How do you get marketing and sales decision makers talk to you?

Question

I am reaching out to them on LinkedIn and clearly stating I am doing product research. In some messages, I mention that I am not selling anything.I get mostly I am not interested reply from sales execs, whereas VP of marketing or director of marketing never reply.How do you get these people talk to you?We are boostrapping a SaaS targeted towards Sales Reps but it is SO SO hard to make these people talk to you.I have offered Lunch and coffee as an incentive. However, reply rate is so damn low.I would love to know strategies that worked for you.

jppope · Accepted Answer

Use your natural network first. Ask your friends to make intros for you. Once you have a decent conversation with those people they can recommend you to other people they have worked with in the past.People will treat outreach on linkedin as spam, because it is. They don't know you and you want info out of them, with little in it for them.