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Start a conversation with an AI icebreaker

The first message is the hardest to write. When you open a contact you haven't talked to yet, Swimlane suggests a short opening line based on their profile and on what you do. You can send it, rework it or write your own.

Before you start

  • No conversation yet. The icebreaker only appears for contacts you have never exchanged messages with.
  • You can message the contact. They are a 1st-degree connection, or LinkedIn lets you write to them without being connected. In that case the window shows You can message [name] without being connected yet, with a Connect button if you also want to send an invitation.
  • Better with a complete profile. The suggestion is only personal when the contact has a headline or an About section. If the profile looks empty, click Enrich with LinkedIn in the profile column on the left first.

Steps

  1. Open the contact, for example from Inbox → My Network → Relations, or from one of your lists.
  2. The middle of the window reads Start a conversation with [name]. Writing… shows in the message field while the suggestion is prepared.
  3. The icebreaker appears in grey in the message field. To keep it:
    • on a computer, use the keyboard shortcut shown in the hint under the suggestion
    • on a phone or tablet, tap Accept
  4. Edit the text so it sounds like you. Press Escape instead if you'd rather write from scratch.
  5. Click Send. The conversation is created on LinkedIn and appears in Inbox → Messaging.

How the icebreaker is written

  • In your language, the one set in Settings → General → Language, not the contact's. If the contact speaks another language, rewrite the message before sending.
  • One short sentence, casual and curious, addressing the contact by first name. No sales pitch, no signature, at most one emoji.
  • Personal when possible. With a headline or an About section, it picks up something concrete: the headline, the current role and company, the location or the first 600 characters of the About section. Without them, it stays warm and generic and invents nothing.
  • Grounded in your context from Settings → Personalization and in your writing style (see How Swimlane learns your writing style).
  • Informal in French: a suggestion written in French uses tu. Switch to vous if the relationship calls for it.

Good to know

  • The same suggestion comes back when you reopen the contact. It isn't regenerated each time.
  • Text only. The first message can't carry an image or a GIF. If you attach one, nothing is sent.
  • Limits apply. A first message counts toward your Daily Messages Sent and Daily Conversations ceilings.
  • Nothing is sent automatically. The icebreaker is a suggestion in your message field, nothing more.

Troubleshooting

  • "You can't message [name] without connecting first": LinkedIn refused the message because you aren't connected. The window switches to the connection request view.
  • "You need to connect with [name] on LinkedIn": this contact can't be messaged without a connection. Click Send Connection Request and write once they accept.
  • "This contact needs to be synchronized to use the inbox features": click Enrich with LinkedIn. This uses your daily profile sync quota.
  • No suggestion appears: the contact may already have a conversation with you (reply to it instead), or the suggestion couldn't be generated. You can still write your message.

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