Warm outreach means engaging with prospects through LinkedIn comments before reaching out. Comment 2-3 times, send connection requests, then DM and follow up—all from Extrovert. By the time you message them, you're already a familiar face. This dramatically improves response rates.

Expected results

2-5x reply rates compared to cold outreach
60%+ connection request acceptance
~20% of prospects message you first
More meaningful first conversations

☝️ We A/B tested this: We split 1,000 prospects into two groups. Standard cold outreach got 8-26% reply rates, while warmed-up prospects (comments first, then connection, then waiting period, then DM) got 51-57% reply rates. About 15-20% of warmed prospects messaged us first.

Complete timeline

Phase	Timing	Activities	Why it matters
1. Warming up	1-2 weeks before connecting	Comment thoughtfully on 2-3 posts Space comments 2-3 days apart	Creates familiarity Targets your content to the prospect
2. Connection request	After warming up phase	Send a blank connection request	Feels natural after engagement Higher acceptance rate
3. Waiting period	3 days - 4 weeks after acceptance	Continue commenting on their content Post your own content DO NOT send your first DM yet	Builds trust Algorithm shows them more of your posts Creates space for them to message first
4. Initial DM	After waiting period	Short, conversational opener No pitch in first message	Feels like continuation, not cold outreach Much higher response rates
5. Sequence	Next 2-6 weeks	3-4 value-adding follow up messages Continued commenting weekly Spacing 7-10 days between messages	Reinforces familiarity Creates multiple touchpoints
6. Manual closing	After positive response	Move conversation to manual closing Continue commenting during sales process Add other stakeholders to nurturing	Maintains momentum Builds relationship during sales process Creates multi-threading
7. Long-term nurture	For "not now" prospects	Monthly touchpoints via comments Periodic resource sharing via light DMs	Keeps you visible for future opportunities Low effort, high potential return
8. List cleanup	After sequence ends	Keep high-value prospects for nurture Archive or delete non-responders	Prevents list bloat Maintains system efficiency

The workflow

1. Prepare your prospect list

Start with a small batch of 50-100 prospects you plan to reach out to. Upload their LinkedIn URLs into a new list in Extrovert.
Name your list based on timing (e.g. "March Batch 1") - this helps track when to start outreach.
You might want to add other roles from target accounts - people read their team's posts. E.g. include senior executives (CEOs, CxOs) even if you don't plan to reach out to them directly
Focus on active LinkedIn users - use "Posted on LinkedIn" filter in Sales Navigator
What if my prospects don't post? Some prospects rarely post but are active readers. Use our "reach prospects who don't post" feature to stay visible by commenting on posts from people they follow. This works best for big accounts or smaller TAMs when you can afford to spend time on indirect activities to build awareness.

🔗 Full guide on importing prospects

2. Warm up with comments

Goal: Comment on every prospect in your list 2-3 times before connecting. This creates familiarity so they recognize your name when you reach out.

Getting started:

Sort feed by Prospect name to see multiple posts from each person and pick the best ones to engage with
Turn on delayed posting (Campaign → Settings → Delay between comments) to space comments naturally over days
Aim for weekly touchpoints - visible without being pushy

Use filters to stay organized:

Desired frequency - shows only prospects who need a touchpoint based on your schedule
Prospect list - focus on your current batch
Post category - focus on relevant content
Posts per prospect - prevents heavy posters from taking over your feed

🔗 Full guide on filters

🔗 Comment copy tips

3. Send connection requests

Extrovert can automatically send connection requests after you've commented 2-3 times. Enable this in your campaign settings or send requests manually.

Blank connection requests work best after engagement - prospects recognize you from your comments and are much more likely to accept.

Learn more about automatic connection requests.

4. Strategic delay (3 days - 4 weeks)

After prospects accept your connection, wait before sending your first message. This is the step most people skip, but it's crucial for success:

Creates space for them to message first (about 15-20% will because they know you from comments)
Makes this feel much less transactional
Allows the familiarity and trust to build with comments and content (doesn't happen overnight)
Allows your posts to start appearing in their feed - when they like your comment, the algorithm shows them more of your posts
Creates space for them to check out your profile naturally

☝️ TAM adjustments: Enterprise/Limited TAM should wait 4-6 weeks for deeper relationship building. Large TAM can wait 3-5 days. If you post content regularly, wait longer in both cases.

☝️ Pro tip: This is the hardest part because it feels counterintuitive to wait. Set yourself a firm rule - your patience will be rewarded.

5. Start outreach

For prospects who haven't messaged first, Extrovert suggests DMs automatically. Enable DMs in Campaign → DMs tab and configure:

First message after connected: Set timing (1 day to 2 months after connection)
Follow up if prospect posts something relevant: Suggests DM when they share something you can reference
Follow up regardless after X days: Ensures you stay in touch even if they don't post

DM suggestions appear in the left sidebar under "DM suggestions". Review the draft, edit if needed, approve or skip. Nothing sends without your approval.

Unlike sequences that end after 2-4 weeks, Extrovert keeps suggesting DMs based on signals. Prospect attended a conference? Reference it. Went quiet for 3 weeks? Check in. New post about a problem you solve? Reach out. The loop continues until they buy.

Keep commenting during the entire process. Your DMs and comments work together: prospects see your messages and your thoughtful engagement on their posts.

🔗 Full guide on sending DMs to prospects

6. Move responders to nurture lists

Your outreach lists and nurture lists serve different purposes:

Outreach lists (what you created in step 1):

Temporary batches you rotate through
High-frequency touchpoints (2-3 comments per week)
Goal: warm up → connect → get a response
Delete after outreach cycle ends

Nurture lists (permanent lists for responders):

Long-term relationships you maintain indefinitely
Lower frequency touchpoints (weekly to monthly)
Goal: stay visible until they're ready to buy or expand
Never delete - these are your valuable relationships

When prospects respond, move them to nurture lists:

Hot opportunities - weekly touchpoints (active deals)
"Not now" prospects - bi-weekly to monthly (timing isn't right yet)
Customers - monthly (retention and expansion)
Partners - as needed

How to move prospects: In Extrovert, open the prospect card and use the list dropdown to move them to a different list. You can also bulk-move from the Prospects page.

7. Clean up and rotate

After your outreach cycle ends, clean up your batch list. The timing depends on your market:

How long to run a batch:

SMB/transactional sales - 2-4 weeks, then rotate
Mid-market - 4-8 weeks
Enterprise/long sales cycles - 8-12+ weeks

The cleanup logic:

Move everyone who responded positively to nurture lists (you should be doing this as responses come in)
Delete the entire outreach batch list
Start fresh with a new batch

What about non-responders? Let them go. Don't keep them forever hoping they'll respond - that bloats your lists and wastes your time. If they didn't respond after your outreach cycle, they're either not interested or the timing is wrong. You can always re-add them to a future batch in 6-12 months.

☝️ Pro tip: Name your batch lists with dates (e.g., "Dec 2025 Batch 1") so you know exactly when to clean them up.

Three approaches to outreach

Choose the approach that fits your workflow:

Option 1: Use Extrovert end-to-end

Extrovert handles everything: comments → connection requests → DMs → follow-ups.

How it works:

Comment on prospect posts to warm them up
Send connection requests automatically after X comments
Get AI-suggested DMs after connection and for follow-ups
Review, edit if needed, approve—nothing sends without you
Keep commenting throughout the entire process

Pros:

One tool for everything - simpler workflow
Loops, not sequences - engagement never stops
Signal-based DMs - references their recent posts automatically
Full control - you approve every message

Cons:

Requires Business plan or higher for DMs
Learning curve if you're used to sequencers

Best for: Teams who want a unified workflow and value signal-based outreach over fixed sequences.

Option 2: Warm up in Extrovert, then use sequencer

Use Extrovert for warming up, then hand off to your existing sequencer for DMs.

How it works:

Comment on prospects in Extrovert to warm them up
Send connection requests automatically
Export connected prospects via CSV or webhooks
Import to your sequencer and run your normal sequence
Keep commenting in Extrovert during the sequence
Move responders to nurture lists, delete the batch when done

Pros:

Keep your existing sequencer workflow
Works on Light plan (no DM feature needed)
Best of both worlds - warmup + proven sequence

Cons:

Two tools to manage
Fixed sequence ends - no signal-based follow-ups
Manual handoff or webhook setup required

Best for: Teams with established sequencer workflows who want to add warmup without changing their DM process.

Option 3: Run sequencer first, then nurture responders in Extrovert

Start with your sequencer for cold outreach, then use Extrovert to nurture only those who responded.

How it works:

Run your normal cold outreach sequence
Import responders and warm leads into Extrovert
Use Extrovert for ongoing nurturing - comments + DMs
Keep relationships warm until they're ready to buy

Pros:

Focus Extrovert effort on highest-value prospects
Sequencer handles volume, Extrovert handles relationships
Lower Extrovert prospect count (cost-effective)

Cons:

No warmup benefit on initial outreach
Lower reply rates on cold sequence
Manual import of responders

Best for: High-volume outreach teams who want to add relationship nurturing for qualified leads without warming up every prospect.

Combine with posting for better results

Comments work even better when combined with your own content:

LinkedIn shows your posts to prospects who like your comments.
It's a perfect way to target your content to your prospects
Constant commenting makes it more likely that your posts will not fade out from your prospects' feeds
Some prospects can come back themselves weeks or months after the sequence has ended
Comments help you be top of mind, posts help you explain your narrative, and DMs are a final push. That way DMs + Comments + Posts amplify each other

Implementation checklist

Before you start:

Block 15-30 minutes daily for commenting (non-negotiable calendar appointment)
Start with just 50-100 prospects (don't go crazy)
Have realistic expectations (results show up in weeks 4-6)

Daily process:

Comment on 8-10 people each day (better than trying 30 and burning out)
Track what you're doing
Stick with it for 21+ days before judging results

Common pitfalls to avoid

"I don't have time" - this replaces other prospecting, not adds to it
"It's not working" - giving up before 4-6 weeks (too early)
"I can do more" - trying to warm 200 prospects at once (you'll burn out)
"This isn't my voice" - overthinking comments (just be normal)
"I missed a day" - all-or-nothing thinking (just pick up where you left off)

How to know it's working

Connection acceptance rates go up (should hit 60%+)
Some prospects message you first (without you DMing them)
Responses feel warmer and more engaged
Meetings are easier to book