Skill Arbitrage Blog

This blog will show you how to write Direct Messages that get replies, start real conversations, and lead to sales instead of being left on seen or ignored.

Introduction

We have all been there. We have all faced it. Sending Direct Messages in order to generate sales, and in return, getting no replies. Sometimes left on read. Or even worse, left in the message request section forever.

But this does not happen only with you. The truth is that most people don’t know how to send a Direct Message that works. Whether it’s for networking, pitching, keeping leads active, or shooting your shot, there’s a right way to do it.

Let me tell you what happened to me a few weeks ago. One of my followers messaged me on Instagram saying, “Bro, I send 20 Direct Messages a day to my potential customers, but nobody replies. People open it and leave it on seen. What am I doing wrong?”

I told him to show me what he sends and within 2 seconds, I knew the issue. All of his Direct Messages started with something like – “Hi! I saw your profile. I help people build their websites. Let me know if you’re interested.”

Let me ask you. If you got that message, and you were a business owner getting 10 such messages a day, would you reply? Probably not because it looks like copy-paste spam.

The truth is, Direct Messages don’t get ignored because people are rude. They get ignored because the Message gives them no reason to reply. It doesn’t catch attention. It doesn’t build curiosity. And it definitely doesn’t feel personal.

And if you’re using Direct Messages for sales or lead generation, you can’t afford to get ignored. Because every ignored Direct Message = a potential sale lost.

In fact, according to a LinkedIn study, people who use a proper Direct Messages strategy see conversion rates of over 20%. So no, direct messages aren’t the problem. It’s how you send them.

So, in this blog, I’ll show you step-by-step how to write Direct messages that feel personal, grab attention, and actually start conversations that directly lead to sales. But first, let’s understand why you should even try getting sales on Direct messages.

Why Direct Messages are a smarter way to reach leads today

Let me ask you something. When was the last time you replied to a cold email from a stranger without overthinking for 10 minutes and then spending another five minutes typing a professional reply?

Now, compare that with the last time you replied to a message on Instagram or LinkedIn. You see what I’m saying? People live in their Direct Messages now. Whether it’s Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or even WhatsApp. Social media is where most attention really is.

And if that’s where the attention is, that’s where your pitch needs to be. Seriously, I am not making this up. Just look at the numbers:

• More than 66% of Gen Z and Millennials prefer text messaging over email.
• If you send Direct Messages on LinkedIn, you will have a 3X higher reply rate than cold emails, which come at an average reply rate of 85%.
• More than 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business and regularly interact through messages.

So, you cannot deny that Direct Messages are a better way to contact leads. In fact, in the digital era and with the rise of social media, Direct Messages are becoming the best way to contact leads.

The reason is that Direct Messages are faster, more personal, and way less formal. You don’t need to wait for someone to “check their inbox.” You just pop up in their day through their notification panel.

And when done in the correct manner, it doesn’t even feel like selling. Instead, it feels like a conversation. That’s why in today’s world, learning how to write direct Messages that get replies is not optional anymore. It’s a must-have skill for anyone who wants to close deals online.

So it’s time you learn how to write Direct Messages that make sure you don’t get ignored and also close. But first, it’s important that you know why most Direct Messages fail, because that is when you will realise what you DON’T have to do and what you need to do. Ready? Let’s go.

Why do most Direct Messages get ignored?

Most people complain that “Direct Messages don’t work,” but they never stop to check what they’re actually sending. Their message usually sounds like this:

• “Hey bro, I do XYZ. Check my profile.”
• “Hi sir, I have a service. Interested?”
• “Hello. Any work for me?”

If you also send Direct Messages similar to these, then sorry, the problem isn’t that Direct Messages don’t work. The problem is that you’re sending Direct Messages like everyone else. Here’s what most people get wrong with their Direct Messages:

• They start with “Sir” or “Ma’am” and instantly sound like one of those spammy Direct messages everyone deletes without reading..
  
• They write long paragraphs that no one wants to read because they can press one button and get to watch unlimited 60-second entertaining videos.
  
• They introduce themselves with a full bio like “Hi, I’m Rahul, a 21-year-old freelancer…” which nobody asked for and nobody cares about.
  
• They pitch too early, without context or conversation like “I do web development if you need anything”, after which the person starts thinking, “Bro, we just met. You’re not even trying to understand what I need”.
  
• They talk only about themselves, “I do this, I offer that, I’m great at this,” and never once mention the person they’re messaging.
  
• They use fake urgency like “only 2 spots left” when the receiver already knows that if your stuff was so limited and in demand, you would not be contacting people personally.
  
• They follow up with, “Did you see my last message?” which just screams, “I’m desperate, please talk to me.”

Do you know what happens after you send something like that? The message gets left on “seen” forever. Or even worse, blocked. Because it doesn’t feel like a conversation.

It feels like a pitch from someone who is spamming everyone with the same copy-pasted message, hoping someone might buy. And the real cost isn’t just getting ignored.

The real cost is that you destroy chances with leads who might’ve said yes if you’d approached them right. You waste hours sending messages no one reads. You lose confidence and start thinking Direct Messages don’t work when the real issue was how you were sending them.

But the good news is that when you do it right, just a single Direct Message can get you a reply, a meeting, or even a closed deal, all without spending on ads, chasing people, or begging for attention.

So, if you are ready, let me show you a step-by-step way on how you can craft Direct Messages that will not let you down.

A step-by-step method to write Direct Messages that don’t get ignored

Let me first make one thing clear. Remember that this is not about tricking people into replying. It’s about sending messages that are worth replying to. And not just replying, because you can send an abusive message, and people will reply (with abuse).

Our goal is to initiate a conversation that people will be interested in having, and eventually close them on our offer. Here’s exactly how to do it:

Step 1: Start with a clear intention

You need to decide in the beginning exactly why you are messaging someone. Because if you don’t know it, your leads won’t understand you either, and your Direct Messages will start feeling spammy.

It will look like you are confused about what you want, and confused messages do not get replies. They get ignored, archived, or worse, blocked.

However, when your intent is clear, the rest of your message will write itself. The hook, the context, the ask, all of it will flow better because it’s based on one goal. And your goal could be anything you want.

Are you messaging the person to ask a specific question? Get advice? Pitch a service? Start a collaboration? Just connect and open a conversation? It doesn’t matter. You just need to be brutally clear with the “why.”

Don’t pretend you are “just networking” if you are actually trying to get them on a call. That is what will make your message feel sneaky or vague, and people will smell it from a mile away.

Before you write the message, ask yourself, “What exactly do I want from this person?” because that will help you get clarity from the beginning on what your purpose for texting is.

“I want to pitch my service.”

That’s garbage. Don’t think that. Instead, answer it like you are explaining it to a friend. Here are some right examples:

• “I want to ask if she’d be open to collaborating on a small project.”
• “I want to learn how he got his first few clients.”
• “I want to share an idea I think could genuinely help her business.”

See how easy it sounds. No half-stuff. This is properly clear and to the point. There’s no chance someone would get confused after reading that. But you are not going to send this as a Direct Message.

You just have to write it down somewhere in a draft before you even open the Direct Messages box so that you remember the reason why you are sending them the text.

Step 2: Start the Direct Message with something personal

Now that you’re clear on why you’re messaging someone, the next step is to start your message in a way that feels personal and real.

Because people will only reply when they feel like the message was meant just for them. That is what will get their attention. If your first line feels like a bulk message, they’ll skip it without even reading the rest.

See, if you start your Direct Messages with something generic that we all know most people start with, nobody will reply to that. Here’s how they look:

• “Hi sir.”
• “I saw your profile.”
• “Hope you’re doing well.”

You cannot start with something like this. This is going to be the first line of your Direct Messages so it has to sound like it was written for them, not just copy-pasted to 50 people.

And now that I have told you to start with something personal, don’t overdo it by writing a long essay about how much you “love their content.” That’s just fake, and people can tell.

What you can do is simply pick one thing you genuinely noticed about them. A post, a tweet, a story, a comment, a product, anything real. You don’t need to choose something very specific. Anything will work as long as it’s related to them.

What you picked is going to be your opening line, as that will catch their attention and make them feel like you really know them and did your research before contacting them. Here are some examples:

• “Saw your post about creative burnout. That hit hard.”
• “Your breakdown video on [product name] was super helpful. Saved me a ton of time.”
• “Really liked your take on [topic]. Made me look at it differently.”

That’s it. Just one honest line that shows you’re a real person who actually paid attention. And not a spammer who is copy-pasting his offer to 100 different people per day as a routine task. While writing, make sure you don’t fake it or overhype it. Just keep it real and brief.

Step 3: Make your second line about them

You’ve started your Direct Messages with something personal. Good. Now it’s time for the second line of your Direct Messages, and this line needs to shift the spotlight directly onto them. What do I mean? See, the mistake that most people make is that they follow up their message with something like:

• “I’m a digital marketer.”
• “I help brands grow.”
• “I do XYZ services.”

Do you know what that sounds like? A pitch. And nobody asked for it. That kind of second line makes it all about you. And when your message is about you, people stop caring. Because people only care about themselves.

So, what should you write instead? Nothing crazy. The same idea, just flipped.

Make the second line about them, their brand, their content, their business, and their results. Show them that you’ve actually taken the time to notice what they’re doing and that you might have something useful for them. How to do that?

Start by mentioning something they’re already doing well and that’s related to what you want to talk to them about, then offer a small idea, suggestion, or observation without fully explaining it. Here’s what it looks like:

“From what I saw, you’re already doing a great job with your brand, but I noticed one small tweak that could boost your conversions even more. Want me to share it?”

Boom. Now you’ve pulled them in. From the very first line, they already see you paid attention, and now with this line, you’ve made them curious.

You’re not pitching. You’re not over-explaining. You’re simply saying, “Hey, I noticed something about you. Want me to show you?” That’s what triggers curiosity and gets replies because now they’re thinking, “Wait… what’s the tweak?”

Just remember to keep it short and keep it about them. You have to write in a way that doesn’t speak about what you do but about what they do and how you might help them improve it. That’s what makes people want to read the upcoming lines.

Step 4: Make the ask

Alright, you have got their attention, made the message personal, and made it about them while also triggering curiosity. Now it’s time for the third line of your Direct Messages, where you will make the ask.

This is where you tell them exactly what you want from them but without sounding pushy or salesy. It has to be clear enough that they understand what you want, but light enough that it doesn’t feel like pressure. Confused about how you will do that? Don’t be. Here’s how:

1. Get back to the intention

Now is the time to go back to the intention you decided on in Step 1. You are going to need it here while making the ask. We are going to use it in a soft, low-pressure way and not in a heavy way.

Suppose, for example, your intention was to ask them how they got their first 5 clients.

2. Turn it into a low-effort task

Now, you need to ask yourself if directly showing that intention will be a high-effort task for them or a low-effort task. As I told you before, they are one click away from unlimited entertaining videos, so it must be a low-effort task.

It should be something easy to say “yes” to. So, instead of directly asking them what you want, turn it into a low-effort task and then show them the intention. See, for example:

Your intention was to ask them how they got their first 5 clients. Now, this will take a lot of time for them to type, so it is a high-effort task.

What you could do instead is ask them to hop on a call, which you can schedule on whatever day and time they are comfortable.

This way, they don’t need to put effort in immediately; instead, they could do it later on when they feel free and comfortable. So it’s something they could easily say “Yes” to.

Here are some more examples you can take a look at:

• Suppose you want advice, then you can ask a quick question.
• If you want to share something, then you can ask if they’re open to it.
• If you want a call, then suggest it casually while also giving them space to say no.

But you cannot write this in 3-4 lines, or it will come out as boring, and people might skip reading it.

3. Just one simple sentence

Now that you’ve turned your intention into a low-effort task, all you have to do is write it in one sentence. Not two. Not three. Just one. Why?

Because if you explain too much or ask in too many words, it will start feeling like work. People don’t want to put a lot of effort for someone and something they don’t know yet. So you need to keep it short, light, and clear.

Remember that one sentence should show exactly what you want in the most casual, no-pressure way possible. There should not even be a smell of confusion. Here are some formats you can plug your ask into:

• “Mind if I ask…”
• “Would you be open to…”
• “Happy to share it if…”
• “If you’re cool with it…”

Now, ask whatever you wanted to ask, starting with any of the above, as they immediately make the ask look like something low-effort. Let me give you some real examples so you get how this sounds in actual Direct Messages:

• “Would you be open to a quick 10-minute call this week?”
• “Mind if I ask how you approached your first few client projects?”
• “If you’re cool with it, I’d love to send over the quick idea I had for your checkout page.”

Notice these examples. Each of these is short. Each of them is clear. And all of them are easy to say “yes” to. That’s the whole point. If they read it and think, “Sure, why not,” then you’ve done it right.

If they read it and feel like you want something big from them, they won’t reply, so rewrite it and make it feel like something they can reply to without thinking too much.

Just remember that confusion kills clarity, and nobody talks or shares anything with a stranger until there’s enough clarity. So if your message ends and the person has no idea what you want, you didn’t make the ask clear, and you won’t get a reply.

And if they feel overwhelmed or like they’re being sold to, your ask wasn’t light enough. The sweet spot is when they read it and think, “Yeah, sure, I can reply to this. Not a big deal.” That’s how you get replies.

Also, remember to keep the whole message under 4-5 short lines. No chunky paragraphs. No storytime. Just a Direct Message that is clean, simple, and easy to reply to. That’s how you will actually be able to start a conversation.

Step 5: The end of the Direct Messages

You’ve made your ask. Great. Now what? Just drop the mic and disappear? No. You need to wrap your Direct Messages up the right way. Because even if your message is good, it can still feel a bit cold or transactional if it ends suddenly.

So what you do now is soften the whole thing up with a thank you or a light, friendly line at the end of your message. This will help you in two ways:

• It makes you sound like a normal person, not a pushy marketer
• And it leaves them with a good feeling, even if they don’t reply right away

So what should you do? Nothing. Don’t overthink it. Just add one simple line after your ask, saying something positive and showing gratitude. Here are some lines you can copy:

• “Either way, appreciate you taking the time to read this.”
• “No pressure at all. Just thought I’d reach out.”
• “Hope you’re having a solid week.”
• “Totally cool if not; just wanted to share the idea.”

This one line will show you’re not desperate and you respect their time. Most importantly, it makes you sound human, which is exactly what most Direct messages lack.

Now that you must have understood how to craft a Direct Message that does the job you are looking for, how about I show you a sample Direct Message that fulfills all these criteria? Sounds fun?

A real Direct Message example that ticks all the boxes

Let’s take an example that you’re a digital marketer who helps online coaches book more discovery calls. Now, your goal is to reach out to a coach you follow and offer a quick idea that could improve their call bookings, for which you will charge.

At the same time, you want to send Direct Messages without sounding salesy or desperate. Here’s how your Direct Messages would come together using all 5 steps taught above:

1. So, first, you need to be clear with the intention as per what you have learnt. Your intention for sending the Direct Messages simply is – “I want to ask if he’d be open to a quick idea that could help him get more discovery calls.”
2. Now, in the first line, you have to write something personal. You checked his profile and saw a post where he was launching his fitness program. So you decided to start with – “Hey Rahul, I saw your post about your new fitness program launch. Super solid work.”
3. Next line after that? It should be telling them something you noticed that they could improve. Here, you notice they are sending all their traffic to the homepage instead of a booking page, and you want to sell them something that could improve their call bookings. So here’s what could be the next line – “Quick thing I noticed though… you’re sending all traffic to your homepage.” Now, it’s about his business. And you’re hinting at something he could improve. This builds curiosity without sounding like a pitch.
4. Now, go back to your intention and turn it into a low-effort, no-pressure ask. Something he can reply “yes” to without thinking too much. So you write – “Want me to show you a 2-minute fix that could boost your call bookings this week?” You’re not asking for time, not trying to book a meeting, just offering to share something helpful.
5. Now, as per our rules, we don’t just end the Direct Messages cold. We have to wrap it with something that sounds friendly and human. So you could say – “Totally cool if not, just thought I’d share.” This shows you’re not being pushy and that you respect his space.

Here are the final Direct Messages that will get crafted as per this process –

“Hey Rahul, I saw your post about your new fitness program launch. Super solid work. Quick thing I noticed, though… you’re sending all traffic to your homepage. Want me to show you a 2-minute fix that could boost your call bookings this week? Totally cool if not, just thought I’d share.”

Would you reply to this if you were Rahul? Absolutely you will. Why? Because in the first line itself, you prove to him that you have done your research about them. In the second line, you spot a mistake for them, which builds curiosity.

Then you ask them for a simple permission so that you can show them a 2-minute fix, which will obviously be the product/service you sell that will help them fix it. This is how you write Direct Messages that cannot be ignored.

Conclusion

So now you know how to write a Direct Message that doesn’t get ignored. Not one of those “Hi sir, I offer XYZ” messages that end up in message requests forever. But something that actually sounds human. Something that gets read. Something that gets replied to.

You’ve learnt how to write the Direct Messages line by line, step by step. And if you follow that structure, you won’t be left wondering, “Why is no one replying?” ever again. Now go write that message. Send it. See what happens. You’ll thank yourself for reading this blog later.

Frequently asked questions

1. What if the person doesn’t even open my Direct Messages?

Then chances are your profile isn’t interesting or trustworthy enough. Before sending any Direct Messages, make sure your profile looks real, relevant, and not like a fake bot account. Your profile picture, bio, and recent posts matter more than you think.

2. Can I copy-paste the same Direct Messages to multiple people?

You can, but don’t expect great results. Even small changes like using their name, referencing their content, or adding a personal line can increase replies. Copy-paste Direct Messages feel like spam. Real Direct Messages feel like conversations.

3. Should I send Direct Messages from my personal account or business account?

Always use the account that looks more human. If your business page is active and has strong content, it’s okay. But most people reply better to personal profiles. It feels more real and easier to trust.

4. What if I can’t find anything personal to mention in the first line?

Then you haven’t researched enough. Scroll through their profile, check their stories, see their latest post, read their comment replies; there’s always something you can pick. Even a small detail like the type of content they post is enough to start.

5. How do I handle replies that just say “Not interested”?

Don’t get defensive. Respect the reply and ask a soft question like, “Totally fine—mind if I ask what didn’t feel right?” Sometimes, this turns into useful feedback or even reopens the conversation. Worst case? You learn and move on stronger.

6. What if I’m reaching out to someone way above my level?

Perfect. Just be honest, clear, and respectful. Don’t act like a fanboy. Don’t oversell. Say exactly why you’re reaching out and what you want to learn or share. People at the top appreciate clarity more than flattery. Just don’t waste their time.