If you’re in sales, you probably spend a lot of time in your LinkedIn inbox—way more than you’d like to admit. Between connection requests, prospecting, and follow-ups, the standard LinkedIn messaging experience can feel like trying to do your taxes in a crowded coffee shop. It’s noisy, cluttered, and way too easy to lose track of important conversations.
If that’s you, this guide is for you. I’ll show you how to use Leaddelta, a tool that actually makes LinkedIn messages manageable, especially for sales outreach. No fluff, no wild promises—just practical steps, honest takes on what’s useful, and some pitfalls to watch out for.
Why the LinkedIn Inbox Falls Short for Sales
Before we get into steps, let’s call it like it is: LinkedIn’s built-in messaging isn’t made for sales. It’s made for casual networking. If you’re doing real outreach at any kind of scale, here’s what you’re up against:
- Threads with no labels, folders, or tags
- No way to sort or filter by deal stage, lead type, or status
- No pipeline or reminders—everything’s just a flat, endless scroll
- No real analytics, no way to see patterns
That’s where Leaddelta comes in. It’s not magic, but it does give you the basics LinkedIn leaves out: organization, tracking, and some automation. Let’s get into how to actually use it.
Step 1: Connect Leaddelta to LinkedIn
First things first: you need to connect your LinkedIn account to Leaddelta. The process is pretty straightforward, but here’s what to expect:
- Sign up for Leaddelta and log in.
- Connect your LinkedIn account when prompted. Leaddelta is a browser-based extension, so you’re giving it permission to access your LinkedIn data—this is required for it to work. If that makes you nervous, know that this is pretty standard for any LinkedIn CRM tool. Still, always check what permissions you’re granting.
- Wait for your data to sync. Depending on your connection size, this can take a few minutes. You’ll see your LinkedIn messages start to appear in the Leaddelta inbox.
Pro tip: If you’re worried about privacy or security, read Leaddelta’s documentation and privacy policy. Don’t just click “yes” on everything.
Step 2: Get to Know the Leaddelta Inbox
Once you’re connected, you’ll see a new inbox interface layered on top of your LinkedIn messages. Here’s what actually matters:
- Folders and tags: You can organize conversations with custom tags (like “Hot Lead,” “Follow-up,” “Demo Booked,” etc.) and folders. This is a huge improvement over LinkedIn’s single “All Messages” view.
- Filters: Filter by unread, tagged, or archived messages. You can also filter by connection status or by custom fields you add.
- Bulk actions: Archive, tag, or delete multiple messages at once. (Don’t get carried away with bulk deleting—LinkedIn has limits and flags spammy behavior.)
- Notes: Add internal notes to conversations. These are only visible to you and your team, not the contact.
Don’t waste time exploring every feature. Focus on the basics: tagging, filtering, and notes.
Step 3: Set Up Tags and Folders for Sales Outreach
Here’s where the real value kicks in. The point isn’t to color-code everything—it’s to keep you from dropping leads. Here’s a simple setup that works for most sales outreach:
Create tags for common stages: - New Lead - Contacted - Interested - Demo Scheduled - Closed/Won - Not Interested
Folders or segments you might actually use: - Warm Leads - Cold Leads - Follow-up Needed - Partnerships
How to use them: 1. Go through your current LinkedIn inbox and tag conversations based on where they are in your sales process. 2. As new messages come in, tag them right away (or set aside time each day for quick triage). 3. Move deals forward by updating tags as you go—think of tags as your lightweight pipeline.
What to ignore: Don’t overthink it. You don’t need a tag for every tiny detail. You want clarity, not a rainbow of labels.
Step 4: Work Your Inbox Like a Sales Pipeline
Now that things are organized, treat your Leaddelta inbox as a basic sales pipeline. Here’s how:
- Start each day by filtering for “Follow-up Needed” or “Interested” leads. Reach out to those first.
- Use notes to remind yourself of context. Example: “Met at SaaStr, interested in Q3 rollout, prefers email over LinkedIn.”
- Archive or re-tag dead leads. Don’t let your inbox fill up with “maybe someday” conversations. If a lead goes cold, tag as “Not Interested” and archive.
- Set reminders. Leaddelta lets you set reminders on conversations, so you don’t forget to follow up. Don’t treat this as a replacement for a real CRM, but for small teams or solo reps, it’s better than nothing.
Pro tip: Don’t try to manage hundreds of deals in Leaddelta. If your sales process is complex or multi-stage, you’ll still want a proper CRM. Use Leaddelta to bridge the gap between LinkedIn and your main system.
Step 5: Use Templates and Bulk Messaging (But Don’t Abuse Them)
Leaddelta lets you create message templates and send bulk messages to multiple contacts. This is a double-edged sword.
What works: - Personalizing templates for each outreach step (e.g., cold intro, follow-up, event invites) - Using merge tags to drop in first names or company names automatically - Sending bulk messages to a small, well-targeted group (think: 10–20 people, not 200)
What doesn’t: - Blasting the same generic pitch to your entire network. LinkedIn hates spam, and so do your prospects. You’ll get flagged and ignored. - Relying on templates without reading the room. If someone’s already replied, don’t hit them with another canned message.
Pro tip: Use templates to save time, but always personalize the first sentence. If you can’t do that, you’re going too broad.
Step 6: Track Your Metrics—But Don’t Chase Vanity Numbers
Leaddelta gives you some basic analytics: message volume, response rates, new connections, and so on. Here’s what’s worth paying attention to:
- Response rate: Are people actually replying to your outreach? If not, tweak your approach.
- Follow-up volume: Are you consistently following up, or are leads falling through the cracks?
- Conversion by tag: How many “Interested” or “Demo Scheduled” leads are moving forward?
What to ignore: Don’t obsess over total message count or connection growth. Those numbers look nice but don’t close deals.
Step 7: Integrate with Other Tools (If It’s Worth It)
Leaddelta has some integrations (like exporting contacts to CSV or connecting with basic CRMs). Here’s the deal:
- If you’re running everything out of LinkedIn and Leaddelta, the built-in features are probably enough.
- If you need serious pipeline management, reporting, or team collaboration, integrate Leaddelta with your main CRM. Export leads regularly so nothing gets lost.
- Don’t expect perfect sync—these tools can glitch. Always double-check your data.
What Leaddelta Can’t (and Shouldn’t) Do
Let’s be real—Leaddelta isn’t a full CRM, and it’s not going to automate your entire sales process. Here’s where it falls short:
- No deep automation or workflow rules
- No email integration (it’s LinkedIn-only)
- Limited team features unless you’re on a higher plan
- No way to “automagically” generate leads or book meetings (despite what some marketers might say)
In other words, Leaddelta is best for getting your LinkedIn inbox under control, not running your whole sales department.
Keep It Simple—And Iterate
You don’t need a complicated system to get results. Use Leaddelta to organize your LinkedIn outreach, follow up on time, and stop dropping the ball. Start with the basics: tags, notes, and reminders. As you figure out what works, tweak your setup—but don’t let organizing become a substitute for actual selling.
If you’re spending more time fiddling with labels than talking to prospects, take a step back. The goal is progress, not perfection.