LS #54: Why LinkedIn Outreach Died (And What Works in 2025)
The game changed. Most people are still playing by the old rules.
Hi there,
I break down viral LinkedIn posts to help you create content that clicks.
In this issue, you'll find:
The 3 high-performing LinkedIn posts this week
Why LinkedIn outreach died (and what works in 2025)
The 3 high-performing posts this week
1. Just got this gem in my inbox...
Why this post?
This post went viral, receiving almost 1.9k likes in just 13 hours. It received 5-127 more engagement and views than Troyi's posts this week.
BREAKDOWN
Teaser hook: "Just got this gem in my inbox" - makes people curious about what's coming
Screenshot proof: Shows the actual email so people can see it's real, not made up
Immediate shock: "An SDR basically asking me to be a fake meeting" - calls out the crazy behavior right away
Personal contrast: Shows his own hard work (100+ calls, cold calling, getting sick) vs. the lazy request
Emotional reaction: "Dude. DUDE." and "Smh.." - shows genuine frustration that people relate to
Rhetorical question: "And you want me to help you cheat your way to quota?" - makes the absurdity clear
Plot twist ending: "So anyways, booked a meeting" - surprise that he actually helped despite being annoyed
HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN POST:
Find absurd behavior: Look for emails, messages, or requests that show how broken some business practices are
Show, don't just tell: Use screenshots or real examples instead of just describing what happened
Make it personal: Explain how this affects you or your work to create emotional connection
Create contrast: Show the right way vs. the wrong way to highlight the problem
End with unexpected twist: Do something that surprises readers after building up tension
POST IDEAS FOLLOWING THIS TEMPLATE:
"The job posting that asked for 10 years experience in a 5-year-old technology"
"Recruiter offered me my own job"
"Client asked me to make the logo bigger... in the email signature"
"Got invoiced $500 for a 15-minute phone call"
"Competitor copied our website word-for-word, including the typo"
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2. We just hit $100M ARR in 8 months 🔥
Why this post?
Another post that went viral this week—it got 3.4k likes in 2 days and performed 13-18 times better than Felix’s other posts this week.
BREAKDOWN:
Huge number hook: "$100M ARR in 8 months" - grabs attention immediately
Bold comparison: Claims to be faster than OpenAI, Cursor, Wiz - makes it feel historic
Visual proof: Chart showing growth curves comparing to famous companies
Product benefits: Lists specific improvements (91% fewer errors, smarter reasoning)
Emotional language: "most powerful update yet" and "like never before" creates excitement
Future vision: "$1B" goal shows where they're heading next
HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN POST:
Lead with your biggest win: Start with the most impressive number or achievement you have
Compare to famous names: Show how you stack up against companies everyone knows
Use visuals to prove it: Charts, graphs, or screenshots make claims believable
Mix business and personal: Combine professional achievements with human emotions
Paint the future picture: Show people where this success is leading
3. Ever wish you had a script for parenting?
Why this post?
This post performed 2.5-5 times better than Sophie’s other posts this week.
BREAKDOWN:
Personal regret hook: "I wish I'd learned this when I was 10" - makes people think about missed opportunities
Life-changing claim: "This book changed how I think. And how I parent" - shows big impact
Visual product showcase: Clean, professional book cover design that looks like a real published book
Problem identification: "But no one's teaching it to kids" - points out gap in market
Simple solution: Breaks down complex concepts into kid-friendly ideas
Concrete examples: "One toy in the bin, One page before bed" - specific actions parents can use
HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN POST:
Start with personal pain: Share something you wish you knew earlier in life
Find the gap: Take something popular and show who's being left out
Borrow credibility: Connect your idea to someone famous or successful
Break it down: Turn complicated concepts into simple, actionable steps
Use specific examples: Give exact actions people can take today
POST IDEAS FOLLOWING THIS TEMPLATE:
"Rich Dad Poor Dad for Teenagers (the book that should exist)"
"The 7 Habits for College Students (why nobody teaches this)"
"Think and Grow Rich for Remote Workers"
"Getting Things Done for Parents (with kids interrupting every 5 minutes)"
"The Lean Startup for Side Hustlers"
Main topic
Why LinkedIn Outreach Died (And What Works in 2025)
LinkedIn in 2015: Send 100 connection requests, get 20 responses, book 5 demos.
LinkedIn in 2025: Send 100 connection requests, get ignored by 95, annoy the other 5.
The game changed. Most people are still playing by the old rules.
The LinkedIn Graveyard
I was talking to a founder friend last week. He gets 15-20 connection requests daily from people trying to sell him something.
Here's what 90% of them look like:
Connection request: "Hi [name], I'd love to connect with you and learn more about your company. Best regards, [their name]"
Follow-up message (within 2 hours): "Hi [name], I noticed you work at [company]. I'm really interested in your business and would love to learn more. Do you have 15 minutes for a call this week? Best regards, [their name]"
He deletes them all.
Every. Single. One.
And he's not alone. I've heard this exact story from dozens of founders.
What Killed LinkedIn Outreach
The 2015 LinkedIn playbook:
Mass connection requests
Generic follow-up messages
Immediate sales pitch
Numbers game mentality
Why it's dead now:
Everyone's inbox is flooded
Buyers are outreach-savvy
Generic messages get filtered out
Trust is harder to build
The average executive gets 50+ LinkedIn messages per week. Your generic message isn't breaking through that noise.
The 2025 LinkedIn Reality
What founders tell me about their LinkedIn inboxes:
"I auto-delete anything that starts with 'I'd love to connect'"
"If they pitch me in the first message, they're blocked"
"I only respond to people who clearly know my business"
"Generic outreach tells me they don't do their homework"
The bar is higher. The competition is fierce. The old tactics are toxic to your brand.
Stop Doing These 3 Things
1. The Spray and Pray Approach
Sending 100 identical messages hoping 2-3 people respond.
2. The Immediate Pitch
Connecting and pitching within 24 hours.
3. The Generic Template
Using the same message for CEOs, VPs, and managers.
The 2025 LinkedIn Strategy That Actually Works
Step 1: Track Buyer Intent Signals
Before reaching out, look for:
Recent job changes or promotions
Company funding announcements
Posts about specific challenges you solve
Engagement with competitor content
Industry event participation
Tools that help:
LinkedIn Sales Navigator alerts
Company news notifications
Social media monitoring
Industry publication tracking
Job publications
Clay
Step 2: Send Hyper-Personalized Messages
Example message: "Hi [Name], saw your post about scaling challenges at [Company]. The point about maintaining culture during 3x growth really resonated - we faced the exact same issue at [my company] last year.
I actually wrote about our approach to this problem (link attached). No pitch, just thought you might find it useful given what you're navigating.
How are you thinking about tackling the culture piece?"
Step 3: Build Trust Through Content and Engagement
The Trust-Building Sequence:
Week 1-2: The Observer
Like and share their content
Leave thoughtful comments
Reference their posts in your content
Week 3-4: The Contributor
Share relevant resources
Make valuable introductions
Week 5-6: The Collaborator
Ask for their input on industry topics
Position as peer, not vendor
The LinkedIn Engagement Strategy
Content that builds trust:
Behind-the-scenes business challenges
Lessons learned from mistakes
Industry insights and predictions
Customer success stories (with permission)
Engagement that creates relationships:
Meaningful comments on prospects' posts
Shares with your unique perspective added
Tags in relevant conversations
Invitations to industry discussions
Common 2025 LinkedIn Mistakes
1. Still Using 2015 Tactics
Mass outreach with generic messages in an overcrowded inbox environment.
2. Pitching Too Early
Trying to sell before building any relationship or trust.
3. Ignoring Intent Signals
Reaching out to everyone instead of focusing on buyers showing interest.
4. Content-Free Outreach
Sending messages without demonstrating expertise through content.
The LinkedIn Success Formula for 2025
Intent Signals (reach the right people at the right time) + Personalized Messaging (show you did your homework) + Trust Building (demonstrate expertise before selling) + Patient Follow-Up (relationships take time) = LinkedIn success
The founders winning on LinkedIn in 2025 aren't the ones sending the most messages.
They're the ones building the most trust.
That's a wrap for today.
See you next week! If you want more LinkedIn tips, be sure to follow me on LinkedIn (link).
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Your compadre,
Anton "LinkedIn growth strategies" Cherkasov