How Valley's Open Profile Detection Works

LinkedIn doesn't prominently advertise which profiles are open versus closed. The distinction appears only in specific interface elements that most users never notice. Valley's detection algorithm analyzes these signals to classify profiles automatically during prospect enrichment.

Technical Detection Methodology: Valley examines LinkedIn profile data during the enrichment process, checking specific profile attributes and settings that indicate open status, analyzing connection degree requirements for messaging, identifying InMail acceptance indicators, and validating open profile status through multiple confirmation signals.

This multi-factor detection achieves 95%+ accuracy in classifying profiles correctly as open or closed.

Open Profile Indicators: Several LinkedIn profile characteristics reveal open status: presence of "open networker" badges or indicators, messaging availability to non-connected users, InMail acceptance settings, profile customization choices that signal receptiveness, and historical messaging pattern data.

Valley's algorithm weighs these indicators collectively rather than relying on single signals, ensuring accurate classification even when some indicators are ambiguous.

Detection Timing: Valley performs open profile detection during the prospect enrichment phase, immediately after capturing signals but before campaign creation. This timing ensures outreach method optimization happens automatically before any messages are queued.

For prospects in existing databases, Valley can retroactively scan and reclassify profiles to identify newly-opened profiles or catch previously-missed open profiles.

Continuous Re-Verification: Profile open/closed status can change over time as members adjust their settings. Valley periodically re-verifies profile status for prospects in active campaigns, updating classifications when changes occur and adjusting outreach methods accordingly.

What Advantages Does Open Profile Detection Provide?

Valley's exclusive open profile detection capability delivers multiple strategic and tactical advantages that compound over time.

Dramatic InMail Credit Savings: Standard Sales Navigator allocation provides 50 InMail credits monthly. Without open profile detection, these 50 credits limit your monthly InMail volume regardless of prospect quality or campaign urgency.

With Valley's detection:

• Send InMails to 800+ open profiles monthly without using any credits

• Reserve all 50 credits for high-value closed profiles

• Effective monthly InMail capacity increases from 50 to 850+ messages

• Credit cost per InMail drops from $2.00 to approximately $0.12 (when amortized across all InMails)

This 16x multiplication in messaging capacity eliminates the primary constraint on LinkedIn outbound volume.

Strategic Credit Allocation: When Valley identifies which prospects require credits and which don't, you can allocate your limited 50 credits strategically to highest-value opportunities:

Best-fit ICP prospects with closed profiles get credits Okay-fit prospects with closed profiles use connection requests instead Best-fit prospects with open profiles get unlimited free InMails Okay-fit prospects with open profiles also get free InMails

This tiered allocation ensures credits drive maximum pipeline value.

Velocity Advantage: Without open profile detection, you're limited to 50 InMails + 25 daily connection requests = ~600-650 monthly outreach capacity maximum.

With open profile detection: 800+ InMails to open profiles + 25 daily connection requests (750 monthly) + 50 InMails to closed profiles = 1,600+ monthly outreach capacity—2.5x higher volume with the same Sales Navigator subscription.

This velocity advantage allows small teams to execute outbound programs that previously required multiple SDRs.

Better Prospect Experience: Open profile members explicitly indicated they welcome professional outreach. Messaging them isn't interrupting or intruding—it's engaging them through their preferred channel.

Valley prioritizes open profiles in campaigns because these prospects have higher response likelihood (they want to receive messages) and better conversion rates (they're actively networking and open to conversations).

Competitive Intelligence Insight: Tracking which competitor employees, partners, and customers have open profiles reveals their business development and sales team structures. Sales-focused organizations tend toward higher open profile percentages.

This intelligence informs competitive analysis and helps identify competitor go-to-market approaches.

How to Optimize Valley Campaigns for Open Profile Prospects?

Knowing which prospects have open profiles enables strategic campaign optimization that maximizes the unique advantages these prospects offer.

Volume-First Strategy for Open Profiles: Since open profiles don't consume credits, you can message them more aggressively without budget constraints:

Higher daily volume to open profiles (limited only by LinkedIn's overall message limits) More frequent follow-up sequences (3-4 touches vs. 2 touches for credit-limited closed profiles) Testing of different message variations across larger sample sizes Broader ICP criteria (include "okay fit" prospects you might exclude from credit-required campaigns)

Open Profile Prioritization in Campaigns: Configure Valley to prioritize open profiles in outreach sequencing:

Send messages to open profiles first each day Reserve closed profiles for days when open profile volume is low Batch open profile outreach to maximize daily volume utilization

This prioritization ensures you're maximizing the free resource before consuming limited credits.

Extended Nurture Sequences: For open profile prospects showing signals but not yet ready to engage, create longer nurture sequences:

Touch 1: Initial outreach referencing signal Touch 2 (Day 7): Follow-up with different angle Touch 3 (Day 14): Share valuable resource Touch 4 (Day 30): Check in with new insight Touch 5 (Day 60): Re-engage with fresh perspective

These extended sequences work for open profiles because they don't deplete limited credit pools.

A/B Testing at Scale: Open profiles provide ideal testing ground for message optimization:

Test different subject lines (for InMails) Test different opening hooks Test various value propositions Test different CTA approaches Test message length variations

Higher volume enables statistically significant testing without wasting precious credits on experiments.

Rapid Response Campaigns: When trigger events occur (competitor mentioned in news, industry development affecting your market), immediately message all relevant open profiles with timely outreach:

No credit constraints limiting volume Can reach hundreds of prospects same-day Higher response rates due to timely relevance

How Does Open Profile Status Affect Messaging Strategy?

Knowing a prospect has an open profile should influence not just whether you message them but how you message them.

Acknowledgment of Openness: Some messages can subtly acknowledge the prospect's networking orientation:

"I see you're actively building your network on LinkedIn—wanted to reach out about [topic]"

This acknowledgment demonstrates attention and positions your outreach as aligned with their networking goals.

More Direct Approach: Open profile members expect professional outreach. You can be more direct than with connection requests requiring delicate positioning:

Connection request approach: "Thought we should connect given [gentle reason]" Open profile InMail approach: "I'm reaching out because [direct value proposition]"

The directness respects their time and aligns with their expectation of business-focused networking.

Network-Building Framing: Position conversations as mutual network building rather than one-sided selling:

"I connect with [role title] in [industry] to share insights about [topic]. Based on your role at [Company], thought you'd find our perspective valuable."

This framing emphasizes value exchange over sales pitch.

Resource-First Offers: Open networkers often appreciate valuable resources and connections:

"I put together a guide on [topic relevant to their role]. Since you're actively networking in this space, thought you might find it useful. Want me to send it over?"

Leading with free value builds reciprocity and positions you as a connector, not just a seller.

Connection Invitation: Even when sending InMails to open profiles, invite them to connect for ongoing relationship:

"If this resonates, I'd love to connect and stay in touch on LinkedIn. I regularly share [type of content] that might be relevant to your work."

This plants seeds for long-term relationship beyond immediate campaign.

► Check Out More of Valley's Incredible Outreach: A compilation of real time messages and responses!