LinkedIn DMs that actually work: probe for pain, never pitch in message one

The approach that works on LinkedIn is the opposite of the AI spam blasts most people receive. Target local business owners in your city or town, and open with curiosity rather than a pitch. A message like, 'Hey Joe, my name's Corey. I probably live somewhere down the street from you. Very curious about how you're using AI in your business — would love to give you some free feedback on ways I think you could implement it,' is all it takes. You're asking about pain, asking how they currently use AI, and not pitching anything in the first message. Voice messages and Loom videos also work well here because they feel human. The competitive advantage is simple: 99% of people won't do this, and the ones who try will quit after three days. If you stick with it for seven days, you're already in the top 0.001%.