Automated outreach on LinkedIn: some people swear by it, others swear at it. If you’re a freelancer, recruiter, or B2B salesperson looking to save time (and your sanity), automation can help—if you do it right. This guide is for practical people who want to set up LinkedIn outreach campaigns that actually work, using Dux-soup. No hype, just real steps and a few warnings so you don’t wind up spamming half the internet.
Is Automated LinkedIn Outreach Worth It?
Let’s be honest: most automated LinkedIn messages are ignored or deleted. But if you want to scale up outreach without spending your whole day clicking, a tool like Dux-soup can help. Just don't expect miracle results—LinkedIn is cracking down on spam, and real conversations still win.
Who should use this?
- Freelancers or agencies hunting for clients
- Recruiters trying to fill a tough role
- B2B sales teams looking for warm leads
If you’re just looking for a job or connecting with a handful of people, you don’t need automation. For everyone else, keep reading.
Step 1: Understand What Dux-soup Actually Does
Dux-soup is a Chrome extension that automates certain LinkedIn actions for you:
- Visiting profiles
- Sending connection requests
- Sending follow-up messages
- Tagging and organizing prospects
It doesn’t magically get you sales or jobs. It just saves you the clicks and copy/paste drudgery. You still need a good message, a decent profile, and a list of people worth contacting.
Pro tip: If you’re hoping to blast thousands of messages a day, stop now. LinkedIn will notice, and you’ll risk having your account restricted. Think slow and steady.
Step 2: Get Set Up—Accounts, Extension, and Permissions
Before you even touch Dux-soup:
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Create (or clean up) your LinkedIn profile.
If your profile looks like a bot made it, your response rates will tank. Add a photo, write a real headline, and fill in your work history. -
Decide which LinkedIn account to use.
If you’re running campaigns for clients, you’ll need their login info or their buy-in. Don’t try weird workarounds—LinkedIn is fussy about account sharing. -
Install Dux-soup.
- Go to the Chrome Web Store, search for “Dux-soup,” and add the extension.
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Pin it to your Chrome toolbar so you don’t forget it’s running.
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Choose a plan.
The free version is basically a demo. For automated messaging, you’ll need at least the “Pro” plan. Pricing isn’t cheap, but if it saves you hours, it might be worth it. -
Grant the right permissions.
Dux-soup needs access to your LinkedIn tab. Expect to see browser popups asking for permissions.
Step 3: Build Your Target List (Don’t Skip This)
Most failed outreach campaigns have one thing in common: bad targeting. If you’re messaging the wrong people, even the fanciest tool won’t help.
How to do it right:
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Use LinkedIn search filters.
Target by job title, industry, location, or company size—whatever fits your goal. -
Save your search results.
You can bookmark a search URL or export profiles using Dux-soup’s “Visit & Connect” feature. -
Avoid junk lists.
Don’t buy lists or scrape random names. You want real, active LinkedIn users. -
Size matters.
Start with a small batch (50–100 people) to test your approach. You can always scale up.
Pro tip: If you have Sales Navigator, your targeting options get much better. If not, regular LinkedIn will do, but expect a bit more manual filtering.
Step 4: Set Up Your Outreach Campaign in Dux-soup
Here’s the meat of it. Don’t rush—one wrong setting can annoy hundreds of people or get your account flagged.
- Open LinkedIn and your Dux-soup panel.
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Make sure you’re on the search results or list of profiles you want to target.
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Configure visit & connect settings.
- In Dux-soup, go to “Options” > “Connect.”
- Write your connection request message. Keep it short and specific. No generic “let’s connect!” lines.
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Example:
“Hi [First Name], saw your work at [Company]. Would love to connect and share ideas on [topic].” -
Set daily limits.
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Dux-soup lets you set how many profiles to visit or connect with per day.
Rule of thumb: Stay under 50–70 connection requests/day.
If your account is newer, start much lower (20–30/day). -
Decide on follow-up messages.
- If you want Dux-soup to send a follow-up after people accept your connection, set this up under “Messages.”
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Don’t send a pitch right away—thank them, or ask a real question.
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Test everything.
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Send a few test messages to yourself or a colleague before running the campaign live.
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Hit “Visit Profiles” or “Connect.”
- Dux-soup will start working through the list. You can watch it in action, or let it run in the background.
What to ignore:
- Fancy personalization tokens that sound robotic.
- Super-long messages (nobody reads them).
- Automated “drip” sequences longer than 2–3 messages. That’s just asking to be ignored.
Step 5: Monitor, Adjust, and Stay Out of Trouble
Automation is not “set and forget.” Here’s how to keep your account safe and your outreach effective:
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Check for warnings from LinkedIn.
If you see any alerts about “unusual activity,” stop the tool immediately. -
Track your response rates.
If nobody’s biting, your message or targeting needs work. Don’t just send more. -
Pause regularly.
Don’t run campaigns 24/7. Take breaks, and act like a human would. -
Reply manually.
Once someone responds, switch to real conversation. Bots can’t close deals (yet). -
Keep your lists fresh.
Don’t keep hammering the same group of people. Update your target list every week or two. -
Don’t get greedy.
Sending more messages doesn’t mean more replies. Quality beats quantity every single time.
Real Talk: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Watch For
What works: - Personalized, relevant connection requests (not copy-paste spam). - Small, focused campaigns with clear goals. - Following up once (not five times) after connecting.
What doesn’t: - Mass-blasting generic messages. - Ignoring replies or sending auto-responses. - Trying to automate everything—people notice, and it kills trust.
What to watch for: - LinkedIn regularly updates its policies and detection. What works today might get you flagged tomorrow. - Dux-soup is a browser extension, not an official LinkedIn partner. Use it at your own risk. - If your account is critical to your business, don’t go overboard. Play it safe.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Be a Robot
Automated outreach can save you time, but it’s not a magic bullet. The real results come from real conversations, not mass messaging. Start small, pay attention to what’s actually working, and tweak as you go. The key is to use automation as a helper—not as a replacement for doing the work.
And please: don’t be the person everyone blocks on LinkedIn. Keep it human.