It’s no secret that most B2B companies, Founders, and Salespeople are using LinkedIn as a key prospecting channel. With over 1 billion users, it’s incredibly easy to connect to stakeholders and generate a lot of revenue if you have the right outreach strategy.
Through analyzing hundreds of LinkedIn campaigns, we’ve discovered something pretty interesting about LinkedIn reply rates - the tactics that perform the best are actually the ones least focused on making sales.
So, if you’re a salesperson, founder, or solopreneur looking to generate revenue through LinkedIn, here are five strategies that will dramatically improve your conversion rates.
1. Blank connection requests = 80% higher acceptance rates
This probably goes against everything you've been told about "adding value" and "standing out," but blank connection requests consistently outperform personalized messages.
Amongst our Botdog users, we’ve noticed that requests with messages average a 20-25% acceptance rate, while blank requests get 35-40%.
This is because prospects on LinkedIn have become incredibly wary of salespeople. Every day, their inbox gets flooded with pitches and connection requests from people who don’t really want to connect; they just want to sell.
But, when you send a blank connection request, you shift your prospects’ natural response from defensiveness to curiosity. "Who is this person? Why do they want to connect with me?"
This usually drives them to your profile, where they'll see:
- Your optimized headline
- Your professional banner
- Your recent posts (full of value)
- Your experience and recommendations
When prospects feel like they've been able to do their own research and take their time to conclude that they’d like you in their network, the relationship starts on equal footing. Instead of feeling like they're in a salesperson ↔ prospect dynamic, they feel like they're just networking with another professional.
But, remember that blank connection requests only work if your profile is conversion-optimized. Otherwise, they can feel suspicious.
➡️ Automate this strategy with Botdog
With Botdog's automated sequences, you can:
- Tell Botdog who you’d like to target with LinkedIn search and AI prompts.
- Automatically send 150-200 blank connection requests a week to your targets.
- Once they accept, automate a message sequence or jump in manually to keep things human.
- If they don’t accept within 30 days, we’ll withdraw the request so you can try again in 3 weeks and keep your account clean.
Plus, we’ll always mimic natural sending patterns and human behavior to keep your account safe.
2. Use your competitors’ LinkedIn posts = 2X response rates
One of the easiest ways to increase LinkedIn reply rates is to make cold DMs feel as warm as possible. For example, you could find common ground with prospects who have already been engaging with your competitors on LinkedIn.
This works incredibly well because:
- Prospects are already aware of your competitor (proven buying intent)
- You can reference their engagement in your message
- Their interest level is already there - you're just redirecting it
We’ve used this 4-step strategy to double our response rates:
Step 1: Identify high-value posts
- Find competitor posts that got 100+ comments or reactions
- Aim for lead magnets, industry insights, or trending topics with comments sections full of your ideal customers
Step 2: Export a list of everyone who commented/engaged
- Paste the post URL into Botdog
- Automatically generate a list of everyone who liked or commented
Step 3: Layer your ICP filters
- With AI Lead Review, you can automatically check that each prospect matches your ICP and remove competitors and existing customers
Step 4: Launch a targeted campaign
Set up a campaign that sends prospects a blank connection request. Then, either automate a first DM that references their engagement with your competitor, or send this manually.
"Hi [Name],
Saw your comment on [Competitor]'s post about [topic]. Really liked your point about [specific insight].
We've been working on something similar at [Your Company] and just helped [Similar Company] achieve [specific result].
Open to a quick chat about how this could work for you?”
3. Segment your prospects
Not all prospects are created equal, so you can boost reply rates by using different strategies for different prospects. We usually separate prospects into two groups - high-intent, and slow-burn.
Group 1: High-intent prospects
These prospects show clear buying signals and need immediate, direct outreach.
On Sales Navigator, you can find them by filtering by:
- Posted on LinkedIn (last 30 days): Active users are more likely to respond
- Changed jobs (last 90 days): Often open to new solutions
- Viewed your profile: Already have some idea of who you are
Additional high-intent signals include people who:
- Have posted about a problem you can solve
- Have engaged with competitor content
- Work for a company that’s showing growth signals
For these prospects, focus on direct, solution-focused messages with quick follow-ups. These prospects are ready to buy and can convert quickly, so don’t overthink it.
Group 2: Slow-burn prospects
These prospects are strong ICP matches but aren’t showing immediate buying signals. They’re usually:
- Stable in their current role
- Active on LinkedIn but not posting about pain points
- In early research mode
For these prospects, be prepared to play the long game. This is easier if they’re posting content on LinkedIn or commenting on other people’s posts. Build familiarity by popping up in their comments or threads, and eventually you’ll spot an opportunity to start a natural conversation with them.
4. Be persistent but not pushy
Most salespeople either don't follow up at all or they send generic "checking in" messages that get ignored. An easy way to be persistent without being pushy is to stay out of your prospect’s DMs but engage consistently with their content.
You’ll stay front of mind and your name will become recognizable over time. Plus, you might even have a couple of conversations with them in the comments section that lead to DMs.
Aside from this, we often use a 14-day follow-up sequence that has a pretty high conversion rate:
Day 1: Blank connection request (no message attached)
2 hours after accepting: Personalized value-first message
Hi [Name],
Congrats on the move to [Company]! I've been following them for a while - really like their goals and values.
Loved your post about scaling the SDR team without losing lead quality. I must've spoken to 100+ leaders struggling to find the balance between volume and results.
Just caught up with [Similar Role] at [Similar Company] who's now added 200+ qualified prospects and improved response rates by 20% with Botdog.
Worth a quick chat about how this might work for [Company]?
Day 7: Value-add follow-up with case study
Hi [Name],
Hope the SDR scaling is going well!
Just spoke to [Name] - not sure if you know him - he's the Head of Sales at [Company]. He was in a similar position 6 months ago - his SDRs were spending 15+ hours/week on manual LinkedIn outreach.
Now they reach 5x more prospects in half the time, with almost 2x better response rates. Plus, his team is actually happier since they're having real conversations instead of copy-pasting messages all day.
Thought you might find that interesting given what you're building :)
Day 14: Direct meeting request
Hi [Name],
I'd love to show you exactly how [Previous Company] set up their system on Botdog.
Up for a quick 15-minute screen share this week? I can walk you through:
- How they structured campaigns by role/seniority
- The message templates that got 66% response rates
- How SDRs manage the pipeline without getting overwhelmed
No pressure if timing isn't right, but happy to share what's working if you're curious.
➡️ Automate this strategy with Botdog
With Botdog's automated sequences, you can:
- Tell Botdog who you’d like to target with a LinkedIn search and AI prompts.
- Automatically send 150-200 blank connection requests a week to your targets.
- Once they accept, automate this 14-day message sequence or jump in manually to keep things human.
- Botdog will track their response rates, optimize timing, and stop sequences when you get a reply.
Plus, we’ll always mimic natural sending patterns and human behavior to keep your account safe.
5. Be more human
The fastest way to kill your reply rates is by sounding too corporate or AI-generated.
1. Write like you talk
Read your message out loud before sending. If it doesn't sound like something you'd say in person, rewrite it.
❌ "I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to reach out regarding a solution that could optimize your processes..."
✅ "Hey [Name], great post about remote team challenges. We've been having similar issues..."
2. Focus on building rapport, not selling
Show genuine interest in starting a conversation - don't pitch immediately.
3. Keep it short
If you write more than 2 paragraphs in a DM, you're probably saying too much. Most people scan messages quickly and will ignore you if it feels overwhelming.
4. Only talk about one thing
One message = one topic or one question. Don't make multiple requests in a single message.
5. Use soft CTAs
✅ "Would you be open to sharing more about that?"
✅ "Worth a quick chat about how this might work?"
❌ "Can we schedule a call this week?"
6. Match their timing
If they reply within 30 minutes, you can respond quickly. If they take 2-3 days, wait a similar timeframe. This creates the feeling that you're both equally busy.
➡️ Automate this strategy with Botdog
With Botdog's personalization tools, you can write human messages at scale.
- Custom CSV fields: Add specific details for each prospect
- Message snippets: Save your best responses with "/[keyword]" shortcuts
- Dynamic templates: Adapt messages based on prospect characteristics
- AI-powered suggestions: Get personalization ideas based on prospect profiles
The bottom line…
The difference between 5% and 50% reply rates isn't about having a better product. It's about making genuine connections instead of pitching all day long. That’s why these five strategies work so well - they prioritize relationship building over aggressive selling. When you focus on providing value, finding common ground, and writing like a real person, reply rates naturally improve.
Ready to test these strategies? Give Botdog a try with our 7-day free trial and set up your first campaign in under 3 minutes. We’ll handle the repetitive work so you can focus on having genuine conversations and closing deals.
