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For IT services, software development shops, marketing and creative agencies, and outsourcing firms: win clients with proof-led outreach and a no-risk first offer.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Best for | Dev shops, IT/MSPs, marketing, SEO, design and video agencies, BPO and outsourcing |
| Goal | Discovery calls and paid pilots |
| Channels | LinkedIn first, email second |
| Plan | Multichannel, or Agency / Team for several senders |
| Setup time | About 1 hour |
Why services outreach is different#
Buyers of services aren't comparing features. They're asking three questions:
- Have you solved this for someone like me? (proof)
- Can I trust you? (credibility and a person, not a company)
- What's the risk if it goes wrong? (a small first step)
Every message in this playbook answers one of those.
1. Pick a niche you've already won#
Your best list is companies like your best three clients: same industry, size and problem.
| Service | Strong niche example | Trigger to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Dev shop | Seed–Series A fintechs in Europe | Hiring 2+ engineers |
| Marketing agency | D2C brands doing $2M–$20M | Hiring a performance marketer |
| SEO agency | B2B SaaS with 20–200 staff | New Head of Marketing |
| IT / MSP | 50–300 person law or accounting firms | Office move or new office |
| Video agency | SaaS launching a new product | Product launch posts |
Build the list in Sales Navigator and import it. See Import from LinkedIn.
2. Prepare your proof#
Before you write a message, have ready:
- One case study per niche: problem, what you did, a number. For example, "Cut Acme's AWS bill by 38% in 6 weeks."
- One free, useful asset: an audit, a teardown, a 5-minute Loom review, or a checklist.
- Your calendar link in Settings → Workspace.
3. The sequence#
| # | Step | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visit profile | Day 0 |
| 2 | Like recent post | Day 0 |
| 3 | Connection request | Day 1 |
| 4 | If accepted (7 days) → continue if not | |
| 5 | LinkedIn message 1: relevance + question | After accept |
| 6 | Delay 3 days | |
| 7 | LinkedIn message 2: proof | |
| 8 | Delay 4 days | |
| 9 | LinkedIn message 3: free audit offer | |
| 10 | If has email → end if not | |
| 11 | Email: recap + calendar link | +5 days |
Copy#
Connection request
Hi {{first_name|there}}, I work with {{custom.industry|companies}} like {{company_name|yours}} on [service]. Would be great to connect.Message 1: relevance and a question
Thanks for connecting, {{first_name|there}}. Quick one: is [problem] something {{company_name|your team}} handles in-house, or with a partner?Message 2: proof
Asking because we just helped [similar client] [result with a number] in [timeframe]. Similar size and setup to {{company_name|yours}}.
Happy to share how we did it if useful.Message 3: the no-risk offer
One idea: I can do a free 15-minute [audit/teardown] of {{company_name|your}} [website/funnel/infra] and send you 3 quick wins, no strings attached. Want me to?Email recap
Subject: 3 quick wins for {{company_name|your team}}?
Hi {{first_name|there}},
Sent you a note on LinkedIn. Short version: we helped [client] [result]. I'd be happy to review {{company_name|your}} [area] for free and send 3 quick wins.
Grab 15 minutes here if easier: {{calendar_link}}
{{sender.first_name}}4. Turn replies into pilots#
| Reply | Next step |
|---|---|
| "Send the audit" | Record a 5-minute Loom, send it, and propose a 20-minute walkthrough |
| "What does it cost?" | Give a range, then offer a small fixed-price pilot |
| "We have an agency" | "Makes sense. Many clients use us for [specific gap] alongside their agency." |
| "Not now" | Tag nurture, set a follow-up in 60 days. See reply templates. |
5. Scale across clients and senders#
- One campaign per niche, with its own case study.
- Several team members each sending from their own LinkedIn. See Agencies playbook.
- Extra mailboxes for email follow-up at $2 each. See Add-ons.
Metrics to watch#
| Metric | Target |
|---|---|
| Acceptance | 30%+ |
| Reply rate | 10%+ |
| Audit offers accepted | 20%+ of replies |
| Audit → paid pilot | 25%+ |
Common mistakes#
- Listing services. Nobody buys "web design, SEO, PPC". They buy an outcome.
- "We're a full-service agency." Narrow beats broad in outreach.
- Asking for a call in message 1. Earn it with a question and proof first.
- No follow-up after the free audit. The audit is the start of the sale, not the end.
Tools used in this playbook#
Message templates · Reply templates · Enrichment · Team seats
