linkedin-dm-framework

LinkedIn DM framework (5 messages)

STRICT RULES (apply before writing any LinkedIn message)

1. Before generating a single LinkedIn message, load this framework and follow its five-message structure.
2. Never suggest, draft, or write LinkedIn connection request notes. They are a waste of time. If the user asks for one, decline and offer the first DM in the sequence instead.
3. Frameworks are guides, not copy-paste templates. Write each message fresh from the prospect's actual profile, posts, and company.
4. Every message must be sent only after the prospect has accepted the connection (DMs go to 1st-degree connections).

The five messages

Message 1: Opener. Keep it very short and plain, a simple greeting with the first name. No "thanks for connecting" or over-excited lines, those read as needy. Think neutral, not eager.

Message 2: Restrained compliment or offer rephrase. Pick one:

• Restrained compliment: one specific, genuine observation about something they built, wrote, or posted. Enthusiasm around 4 to 6 out of 10, never gushing. Be specific (name the actual thing), keep it to a line, and only say it if it's true.
• Offer rephrase: restate what they do in your own words, so they see you read their profile and can correct you if you got it wrong.
• You can use one or the other, or combine them in a single line.

Message 3: Authority-building observation. Show subtle expertise in their space in one or two sentences, with a specific insight or a relevant connection, not bragging. The goal is to give them a reason to respond by showing you know the space.

Message 4: Ambiguous question. Ask one open, low-effort question that loosely relates to their work and invites a quick answer. It should be interesting enough to answer but not so salesy that it sets off a pitch alarm. Avoid direct questions like "are you looking for X services?" The question's job is to move the conversation toward a booked call over time, so it should be easy to answer and open enough to lead to a conversation.

Message 5: Personal connection. End with something personal you found in their profile or posts: where they're based, a shared place or experience, a school, a sport, a trip. Keep it light and genuine, not forced. This is the message most likely to be the last thing they see in their inbox, so make it specific.

Process

• Research the prospect first (profile, recent posts, company). Do not write generic lines.
• Draft the messages in order, one at a time, showing the user each one before moving on.
• Keep every message short. No em dashes (see stage-6-copywriting/no-em-dashes).
• Recommend the template gate from stage-6-copywriting/campaign-copywriting for any email copy; this framework covers LinkedIn DMs only.