You're in the right place if:

• Your LinkedIn DM reply rate is below 10%

• You're getting ignored despite "personalization"

• You want proven rules, not generic advice

This guide breaks down the 9 copywriting rules behind 32-57% reply rates across 5,000+ campaigns.

The Data: What 32-57% Reply Rates Look Like

Before we dive into the rules, here's proof they work.

Real reply rates from 5 of my ReactIn LinkedIn campaigns using the 9 rules

Campaign breakdown:

• Campaign 1: 96 leads → 32.26% reply rate

• Campaign 2: 353 leads → 35.71% reply rate

• Campaign 3: 825 leads → 46.62% reply rate

• Campaign 4: 637 leads → 57.53% reply rate

Average LinkedIn DM reply rate: 8-12%.

My average LinkedIn DM reply rate: 35-45%.

The difference? Following these 9 rules.

The 9 LinkedIn DM Copywriting Rules

Rule 1: Never Start with "Hello {{firstname}}"

Your brain instantly recognizes automation.

"Hello Jean," triggers the same pattern-recognition as spam emails.

❌ Bad:

✅ Good:

The principle: Names should feel natural, not like a mail merge.

Rule 2: Don't Reveal Your Tracking Sources

This is counterintuitive.

Standard advice: "I saw you commented on [Name]'s post about [Topic]..."

Why this kills conversion: It makes people feel watched 🔍

What to do instead:

Use behavioral signals to segment, not personalize.

Someone engaged with a post about LinkedIn automation? Send them a message about that topic. But don't tell them you're tracking them.

❌ Bad:

✅ Good:

Same targeting. Different framing.

Exception: When the signal is public and adds value.

Rule 3: One Message = One Goal

Don't try to qualify, pitch, and book a call in the same message.

❌ The mistake:

This has 3 goals. Too much cognitive load.

What to do instead:

Pick one micro-goal per message.

✅ Message 1: Get a reply

✅ Message 2: Qualify interest

✅ Message 3: Offer value

The principle: Move them forward one step at a time.

Rule 4: Write Like WhatsApp, Not Corporate Email

Read your DM out loud.

Does it sound like a text message or a cover letter?

❌ Corporate:

✅ Conversational:

Key differences:

• No "Dear" or "Hello"

• Short sentences

• Natural language

• Questions, not monologues

The principle: LinkedIn is social. Write socially.

Rule 5: 2-Line Question >>> 10-Line Pitch

The data:

Messages with a question in the first 2 lines: 23% reply rate. Messages that pitch for 10 lines: 7% reply rate

Why questions win: They engage. Pitches create resistance.

❌ 10-line pitch:

Hi, I'm François, founder of ReactIn. We're a LinkedIn automation platform 
that helps B2B teams generate qualified leads through intent-based outreach. 
Unlike other tools that focus on volume, we focus on behavioral signals...
[8 more lines]

✅ 2-line question:

The principle: Ask first. Pitch later.

Rule 6: Highlight the Pain First, Then Your Solution

Don't lead with your product.

The mistake:

Nobody cares about your product yet. They care about their problem.

✅ Pain-first structure:

The principle: Agitate the problem before offering the solution.

Rule 7: Build Context Before Selling

Don't pitch immediately.

The timeline:

1. Message 1: Ask a question

2. Message 2: Respond to their answer

3. Message 3: Offer value (now you can mention your product)

❌ Immediate pitch:

✅ Context-first:

Message 1: "Running any LinkedIn outreach?" They reply: "Yeah, using [Tool]." Message 2: "How's it working? Getting leads or conversations?" They reply: "Mostly conversations. 8% reply rate." Message 3:

That's common with [Tool]

The principle: Earn the right to pitch.

Rule 8: Max 2 Emojis (You're Not 16)

The trap:

This doesn't make you memorable. It makes you look desperate.

The rule: 1-2 emojis max.

✅ Good usage:

The principle: Emojis are punctuation, not decoration.

Rule 9: Make Replying Easier Than Ignoring

If your message requires effort to respond to, it won't get a response.

High-friction:

Low-friction:

Examples of easy questions:

• "LinkedIn working for you?"

• "Getting leads or conversations?"

• "Happy with your current tool?"

• "Tried automation before?"

All answerable in 1-5 words.

The principle: The easier you make it to reply, the more replies you get.

Putting It All Together: Before and After

❌ Before (8% Reply Rate)

Breaks 6+ rules.

✅ After (32%+ Reply Rate)

Message 1:

Message 2 (after they reply):

Message 3 (only if engaged):

Follows all 9 rules.

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Being Too Vague

Bad:

This follows Rule 2 but is too vague.

Better:

The fix: Be vague about how you found them, not what you're asking.

Mistake 2: Giving Up After Message 1

Most replies come on message 2 or 3.

Follow-up template:

Following up — figured you're busy.

Still curious about your take on [topic]

The principle: Persistence (with respect) wins.

Tools That Help You Scale

Writing good DMs is one thing. Doing it at scale is another.

ReactIn is built for intent-based automation:

1. Track behavioral signals (post engagement, profile visits, webinar attendance)

2. Automatically build lists of people who showed interest

3. Send messages following the 9 rules

4. Track reply rates and optimize

Relevant templates:

• Your Post Engagers (Pixel): Capture everyone who likes/comments on your content

• Profile Visitors: Scrape all daily visitors (LinkedIn Premium required)

• LinkedIn Webinar Attendees: Scrape attendees of LinkedIn Events

• Received Connection Requests: Auto-accept incoming invites + send welcome DM

• Competitor Post Engagers (Spyer): Track engagers from competitors and influencers

Key Takeaways

The 9 rules:

1. Never start with "Hello {{firstname}}"

2. Don't reveal tracking sources

3. One message = one goal

4. Write like WhatsApp

5. 2-line question >>> 10-line pitch

6. Pain first, solution second

7. Build context before selling

8. Max 2 emojis

9. Make replying easier than ignoring

Result: 32-57% reply rates vs 8-12% average.

Strategy: Track behavioral signals. Target intent. Follow the 9 rules.

Tool to scale: ReactIn handles signal-tracking and list-building automatically. You focus on writing messages that convert.

Try ReactIn free. No credit card required. 💙

27% average reply rate across 5,000+ user campaigns

François D.
Founder, ReactIn
My LinkedIn profile

Related Articles:

• How to Automatically Accept LinkedIn Connection Requests (and Send a Welcome DM)

• Should You Add a Note to LinkedIn Connection Requests? (2025 Data)

• Hyper-Personalized LinkedIn Messages: A Simple Guide 2025

• Automate LinkedIn Campaigns by Capturing Intent Signals

• Segmenting Your LinkedIn Audience: A Practical Guide

Last Updated: 2026