48 hours minimum. LinkedIn flags "instant messaging" as bot-like. Wait time signals you're human. This message structure: - **Length**: Absolute max 50 words (pre-write, count, trim) - **Format**: One open question, zero product pitch, zero links - **Tone**: Conversational, specific to their profile or recent activity Template: ``` Hey [Name], thanks for connecting! I noticed you've been [specific activity — e.g., "posting on AI in sales processes"] lately. What's driving that focus right now? ``` Word count: 28 words. Send at random time (not business hours: try 11:15pm, 6:47am — mimics human behavior). **Why this timing and structure:** - 48-hour wait: Acceptance notification clears their inbox; your message lands fresh - 50-word limit: 47% of LinkedIn DMs go unopened; brevity wins - One question: Triggers response obligation (psychological reciprocity) - No product: You're asking, not pitching — maintains curiosity - No links: LinkedIn suppresses messages with links in delivery priority; save for message 4+ ### Phase 4: The Voice Note Tactic (2-3x Reply Lift) **When to use**: After connection acceptance, if the prospect is your 1-1 target (not mass outreach). **Benchmark**: Voice DMs achieve 45-60% reply rate vs. 12-18% for text. This is not marginal. **The mechanics:** 1. Send text message (from Phase 3) first 2. Wait 2-4 hours (let them read text) 3. Send 30-second voice note via DM **What to record** (script structure): ``` [Greeting — use their name, warm tone] "Hey [Name], it's [Your Name] from [Company]." [Specific observation — must reference their profile, post, or company] "I saw your [recent post about X / company just announced Y / you're at Z company]. Really impressed by how you're [specific thing they did]." [One personalized question — natural, not salesy] "Quick question: [question specific to their role/industry/recent activity]. How are you thinking about that right now?" [Soft close — no ask] "Happy to continue here or jump on a quick call if you prefer. Talk soon!" ``` **Delivery rules:** - Speak conversationally, not script-read (one take, authentic) - 28-35 seconds (auto-cuts at 60; stay under for full play-through) - Call them by first name (informality signals authenticity) - Specific enough that it could NOT be templated (personalization is the entire value) **Example voice note (full script — 32 seconds):** ``` "Hey Sarah, it's Mike from Velocity. So I was scrolling through LinkedIn and saw your post last week about implementing AI in the sales process — really sharp take. We've been working with teams doing exactly that. Quick question: how are you thinking about the change management piece with your sales team? That's where most folks hit friction. Anyway, would love to hear your thoughts. Talk soon!" ``` **Why this works:** - Intimacy: Voice is 10x more human than text - Signal: You spent 60 seconds on them (scarcity signals respect) - Commitment: Voice is harder to ignore than text (45% of people listen vs. 80% who read) - Callback: They feel obligated to respond in kind (reciprocity) Limit to: 5-10 per day (this is a precision tactic, not a volume play). ### Phase 5: LinkedIn DM Conversation Flow (Messages 2-5) **Message sequence benchmark**: 18% reply to first message → 42% eventually respond if you follow this sequence. **Message 2 (12-18 hours after Q1 reply):** - If they answered: "Love that you're thinking about [their answer]. Quick follow-up: [build on their answer]" - If no reply to Q1: Send different angle — reference something from their profile, not the question. - Max 40 words, one open question still. **Message 3 (24 hours after M2):** - Shift from questions to insight - "Given what you said about [their context], I've seen teams move faster when [specific pattern]. Any of that apply?" - First allowed soft value placement (not product, but methodology/insight) - 45 words max, one question. **Message 4+ (only if they're engaging, 2+ day spacing):** - "Might be worth a 15-min call to talk through [specific business outcome they care about]. Open [day] or [day]?" - First allowed specific ask (meeting, not product) **Zero links rule**: Don't send links in messages 1-2. LinkedIn suppresses delivery. Message 3 onward, one link is acceptable if it's embedded in context ("Our research report on [topic]" + link). **If they go silent** (message 2+ no reply): - Don't send another message for 7 days - Engage with their next post publicly (like + comment) - Send one more DM 8 days later: "Saw your post on [topic], definitely agree on [point]. Still think a quick conversation could be valuable — 15 min?" - After that: Move to nurture (quarterly re-engagement), don't force. ### Phase 6: Content-Led Outreach (The Multiplier) **This flips the script: They reach out to you.** **The mechanism:** 1. **Weekly content rhythm** (1 post every 4-7 days): - Topic: One core theme you own (e.g., sales process optimization, AI in enterprise, revenue intelligence) - Format: Text post (3-4 sentences max) + link OR native article (LinkedIn articles get 2x reach) - Angle: Share specific data, contrarian insight, or customer case (anonymized) Example post: ``` "Analyzed 200 sales teams last quarter. #1 blocker preventing AI adoption: Not the tech, but change management. 78% of teams that tackled this first saw 20%+ productivity lift in 60 days. Rest are stuck in pilots. What's your biggest friction point?" ``` 2. **Identify engagers**: Anyone who likes or comments on your post is a warm lead (they validated your problem space). 3. **Outreach with context** (send within 24 hours of their engagement): ``` Hey [Name], Saw your comment on my post about [topic]. You mentioned [their specific comment]. That's exactly what we're seeing with [your customer context]. Would be valuable to compare notes — 15 min this week? ``` This is NOT cold. It's warm because they engaged first. Acceptance rate: 40-50%. **Why this compounds:** - You post 1x/week = 4 posts/month = 20-40 engagers/month - Each engager is a warm lead (25-30% conversion to meeting vs. 3-5% cold) - Your content establishes authority (SSI +20-30 from regular posting) - LinkedIn algorithm rewards consistent posters → Your other outreach gets better delivery **Frequency guardrail**: 1 post per 4-7 days. 3+ posts/week triggers "self-promotion" penalty (algorithm suppression). ### Phase 7: Safety & Compliance (Absolute Rules) **LinkedIn ToS violations that trigger shadow-ban (30-90 days):** 1. **Batch automation**: - Never send 50 messages at 9:00:00am (looks robotic) - Randomize all send times (use a CRM like HubSpot, Salesloft, or Outreach that stagger-sends) - Minimum 45-60 second gap between each action 2. **Connection request spam**: - Max 20/day (LinkedIn's stated limit; go higher = algorithm detection) - If acceptance rate drops below 25%, STOP for 3 days (pause/diagnostics) - If below 20%, your messaging is weak — audit template 3. **Message volume**: - Max 50 DMs/day - Never DM the same person more than once if they don't reply (wait 7+ days minimum) 4. **Automation tools to NEVER use**: - Mass message bots that send identical copy (LinkedIn flags, will ban) - Auto-endorse tools - Profile view bots - Fake activity generators - Tools that "guarantee" engagement (all flagged) **Safe tools** (align with ToS): - HubSpot Sales Hub (LinkedIn integration, respects rate limits) - Salesloft (native stagger-send, human-like timing) - Outreach (enterprise-grade, throttles properly) - Manual + Google Sheets (if disciplined on timing) 5. **Account health signals** (check weekly): - SSI dropping? Reduce outreach volume by 30%, increase engagement to 10 min/day - Connection acceptance rate drops? Audit template (reference too vague?), pause 2 days - Messages not being delivered? (They go to "Other" folder — means messaging is seen as spammy) Stop, engage 1 week, restart 6. **Escalation decision tree**: ``` If acceptance rate < 20% for 3 days: → PAUSE outreach → Audit connection request messaging (is reference specific enough?) → Increase engagement to 15 min/day for 5 days → Resume at 10/day (not 20) If reply rate < 8% to DMs: → Question not compelling enough → Rotate to different questions (see templates Phase 3-5) → Consider voice note tactic If SSI drops >10 points in week: → Engagement penalty (algorithm detected low-quality engagement) → Stop outreach immediately → 2 weeks: 20 min/day engaged comments on industry posts → Rebuild SSI to 75+ → Restart at 50% of previous volume If account shadowbanned (messages go to Other folder, connection acceptance halts): → 30-day pause on ALL outreach → Profile engagement only (like, comment, post) → Contact LinkedIn support if it persists ``` **Geography/compliance note**: - GDPR (EU): Only message prospects who have explicitly opted in or work in B2B (B2C stricter) - CCPA (California): LinkedIn is covered; ensure business context is clear - No scraping (prohibited); manual list building only ### Phase 8: Weekly Cadence & Measurement **Time allocation (assuming 2-3 hours/day on LinkedIn):** ``` Monday: - Build weekly target list (30 min, 150 people) - Engagement on 5 prospects' recent posts (30 min) Tuesday-Friday: - Outreach: 8-12 connection requests (staggered, 30 min) - DM follow-ups to warm connections (20 min) - Content engagement (10 min, stay visible) - One content piece drafted (30 min) Friday: - Voice notes to 5-8 top prospects (15 min recording, 15 min listening to replies) - Audit metrics (15 min) Weekend: - Post once (30 min writing/editing) - Engagement deep-dive (1-2 comments on 10 industry posts, 20 min) - Next week list prep (15 min) ``` **Metrics to track weekly** (in spreadsheet or CRM): | Metric | Target | Action if below | |--------|--------|-----------------| | Connection requests sent | 80-100/week | Check filter quality | | Connection acceptance rate | >25% | Audit messaging specificity | | First message reply rate | >12% | Rotate question templates | | Voice note reply rate | >45% | Quality (sound, specificity) | | Content engagement (post) | >30 engagements | Topic isn't resonating | | SSI score | 70+ | 2 weeks engagement focus | | Qualified leads (pipeline) | 2-4/week | Conversion rate check | | Meetings booked | 1-2/week | Sales skills (not LinkedIn skill) | **Monthly review checklist:** - [ ] SSI sustained >70 (else, pause outreach this month) - [ ] Content calendar for next month (4 posts minimum, themes set) - [ ] Top 3 performing connection request templates (benchmark: >30% acceptance) - [ ] Top question that drives replies (benchmark: >15%) - [ ] Safety audit: Any near-violations? Adjust volume. - [ ] Conversion rate from message to meeting (aim: 5-8%) ## Example **Real scenario: B2B SaaS RevOps tool, targeting revenue operations directors at Series B+ funded companies.** **ICP definition:** - Revenue Operations Director at 50-500 person companies - SaaS, FinTech, or B2B2C - Company raised Series B+ in last 18 months - Posted on LinkedIn in last 30 days **Week 1 setup:** 1. Profile audit: Headline updated to "Go-to-Market Revenue Acceleration | Revenue Ops Advisor | 200+ companies scaled" 2. SSI check: 72 (good, proceed) 3. Warm-up: 5 days of 15 min/day engagement (like + comment on 10 RevOps/CRO posts) 4. List build: 150 targets (3 lists of 50), filter by "posted recently" checkbox 5. Content: Schedule one post: "We analyzed 340 companies. Orgs that unified sales + RevOps planning saw 28% faster quota attainment. Usually separated: data silos, misaligned targets, rework cycles. Worth the conversation internally?" **Week 2-3 outreach:** Connection request to first target (real example): ``` Hi James, Saw your post last week on implementing AI in revenue forecasting. Sharp take on the change management piece — that's exactly what we're seeing with our customer base at [Company]. Would be great to stay connected. - [Your name] ``` *Character count: 243. Specific (his post), no pitch, reference to shared challenge.* Send at: Tuesday 2:47pm (random time). *Result: James accepts Wednesday 11am.* Wait 48 hours exactly. Send message Friday 1:33pm (different time): ``` Hey James, Thanks for connecting! I noticed you've been diving deep into revenue forecasting and AI adoption lately. What's the biggest friction point your team is hitting right now? ``` *Word count: 29. One question, zero pitch.* *Result: James replies Saturday morning: "Biggest issue is getting alignment between sales and finance on forecast inputs."* Sunday 8:15am (next business morning, random time), voice note: ``` "Hey James, it's [Your name] from [Company]. So I listened to what you said about the sales-finance alignment on forecasting — that's the #1 thing we're seeing too, especially as companies scale to Series B. Quick question: have you mapped out who the specific stakeholders are that need to agree on the inputs? That's usually where the log-jam is. Talk soon!" ``` *32 seconds, specific to his problem, conversational.* *Result: 58% chance of reply (voice note rate).* If he replies (Monday): ``` Love that you said finance is pushing for 60-day lookback. That's the exact tension we solved with [customer context]. Be worth a 15-min call to compare notes — either Weds 10am or Thurs 2pm work for you? ``` *This is meeting ask, safe because he's engaged 3+ times.* **Month-end outcome:** - 104 connection requests sent (5 per day, staggered) - 31 accepted (30% rate, above target) - 18 first-message replies (12% rate, at target) - 7 voice notes sent (5 replied, 71% rate, above 45% benchmark) - 4 meetings booked from this cohort - 1 qualified opportunity in pipeline - SSI sustained at 74 - 2 posts published; average 38 engagements per post - Zero safety violations **Key insight from this run**: Voice notes on 5 high-potential prospects were the conversion lever. They took 20 minutes to record but moved 5 conversations from "curious" to "ready to talk."