Item: LinkedIn Sales Navigator
Rating: 6
Author: Philip Pompetti

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We used LinkedIn Sales Navigator (LISN) as a top-of-funnel lead generator. Its services include the ability to search for companies that fit a granular and specific set of metrics, allowing your company to start conversations with precisely the kind of individuals you want to. LISN is used exclusively by our sales team.

Pros and Cons

Large database/userbase
Common ground for business professionals
Easy to use

Can't export lead lists
Requires your targets to be ACTIVE on LinkedIn, not just on it
Results unreliable at times (lot of leads/accounts that don't fit your search sneak through)
Doesn't provide email/contact info
Doesn't allow for any kind of automated followups

Return on Investment

Positive: got a better understanding of target industries
Negative: couldn't utilize data. Outreach was a slog
Negative: Didn't see any ROI from 8 months of use

Alternatives Considered

LeadFuze

LeadFuze beats LISN in every category as a cold email and lead building platform. When comparing the two platforms, from a purely lead building/prospecting/top of funnel sales perspective, I would recommend LeadFuze over LISN every single time. If your goals are not sales oriented, then LISN can work for broadening your network. Sales are slow and inefficient with LISN.

Other Software Used

LeadFuze, HubSpot CRM, MailChimp

Likelihood to Recommend

Well suited for growing your LinkedIn network, finding colleagues and competition, and building your ICP. If you're looking to be able to find LI users in LISN and then export their information for an extended or drip campaign, look elsewhere. Don't forget that you don't own that data, LI does. Great as a general industry-understanding tool. Less effective as an actual cold or first touch sales tool since you have to use their InMail system to send messages. Hard to gauge how active users are on LI, so keeping your correspondence in-house can be detrimental.

Hard to Navigate LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Overall Satisfaction with LinkedIn Sales Navigator