LinkedIn Outreach · Original research · Kachilu beta results
LinkedIn outreach results: findings from 35,292 outreach attempts
Of 35,292 LinkedIn outreach attempts, 29% reached the campaign-defined next step. Its predecessor, Kachilu Scout, sent a connection request with a message before engaging with a prospect’s posts and reached the same step in roughly 10% of attempts. The observed Kachilu rate was 2.9 times higher.
35,292
Kachilu outreach attempts
Prospects that entered the Kachilu LinkedIn outreach workflow during the beta period.
29%
Kachilu next-step progression rate
Share of initiated Kachilu outreach attempts that progressed to the campaign-defined next step.
~10%
Scout next-step progression rate
Approximate share of initiated Kachilu Scout outreach attempts that progressed to the same funnel stage.
Same denominator: outreach attempts initiated
Next-step progression increased from about 10% to 29%
The measured difference is 19 percentage points, or 2.9 times the Scout baseline. The central workflow change was whether personalized engagement happened before the connection request.
2.9×
higher next-step progression rate
Kachilu Scout
about 10%
Kachilu
29%
Direct-first workflow
Kachilu Scout
- 1Identify a prospect
- 2Send a connection request with a message
- 3Send the job description as the CTA
Engagement-first workflow
Kachilu
- 1Research the prospect and relevant posts
- 2Add a personalized like or reply
- 3Send a personalized connection request
- 4Introduce the relevant CTA in context
Key takeaways
- Kachilu's next-step progression rate was 29%, compared with roughly 10% for predecessor Kachilu Scout: a 19-point increase and 2.9 times the historical rate.
- Scout sent a message with the connection request and then the job description; Kachilu first creates a personalized touchpoint through a relevant like or reply.
- We believe the engagement-first workflow contributed to the improvement, but this historical comparison does not isolate causation.
Written by
Kachilu Research
Product research and editorial team
Reviewed by
Tatsuro MatsuzakiCTO at Kachilu
Has more than 1,000 LinkedIn followers and practical expertise in LinkedIn recruiting and sales outreach.
The result: next-step progression rose from about 10% to 29%
In Kachilu, 29% of 35,292 initiated outreach attempts progressed to the campaign-defined next-step stage. At the same funnel stage, predecessor Kachilu Scout historically reached roughly 10% of initiated outreach attempts.
That is a 19-percentage-point increase and a relative rate 2.9 times higher. At 29% of 35,292 attempts, approximately 10,235 prospects progressed to the next-step stage in the Kachilu aggregate.
| Product | Next-step progression rate | Workflow before connection |
|---|---|---|
| Kachilu Scout | About 10% | No required post engagement; connection request with a message. |
| Kachilu | 29% | Personalized like or reply, then a personalized connection request. |
What changed between Scout and Kachilu
Kachilu Scout used a direct-first sequence. It sent a connection request with a message without first liking or replying to the prospect's posts, then delivered the job description as the CTA.
Kachilu requires a personalized engagement step first. It researches the prospect, likes or replies to a relevant post, and only then sends a personalized connection request. The CTA is introduced after that context has been established.
Why personalized engagement may have improved next-step progression
A relevant like or reply gives the prospect a recognizable interaction before the connection request arrives. The subsequent message can refer to the prospect's actual role or post rather than beginning as an unexplained pitch.
We believe this individualized context was a major contributor to the higher next-step progression rate. The data is consistent with that interpretation, but it does not prove that the engagement step alone caused the full difference.
How to apply the finding to your own LinkedIn outreach
- 1.Define one measurable next-step event and keep initiated outreach attempts as the denominator.
- 2.Create a relevant touchpoint through the prospect's own content before sending a connection request.
- 3.Personalize the connection message from the prospect's role, company, or post instead of inserting a generic pitch.
- 4.Compare engagement-first and direct-first cohorts before increasing volume.
- How to calculate LinkedIn outreach metrics
Definitions and formulas for connection acceptance, reply, positive reply, next-step progression, and meeting booking rates.
Comparison method and limitations
Kachilu's 29% rate uses aggregated beta event records available by August 19, 2026, with 35,292 initiated outreach attempts as the denominator. Scout's approximately 10% is a historical product rate using the same funnel denominator.
This is a product-period comparison, not a randomized test. The next-step stage can involve a job description, meeting, demo, product page, or another action defined by the campaign. It is not the same as a click or booked meeting unless the campaign definition explicitly uses that event. No personally identifying prospect data is published.
- Absolute difference: approximately 19 percentage points.
- Relative difference: 29% divided by 10%, or approximately 2.9 times.
- Kachilu next-step count: approximately 10,235, rounded from 29% of 35,292 outreach attempts.
- The comparison does not isolate audience, offer, account history, timing, or message quality.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much did next-step progression improve from Scout to Kachilu?
The observed rate increased from about 10% of initiated outreach attempts in Kachilu Scout to 29% in Kachilu. That is an increase of about 19 percentage points and a relative rate 2.9 times higher.
What counts as an approach?
An approach begins when a qualified prospect enters the controlled LinkedIn outreach workflow. It does not necessarily mean that a sales pitch was sent immediately.
What does next-step progression mean in this report?
It means the outreach progressed to the campaign-defined next-step stage, such as introducing a job description, meeting, demo, or product destination. It does not necessarily mean the prospect clicked or booked. The denominator is initiated outreach attempts for both products.
Does the comparison prove that likes and replies caused the improvement?
No. Personalized engagement is the central workflow change and we believe it contributed, but the comparison spans different product periods and does not isolate targeting, audience, account condition, offer, timing, or message quality.
Does this report contain personal LinkedIn data?
No. The public report uses aggregated counts and definitions and does not publish names, profile URLs, message bodies, or other personally identifying prospect data.