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How Sales Reps and Marketers Use LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator

Jamie Shanks
Jamie Shanks

Sales Navigator Jpeg Lead CaptureSocial Selling has reshaped the online marketplace. When LinkedIn released Sales Navigator, it noted that that 75 percent of B2B buyers use social media to research vendors, and three out of four buyers prefer vendors recommended by their network.

To take advantage of this social marketplace, LinkedIn has assembled the tools sales reps and marketers have requested most and integrated them into Sales Navigator. Here’s a look at how to effectively use this multifaceted tool.

Designed for Social Sales

Sales Navigator can:

  • Recommend specific leads based on criteria you select.
  • Help you identify the key decision-makers (and socially surround) your accounts.
  • Allow you to send InMail to anyone not in your network.
  • Encourage those outside your network to contact you.
  • Track account activity via targeted alerts.

These capabilities make Sales Navigator useful both as a sales aid and a marketing automation tool.

Sales Navigator Tips for Sales Reps

Here’s how to make Sales Navigator work for sales:

1. Get lead recommendations. One of the most-often used functions is Lead Builder, the prospect suggestion tool. It uses current account profiles, information on the Web, and criteria that you select to find the most active leads. You can discover information on other decision-makers and influencers in similar positions, and leads can be sent right to your email.

2. Expand your connections using TeamLink. Turning on TeamLink lets you see how members of your team could connect you with a lead or account.

3. Track account activity by connecting your CRM. Sales Navigator is compatible with several CRM systems already in use by many companies (i.e. Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, etc.) which makes it simple for users to integrate it into their existing processes. In the end, Navigator becomes a convenient, complementary product to manage existing and prospective clients.

4. Install the Sales Navigator mobile app. Take information about your prospects, accounts, and leads on the road with you. Prep for meetings at the very last minute, and update your information immediately after you are finished. Don’t waste time due to missed meetings and rescheduling.

Sales Navigator Tips for Marketers

How to make Sales Navigator work for marketing:

1. Filter for the insights you need. Filter the updates from your contacts for information such as new jobs and work anniversaries. This gives you ways to reach out and stay on their radar as a reliable brand representative. You can also filter by content shares to gain insights into what matters most to your contacts and gives you a direction for your next marketing campaign.

2. Find the influencers. Use Navigator’s Newsle integration to find out where specific contacts are being mentioned across the Web and who is influencing them. Gaining access to sector influencers is essential in building trust in the brand.

3. Upgrade your profile. Use the premium profile feature to add better-quality photos, backgrounds, long-form blogs, and video to your profile. The better you present yourself and your brand, the easier it is to start a dialog. Your profile will be placed more prominently in search results and be optimized for targeted keywords.

Two Outcomes for Marketing

There are really two outcomes that most managers expect from content marketing: more leads and wider brand reach. Sales Navigator works at both ends of the equation by prioritizing leads while helping prospects build trust in brand representatives. More trust leads to better brand advocacy, which is the foundation of brand reach.

One Simple Question

Sales Navigator has the potential to be the definitive software for social selling. LinkedIn has done a great job of introducing Sales Navigator using video, tutorials, and demos covering all the features. What sales and marketing professionals really want to know is, “Will it make my job easier?” The simple answer is “Yes, if you use it as the springboard for building online relationships.” Sales Navigator brings you in front of the right people, but the relationship part still depends on what the sales rep does with the information. Putting these tips into action will set you on the right track. Try it out and see why social selling expert Koka Sexton has called it “the ultimate game changer for companies and sales professionals.”

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The Ultimate Guide to Social Selling