LinkedIn Sales Navigator Best Practices Guide
Customize this training to give your sales team the help they need on best practices, directly in LinkedIn Sales Navigator.
How do I view a custom list in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
To view a list:
1. Sign in to Sales Navigator.
2. Click Lists in the navigation bar.
3. From the dropdown that appears, select what list you’d like to view:
- My network: Includes all your 1st-degree connections.
- Lead Lists: Includes all saved individuals.
- Account Lists: Includes all saved companies.
PROSPECTING TIPS:
- If a saved account in your custom list has raised money in the past 12 months, it will populate on your search results page, with a direct link to the associated article.
- You’ll receive an alert if a saved account shows growth in the number of its job postings.
4. You can further refine your search by selecting My network from the dropdown and using the filters in the left rail.
When viewing prospects, you can view 2,500 connections on your search results page.
How do I create a new list in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
To create a new list:
1. From the Sales Navigator homepage, click Lists, and select Lead Lists or Account Lists from the dropdown that appears.
2. From the Lead or Account Lists page, click Create lead/account list.
3. In the box that appears, enter your List name and List description, and click Create.
You can also create a new list directly from within your search results by clicking Save, and then + Create lead/account list or by uploading them via a CSV file.
How do I edit a custom list in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
To edit a custom list:
1. From the Sales Navigator homepage, click Lists, and select the Lead / Account Lists tab.
2. Click on the list you’d like to edit.
3. Edit the List Name by clicking the ✎ icon next to the List name at the top left of the page.
How do I sort a custom list in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
To sort a custom list:
1. Sign in to Sales Navigator.
2. Click Lists in the navigation bar.
3. From the dropdown that appears, select the list page you’d like to view – Lead lists page or Account lists page.
4. On the Lists page you’ve selected, choose the column header you’d like to sort the list by (ex. Name, Geography, Account, etc.).
5. Click the column header to sort the complete Lead list or Account list and not just the page you’re currently viewing.
How do I delete a custom list in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
To delete a custom list:
1. From the Sales Navigator homepage, click Lists, and select Lead Lists or Account Lists from the dropdown that appears.
2. From the Lead or Account Lists page, click the ⋯ More icon.
3. From the dropdown that appears, click Delete.
4. In the box that appears, select if you’d like to:
- Delete the list and keep saved leads/accounts
- Delete the list and unsave leads/accounts
5. Click Delete list.
How can I share my custom lists in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
Who can use this feature?
You can only share a custom list if you have a Sales Navigator Team account or a Sales Navigator Enterprise account. Sales Navigator Professional accounts don’t support the sharing of custom lists.
To share a custom list:
1. Click the Lists tab at the top of the Sales Navigator homepage and select Lead Lists or Account Lists from the dropdown.
2. On the Lead or Account Lists page, click ⤺ Share to the right of the list you’d like to share.
- You can also click on the Share button at the top right corner of the lead/account list page you select.
3. Once the user is alerted that a list is shared with them, they can view the list and collaborate with others using the Notes field, where you can set the visibility of notes to 👤 Private or 👥 Public.
- You can only share lists with users on your dashboard.
How do I bulk-add and remove leads and accounts in a custom list in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
To add or remove leads and accounts to or from your custom lists in bulk:
1. From the My Saved Leads or My Saved Accounts search results page, check the boxes of leads and accounts you want to save or remove.
2. Click Save to list at the top of the results page and select Your custom lists or My saved leads from the dropdown that appears.
3. To remove custom lists, click 🗑 Remove, and select one of the options below:
- Remove all selected leads from name list.
- Remove all selected leads from all lists and unsave these leads.
4. Click Continue.
5. You can access All saved leads or All saved accounts in the top right corner of your lead and account hubs.
TIME SAVING TIP: You can also save leads and accounts in bulk from the search results page.
How do I access my LinkedIn Sales Navigator license from an invite link?
Your Sales Navigator admin may share an invitation link with you to allow you to access a license from your organization.
To activate your account with the link:
1. Click the link provided by your admin.
2. Log into Sales Navigator using your LinkedIn.com user name and password.
3. Enter Your work email address and click Verify email.
4. If your work email isn’t associated with your LinkedIn profile, you’ll be asked to click Add work email.
5. Return to your work email inbox to verify your email. Click Verify email.
NOTE: The work email address you add to your LinkedIn profile must be an exact match to the email address entered into Sales Navigator by your admin.
How do I access the Sales Navigator Coach in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
Sales Navigator Coach is a dashboard that provides a list of suggested actions and links to short learning videos so you can get the most out of your product.
To access Sales Navigator Coach, you can:
1. Move your cursor over your photo in the top right corner of your Sales navigator homepage.
2. Select Sales Navigator Coach from the dropdown.
3. On the Sales Navigator Coach page, view the list of suggested actions or features, learn about them, and view learning videos for the features you select.
With the new homepage experience, you can also access Sales Navigator Coach in the left rail of your homepage to view core workflows and new features.
The new messaging experience within Sales Navigator provides you with unique opportunities to personalize each message you send by displaying conversation insights. Conversation insights can be used as icebreakers to help you maximize your chances of getting a response and building great relationships.
NOTE: You can now view real-time typing indicators while a prospect/lead is typing a response to your message.
Every time you compose a message, you’ll see the following insights when applicable:
- Shared experiences: Experiences you have in common with your prospect such as shared connections, former employers, location, and education.
- Recent activity: Any recent activity by the individual on LinkedIn including content shares, any posts published, or mentions in the news.
- Individual updates: Major recent updates from your prospect such as a job change, location change, or promotion.
- Company insights: Details such as team expansion and growth rate within the prospect’s organization will also appear as part of conversation insights.
TIME SAVING TIP: You can also save a lead while sending a connection request by checking the save as lead box under the personal message section of the Send invitation pop-up box.
How do I add attachments to messages in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
When you reach out to a connection or prospect you can now attach files such as PDFs, images or word documents as part of your message.
To attach a file:
1. Open the compose window where you draft your message.
2. Click the 📎 Attach icon next to Send to add an attachment.
3. Locate the file on your computer and click Open. You can attach multiple files in a single message.
4. You’ll be able to see upload progress as the file loads and is scanned for viruses. Downloaded files will show as attached in the message body.
5. Once the rest of the message is ready, click Send.
TIP: For your Sent InMail messages, you’ll receive real-time read receipts and view real-time typing indicators while your message recipient is typing a response. You can also edit/delete recently sent messages.
Note: The size of your InMail message attachments can’t exceed 50MB per attachment. Linkedin currently supports the following file types:
- CSV
- XLS
- XLSX
- DOC
- DOCX
- TXT
- RTF
How do I view sent and pending messages in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
You can view sent messages directly from your Sales Navigator Inbox as well as sent InMail messages where a response is pending.
To access the messages you’ve sent:
1. Sign in to Sales Navigator.
2. Click the Messaging tab in the top right of your homepage.
3. Select Sales Navigator Inbox from the dropdown.
4. Click the All messages tab on the left and select Sent from the dropdown. You can also view InMail responses in the dropdown, under InMail – Awaiting response, InMail – Accepted, and InMail – Declined based on the nature of the response.
5. You can now edit/delete a message you’ve recently sent.
TIP: If your InMail has received a response (within 90 days and including auto-replies), you’ll receive an additional InMail credit. But if you delete an InMail message that hasn’t received a response, no InMail messages will be credited back to you.
For Mobile
To access your sent or pending messages in your Sales Navigator inbox:
1. Open the Sales Navigator app.
2. Tap Messages at the bottom right of your home screen.
3. You’ll then be taken to your list of existing conversations, organized by people.
4. Tap Filter to filter your messages by pending, accepted, declined, archived, unread or sent.
What do the different InMail response types mean in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
You can view messages in your Sales Navigator inbox by clicking on the Messaging tab at the top right of your homepage and selecting Sales Navigator Inbox from the dropdown.
To view InMail message responses in your inbox, click the All messages tab to the left of the page and select from the following options:
- All messages: All InMail messages that you’ve sent and received.
- Unread: Messages in your inbox that you haven’t read yet.
- Sent: Messages that you’ve sent.
Here’s a tip: With your sent messages, you can now:
- receive real-time read receipts.
- view real-time typing indicators while someone is typing a response to your message.
- edit/delete your sent messages.
- InMail – Awaiting response: Sent messages that are awaiting a response.
- InMail – Accepted: InMail responses that accepted your messages.
- InMail – Declined: InMail responses that declined your messages.
- Archived: InMail messages that you’ve archived.
How do I find all of my InMail replies in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
You can view responses to InMail messages directly from your Sales Navigator Inbox.
To access the InMail responses you’ve received:
TIME SAVING TIP: You’ll receive real-time read receipts for your Sent InMail messages, and be able to view real-time typing indicators while someone is typing a response to your message.
What is the best way to compose an InMail message to prompt replies in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
Personalizing your message is one of the easiest ways to increase your response rate. The InMail experience in Sales Navigator provides you with meaningful conversation insights within the compose window such as common experiences and details about your lead’s organization.
BEST PRACTICE: View your lead’s profile info within the compose window so you can reference their professional information as you draft your message.
Here are some other key features of InMail messages:
- Available InMail credits: Before you begin writing your InMail, your available InMail credit count will display in the compose window.
HOT TIP: Don’t delete you InMail Messages! If your sent InMail/message receives a response (within 90 days and including auto-replies) before you delete it, you’ll receive an additional InMail credit. But if you delete a message that hasn’t received a response, no InMail messages will be credited back to you.
How do I compose an InMail message from a prospect’s profile in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
To compose an InMail from a prospect’s profile:
1. At the top of your profile page, click Message. This opens a compose window on the right side of the page.
2. Add a subject line and type your message in the relevant field.
- NOTE: InMail messages can have a subject line of up to 200 characters and 1900 characters in the body.
3. Click ✎ next to your signature to edit it, click on the 📎 Attach icon to add an attachment, and Send to send your message.
HOT TIP: For your Sent InMail messages, you’ll receive real-time read receipts and be able to view real-time typing indicators when someone is typing a response to your message.
How do I compose an InMail message from my inbox in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
To compose an InMail from your inbox:
- Click Messaging at the top of your page, and from the dropdown that appears, select Sales Navigator Inbox.
- Click New message at the bottom of your messages.
- Type the name of the recipient, and choose from suggestions that appear in a dropdown with saved leads first, then 1st-degree connections, and finally general results. A new message window will open.
- Add a subject line and type your message in the relevant field.
- You’ll see the prospect’s profile information as well as conversation insights on the right rail, that you can use to personalize your message.
- Click ✎ next to your signature to edit it, click on the 📎 Attach icon to add an attachment, and Send to send your message.
How do I send InMail messages in the LinkedIn Sales Navigator mobile app?
How do I update my message signature in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
Your message signature in Sales Navigator appears at the bottom of the message window. It is applied to all messages you compose to your second and third degree connections.
You can create and save a personalized signature, or update an existing one.
A message signature ideally includes your name, the name of your company, and any contact information associated with you, for example, your phone number or email ID.
To create or update your signature:
1. Sign in to Sales Navigator.
2. Click Messaging at the top right, then click Sales Navigator Inbox from the dropdown.
3. Click New message in the messaging window of your Inbox.
- NOTE: You can also compose a message by clicking the Message button in the top right corner of a lead’s profile page.
4. At the bottom of the message box, click the ✎ Edit icon next to your name.
- NOTE: The Edit option only appears when you’re composing an InMail or a message to a second or third degree connection.
5. Compose or edit your signature in the Edit signature() box that appears, and click Save.
How does InMail crediting and renewal work in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
You’ll receive a new allotment of InMail credits on the first of each month. This InMail credit grant date is independent of the date you were given a Sales navigator seat or the date of your initial sign-up if you purchased your account online.
USAGE TIP: You can accumulate InMail credits from month to month. However, there’s a limit on the total number of InMail credits that you can accumulate. Your InMail credits don’t expire.
This is number of InMail credits you receive on a monthly basis:
- Sales Navigator Pro: 20
- Sales Navigator Team: 30
- Sales Navigator Enterprise: 50
This is the maximum number of credits you can accumulate in total:
- Sales Navigator Pro: 60
- Sales Navigator Team: 90
- Sales Navigator Enterprise: 150
The InMail compose window will display the number of InMail credits left on your account, so you can easily view your current allotment.
What do I do if I haven’t received my new activation email in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
If you haven’t received your initial activation email, reach out to your admin who can resend the invitation email or provide an activation link to you.
If you still aren’t receiving the email, try these troubleshooting steps:
1. Add LinkedIn as a trusted email domain in your email’s address book, then add LinkedIn as a contact.
2. Check with your email provider to ensure emails from LinkedIn aren’t blocked.
3. Make sure the email with the invitation to Sales Navigator is the email address of an individual and not a distribution list or a role-based email address.
- A role account/alias is an account that isn’t associated with a particular person, but with an office, position, or task (ex: webmaster@, postmaster@, admin@, etc.). To ensure you get the most of LinkedIn, we recommend using a personal email address.
4. In some cases, like password resets or security verification, you’ll need to request the admin to resend the email again after making any of the above changes.
How do you forward a message in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
You can forward any of the conversations in your Sales Navigator inbox.
To forward a message:
1. Click Inbox at the top of your page to go to your Sales Navigator inbox.
2. You’ll see all your conversations appear on the left rail. Select the conversation you wish to forward.
3. In the conversation window, click the More icon on the top right and select Forward conversation from the dropdown.
4. Type in the name(s) of who you’d like to forward the message to. By default, all messages in the conversation will be forwarded but you can delete the text you don’t want to forward.
5. Click Send to send your message.
TIP: Attachments in a forwarded message won’t automatically be added. You’ll need to download them and re-attach as part of your new forwarded message.
How do I mark a message as unread in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
When viewing your conversations under the All messages tab, any unread message you have will appear in the left rail of your inbox. InMail messages will appear with the tag InMail.
To mark a message as Unread after viewing it:
1. Select the conversation you’d like to mark as unread from your list of conversations in the left rail.
2. To the left of the message, click ✉️ Mark as unread.
Your message will be marked as unread.
How do I reply to an InMail message in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
You can receive a message in your Sales Navigator inbox by clicking on the Messaging tab in the top right of your homepage.
To reply to a message:
1. Click the Messaging tab at the top of your homepage, and from the dropdown, select Sales Navigator Inbox.
2. Select the message from the list in the left rail.
3. Draft your reply at the bottom of the page. You can click on the Attach icon and add an attachment to customize your reply.
4. Click Send to send your reply
When you receive an InMail in your LinkedIn Inbox, you can also choose to reply by using templated responses like Hey, Hi, or other Quick Replies, instead of writing a full response. Alternatively, you may wish to block the sender.
Use Quick Replies When Responding to InMail Messages
Quick Replies are short, pre-populated responses you can use as a template to reply to an InMail message. You’ll have two options – Yes, interested… and No thanks… when responding to an InMail message.
After you select a response, a templated answer will automatically populate in the text box. You’ll have the option to personalize the response before sending.
You can manage your InMail settings by clicking or tapping the ⋯ More icon next to the InMail message badge and selecting Manage InMail settings.
How do I access archived messages in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
You can view archived messages directly from your Sales Navigator Inbox.
To access any messages you’ve archived:
1. Sign in to Sales Navigator.
2. Move your cursor over the Inbox icon at the upper right corner of your page.
3. Select Sales Navigator Inbox from the dropdown.
4. Click the Archived tab on the left rail to view your archived messages.
What can I do to get better response rates with InMail in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
Writing an effective InMail message can help increase your response rates and ultimately build strong relationships with your leads.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Design your InMail as a conversation starter. The goal here is to discuss and explore an opportunity, not seal the deal immediately. Mention what parts of their LinkedIn profile prompted you to reach out.
- Adopt a conversational, enthusiastic tone. Choose words that reflect your personal voice. Express interest in helping them attain their goals versus the other way around.
- Be brief and to the point. If you share too much or have a very lengthy message, your leads may lose interest and not feel the need to reply.
- Personalize the InMail as much as possible. Review the lead’s profile, their updates, and their company’s updates to bring relevance to your conversation. Saving leads will help bring visibility to these type of updates to help you personalize your conversations and address specific needs they may have.
How do I view lead recommendations at a specific company in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
You can find lead recommendations for a company you’ve saved on that company’s Account Details page:
1. Click Lists then Saved accounts in the navigation bar at the top of your Sales Navigator homepage.
2. Click View account.
- If you want to view lead recommendations for a company you haven’t yet saved as an account, you can search for that company using the search bar at the top of the page. Simply select that company from the search results.
3. You’ll see lead recommendations toward the top of the Account Details page. You can click Save to save someone’s profile, or See more recommendations for a larger list.
How do I view lead recommendations on a profile in LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
You can find lead recommendations at the top of a lead’s profile:
1. Search for a lead using Advanced search.
- You can also click Lists then Saved leads in the navigation bar at the top of your Sales Navigator homepage to view leads you’ve saved.
- The search results page will show you up to 2,500 connections.
2. Select a lead to see their profile. Lead recommendations from the same organization will be listed in the right rail and leads at other organizations will appear at the bottom of the page.
PROSPECTING TIP: You can communicate with a lead who’s online (green dot next to their profile picture) if their profile status is set to Your connections, and you’re a connection, or if their profile status is set to All LinkedIn Users.
Lead recommendations are based on your sales preferences and the types of leads you’ve saved in the past. If you see the message “Hmm. Looks like we’re fresh out of leads,” you can update your sales preferences to expand the list of prospects.
