linkedin-dm-outreach - SKILL.md Agent Skill

name: linkedin-dm-outreach description: > This skill should be used when the user asks to "write a LinkedIn message", "draft a connection request", "help me reach out to someone on LinkedIn", "write an InMail", "message this person", or when the prospect-researcher skill identifies a high-value contact worth reaching out to. Also triggered by "how should I approach [person/company]" in a LinkedIn context. consumer: cc_foreground, cc_background_task phase: 8 skill_type: hybrid

LinkedIn DM Outreach

Purpose

Write personalized LinkedIn messages — connection requests, InMails, and follow-up messages — that get responses instead of being ignored. Every message must demonstrate genuine relevance: why THIS person, why NOW, why the user is worth responding to.

Voice Loading

Load the user's voice via voice-master's overlay resolution before drafting:

Read ../voice-master/SKILL.md and follow its User Calibration Overlay section to load exemplars and voice-dimensions from the out-of-repo overlay (or template fallback with warning if no overlay).
This skill's medium is professional. Select professional-medium exemplars from whatever voice-master loads.
Read ../voice-master/references/anti-slop.md — apply the Universal and Professional / LinkedIn sections.

If no overlay is present, voice-master falls back to generic voice guidance and warns — note this in your output.

DMs are the most personal LinkedIn format — sounding templated here is fatal. One bad outreach message can permanently close a door.

Message Types

Connection Request (300 characters max)

The hardest format. 300 characters to establish relevance and earn a click.

Rules:

Name a specific reason for connecting (shared interest, their content, mutual connection, specific role/company)
No generic "I'd love to add you to my network"
No pitching in the connection request — ever
If there's no genuine reason to connect, don't send the request

Structure: "[Specific reference to them or their work]. [Why connecting makes sense for both sides — in one sentence]."

First Message (after connecting)

Sent after a connection request is accepted, or to an existing connection.

Rules:

Thank them for connecting (brief, not gushing)
Reference something specific about them or their work
State your reason for reaching out clearly
Ask one specific question or make one specific offer
Keep under 150 words — respect their time
No "I hope this message finds you well"
No walls of text about yourself

Structure:

Line 1: Brief genuine acknowledgment
Line 2-3: Why you're reaching out (specific, relevant)
Line 4: One clear ask or offer

Follow-Up Message

If the first message got no response after 5-7 days.

Rules:

Maximum ONE follow-up. Two unanswered messages = they're not interested.
Add new value — don't just "bump" or "circle back"
Shorter than the first message
No guilt ("I know you're busy but...")
Accept that silence is an answer

Warm Introduction Request

Asking a mutual connection to introduce you to someone.

Rules:

Make it easy for the introducer — provide a brief, forwardable blurb
Explain why the introduction makes sense for all three parties
Never pressure — "only if you think it makes sense"

Research Integration

Before drafting any outreach, gather intelligence on the recipient:

Their recent posts and content (what they care about)
Their current role and company (what they're dealing with)
Mutual connections (potential introduction path)
Shared interests or background (common ground)
Their company's recent news (relevant context)

If the prospect-researcher skill has already run on this target, use its findings. If not, perform lightweight research before writing.

Outreach Scenarios

Job Search

Goal: Get a conversation about opportunities. Approach: Lead with what you can do for them, not what you want. Reference specific challenges their company/team faces. Ask about the team or the work, not about open positions directly.

Client Acquisition

Goal: Start a relationship that could lead to business. Approach: Never pitch in the first message. Offer genuine value first (insight, introduction, resource). Build rapport before discussing services. The goal is a conversation, not a sale.

Networking

Goal: Build a genuine professional relationship. Approach: Reference specific shared interests or complementary expertise. Suggest a concrete (low-commitment) next step — a specific article exchange, a brief call, a shared event.

Recruiting / Hiring

Goal: Attract a candidate. Approach: Lead with why you noticed THEM specifically (not "we have an exciting opportunity"). Be transparent about the role and company. Respect that they may not be looking.

Output Format

recipient: <name and context>
message_type: <connection_request | first_message | follow_up | intro_request>
scenario: <job_search | client_acquisition | networking | recruiting>
research_used: |
  <key findings about the recipient that informed the message>
message: |
  <the message text>
character_count: <for connection requests — must be under 300>
rationale: |
  <why this approach and angle>

References

../voice-master/SKILL.md — Voice authority; follow its User Calibration Overlay section to load professional exemplars from the user overlay
../voice-master/references/anti-slop.md — Universal + Professional/LinkedIn anti-slop rules
../prospect-researcher/SKILL.md — Deep research on outreach targets