LinkedIn outbound for founders: 7-day playbook
last updated: Aug 27, 2025
TL;DR
LinkedIn outbound for founders can set 5-10 calls in 7 days. Build a tight Sales Navigator list, send short value-first DMs, and track replies daily.
- Define ICP (ideal customer profile) and build a 200-lead list.
- Send 30-50 personalised connection requests daily.
- Follow up twice, then hand off accepted leads to calendar.
Definitions & glossary
- ICP: ideal customer profile. Your tightest target segment.
- ACV: annual contract value. Typical yearly deal value.
- Sales Navigator: LinkedIn’s advanced search and alerts for leads and accounts.
- Connection request: invite to connect. Required before DMs unless using InMail.
- InMail: paid message to non-connections inside LinkedIn.
- GA4: Google Analytics 4. Tracks traffic and UTMs.
- UTM: URL tags for source, medium, campaign.
How to run Linkedin Outbound in seven days
1/ Lock your ICP before volume.
Write one sentence on company type, size, region, and buyer title. Add three non-negotiable filters.
2/ Build a clean list in Sales Navigator.
Use Geography, Industry, Company headcount, Seniority, Function, Title, Groups, Posted content keywords, Job changes in past 90 days. Save leads and accounts. Turn on alerts. Features, guide.
3/ Warm up before you pitch.
View profiles, like one post, and follow their company for 1-2 days. Benchmarks show better replies after warm-up. More.
4/ Send connection requests with a 1-liner note.
Daily volume: 30-50 for a new or average account. Typical weekly caps vary by account history, commonly ~80-200. LinkedIn does not publish exact numbers.
5/ Message sequence after accept.
6/ Handoff to calendar and cut no-shows
Share a single calendar link. Use automated reminders to cut no-shows by ~28 percent on average.
7/ Track outcomes with UTMs in GA4
Add utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign to your booking links. GA4 reports capture these. Also see my fake door test for validating interest before building.
Write one sentence on company type, size, region, and buyer title. Add three non-negotiable filters.
2/ Build a clean list in Sales Navigator.
Use Geography, Industry, Company headcount, Seniority, Function, Title, Groups, Posted content keywords, Job changes in past 90 days. Save leads and accounts. Turn on alerts. Features, guide.
3/ Warm up before you pitch.
View profiles, like one post, and follow their company for 1-2 days. Benchmarks show better replies after warm-up. More.
4/ Send connection requests with a 1-liner note.
Daily volume: 30-50 for a new or average account. Typical weekly caps vary by account history, commonly ~80-200. LinkedIn does not publish exact numbers.
5/ Message sequence after accept.
- Day 0: short value-first DM.
- Day 2-3: follow-up with a micro-asset or insight.
- Day 5-7: bump with a tight question.
6/ Handoff to calendar and cut no-shows
Share a single calendar link. Use automated reminders to cut no-shows by ~28 percent on average.
7/ Track outcomes with UTMs in GA4
Add utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign to your booking links. GA4 reports capture these. Also see my fake door test for validating interest before building.
Benchmarks & ranges
Use these as starting points, then tune for niche, ACV, and traffic quality.
Sample math. 200 requests → 30% accept = 60. 12% reply = ~7-8. 40% of replies book = 3 meetings. Repeat next week to reach 6-7.
In 90 seconds, find the bottleneck stopping your first 10 customers. Take the free quiz and get a personalized action plan.
Connect first vs DM first
Connect first. Warmer thread. Cheaper. Better follow-ups. Capped by weekly invites. Best for founder-led outbound.
DM first via InMail. Reach without a connection. Costs credits. Results vary by list quality. Keep it short. Tips
Templates / examples
Connection note
Admired your post on {topic}. Building {short value} for {their role}. Happy to connect.
First DM after accept
Thanks for connecting, {Name}. Quick idea: teams like {peer} use a 15-min teardown to find 2-3 wins in {area}. If helpful, I can send the checklist or walk you through it.
Follow-up with micro-asset
Sharing a 1-page worksheet we use to spot {pain}. If you like, I’ll annotate for your stack.
Final bump
Should I close the loop or send the 1-pager with notes for {Company}? Either works.
Admired your post on {topic}. Building {short value} for {their role}. Happy to connect.
First DM after accept
Thanks for connecting, {Name}. Quick idea: teams like {peer} use a 15-min teardown to find 2-3 wins in {area}. If helpful, I can send the checklist or walk you through it.
Follow-up with micro-asset
Sharing a 1-page worksheet we use to spot {pain}. If you like, I’ll annotate for your stack.
Final bump
Should I close the loop or send the 1-pager with notes for {Company}? Either works.
LinkedIn DM templates: include a warm intro request and a forwardable blurb when you have a mutual contact.
Risks & pitfalls
- Volume without targeting leads to spam flags. Ramp gradually. Weekly limits vary. Vague ICP kills replies. Tighten filters before editing copy.
- Long messages depress response. Aim for 200-400 characters.
- No tracking. Add UTMs from day one.
FAQ
- You:How many Linkedin requests per day is safe?Guide:Start at 30-50. Keep weekly totals under common caps, often ~80-200 depending on your account history.
- You:What if my reply rate is under 5 percent?Guide:Tighten ICP, add warm-up touches, and shorten the opener to 200-400 characters.
- You:Do InMails work better than DMs?Guide:InMail often shows 10-25 percent response. DMs to new connections can match that with targeting.
- You:How do I reduce no-shows?Guide:Automated reminders can cut no-shows by around a quarter. Add a same-day reminder.
- You:How do I use UTMs with GA4?Guide:Add utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign. GA4 captures them in acquisition reports.
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