Picture this: You open LinkedIn to find a message containing an animated GIF of Mr. Bean standing in a field of yellow flowers, looking around expectantly, hands on his hips, clearly waiting for someone who isn’t showing up:
Below it, a simple message:
“Sorry, I couldn’t resist [FIRST NAME]! 🤣 Did you still want to talk about our DFY LinkedIn lead generation services?”
This is exactly the kind of follow-up I send to prospects who’ve been ghosting me.
And it works.
Why?
Because while everyone else is sending those snooze-inducing “just checking in” or “circling back” messages, I’m doing what 99% of LinkedIn users won’t: Being ridiculously human.
And it’s not just me, either.
I got this note after sharing the strategy on a recent LinkedIn Live:
When LinkedIn Leads Go “Ghost” Mode
Look, we’ve all been there. Someone says YES to your free content, maybe even seems excited about working together … then vanishes into the LinkedIn void. Most people either give up or keep sending generic follow-ups that scream desperation.
But after going from 1 client and enough money for 30 days to generating nearly 8 figures in sales through LinkedIn, I’ve learned that the fortune isn’t just in the follow-up – it’s in following up like an actual human being.
The Secret? Stop Being a LinkedIn Robot
When someone has already said YES to you in some capacity – whether they wanted your free eBook, expressed interest in your services, or agreed to connect – they’ve given you permission to be human.
And humans don’t send generic “touching base” messages.
Humans notice things.
Humans make jokes.
Humans send GIFs of British comedians when the situation calls for it.
Watch: How To INSTANTLY Revive “Cold” Leads on LinkedIn
With that in mind, here’s my framework for follow-ups that actually work:
The “Personal First, Business Second” Approach
Instead of diving straight into business, I start by mining their LinkedIn profile for conversation starters.
Where do they live? What did they recently post about? What’s their alma mater?
Then I lead with THAT.
Take this example: A prospect in Chicago said YES to my free eBook but went radio silent. Instead of the dreaded “Did you get my eBook?” message, I sent this:
My apologies [NAME] – just remembered you live in Chicago. If you’re a Bears fan, you likely need some emotional support right now after Sunday’s debacle! 😬 Football watching aside, did you have a chance to check out my eBook over the weekend? I’m on pins and needles over here! 🤣
See what I did there? Personal connection first, business second, humor throughout.
The “Skip Business Entirely” Strategy
Sometimes I don’t even mention business at all:
Just thought of you [NAME] – my wife was talking about summer vacation ideas last night and Chicago came up. What would you recommend for a family with 3 crazy boys under age 10 to get the ‘full’ Chicago experience?
The prospect KNOWS where our “business” conversation left off. By not mentioning it, I’m showing I value them as a person, not just a potential sale.
Plus, who doesn’t love giving travel advice about their hometown?
The “LinkedIn Stalker” Method (But Make It Charming)
I regularly check prospects’ recent LinkedIn activity.
Did they post about their kid graduating? Win an award? Travel somewhere cool?
That’s follow-up gold:
- “Hey, cool post about your son finishing school – what a great accomplishment and I can see how proud you are in that photo!”
- “Wow, just noticed you won XYZ award – nicely done! I hope you got a raise, too! 🤣”
- “Hey, just saw your post about getting to travel to Florida for work – given it’s -13 degrees right now in Minnesota, please stand outside and tell me if the sun and heat still exist!”
Then, almost as an afterthought, I’ll add:
- “Oh, and did you get a chance to dive into the eBook yet? My self-esteem is ready to rise or fall based on your feedback! 🤣”
Why Humor Is Your Secret Weapon
Here’s what most LinkedIn “gurus” won’t tell you: Even Fortune 500 CEOs are human beings who enjoy laughing.
Just because someone has an impressive title doesn’t mean they’ve had their sense of humor surgically removed. In fact, they’re probably MORE receptive to something that breaks up the monotony of their inbox.
That’s where my GIF strategy comes in.
Here’s one of my favorites, courtesy of the 1980s comedy “Caddyshack” –
Sorry, I couldn’t resist [FIRST NAME]! 🤣 Did you still want to talk about XYZ? If yes, what would you suggest as the next step? If no, zero worries – just reply ‘no’ and I can cease my politely persistent follow up!
The beauty?
This approach acknowledges the elephant in the room (they’ve been ignoring me) with humor instead of passive aggression.
The “Rosie the Dog” Technique
Sometimes I’ll send a photo of my dog Rosie staring longingly at my office door with this message:
[FIRST NAME] – this is what Rosie the dog does when I don’t respond to her requests for a walk … should I stand vigil like this outside your LinkedIn inbox until I hear back about the eBook? 🤣
If they’re a dog person, it’s game over. They HAVE to respond.
And even if they’re not … who can resist the power of Rosie!? 🐶
Ninja Level: Voice and Video Messages
LinkedIn’s mobile app lets you send audio and video messages, and almost NO ONE uses them.
When you put your actual face or voice in someone’s inbox, you become instantly human.
Here’s how it works:
My script is simple:
Hey [FIRST NAME] – it’s John Nemo! Just wanted to put a face with a name and say hello. Do you ever use video messages like this on LinkedIn? It’s a really cool feature, isn’t it? Anyway, I just wanted to say hi and also, super excited to hear your thoughts on my eBook. I was looking at your profile, and seeing that you do XYZ, that’s EXACTLY the type of professionals we see having success with the approach I outline in the eBook. Super excited to hear your thoughts on it and talk more soon!
This takes all of 30 seconds to record, and the personal touch is worth hours of typed messages.
When All Else Fails: The “Have You Given Up?” Messages
Sometimes, when you’ve been trying for weeks or months and NOTHING has worked, you need to be direct.
These messages make my polite, passive-aggressive Midwestern soul cringe, but they work:
Option 1: “[FIRST NAME] – are you doing this? Would appreciate a response.”
Option 2: “Have you given up on us working together?”
Keep in mind, these “last chance” messages are aimed at prospects who were SUPER engaged once upon a time – maybe you even sent over a proposal or something similar – but went completely “ghost” and didn’t respond no matter what you tried.
Again, the messages above are blunt, slightly uncomfortable, and surprisingly effective at getting responses – even if it’s just to tell me they’re no longer interested, went a different direction, etc. (Which is still a win, because now I can move on with my life and stop chasing them!)
The Bottom Line: Be Persistently Human
Here’s what I’ve learned after years of LinkedIn lead generation: People ghost for all kinds of reasons.
I once had a prospect disappear for 90 days.
Turns out a blood vessel burst in his brain and he almost died!
(He eventually recovered, booked a call, and became a client.)
Others have gone dark while dealing with aging parents, work crises, hurricanes(!), and countless other life events.
By staying persistently human – mixing humor, personal connection, and genuine interest in them as people – I’ve closed deals YEARS after the first interaction.
Our clients have, too.
Just ask Wes Barefoot, a franchise consultant who signed a 5-figure client we first engaged for him on LinkedIn two years earlier!
The fortune isn’t just in the follow-up.
It’s in following up like an actual human being who happens to have a great sense of humor and an adorable dog.
Remember, sales comes down to what fits your personality and personal brand, so act accordingly.
The key is this: Be politely persistent!
As Zig Ziglar famously noted – Shy salespeople have skinny kids!
Prefer to have our team run this for you instead of DIY? Here’s how our LinkedIn lead generation works for consultants.
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