5 ChatGPT prompts for effective LinkedIn outreach as a thought leader
You know your stuff. Unlike those posting on LinkedIn with no experience and little substance, your experience dates back years. Perhaps you’ve written books, been blogging for ages, or pioneered your own methods, frameworks and ways of thinking about your niche. You’re no everyday professional.
To get results on LinkedIn, it’s not enough to post and ghost. Making the most of the social network involves being social, and that means outreach. But as a thought leader you have to strike the right balance. Not needy, not junior, but refined and sophisticated, without being arrogant or too formal. It’s a tough nut to crack, especially for someone with a flawless reputation.
Strengthen your connections and make valuable new ones with these ChatGPT prompts. Perfect your outreach messages, then hand them to your VA with confidence they represent you well. Start by setting the scene and ChatGPT will take it from there. Copy, paste and edit the square brackets in ChatGPT, and keep the same chat window open so the context carries through.
Thought-leadership on LinkedIn: ChatGPT prompts for success
Respond to connection requests
A connection request pops up but the person who wants to connect didn’t send a message. How are you supposed to know what to do with them? Without context, you don’t know if someone has seen your work, wants to chat, wants a job or just wants to sell. So ask them. Use this prompt to create a casual message that asks someone to specify what they are looking for, and respond without accepting to vet them first.
“I often receive LinkedIn connection requests without any accompanying message, leaving their intent unclear. As a thought leader with extensive experience in [describe your experience], I want to engage effectively without compromising my professional image. Could you help me draft a friendly reply that is sophisticated yet approachable? The response should invite the requester to share more about their reasons for connecting, which may be [outline 2 or 3 reasons why someone might get in touch]. The message should be no more than two sentences, the tone should be polished but not overly formal, aligning with my status as an experienced professional. Use simple language. This will help me better understand their intentions before I consider accepting the connection.”
Get to know profile viewers
Every day, people view your profile. But why? What are they hoping to find out and what do they want to do? Find out. Once a week, message people who check you out. Thank them for stopping by, ask a question, and continue the conversation. Amass fans one by one when you take the time to chat.
“I need assistance drafting a message for LinkedIn. Every week, I want to reach out to individuals who have viewed my profile. As a thought leader with considerable expertise, it's crucial that my message reflects a sophisticated yet inviting tone. The message should thank them for visiting my profile and express curiosity about what drew them to it. Could you help me compose a message that initiates this conversation in a polished and engaging manner, while inviting them to share their interests or goals related to my field? Use simple and friendly language. Make it specific to the context already provided."
Follow up comments in DMs
So you shared a great LinkedIn post and people engaged. They left comments and they seem to be interested. Carrying the conversation on in DMs could strengthen your relationships. People seeking connection will be pleased you reached out. If your content is on point, it will attract your ideal customer, ready to hear more about your offer and sign right up. Create a message to follow up the comments, to effortlessly sell through engagement alone.
“I recently shared a LinkedIn post on the topic of [describe post] that received comments from people in my target audience. As a thought leader, I want to continue these conversations in direct messages to deepen connections. Write a message that acknowledges their comment, thanks them for their engagement, and invites further discussion. The message should be no longer than two sentences, casual and approachable.”
Diffuse irrelevant requests
If your profile is getting busier your private messages will be too. For every person that wants to hear more and could become a customer, there will be ten who want to sell you something or pick your brain. Create a polite message that explains where your focus is and encourages them to stay in touch, but makes it clear you won’t be booking a call. Keep people onside for the future while politely declining their first request.
“As my LinkedIn profile gains traction, I'm receiving an increasing number of private messages. Some are from people interested in my expertise, but many are from those seeking to sell their services or pick my brain. Create a polite message to express appreciation for their interest, clarify my current focus of growing my company, [insert company name], and encourage them to stay connected for future opportunities. However, it must also politely decline their initial request, making it clear that I can't fulfill it. The message must be no longer than two sentences, super casual, and be professional while setting boundaries.”
Message potential partners
Your potential customers are on LinkedIn. But as a thought leader, you might have shied away from an outbound sales approach for fear of tainting your personal brand. That’s a smart move. Instead of deploying the usual sales messages, get ChatGPT’s help with an outreach message. Run searches for your ideal customer (using their job role, company size or industry) and send them out, then continue the conversation to strengthen the bond.
"I'm looking to connect with potential partners and customers on LinkedIn. As a thought leader, I understand the importance of maintaining authenticity and professionalism in all communications. Instead of resorting to traditional sales tactics, I want to reach out with a personalized message that resonates with the recipient. Create an outreach message that introduces me, highlights common interests or goals, and expresses genuine interest in getting to know them. The message should be conversational and use simple language, engaging yet professional, with a focus on building rapport and establishing a foundation for future collaboration. Start by asking me to paste my LinkedIn headline, followed by the headline of the person I am reaching out to, then draft the message from this information. The message should be no longer than two sentences. Don't use the word synergy or synergies."
Maximize LinkedIn to build your business as a thought leader
When your work precedes you, the way you use LinkedIn should be different to most. Make it a powerful part of building your brand when you send outreach messages you’re proud of, not ones that make you cringe. Respond to connection requests so you build your network of relevant people, and follow up the people who view your profile. Follow up insightful comments within a private chat, politely decline requests from people who want something you aren’t happy to give, and message potential partners without selling out. Maximize LinkedIn as a thought leader to build your network on a whole new level.
