Networking - Linkedin Message vs Email

If someone is reaching out to you for networking purposes, would you rather receive a Linkedin message, email, cold call, etc? I'm preparing to cast a wide net in reaching out to people including analyst level up to managing directors. Should I approach them differently? Ex. Linkedin for younger guys and email for the senior guys?

Thanks in advance for advice and insight.

15 Comments
 

I have responded to exactly 0 linkedin messages. It's one thing if you're using it to identify prospects, it's another to reach out via that platform. Much more likely to get responses from emailing/calling.

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Wanted to revive this thread as maybe some of you guys can relate. I’m looking for an analyst level role on the debt side. I have been cold calling and cold emailing for the past 2 months, leading to some great conversations and even a few interviews. To the senior-level guys / decision makers in here are you willing to take calls right now to help younger guys out / even entertain someone looking for a job? what’s protocol in times like these? Thanks, looking forward to insight.

 

Have had as much success via LinkedIn as I've had cold emailing - most people are really willing to be a resource if you go about it the right way and don't embarrass them. Definitely not in a senior role in my organization but any time a college student or otherwise has emailed me about the industry I've tried to pay it forward by helping out any way that I can.

Most people who have been there before know how hard and uncomfortable it is to blast out cold emails, so they're usually willing to at least take a call.

 

I've had success with Linkedin messages when sending them out and have responded to them. I think it is up to the person. Just as an FYI, EVERYONE can see they've received a message on Linkedin even if they don't check it as frequently as email. I strongly believe that the guy ignoring your Linkedin message will also ignore your email. Perhaps in the US its different, but that's been my experience when I was going through recruitment. Ps, cold calling may also be very geography specific because its a big no no in Europe.

 
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I've had some success with sending LinkedIn messages. The ones that do, always give me their email and then we just go from there. I think LinkedIn messages may not be the strongest because there might be lots of promotional LinkedIn messages from recruiters and other useless garbage that can fall in between your cold message. I've used it in the event of not being able to find or figure out someone's correct email.

I'd resort to it if you were struggling in getting a correct email address and really wanted to get in touch with that person. I'll also agree with one of the above comments that if they're not responding to your LinkedIn message, in a reasonable time of course, that they would not respond to your cold email.

 

The answer is definitely email. Plenty of decision makers don't even check their LinkedIn.

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

Regardless of platform, I'd add that it largely depends on content. Generic, unauthentic messages from a stranger asking for a favor hardly ever yield a response. Recipients know what's a "blast" message, and what's a personalized message. Try and create a meaningful connection.

 

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