LinkedIn Sales Navigator

LinkedIn has always been the dedicated Social Media platform to network and engage with like-minded individuals across numerous industries, from staying connected with old work colleagues to following thought leaders. However, businesses can take the platform one step further and generate actual sales.

With an increase in the ability to promote products and services across numerous digital platforms and a reduction in the face-to-face element of business, Social Selling is the future. It’s never been easier to connect with prospects, nurture them through the digital customer journey and track sales conversions.

What Is LinkedIn Sales Navigator?

LinkedIn offers a whole host of ‘Business Solutions’, including Talent Hiring, Marketing and, of course, Sales. LinkedIn Sales Navigator enables businesses an increased level of power and exposure when it comes to discovering valuable leads and managing their enquiries effectively.

According to LinkedIn, on average modern selling leaders see an increase by 15% in their sales pipeline, 42% larger deal sizes closed and an impressive 59% increase in their total revenue – all influenced by the Sales Navigator tool.

The Sales Navigator supports businesses in finding leads in their target market, building trust with prospects to create long-term value, and receiving real-time insights. Sales Navigator is available for both individual sales reps (Professional Edition) or entire sales teams (Team Edition), and LinkedIn is currently offering a 30-day free trial.

LinkedIn InMail

Usually, with a free LinkedIn account, members can only direct message those they are connected to. However, LinkedIn does have an ‘InMail’ feature that allows users to direct message other members that they’re not connected to. InMail messages can contain up to 200 characters as the subject and up to 2,000 in the body copy and members are allotted specific InMail credits based on their subscription plan.

LinkedIn InMail credits are included with the Sales Navigator plans and will support salespeople in reaching out to those, not in their existing network. InMail’s will help to build and nurture relationships with prospects to expand potential reach and exposure.

Professional Edition

The top features of a Professional subscription include 20 InMail Messages per month, 1,500 Saved Leads, Notes & Tags, Custom Lists and Advanced Search.

Team Edition

The Team subscription includes all of the above but an increase to 30 InMail Messages per month, 5,000 Saved Leads and CRM Integration.

Enterprise

If you have a team of 10+, then the Enterprise plan may work best. Enterprise allows for all of the features available in both the Professional and Team editions, but with an increase to 50 InMail Messages per month and 10,000 Saved Leads.

LinkedIn TeamLink

Sales Navigator members will also have access to TeamLink, which allows teams to share connections. Suppose a member of your team is connected to a prospect. In that case, TeamLink highlights the link (whether you’re connected with the teammate on LinkedIn or not) so you can utilise your entire team’s network to drive warmer introductions.

Why Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator?

As with all sales and marketing efforts, the more aligned you are with the wider company, the easier the process is. LinkedIn Sales Navigator allows members to integrate with businesses existing CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platforms, including Hubspot, Salesforce and Outreach. Integrating with CRM platforms will enable businesses to import their Sales Navigator data and track their sales platform within one place.

Furthermore, Sales Navigator allows for more advanced search functionality, including specific targeting such as:
• Location
• Company Name
• Company Size
• Company Type
• Job title
• School
• Industry

With a free LinkedIn account, users are limited to only viewing certain information of people outside their network. Sales Navigator, however, allows greater access for up to 25 profiles a month to support users in making meaningful connections.

Paired with the increased search functionality, salespeople can discover strong connections who are likely to convert into leads.

Sales Navigator also comes with a ‘Lead Recommendation’ feature where LinkedIn monitors businesses sales preferences and finds similar users. Recommended leads will save salespeople time, and therefore allow them to focus more energy on nurturing their prospect relationships.

How Much Does LinkedIn Sales Navigator Cost?

As above, there are three plan options to choose from to suit your business. The Enterprise plan will likely be a bespoke cost depending on individual requirements.

The Professional plan is approximately €58, while the Team plan is approximately €84.

Each plan has a Monthly or Annual price plan available. As with most platforms, the monthly plan is slightly more expensive than the annual fee, and you can cancel either at any time.

It’s important to note that LinkedIn doesn’t offer a refund (except in certain situations and jurisdictions), so if you cancel your annual plan, it will remain until the end of the year for which you have paid. Therefore, if you’re looking to test the waters initially, it’s likely worth paying a little extra for an increased level of flexibility and opting for the monthly plan.

Read our earlier blog: Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn