If you're running a LinkedIn event and you want to reach the right people—without coming across as a spammer—this guide is for you. Maybe you’re in sales, marketing, or just trying to build a niche community. You’ve probably heard about LinkedIn automation tools and wondered if they’re actually worth the trouble, or if they’ll just get your account flagged. Here’s how to use Expandi to do targeted outreach to LinkedIn event attendees and keep your engagement human.
Why Use Expandi for LinkedIn Event Outreach?
Let’s be honest: the built-in LinkedIn tools for event promotion are limited. You can broadcast, but you can’t really personalize or scale outreach without spending hours clicking around. Expandi automates a lot of the grunt work, but it still requires a thoughtful approach. If you just blast out generic messages, you’ll get ignored (or even reported). But if you do it right, you can actually make useful connections.
What Expandi Can (and Can’t) Do
Works well for: - Finding people who are attending your event (or similar events) - Automating connection requests and follow-up messages - Personalizing outreach at scale (with some effort) - Tracking replies and basic engagement
Don’t expect it to: - Replace real conversations—you still have to sound like a human - Bypass LinkedIn’s daily limits or detection (it’s pretty good at flying under the radar, but nothing’s 100% safe) - Give you a magic bullet for event attendance—people still ignore messages
Step 1: Get Set Up With the Right Expandi Account
First things first: you need a paid Expandi account. The free trials are fine for testing, but you’ll hit limits fast. Also, you need a LinkedIn profile with a decent track record—if your account looks fake or brand new, you risk getting flagged.
Pro tip:
Don’t run Expandi from your main device. Use their cloud setup, so your account actions look like they’re coming from the same location every time. LinkedIn’s security loves to flag weird logins.
Step 2: Find Your Target LinkedIn Event Attendees
There are two main ways to build your target list:
2.1. Scrape Attendees from Your Own Event
- Go to your LinkedIn event page.
- Click to see the attendee list. LinkedIn only shows first-degree connections by default, but you can invite people to connect.
- Use Expandi’s “Event Attendee” scraping feature to pull attendee profiles. This saves a CSV with names, headlines, and profile links.
2.2. Scrape Attendees from Relevant Third-Party Events
- Search LinkedIn for public events in your niche.
- Use Expandi to scrape attendees from those events, too.
- Filter out people you’re already connected with, or who aren’t a fit.
What doesn’t work:
Trying to scrape attendee emails or bypass privacy settings. Expandi sticks to what LinkedIn shows publicly—if someone’s got a private profile, you’re out of luck.
Step 3: Upload and Clean Your Target List
You’ll end up with a CSV file. Before you upload it to Expandi, take five minutes to delete obvious junk:
- Remove duplicate names or profiles.
- Cut out people who work at the wrong companies or locations (unless you want them).
- Double-check for fake-looking profiles (no photo, weird names).
Pro tip:
Don’t upload 5,000 people at once. Start with a batch of 100–200 to see how people react.
Step 4: Build a Solid Outreach Sequence
Here’s where most people mess up—they send a generic “Let’s connect!” and wonder why no one replies. Instead, use Expandi’s campaign tools to set up a simple sequence:
- Connection Request:
- Personalize with the person’s first name and maybe reference the event.
- Example: “Hey [FirstName], saw you’re attending [EventName]. Would love to connect and hear what you’re hoping to get out of it.”
- Follow-Up Message (if accepted):
- Thank them for connecting, and ask a question about the event or their work.
- Example: “Thanks for connecting! What drew you to [EventName]? I’m hoping to meet others working on [relevant topic].”
- Third Touch (optional):
- Share a useful resource, not your sales pitch.
- Example: “Noticed you’re into [Topic]. Here’s something I found helpful: [Link]. No pressure—just thought you might like it.”
What works:
- Short, friendly messages.
- One clear question or value point.
- Patience—don’t nag if they don’t reply.
What to skip:
- Long paragraphs.
- Asking for a meeting right away.
- Automation that tries to sound like a robot (“I noticed your impressive background in [Industry]…”)
Step 5: Set Up Message Timing and Safety Limits
Expandi lets you control how fast outreach goes. If you max everything out, you’ll get flagged. Here’s what’s actually safe:
- Connection requests: 20–40 per day, max.
- Messages: 40–60 per day, spread out.
- Use random delays between actions to mimic normal behavior.
Pro tip:
Set Expandi to pause if you get over 5–10 pending invites. LinkedIn hates too many unanswered connection requests.
Step 6: Monitor Replies and Actually Engage
Automation only gets you so far. Once someone replies, stop the sequence and take over manually. Read their profile, reply like a human, and don’t try to sell right away.
If they don’t reply:
Let it go. Don’t keep chasing. People are busy, and pestering them is a good way to get blocked.
Step 7: Track Results and Tweak Your Approach
Expandi’s dashboard shows who accepted, replied, or ignored you. Every week, look at:
- Acceptance rate (number of connections vs. requests sent)
- Reply rate (actual conversations started)
- Event attendance (did anyone actually show up?)
If you’re not getting replies, change your message or target list—not just your sending speed.
What matters:
Quality over quantity. Ten good conversations beat a hundred ignored messages.
What Not to Worry About
- “Perfect” copy:
Your outreach won’t be perfect. Just don’t sound like a bot. - Fancy message sequences:
Two or three steps is plenty. More than that, and you’re just annoying people. - Immediate results:
Some people take days or weeks to reply. That’s normal.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Uploading your entire LinkedIn network and spamming everyone.
- Sending connection requests with no context.
- Ignoring replies or ghosting people who actually respond.
- Over-automating—if it feels lazy or impersonal, it is.
Quick FAQ
Will Expandi get my LinkedIn account banned?
If you go slow, personalize, and don’t send thousands of requests, you’re generally fine. No tool is 100% risk-free, though.
Does Expandi work with LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
Yes, and it’s even more powerful with Sales Navigator filters.
Can I use Expandi for messaging people I’m already connected to?
Yep. Just upload their profiles and run a messaging campaign.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Don’t overthink it. Start with a small, targeted list and a simple message. Watch how people respond. Tweak your approach. Real engagement on LinkedIn is still about being genuine—even if you use automation to get started.
If you keep your outreach thoughtful and your expectations realistic, tools like Expandi can save you hours and actually help you connect with the right people around your LinkedIn events.