The Proven LinkedIn DM Formula That Books Calls With CEOs

Forbes

2 days ago

The CEOs that could be your next clients don't have time for fluff. You've got one shot to make the message worth their attention. Most people lead with ego or small talk. That's how they get ignored. The pain of a weak opener is no second chance. Your expertise could transform their business, but they'll never know because your message joined the graveyard of unread DMs.
The difference between booking calls and getting ghosted comes down to respecting executive reality. Then it's strategic power games and timing. CEOs get hundreds of messages daily from people who clearly spent zero time understanding their actual challenges. Don't send any of those. Here's what to do instead.
Crack the CEO code with messages that actually matter
Forget the LinkedIn playbook everyone follows. No CEO cares that you noticed their work anniversary or liked their latest post about company culture. They care about the new project that's bleeding money or the competitor eating their market share. Your first sentence needs to hit so precisely they wonder if you've been reading their private Slack channels.
Real research happens in quarterly earnings calls, not LinkedIn feeds. Find the growth initiative they announced but haven't figured out. Spot the market shift they're struggling to keep up with. The topics their younger pals have started to mention. A SaaS CEO needs someone who knows why their enterprise clients are churning and has fixed it for similar companies. When your opener names their nightmare, they start reading.
Send this opener as one message, then say 'if you're seeing something similar, I have something that might interest you.' Make it easy for them to say yes.
Vague success stories bounce off seasoned executives. But tell them about someone just like them who solved the same problem? Now you're dangerous. CEOs trust peer results more than any award or certification. When the stakes are high, they want proof you're the real deal from relevant clients.
Match their business demographics exactly. Industry, size, stage, challenge. A $50M retail CEO doesn't care about your Fortune 500 transformation. They care that you helped a $45M retailer cut inventory costs by 30% during their exact growth phase. Your proof should preview their future. Conduct your outreach in themes, targeting CEOs you know you can help.
Your case study is your second message, shared in a breezy and casual way. Write as if you're writing to a friend.
Executives don't want to see your pitch deck. They want the process of how you've done what you say you can do. That's the 30 minute call they'd show up for. 'I can walk you through how I did this in 30 minutes today' is the line to include. Don't add complexity. Go for a clear benefit in a specific duration and make saying yes easier than deleting your message.
Prepare for the call like it's important. Because it is. When you're on the call, stick to time. Don't be the person who rambles and runs over the slot. Include how much your clients paid for the system right up front, then run them through the method. By the end, they have everything they need to commission you.
After the case study is when to send this line. Ideally they have responded first. You walking them through the system is the natural next step.
First message ignored? No problem. Today might not be that day. Your follow-up strategy separates pros from pests. Wait a week. Deliver fresh insight. Bring something else to the table. Never just "circle back." Think about how you'd follow up a friend who hadn't responded. You wouldn't call them out about it, you'd just send them another meme.
Tell them something you just learned about their line of work. Send over something that made you think of them. Make it valuable whether they respond or not. Each follow-up should stand alone as helpful content. You're building trust for when their need matches your expertise. Two strategic follow-ups with new value, never "just checking in" messages.
If any of the messages above haven't got a response, plan your second message in advance. Make it a progression of the first, that adds value or reveals something else.
So you've got your case study and there's a reason the CEO should want to speak to you. But what else? What stands you out over the other messages they see every day? The answer is you. You as a professional, thought leader, and LinkedIn profile. Before you knock on doors, build your own house. Get your LinkedIn profile looking awesome. Update your information. Make it impossible for them not to love you as soon as they get your vibe.
Even if they don't respond, they'll check out your profile. So it needs to be strong. Your next clients can choose from hundreds of people promising the same result. Making it unequivocally clear that you're the best choice happens by doing the work. Show up every day with posts, play the engagement game to build with comments. Build your personal brand to such a level that the CEOs are chasing you.
Planning how to DM CEOs is not how you should be spending your time over the course of your career. Make it your mission to attract inbound leads by building brand you to be sought after and in-demand.
Write LinkedIn DMs that book meetings with CEOs
Get replies and meetings with busy people when you make every word count. Open with their exact challenge and tell them how you've helped people just like them achieve excellent results. Get them interested, then show them the process and don't forget to share what it costs. Follow up with value, never empty words. Finally, make your longer term strategy to attract, not chase. Focus on them, respect their time, and fill your calendar with meetings that will grow your business beyond recognition.
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