LinkedIn isn’t just growing. It’s improving – and will continue to do so.
Purchased by Microsoft last year, LinkedIn has proven to be quite the beneficiary of the software giant’s global distribution platform; it reached 500 million users in April.
LinkedIn’s robust Sales Navigator drastically improves the B2B sales approach, from customized lead recommendations to real-time sales updates on both prospects and customers.
Companies from PayPal to professional basketball organizations have benefitted from it. You can, too!
Here are five ways you can use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to rock your B2B sales funnel.
1. Make LinkedIn Sales Navigator a Top Priority
Far too many B2B companies neglect advanced selling tools such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator. This is typically due to a combination of two factors:
- They don’t fully comprehend its real possible ROI.
- They are unwilling to manage it.
By assigning one lead salesperson in your organization to master this sales toy, you will in turn take full advantage of its unparalleled lead generation. In addition, you will have a case study for LinkedIn Sales Navigator that will in turn permeate your entire company.
In my experience, the key salesperson who continually overachieves on quota would be the most interested and therefore take the daily time commitment to utilize LinkedIn Sales Navigator effectively.
Using it right to generate qualified leads means ongoing identification of a primary target, monitoring of their professional LinkedIn content sharing and company activity, and acting at the right time to support them.
2. Implement Salesforce Across Your Sales Team
Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics are authorized CRM integrations within Sales Navigator.
For your sales team, this means total foresight into active leads and potentials (qualified sales opportunities).
When Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics are integrated with LinkedIn Navigator, sales pros can easily manage their daily sales calls with an immediate view of a prospect’s current activities:
- Content postings.
- Job changes.
- Background.
- Affiliations.
- And much more.
3. Have a Sales Target Profile Before You Start With LinkedIn Sales Navigator
Know from top to bottom who you are targeting before you enter the world of LinkedIn Lead Builder:
- Where.
- What company.
- Title.
- Size.
- Affiliation.
- Industry.
- The content they cover.
By fully understanding who you’re targeting, it will be that much easier for you to build those relatable, valuable leads.
For instance, if working with an automotive company, knowing if they’re venturing in to electrics gives you context before, during, and after contact on which you can capitalize. And it is not just stagnant.
Think of selling on LinkedIn as a real way to reach, engage, and build relationships globally.
4. Save Accounts & Leads Strategically, Then InMail With Personality
LinkedIn Sales Navigator allows you to find and save companies (accounts) and leads (individual user profiles). You can then send these leads a direct message (InMail) via Sales Navigator.
For optimal success, look to identify real accounts and leads to which you have the closest connection, be it a relevant case study, warm lead, or insight on news related to that account/lead; to save and contact equates to a good chance for a response.
When InMailing, it behooves you to offer something of value and showcase your personality, which in turn showcases the fact that you aren’t just one of the many.
An example of this would mentioning your knowledge of the account’s expansion, physical or financial, which displays awareness that will make a quality impression.
5. Use Sales Navigator Before a Conference or Business Travels
One of the best ways to use Sales Navigator is to arrange meetings before heading to a new city for a speech or conference.
Identify everything you can about your target’s connections, ways of doing business, level of authority in an organization, and even lifestyle interests before you meet them. This increases your odds of landing that person’s company as a client soon.
I’ve seen this numerous times. LinkedIn Sales Navigator is really at its best when you’re really going outreach-heavy prior to a specific, in-person event.
Whether you’re speaking or exhibiting at an upcoming conference, or even just attending, it’s imperative that beforehand you know precisely the people you want to meet. Sales Navigator should be your weapon of choice to identify and contact them to suggest a rendezvous at the event!
The same holds true for business travel. When preparing for a trip to see a client, think about extending it to offer meetings with other qualified companies in the area, using Sales Navigator to reach out.
Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to Drive More Qualified Leads
LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a beautiful innovation because it’s all upside with no downside. Well, no downside so long as you aren’t late to the party.
Just ask Macquarie Telecom, which achieved a 100 percent ROI during the 90-day LinkedIn Sales Navigator pilot.
Though it’s imperative you still prioritize contacting your lead in a way that prompts him or her to respond, the work getting there no longer needs to be what it’s been for decades.
Run, don’t walk.
