How to Write a LinkedIn Cold Message That Gets a Reply
The first message after someone accepts is what decides your reply rate. The shape that works is three lines under 60 words: a personalized opener, one true proof point with a number in it, and one easy question. No links, no feature list, no calendar invite. Here is how to write it and what to cut.
Run it when: every campaign, after the connection request is settled.
Time: 30 minutes, and worth every one of them.
Last reviewed September 2026.
Before you write the message
One real proof point, with a number, from the brand profile
The offer sentence from SOP 02
A decision on whether you are using a per-lead AI opener, which is SOP 12
How to write a LinkedIn cold message
1. Remember what just happened.
They accepted. This is not a cold DM to a stranger, it is the first thing you say to someone who already said yes. Writing it as a cold pitch wastes the one advantage you have.
2. Use the three-line shape.
Personalized opener, one trust line, one soft question. That is the whole message, and it is the shape Reachium's campaign builder starts you with: the AI opener slots into line one.
Hi {{first_name}}, {{ai:first_line_template}}.
[Your real result here. A number, a timeframe, a team size.]
Would you be open to a quick chat about what we are seeing work right now?3. Keep it under 60 words.
Two to four short lines, one sentence per line, readable on a phone in five seconds. The field allows far more; using it is the mistake. Length is the most common reason a good message gets no reply.
4. Give one proof point, never a feature list.
One concrete result with a real number beats everything. If the brand does not have one, walk down the ladder honestly: a status or authority line, then a specific observation about the buyer's world that proves you understand it, then a soft benefit claim as a last resort. Never invent a result, a client name or a statistic. Inventing proof is the fastest route to being reported.
5. Ask a question, not for a sale.
The goal is a reply. "Would you be open to..." and "Curious how you are handling..." get answers. "Book 15 minutes here" gets ignored, and it needs a link, which brings us to the next step.
6. No links. Not one.
Links in cold LinkedIn messages read as spam and sink reply rates. The link goes out after they reply, which is SOP 16, How to Handle LinkedIn Replies and Book the Meeting. The only exception in the whole system is the delivery link in a lead-magnet DM, which the person explicitly asked for by commenting.
7. Make sure it survives losing the AI line.
If you use a per-lead AI opener and the generation fails, the tag is removed cleanly and the rest of the message sends as written. So the trust line and the CTA have to stand on their own, and nothing after the opener may refer back to it with a "that's why" or a "given that".
8. Vary the shape between campaigns.
If every campaign in the workspace opens the same way, the tenth prospect who has now seen three of your senders recognises the pattern. Same voice rules, different structure.
Cold messages: do this, not this
Do this | Not this |
|---|---|
Under 60 words | 200 words of context |
One result with a number | Three features and a value proposition |
A question that is easy to answer | "Here's my calendar link" |
One sentence per line | Dense paragraphs |
Honest proof, or none | An invented case study |
Copy that still works if the AI line drops | "Given that, we thought..." |
Plain human words | "Excited to connect and leverage synergies" |
Questions people ask
What do you say in a first LinkedIn message?
Three lines. A personalized opener, one true result with a number in it, and one low-pressure question. They already accepted, so this is not a cold pitch to a stranger. Writing it as one wastes the only advantage you have.
How long should a LinkedIn cold message be?
Under 60 words, two to four lines, one sentence per line, readable on a phone in five seconds. The field allows far more and using it is the mistake. Length is the most common reason a good message gets no reply.
Should I put a link in a LinkedIn cold message?
No. Links in cold messages read as spam and sink reply rates. The booking link goes out after they reply. The single exception is a lead-magnet DM the person asked for by commenting.
How do I automate LinkedIn messages without sounding automated?
Write one template, let merge tags carry the parts that vary, and make sure the copy still reads correctly when a value is missing. Then read it aloud as the recipient: if you would not believe a busy person typed it, neither will they.
You are done when
Under 60 words, two to four lines, one sentence each
Exactly one trust line, and it is true
CTA is a low-pressure question
Zero links
Reads complete with the AI opener removed
Passes the humanize test read aloud
Every merge tag reads correctly when the underlying value is missing
Do it yourself. Open the campaign builder in Reachium
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Or run it from Claude. Reachium's MCP puts every step above inside a chat window. Works with any account.
