LinkedIn's hidden super-tool: Voice Messages

A lot of people don’t know these exist.

Even fewer know how to leverage them.

The best way to leverage voice messages: new connections.

I use voice messages to spark conversations with new connections every single day.

Why I use voice messages with new connections:

🎙️ Voice messages build trust. The connection immediately hears your voice and can see that you’re a real person and not sending an automated message.

🎙️ Voice messages create curiosity. They appear in your inbox as a blue bar with a play button. You’ve only got one option: press play!

🎙️ Voice messages are novel. The feature is still new and unknown. People are stoked to see something different in their inbox.

🎙️ Voice messages are fun. Everyone writes on LinkedIn. It’s fun to be invited out of the professional bubble of text on a screen and share your voice & personality.

🎙️ People like sending voice messages. Case-in-point: 80% of all of my voice messages receive a voice message in response.

Okay, now that you’re convinced I’m the smartest LinkedIn user in the history of the interwebs, here’s how I use Voice Messages to activate new connections.

A few things to keep in mind first:

📱 Use your mobile. Voice messages only work on the mobile app

⏳ Keep your messages short. Voice messages can’t be longer than 60 seconds.

The LinkedIn app still has a long way to go. This is how to use voice messages effectively and efficiently. (This is the same process I go through in the video below with Sam Browne's connection request.)

1️⃣ Open your new connection requests.

2️⃣ Click on one of the requests. This will open “cards.” DO NOT click accept on this screen. If you do, the person’s profile will disappear and you won’t be able to easily send a message.

3️⃣ Click on the profile photo or “view full profile” at the bottom of the card.

4️⃣ Click on “Accept”

5️⃣ Wait a moment and the “Accept” button will turn into “Message.” Click the “Message” button.

6️⃣ When the message window opens, wold down the microphone next to the text box. Record your message.

Tips on sending a winning voice message intro:

🎙️ Make it clear you’ve visited your new contact’s profile by mentioning something you saw on it.

🎙️ Talk about the other person - not about yourself!

🎙️ Smile when you talk. You’ll sound friendlier.

🎙️ Ask open ended questions. Be curious about the other person.

Have you been using voice messages? How are you using them to build better connections?