You’ve probably had your share of LinkedIn messages that read like they came from a robot — because, honestly, they did. The same old “Hey, I noticed we have mutual connections!” is a fast track to the archive folder. If you’re tired of sending messages that get ignored and want to actually start conversations, this guide is for you. We’ll walk through how to use Taplio to personalize your LinkedIn outreach, avoid rookie mistakes, and keep it human (even if you’re using some automation).
Why Personalization Matters (and Where Most People Go Wrong)
Let’s get something straight: people can spot a generic message a mile away. “Personalization” doesn’t mean just dropping someone’s first name into a template. It means referencing something real about their work, their posts, or your shared interests. Taplio can help with this, but it’s not magic. If you just mail-merge job titles and call it a day, don’t expect results.
Here’s what works: - Mentioning a recent post or project - Referencing mutual connections or groups if there’s a real link - Asking a question that shows you’ve actually looked at their profile
What doesn’t work: - Over-the-top flattery (“You are truly a visionary thought leader!”) - Obvious copy-paste intros - Asking for a call in the first message (unless you’ve got a strong reason)
Now, let’s get into how Taplio can actually help — and where you’ll still need to use your own judgment.
Step 1: Set Up Taplio and Connect Your LinkedIn
First things first, you’ll need a Taplio account. Basic setup is straightforward:
- Sign Up: Go to Taplio and create an account with your LinkedIn credentials.
- Connect LinkedIn: The tool needs access to your profile and connections, so follow the prompts to link up.
- Check Permissions: Make sure Taplio has access to send messages and view your network. Sometimes LinkedIn changes its API rules, so if you hit a wall, check Taplio’s help docs or reconnect.
Pro tip: If you’re worried about security, use LinkedIn’s “Sign in with LinkedIn” for OAuth. Don’t give out your LinkedIn password to any service, ever.
Step 2: Build a Target List That Isn't Garbage
Taplio will let you upload CSVs, use LinkedIn searches, or pull from your existing network. Here’s where most people get lazy — don’t just grab a big list and blast away.
How to make a solid target list: - Start narrow. Pick an industry, job title, or company size you actually want to talk to. - Use LinkedIn filters inside Taplio to get granular (location, seniority, etc.). - Spot-check profiles. Actually scroll through 10-20 profiles in your list. If they don’t look like your ideal contact, refine your search.
Ignore: Any list that you bought or scraped from sketchy sources. These almost never convert, and you’ll get flagged for spam.
Step 3: Gather Real Personalization Data
This is where Taplio can help — but it’s not a mind reader. Taplio scrapes public LinkedIn data and recent posts, which is a good start, but it won’t catch everything.
Taplio can pull in: - Recent LinkedIn posts and articles - Current job role and company - Shared connections or groups - Profile summary
But you still need to: - Skim their recent posts for something topical to mention - Check if they’ve switched jobs recently - Look for mutual interests or backgrounds
Pro tip: If you’re contacting fewer than 50 people a week, spend an extra minute per profile. Find something that shows you care enough not to waste their time.
Step 4: Write Your Outreach Message (Templates That Don’t Suck)
Taplio has built-in templates. Most of them are just OK. The trick is to use them as a rough starting point, not the finished product.
How to use Taplio’s templates without sounding like a robot:
- Choose a template that fits your style (shorter is better).
- Edit the intro to mention something specific:
- “I saw your post about remote onboarding — totally agree with your take on async communication.”
- Ask a simple question or offer a specific resource (not a sales pitch).
- Skip the hard sell. Your first message’s goal is to start a conversation, not close a deal.
Example template you can actually use:
Hi {{firstName}},
Just saw your recent post on {{recentTopic}} — great insight, especially about {{specificPoint}}.
Curious, have you tried {{relatedIdeaOrTool}}?
Would love to swap notes sometime.
Replace the curly braces with real info. If you can’t fill in “specificPoint” honestly, you didn’t personalize enough.
Don’t:
- Open with “Hope you’re well in these unprecedented times.”
- Use a 300-word pitch about your company.
- Pretend to be interested if you’re not.
Step 5: Automate Carefully (and Don’t Get Banned)
Taplio lets you queue up and schedule outreach. This is where people get greedy and blast out 200 messages a day. Don’t be that person.
How to avoid the LinkedIn penalty box: - Stick to 20-40 messages per day, max. LinkedIn’s not subtle about throttling accounts that act like spammers. - Mix up your templates. Taplio can spin variations, but review them — some versions sound weird or repetitive. - Monitor replies manually. Automation is for sending, not for conversations.
Pro tip: If someone replies, stop the automation and reply yourself. Nothing kills a potential relationship faster than an obviously automated response to a real question.
Step 6: Track Replies and Learn What’s Working
Taplio gives you basic analytics: open rates, reply rates, and so on. Don’t get too obsessed with the numbers, but do look for patterns.
What to look for: - Which message variants get real replies (not just “thanks, not interested”)? - Do certain personalization points spark more conversations? - Are you getting flagged or ignored by a certain type of contact?
What to ignore: - “Impressions” or vanity metrics. If nobody writes back, who cares how many people saw it? - Over-optimizing for open rates. Focus on messages that lead to actual conversations.
Step 7: Iterate, Don’t Overthink
You will not get it perfect the first time. Some messages will flop, even if you personalized them. That’s normal. The key is to keep tweaking.
- Change your opening line if nobody replies.
- Shorten your messages if they feel stiff.
- Test sending on different days or times.
- Drop contacts who never engage.
One last thing: Don’t let Taplio (or any tool) turn you into a spammer. A handful of thoughtful messages beats hundreds of generic ones every time.
Wrapping Up
Personalization isn’t about tricks — it’s about showing up like a real human. Taplio can save you time and organize your outreach, but it’s just a tool. The real magic comes from doing your homework and writing like you actually want a reply. Start small, keep it honest, and tweak as you go. That’s how you build real connections, not just another unread message in someone’s inbox.