lnkd’s sales navigator gains recognition but still...

September 4, 2014 Companies: CRM, DNB, HHS, LNKD, MHFI, MKTO

1 1 Ferry Building, Suite 255, San Francisco, CA 94111 | www.blueshiftideas.com

LNKD’s Sales Navigator Gains Recognition But Still Faces Big Hurdles

REPORT Seth Agulnick, [email protected]

Summary of Findings

Awareness of and positive sentiment about LinkedIn Corp.’s

(LNKD) Sales Navigator increased modestly compared with the

tepid response outlined in Blueshift Research’s March 13 report.

Nine of 22 sales and industry specialist sources said Sales

Navigator has the potential to provide a good ROI, compared with

just six of 29 such sources in March. A slightly higher percentage of

sources said they were familiar with the product than in our last

report (66% versus 59%).

Still, sources said convincing salespeople to pay for Sales

Navigator will be challenging because of the $1,200 annual cost;

because of competitive lead generation platforms like Salesgenie,

Contata Solutions’ Alertmix and Salesforce.com Inc.’s (CRM)

Data.com; and due to the powerful tools already available with a

free LinkedIn account.

Two sales sources subscribe to the new Sales Navigator version.

One is pleased with the ROI while the other still is evaluating the

product. Two other sources canceled their subscription to the

previous version because they did not believe it was worth the cost.

LinkedIn is a fantastic resource for tasks like networking, self-

promotion and finding leads, according to 21 sources.

Sales and specialist sources overwhelmingly believe that LinkedIn

users are receptive to sales pitches, but sources likely to be on the

receiving end of those solicitations were more lukewarm. Four of

seven LinkedIn users said they already have tightened privacy

settings because of sales-related contacts or that they would alter

their usage of the site if solicitations increased significantly.

Sales

Navigator

to Provide

Strong ROI

LNKD As a

Sales Tool

LNKD Users

Open to

Sales Pitches

Enterprise Sales

Organizations

Small Business/

Individual Sales Pros

Industry Specialists

LinkedIn Users N/A N/A

Research Question:

Will LinkedIn’s revamped Sales Navigator produce a strong ROI for sales professionals

and significantly boost the company’s subscription revenue?

Silo Summaries

1) Enterprise Sales Organizations Two of eight sources are using the newest version of

Sales Navigator. One subscriber said the service is

paying for itself. The other said was too early to offer an

assessment. A third source subscribed to the old

version of Sales Navigator but did not think it was worth

the price. This and the other four sources have no plans

to subscribe to the latest Sales Navigator, with three

citing the cost. All eight sources use LinkedIn as part of

their jobs. Six believe LinkedIn users are open to being

contacted by salespeople through the site.

2) Small Business and Individual Sales Professionals None of these nine sources subscribes to Sales

Navigator. One source used the previous version but did

not find it helpful. Two sources said the $100/month

cost is too high. Five sources think LinkedIn users are

fine with sales-related contacts through the site, and

none believes an increase in such solicitations would

prompt people to remove their profiles.

3) Industry Specialists Four of five sources think Sales Navigator has great

potential to help salespeople find leads and to provide

a good return. Two of the five consider Sales Navigator

to be expensive. One source said he has heard good

feedback from people using Sales Navigator, while two

others expressed surprise that they had not heard of

anyone using the service. Two said maintaining a

LinkedIn profile is too important for anyone to leave the

site. One source was confident LinkedIn will prevent

salespeople from abusing the site through too many

unwanted solicitations.

4) LinkedIn Users These seven sources represent decision makers that

are likely to be targeted by salespeople, and they

offered mixed opinions about whether LinkedIn is an

appropriate sales venue. Four of the seven said they

are not bothered by sales-related messages that they

receive on the site, but three others said they ignore or

delete such contacts. These three said the number of

solicitations has been manageable but that a significant

increase could alter how they use the site. One reported

getting so many sales pitches that he changed his

privacy settings so that only people in his network could

contact him. Another said he was more receptive to a

sales pitch through LinkedIn if introduced by a mutual

connection.

mailto:[email protected]

http://business.linkedin.com/sales-solutions

http://blueshiftideas.com/reports/031406FewSalespeopleSeeValueinPayingforPremiumLNKDAccount.pdf

https://salesgenie.com/

http://www.alertmix.com/

http://www.data.com/

1 Ferry Building, Suite 255, San Francisco, CA 94111 | www.blueshiftideas.com

2

LinkedIn Corp.

Background

LinkedIn unveiled its revamped Sales Navigator on July 31 and told investors it hoped the subscription-based social selling

tool would become as vital to sales professionals as its recruiting products have become to hiring managers and job seekers.

Unlike the previous Sales Navigator version, which was rolled out in 2012, the newest iteration will be a standalone product,

meaning subscribers will have a separate log-in and dashboard from the main LinkedIn site. The cost will jump from about

$700 per subscriber per year to $1,200 for the most comprehensive version. It is aimed at enterprises with large sales forces

but also will be available to small business and individual sales professionals.

The new Sales Navigator will rely less on manual searches and instead recommend sales leads to subscribers. It also will

allow sales professionals to track updates and news related to important leads and to find mutual connections—including

other people at their company—who can make introductions. Sales Navigator will integrate with customer relationship

management (CRM) tools like Salesforce.com and Microsoft Corp.’s (MSFT) Dynamics.

LinkedIn executives have high hopes for Sales Navigator as the company ramps up its field sales team to push the product.

The company stated that sales professionals who use social media are 51% more likely to reach quotas than traditional

sellers. The company expects subscriptions to begin to grow in the second half of 2014 and the product to scale in 2015 to

the point that its sales solutions division could become a separate business line. LinkedIn executives said pilot tests of Sales

Navigator have yielded stellar results. However, some industry observers worry that the increased emphasis on LinkedIn as a

sales tool may turn users off from the platform in order to avoid a flood of pitches from aggressive salespeople. Also,

concerns have emerged about LinkedIn’s ability to continue growing its membership and revenue from existing products like

Talent Solutions, which provides tools for recruiters and job hunters and accounts for 60% of the company’s revenue.

In Blueshift’s March 13 report, sales professionals said a paid subscription to LinkedIn was useful but not a vital part of their

sales efforts, and only a handful saw strong potential for Sales Navigator. However, almost half of the sources interviewed

were not familiar with Sales Navigator or the additional tools it offers.

Current Research In this next study, Blueshift Research gauged sentiment about LinkedIn’s revamped Sales Navigator to see whether it would

be worth the cost to salespeople and ultimately would boost LinkedIn’s subscription revenue. We employed our pattern

mining approach to establish five independent silos, comprising 29 primary interviews and five relevant secondary sources

focused on Sales Navigator:

1) Enterprise sales organizations (8)

2) Small business and individual sales professionals (9)

3) Industry specialists (5)

4) LinkedIn users (7)

5) Secondary sources (5)

Next Steps

Blueshift Research will reach out to more sales professionals in a variety of industries to see if LinkedIn’s greater push for

Sales Navigator is helping the product gain traction. We also will look at whether LinkedIn’s field sales team is resorting to

discounts or other changes to its licensing requirements to encourage Sales Navigator subscriptions. Lastly, we will assess

Sales Navigator subscribers’ results from the service.

http://sales.linkedin.com/blog/the-social-selling-era-starts-now/

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/default.aspx

http://seekingalpha.com/article/2367505-linkedins-lnkd-ceo-jeff-weiner-on-q2-2014-results-earnings-call-transcript?page=1

http://www.slideshare.net/danswift77/customer-success-slides-pay-pal

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/technology/sales-navigator-a-connection-too-far-for-linkedin/story-e6frgakx-1227013219235

http://seekingalpha.com/article/1804472-linkedin-growth-continues-to-slow-down

http://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions

http://blueshiftideas.com/reports/031406FewSalespeopleSeeValueinPayingforPremiumLNKDAccount.pdf


3

LinkedIn Corp.

Silos

1) Enterprise Sales Organizations Two of eight sources representing large sales teams are using the newest version of Sales Navigator. One subscriber said the

service is paying for itself by helping salespeople pinpoint and pitch to the correct decision makers. The other Sales Navigator

user said she can see how it might help team members avoid duplicating their efforts but that it was too early to offer an

overall assessment of the product. A third source subscribed to the old version of Sales Navigator but did not think it was

worth the price. This and the other four sources have no plans to subscribe to the latest Sales Navigator, with three citing the

cost. One complained about LinkedIn’s insistence that a company buy a Sales Navigator license for every member of its sales

force, as opposed to just those who might use the product. All eight sources use LinkedIn as part of their jobs—some for lead

generation and others for networking and marketing. Six believe LinkedIn users are open to being contacted by salespeople

through the site. Only one source believes users might stop using the site if solicitations were to increase significantly.

KEY SILO FINDINGS Sales Navigator

- 2 of 8 sources are subscribing to Sales Navigator. One is pleased with the service; the other is still evaluating it.

- 1 subscribed to the old version of Sales Navigator but did not find it worth the cost.

- 5 are not subscribing to the latest version and have no plans to do so.

- 3 believe the price is too high.

- 2 were unfamiliar with Sales Navigator.

LinkedIn As a Sales Tool

- 8 use LinkedIn for networking, marketing and finding leads.

- 1 said the free tools available on LinkedIn are sufficient.

Potential Pitfalls

- 6 said LinkedIn users are receptive to being contacted through the site.

- 2 doubted anyone would leave the site as a result of sales pitches.

- 1 said a big increase in sales pitches could prompt users to stop using the site.

1. National sales executive with a wholesaler of logoed apparel and accessories

This executive’s 20-person sales team is subscribing to the new Sales Navigator and is happy with the ROI. Sales

Navigator delivers the names and contact information of decision makers, enabling salespeople to go straight to the

person in a position to buy. The platform is ideal for B2B networking but has no value in consumer sales.

Sales Navigator

“We are subscribing [to Sales Navigator]. So far we are getting value for the money. It pays for itself.”

“We’re using Sales Navigator to contact decision makers who can say ‘yes’

to a sales pitch. It saves time because I don’t get the runaround contacting a

company and trying to reach the right person to talk to.”

“I like the sales leads it generates once you enter the search criteria. It saves

time over looking for the right person one search at a time. You can search

on the regular LinkedIn, but you’ll get all kinds of results.”

“It lets us tap into the prospects who are on LinkedIn and find them faster

than using the basic LinkedIn search functions.”

“It’s a good team tool because we can track prospects without duplicating

efforts. You don’t want everyone on your sales team reaching out to the

same prospects.”

“We’re getting our money’s worth. I don’t know that [Sales Navigator] would

be cost-effective for small companies or individual sales agents. It would

depend on their sales volume and what they are able to close through Sales

We’re using Sales Navigator to

contact decision makers who

can say ‘yes’ to a sales pitch. It

saves time because I don’t get

the runaround contacting a

company and trying to reach

the right person to talk to.

National Sales Executive, Logoed

Apparel & Accessories Wholesaler


4

LinkedIn Corp.

Navigator.”

“I use SalesGenie, and Jigsaw through Salesforce.com. I think most sales professionals are using more than one

service. You don’t want to leave any stone unturned. I don’t think [Sales Navigator] will replace or eliminate other

lead-generation tools.”

“Sales Navigator is a B2B tool. I can’t see this would have any use in consumer sales.”

“We haven’t seen any discount deals, but we’ve already signed up.”


N/A

Potential Pitfalls

“Most professionals I work with don’t seem to mind being contacted on LinkedIn. When you put yourself out there on

a business website, it stands to reason that people will want to contact you for business.”

“I haven’t had anyone complain when I reach out. We’re trying to help companies solve a business problem—

promoting themselves with logoed merchandise. I present myself as offering a solution. Most people are receptive to

that idea, even if they don’t always buy from us.”

“The advantage of Sales Navigator is it generates leads who are more likely to be interested in what we offer. That’s

half the battle.”

“I don’t know what LinkedIn is doing to handle complaints of abuse or if there has been any abuse. Their licensing

agreement for Sales Navigator covers abuse of the service. We haven’t had any complaints.”

2. Sales manager with a national insurance company

The company has purchased five Sales Navigator licenses to test the service. It is one of several lead-generation tools

being used. The costs are similar, but LinkedIn’s reputation as a professional networking site may give it an advantage

over others. Early returns suggest the platform will be help sales teams avoid duplicating efforts, but the source’s

company still is evaluating the tool’s overall effectiveness.

Sales Navigator

“We’ve only been using [Sales Navigator] service about a month. We have five licenses to evaluate what we can get

out of it.”

“In terms of cost, it’s pretty much on par with comparable services out there. LinkedIn probably has an advantage

because it’s seen as a networking site for serious professionals.”

“Once you’ve set up what you’re looking for, Sales Navigator generates

leads for you. We’re starting to integrate with Salesforce.com so we can pull

in leads from LinkedIn and migrate them over to Salesforce, where we can

work with the data.”

“It’s a good team tool. Everyone can see what’s coming through so there’s

no overlap. We don’t want potential customers getting multiple calls from

different employees.”

“We have a system in place where leads are generated and distributed to

the sales team based on different criteria like sales performance and

geography, so there’s not a free-for-all when leads come in.”

“I don’t think Sales Navigator will replace other lead-generation services. I

do like that it integrates with Salesforce.com.”

“We weren’t offered a discount.”


“I think all of the people on our team have free LinkedIn accounts to make connections and promote themselves.”

“We don’t use the basic LinkedIn for selling.”

“By itself, the free LinkedIn is not a very efficient way to find sales prospects. The search results return a lot of

irrelevant information. For sales, you really need a premium service that has powerful filters.”

“We use or have used SalesGenie and [ReviMedia’s] Click2Call. A lot of our independent agents use NetQuote.

That’s useful because leads are generated as soon as a prospect completes and submits an online form.”

“LinkedIn probably works best for B2B sales. Their premium services do a better job of identifying quality individual

leads—people who could benefit from and afford our products.”

It’s a good team tool. Everyone

can see what’s coming through

so there’s no overlap. We don’t

want potential customers

getting multiple calls from

different employees.

Sales Manager

National Insurance Company

https://connect.data.com/

http://www.revimedia.com/lead-exchange/features/

http://www.netquote.com/


5

LinkedIn Corp.

Potential Pitfalls

“I’ve never heard a complaint from anyone in my network when I’ve reached out to them. Occasionally I’ve tried to

connect with new people and sent a note of introduction, and they’ve reported me to LinkedIn. You get an email

saying you’re not supposed to connect with someone you do not know personally or professionally. I think that’s just

LinkedIn’s way of trying to get people to upgrade from a free account to a premium membership.”

“One benefit of Sales Navigator is there are certain guarantees in place. They refund your InMail credit if you don’t

get a response within a week. Another thing is Sales Navigator is generating the leads, so we are more likely to

connect with people interested in our products and qualified to buy them.”

“The license agreement has some language in it about not abusing the service, but I don’t think it defines what

constitutes abuse. I’m confident we are following the spirit and letter of the agreement.”

3. National sales executive with an advertising agency

This source’s firm tried out the previous version of Sales Navigator but did not think it was worth the cost. The new

version may be helpful in identifying potential customers and getting quick introductions through a mutual connection,

but her firm has no plans to subscribe. Small and midsized companies likely will have trouble justifying the cost of Sales

Navigator. LinkedIn is good for maintaining relationships with clients, but other lead generation tools are available.

Sales Navigator

“We’ve used Sales Navigator in the past, just to try it out. I really didn’t see a lot of benefits relative to the cost, but

we also have deep and ongoing relationships with clients.”

“We’re not using the new version of Sales Navigator. I actually prefer to do manual searches because it tends to give

better results. My understanding is the new version generates recommendations based on the criteria you select.

That’s potentially hit-or-miss.”

“To some extent, Sales Navigator probably helps salespeople identify

possible customers. I think the dashboard and the overall operation of the

site are easy to understand and use. It’s the price that’s probably holding

back a lot of smaller companies.”

“The main benefit I see with Sales Navigator is it can help make

introductions to client prospects through a mutual contact, but you can do

that with the regular LinkedIn. It just takes more time.”

“It looks like a good team collaboration tool so your sales force isn’t calling

the same prospects over and over.”

“For large companies closing big-ticket sales, [Sales Navigator’s] price is

probably worth it. I don’t know that smaller or even midsized companies

would see the best value.”

“I’ve gotten some emails about signing up for a free demo [of Sales

Navigator] but nothing about discounts.”


“LinkedIn is a good way to maintain contact with clients, mainly by posting

updates or useful information on advertising and marketing trends and strategies.”

“Generating new leads is important, but there are many other equally effective ways of drumming up new business.”

“There are a lot of lead generation tools available online. We use [Dun & Bradstreet’s/DNB] Hoover’s, InfoGroup and

[Salesforce.com’s] Jigsaw.”

“LinkedIn is probably more useful for B2B sales [than B2C]. At the consumer level, it is a relationship tool at best.”

Potential Pitfalls

“I don’t have a problem with people in my network contacting me, and I hope vice versa. I really don’t mind being

approached by people outside my network, so long as they are sharing something relevant to my work. I think that’s

the key: relevance.”

“I haven’t gotten any negative feedback from people. I’m mostly in touch with my own connections, though.”

“There’s a license agreement you have to check off when signing up for Sales Navigator. Basically, it’s an agreement

not to harass other users. It’s boilerplate. LinkedIn has discretion over what constitutes harassment.”

Sales Navigator probably helps

salespeople identify possible

customers. I think the

dashboard and the overall

operation of the site are easy to

understand and use. It’s the

price that’s probably holding

back a lot of smaller

companies.

National Sales Executive

Advertising Agency

http://www.hoovers.com/

http://www.infogroup.com/about-infogroup


6

LinkedIn Corp.

4. Internal sales team trainer for a Fortune 500 IT solutions firm

This source’s firm has not subscribed to Sales Navigator for its more than 2,500-person sales team because of the cost,

a problem made worse by LinkedIn’s insistence that a company buy a license for every member of the sales team rather

than only those who use the product. Sales Navigator has some promise because LinkedIn has up-to-date user data, but

to be truly valuable the service should offer a deeper understanding of a potential lead than just a name and contact

information. Some salespeople are worried that using LinkedIn to find leads can tip competitors to the deals they are

pursuing. He estimates that 80% of his company’s sales team uses LinkedIn in some way, but less than 20% of those

employees pay for a premium subscription.

Sales Navigator

“If I was an independent contractor, I would certainly explore a trial [of Sales

Navigator]. One or two deals a year could easily return the investment.”

“The sales teams I work with are all within a large corporation. They expect

the corporation to pay for [Sales Navigator]. The corporation sees the cost as

too expensive.”

“In my own direct conversations with our LinkedIn representative, LinkedIn

feels the price is the price and there is no quantity discount, and that the

price would be for everyone [on the sales team]. If only 20% of the sales

force actually uses the product, then the actual cost to those using is five

times that, to cover for unused licenses.”

“If LinkedIn offered a license program for people who actually use the

product, it would help. And the trial should not be limited to time such as 30

days.”

“I have not used [Sales Navigator], but the leads would have to offer more

than a name and a contact information.”

“Why did recruiters/HR managers find LinkedIn to be superior to other research tools? Perhaps because it was more

accurate and current. Users supply their own data and those in transition have a vested interest in keep the data up

to date.”

“Not sure salespeople want to be too public with what deals they are pursuing. Some have already expressed

concerns that their competition can view their networks.”

“Will [Sales Navigator] catch on? Only if the price is low enough to get in and

people see value. In my opinion, the value has to be along the lines of

Hoover’s premium service, First Research, which we don’t subscribe to. First

Research has great information about issues and challenges that executives

in particular industries and roles are facing. It provides a focus for

salespeople to begin crafting a personalized point of engagement to take

the chill out of the cold call.”

“If Sales Navigator could do this and provide a ‘warm’ introduction, it could

be a game changer.”


“Over 80% [of our salespeople] have profiles on LinkedIn. I can’t tell you

how much their profiles say other than a chronological list of

positions/companies. Most use it to find contacts in target organizations.”

“With respect to profiles, they should be filling out what they’ve

accomplished in the positions they’ve held. They should join groups and

actively engage in discussions so clients can see what they are about.”

“Less than 20% [pay for a premium subscription].”

“We used Harte-Hanks [Inc./HHS] and just this year switched to something else.”

“Not all accounts are established, so our salespeople could use a lead generation tool. However, they typically

choose not to. We do direct leads to them from their established accounts, but most salespeople don’t trust the

efficacy of our lead program for various reasons. We do supply them with access to Hoover’s.”

Potential Pitfalls

LinkedIn feels the price is the

price and there is no quantity

discount, and that the price

would be for everyone [on the

sales team]. If only 20% of the

sales force actually uses the

product, then the actual cost to

those using is five times that,

to cover for unused licenses.

Internal Sales Team Trainer

Fortune 500 IT Solutions Firm

Will [Sales Navigator] catch on?

Only if the price is low enough

to get in and people see value.

In my opinion, the value has to

be along the lines of Hoover’s

premium service, which we has

great information about issues

and challenges that executives

in particular industries and

roles are facing.

Internal Sales Team Trainer

Fortune 500 IT Solutions Firm

http://www.hoovers.com/industry-analysis/industry-reports/first-research.html

https://www.hartehanks.com/


7

LinkedIn Corp.

“[The possibility of sales pitches turning people off from LinkedIn] would depend on the person’s position. For me, a

lot of people try to connect, but few actually try to do business.”

5. Vice president of sales for a senior home care provider

This source has no plans to subscribe to Sales Navigator for his 18-member team because the tools already available

with a free LinkedIn membership are effective, even for finding leads. Having a profile on LinkedIn today is a must, no

matter the industry. People are open to being contacted via LinkedIn.

Sales Navigator

“It does not cost you anything to be on LinkedIn. At this point, we found we

can get what we need without having to pay for the premium membership.”

“I am not subscribing to Sales Navigator. LinkedIn gives us what we need

right now. What it does is help connect with other people, and that is the

value that it is providing. Unless I can see the value proposition, I would not

pay that much money for Sales Navigator.”

“We are not reluctant to share our contacts with other team members, but

that is an individual decision.”

“We have used LinkedIn, and we are very on top of what it does.”

“We are getting the value of LinkedIn. Why pay for something just to pay for

something? I am happy with what we have.”


“I use LinkedIn strictly for business and basically to connect with other professionals.”

“My LinkedIn profile is similar to my resume.”

“LinkedIn is a very effective tool for sales professionals to find leads. It has changed the ways we do business. It has

taken a lot of the cold calling [away]. We also meet with professionals in the community who send us leads, who deal

with seniors.”

“LinkedIn is used to find the leads 80% of the time and 20% of the time to maintain relationships.”

“Our salespeople are lead generators. We have stuff on the Internet, but our process is having our sales

professionals generate the leads.”

“To be effective today as a salesperson, you have to be on LinkedIn. If you

are not, it is like saying back in the mid-’90s that you are not interested in

using a computer. You are really setting yourself back by not using the tool.”

“I do not know why a salesperson would not be on LinkedIn, no matter what

the industry. When I interview people, I see how much they are changing

with the times.”

“We are targeting professional people in the community that deal with

seniors—doctors, hospitals, attorneys, trust officers, any person who would

touch a high–net-worth senior. We do contact the families, but we drive the

leads to the professionals first.”

Potential Pitfalls

“People are very accepting about being contacted on LinkedIn. It is as high [a rate of acceptance] as any method.

You are more likely to connect with someone on LinkedIn that you do not necessarily know. On Facebook [Inc./FB], I

would not connect to someone I do not know. Facebook is for your personal connections, friends and family

members. LinkedIn is all business. It is 100% business-to-business.”

“I have not received any negative feedback from LinkedIn members when I contact them. People expect it.”

“I do not believe people will remove their profiles from LinkedIn or stop using the site if they hear from [too many]

salespeople.”

“From my standpoint, LinkedIn is doing enough [to control, monitor and remedy overuse/abuse].”

It does not cost you anything to

be on LinkedIn. At this point,

we found we can get what we

need without having to pay for

the premium membership.

Vice President of Sales

Senior Home Care Provider

People are very accepting

about being contacted on

LinkedIn. It is as high [a rate of

acceptance] as any method.

Vice President of Sales

Senior Home Care Provider


8

LinkedIn Corp.

6. Manager of corporate sales for a cloud file-sharing and storage provider

The source described Sales Navigator’s $100/month price tag as high, but was unfamiliar with details of the service. He

views LinkedIn as a resource to identify companies to target and for introductions with potential clients, but his team

does not use the site to close deals or maintain relationships. He sees no overuse of LinkedIn by salespeople and does

not believe users remove their profiles from the site as a result of being contacted.

Sales Navigator

“I have not heard about Sales Navigator.”

“The price seems pretty hefty to me.”

“LinkedIn has not contacted me about using Sales Navigator.”

“Sales Navigator could [be successful]. It depends on the functionality and

features that are available.”

“In terms of whether salespeople are reluctant to share their contacts with

team members, maybe, but that is a personal question for each person. I

know some folks do not want to share this information and some folks are

open to do that.”


“We have target accounts or target companies. We identify some key

stakeholders that we reach out to on LinkedIn. We do some prospecting,

and we build relationships on the site.”

“I guess we find leads [on LinkedIn]. There is a way you can search by

companies and tailor key verticals in our region.”

“LinkedIn helps identify potential companies to go after. It is a resource. But

LinkedIn is not an effective tool to close deals. And I do not think LinkedIn is

a reason why we maintain a relationship with a customer. Folks connect on

LinkedIn, but there has to be much more than LinkedIn to maintain a

relationship.”

“In terms of what type of industries LinkedIn is best suited as a sales/lead generation tool, it would depend on what

company you are talking to.”

“We used LinkedIn as an email mechanism to introduce ourselves. LinkedIn is best used if you know somebody

already, rather than a cold call.”

Potential Pitfalls

“I would assume that [LinkedIn as a sales/lead generation tool is not prompting people to remove their profiles or

stop using the site]. We do not use the email function as far as prospecting and cold calling.”

“LinkedIn is doing enough [to control, monitor and remedy overuse/abuse].”

7. Regional sales director for a technology company and owner of a sports-related business

This sales executive was unfamiliar with Sales Navigator. He uses LinkedIn primarily to gain connections and get ideas to

motivate his sales team. LinkedIn is sufficient for finding leads, but more effective ways exists for maintaining

relationships or closing deals, such as sharing a beer or playing a round of golf. Almost everyone is receptive to be being

contacted via LinkedIn, but not all respond.

Sales Navigator

“I am not subscribing to Sales Navigator. I do not know what it is.”

“I would not pay for Sales Navigator. We are a small enough company, but maybe a [larger] market might find better

value to it.”

“I am sure [some] people would buy Sales Navigator. If I was calling on you to get an appointment to tell you about

my company, because we are connected to a mutual friend, [you would be more likely] to give me that appointment.”

“Salespeople are not reluctant to share their networks and contacts with other team members.”


LinkedIn helps identify

potential companies to go

after. It is a resource. But

LinkedIn is not an effective tool

to close deals. And I do not

think LinkedIn is a reason why

we maintain a relationship with

a customer. Folks connect on

LinkedIn, but there has to be

much more than LinkedIn to

maintain a relationship.

Manager of Corporate Sales

Cloud File-sharing & Storage Provider


9

LinkedIn Corp.

“I use LinkedIn more for connections and reaching out to people. I have used it to communicate with clients and to

try to get appointments. I use LinkedIn for information and for learning and to get different ideas to motivate my

team.”

“I use LinkedIn to find potential clients. If I wanted to be better at using LinkedIn, I would get leads. The next social

media that we will focus on at our company is LinkedIn.”

“LinkedIn is an effective tool for sales professionals to find leads, but it is not effective to close deals or maintain

relationships with customers.”

“I am very business-driven. Long-term relationships are based more on a non-business relationship, which you can

manage from a personal perspective, by drinking beers with people, golfing and taking them to games.”

“I do not search LinkedIn like I do Facebook and Twitter [Inc./TWTR]. My job as a regional sales director is not to find

leads, but I know that my team is linking into my connections because they are looking to see if I can introduce them

to people.”

Potential Pitfalls

“I have not received any negative feedback from LinkedIn members when I contact them.”

“Pretty much everybody is receptive to being contacted via LinkedIn, but whether or not they will respond is another

question.”

8. Senior sales director for an IT services company

This source uses a paid LinkedIn account for background information on executives and potential customers, but his

sales team does not find leads through the site. His request for funding to subscribe to Sales Navigator was not

approved. He has not received any negative feedback from people he has tried to connect with on LinkedIn, but an

increase in sales organizations using the site for soliciting could prompt some users to drop off.

Sales Navigator

“Several members of our sales team, me included, pay for the premium [LinkedIn] service. We tried to budget for

Sales Navigator, but it was never approved.”

“The way we look at LinkedIn as far as using it as a sales tool for some of

our largest prospects, it would only be a handful of people who might use

Sales Navigator. We are always looking at different tools.”


“I am using LinkedIn to do research on executives, decision makers and

customer prospects who have between 100 and 150 employees. We do not

find leads on LinkedIn.”

“For people where we already have business relationships, we contact them

via phone or email. We also use LinkedIn with them, and we look to LinkedIn

to connect with other people in their organization.”

“People are very receptive to being contacted via LinkedIn, but are not very

receptive if they do not know you. If there is some sort of sixth degree of

separation, yes, they are receptive.”

“If you do not know the person, LinkedIn has a higher reception than other methods because people do not think

they will be sold to.”

“If we are in a sales organization, the last thing [a potential connection] wants to do is feel like they are being sold to.

But with direct contact, they are trying to avoid a sales call.”

Potential Pitfalls

“I have not received negative feedback from LinkedIn members in years.”

“I do not think LinkedIn users are removing their profiles and stopping using the site after being contacted by sales

organizations. But if more sales organizations start to abuse it, then people may start to drop off.”

“Coming from the other side, when people link in with me, I look to see who I know, and I have been burned a few

times.”

“If they are sending a message, that is one thing. But what I do not like is when someone links in under the guise

that they know someone who knows me.”

“LinkedIn is on the threshold of overuse and abuse getting out of hand.”

I am using LinkedIn to do

research on executives,

decision makers and customer

prospects who have between

100 and 150 employees. We

do not find leads on LinkedIn.

Senior Sales Director

IT Services Company


10

LinkedIn Corp.

2) Small Business and Individual Sales Professionals None of these nine sources subscribes to Sales Navigator. One source used the previous version but did not find it helpful

enough to continue. Seven said the tools available with a free LinkedIn account are helpful to sales efforts, but two of these

said they would consider subscribing to Sales Navigator when more ROI details are available. The remaining two sources said

the $100/month cost is too high. Five sources think LinkedIn users are fine with sales-related contacts through the site, and

none believes an increase in such solicitations would prompt people to remove their profiles.


- None of 9 sources subscribes to Sales Navigator.

- 1 subscribed to the previous version but did not find it worthwhile.

- 2 said they would consider subscribing to Sales Navigator.

- 2 said the service is too expensive.

- 4 were not familiar with Sales Navigator.


- 9 use LinkedIn extensively for networking, researching competitors and other functions.

- 7 said the tools available for free on LinkedIn are helpful to their work.

Potential Pitfalls

- 6 think LinkedIn users are open to being contacted.

- No source was concerned that a rise of sales pitches would cause LinkedIn users to leave the site.

1. Business sales manager at an upscale Virginia hotel

This source used the original version of Sales Navigator for a year, but did not find it worthwhile enough to continue.

LinkedIn has not contacted him about the new Sales Navigator, but he does not

believe his company would pay the higher fee for the revamped version. He uses

a free LinkedIn account to make connections with business associations that

may require meeting space and accommodations at his hotel.

Sales Navigator

“I used the old Sales Navigator for about a year, but it wasn’t really helpful

to what I do. I’m trying to connect with people and build a relationship so

when they need meeting space, they’ll think of me. I can use LinkedIn for

that, and it doesn’t cost anything.”

“I don’t think corporate is interested in buying the new service. We tried it

and it was OK. Now it’s almost twice the price.”

“I don’t need Sales Navigator to find new clients. The basic LinkedIn works

just as well for what I need to do.”


“I use LinkedIn as a supplement to my other lead strategies. It’s more of a

long-term thing—making connections with people in business and trade

associations whose work would bring them to the [area].”

“I still rely on a lot of phone contact.”

“Business networking online is a very good way to build contacts, but in my

work sometimes you have to go ‘old school’ in finding leads. We do a lot of

wedding receptions and family events, so for these I turn to the Sunday

paper to look at the engagement announcements.”

“LinkedIn works for B2B. It’s great for networking, for building those long-

term relationships.”

I used the old Sales Navigator

for about a year, but it wasn’t

really helpful to what I do. I’m

trying to connect with people

and build a relationship so

when they need meeting space,

they’ll think of me. I can use

LinkedIn for that, and it doesn’t

cost anything.

I don’t think people object to

getting email on LinkedIn if it’s

the right connection, if you

have something to offer that

benefits the other person or

helps their business.

Business Sales Manager

Upscale Virginia Hotel


11

LinkedIn Corp.

Potential Pitfalls

“There’s that balance between contacting a prospect for business to help fill a need versus sending them constant

emails and following up with calls, which nobody wants. You don’t want to alienate anyone. Word gets around fast.”

“I don’t think people object to getting email on LinkedIn if it’s the right connection, if you have something to offer that

benefits the other person or helps their business.”

“I don’t get too many solicitations on LinkedIn. Usually it’s pretty obvious who’s trying to sell something when you get

a connection request outside your network. If it interests me, I’ll connect. If not, I just delete it.”

2. Founder and president of an IT consulting firm

This source was not familiar with Sales Navigator but said he would consider paying $1,200 per year for the service if it

allowed him to reach more people outside of his network. He already pays $500 per year for a premium LinkedIn

subscription. He uses LinkedIn extensively to connect with people and research competitors but has not found it to be a

good resource for lead generation.

Sales Navigator

“I have not subscribed to Sales Navigator. I am looking at their page right now, but I have not had a chance to review

it.”

“For a company, $1,200 per subscriber per year is a reasonable amount.”

“I definitely would use Sales Navigator. I am paying $500 a year [for a LinkedIn subscription] so if I can get an

enterprise service, I would easily pay $1,200. The price is right. It does not break the bank.”

“[Sales Navigator could be successful] just for the simple fact that you will have access to most of the members.

Now, you can only get information about your network, but in this program it unlocks the network and you can find

someone regardless of your network. There are cases when I want to see someone, but they are four levels away

from me and I do not get anything. If I can get that, I will pay for it.”

“Salespeople are reluctant to share their networks and contacts with other

team members. They are very careful with that information. They want to

protect their territory.”


“We have used LinkedIn extensively and pay for one of their premium

services, and we paid for an advertisement on LinkedIn. I go on LinkedIn on

a daily basis, and I do a lot of research on LinkedIn.”

“My company did not really benefit from LinkedIn’s enterprise offering. We

found it difficult to identify the return on investment. We spent about

$3,000 with them earlier this year.”

“I paid for it because it precluded other companies from advertising on my

company’s LinkedIn page. … There were other benefits, but that was the

one that I cared about the most. The issue is that it was hard to quantify the

benefits. We didn’t notice an increase on candidates or leads.”

“I use LinkedIn in multiple ways. I get email every day at the end of the day

with the LinkedIn profiles of all the people that I met. LinkedIn is connected to my calendar, and it tells me the

people that I met. … Then all I have to do is click on that ‘connect’ link and can add them to my network. It is a very

convenient feature.”

“I do spend a lot of time on LinkedIn, and I pay them every month. LinkedIn is in the right space: the social space

and the technology space. LinkedIn provides you with the opportunity to say, ‘Hey, we know someone in common.’”

“I do some competitive research on LinkedIn. I look at my competitors and see what they are doing. And I always look

for information on the people that I want to pursue.”

“For getting new clients, I use it but not as much as I should. But that is not LinkedIn’s fault.”

“I have not been very successful finding leads on LinkedIn, but it is an effective tool to maintain relationships with

customers. LinkedIn helps me with that initial step, and whenever I have to meet with someone, I make sure I know

who are they are.”

“The two big sources of referrals or leads for me are the [International Association for Microsoft] Channel Partners—

Microsoft is responsible for a lot of the leads I get—or through referrals [from customers].”

I definitely would use Sales

Navigator. I am paying $500 a

year [for a LinkedIn

subscription] so if I can get an

enterprise service, I would

easily pay $1,200. The price is

right. It does not break the

bank.

Founder & President

IT Consulting Firm

http://www.iamcp.org/


12

LinkedIn Corp.

“I have four people on my sales team, and they use different tactics to gain business.”

“It is not very common to have conversations via LinkedIn.”

“What I notice is that many people do not check LinkedIn on a frequent

basis.”

“If you use Facebook, they reply almost immediately, even for business. My

team knows that when they have something urgent and I do not answer the

phone because I am on a conference call, they can find me on Facebook.”

“If you compare this to, let’s say, cold calling, it is better to use LinkedIn. If I

have to use email, like a cold email, I will use LinkedIn. But if I have to

choose between Facebook and LinkedIn, I would choose Facebook. If one

of my friends is a client company and if he is on Facebook, I will use

Facebook every single day.”

“LinkedIn is well suited for anything in the business-to-business space in terms of sales generation—manufacturing,

or insurance or healthcare. LinkedIn is better for business-to-business than business-to-consumer.”

“The retail industry or maybe real estate is not going to benefit from LinkedIn—anything that is more on the

consumer side.”

Potential Pitfalls

“I have not received any negative feedback from LinkedIn members when I contact them.”

“I do not think LinkedIn as a sales tool is causing people to remove their profiles or leave the site. Everybody

recognizes the value and is willing to get a few emails that might not be wanted. I do not think it is a problem. It is

nowhere near the issues we have with email. There is so much advertisement not wanted by the recipient.”

“I have not seen abuse on LinkedIn, so I will say they do not have to do anything right now.”

3. Sales representative with a commercial audio equipment and installation company

This source received email solicitations for Sales Navigator from LinkedIn and viewed the demo, but ultimately was put

off by the price. He pays $180 a month for SalesGenie for lead generation but uses a free LinkedIn account to promote

his work and connect with potential customers in a narrow geographic region. Prospects have not raised objections to

being contacted via LinkedIn’s InMail, but he vets potential customers carefully.

Sales Navigator

“I got an email [from LinkedIn] about Sales Navigator, but I didn’t bother once I found out the cost. I think it’s really

geared toward big companies with large sales teams.”

“The only way I would consider it is if the price came in line with what I could afford or there was a clear value

proposition. For that kind of money, I’d want to feel confident about a return on my investment.”


“I’ve gotten my connections to the point where I can ask someone to make

an introduction for me so I can connect with a new sales prospect. People

are usually OK with that.”

“The search function is not that great. Even when you are very specific, it

still returns a lot of general results.”

“I use SalesGenie for leads. They wanted $200 a month, but we haggled a

bit and they came back with $180 a month. It’s good because I didn’t have

to sign up for a year. I can buy a list when I need to. The leads are strong.”

“LinkedIn is pretty good for B2B sales. I can’t imagine going after individual

consumers on LinkedIn. Maybe if you were selling luxury goods, big-ticket

merchandise, but even then I would go a different route—probably Google

[Inc.’s/GOOG/GOOGL] AdWords.”

Potential Pitfalls

“I don’t get more sales pitches [on LinkedIn] than I am comfortable deleting. It’s actually helpful to read a pitch and

see if it’s strong, if it’s well written. Maybe I can learn something and use it myself.”

“I’m careful with who I approach on LinkedIn. There’s no point in connecting with a prospect who doesn’t need what I

have to offer.”

I have not been very successful

finding leads on LinkedIn, but it

is an effective tool to maintain

relationships with customers.

Founder & President

IT Consulting Firm

I got an email [from LinkedIn]

about Sales Navigator, but I

didn’t bother once I found out

the cost. I think it’s really

geared toward big companies

with large sales teams.

Sales Representative

Commercial Audio Equipment &

Installation Company

http://www.google.com/adwords/?sourceid=awo&subid=ww-ns-g-awhp_nelsontest3_nel_p&clickid


13

LinkedIn Corp.

4. Regional sales executive for a software company focused on business expense tracking

This source’s company does not subscribe to Sales Navigator, choosing instead to pay for several database services for

sales leads, including one run by Salesforce.com. He would not rule out Sales Navigator if LinkedIn can provide

compelling ROI details, but the cost strikes him as high. He uses a free LinkedIn account to cultivate business

relationships, which often leads to introductions. LinkedIn offers B2B benefits but has no value for B2C.

Sales Navigator

“We’re not using Sales Navigator. That’s not to say we won’t, but we would need to see more details on the ROI of

the service. It’s pricey compared to some of the databases we use like [Salesforce.com’s] Data.com.”

“I got an email from LinkedIn about Sales Navigator. I skimmed over the

features.”

“There doesn’t seem to be any discount, not even if you buy multiple

licenses.”


“I have a free LinkedIn account that I use to make business connections.”

“I’ve used the search function to look for sales leads, but we already

subscribe to several databases that are working well for us.”

“The tools on LinkedIn mainly help B2B. There’s no real way to manage

business-to-consumer relationships except in a very general way, like

posting company news.”

Potential Pitfalls

“Anyone who would abuse LinkedIn by carpet-bombing sales leads is

probably not going to last very long in sales.”

“I don’t mind being contacted by people out of my network if they have

something interesting to offer. You can tell right away if it’s just some

random sales pitch from somebody who’s saturating the site with messages.

Some people probably report it as abuse [to LinkedIn]. I just delete the message and move on.”

“The only things I noticed about Sales Navigator that might be designed to control abuse are the limits on the

number of InMails you can send per month and the number of profiles out of your network you can view [monthly].

It’s like 25 each, and that’s not a lot for the price they are asking.”

5. Senior sales manager for an architectural signage and branding firm

LinkedIn has contacted this source many times about Sales Navigator, but he is not a subscriber. He uses LinkedIn as a

research tool for projects and companies and to keep up with fellow colleagues, but not to generate leads. He thinks

LinkedIn is best suited for service-oriented industries. People are more receptive to being contacted by phone or email

than through LinkedIn, though he has never received negative feedback after contacting someone on the site.

Sales Navigator

“I am not subscribing to Sales Navigator.”

“LinkedIn has contacted me about using Sales Navigator, [offering their] 30-

day free trial. All the time.”

“I am the only national salesperson in the company so I do not need to share

info.”


“I use LinkedIn for research into projects and companies that design

projects in my field. I also use it to keep up with folks after job or company

changes, etc.”

“I have never really gotten project leads from LinkedIn, perhaps due to the

nature of my business, but do use it for finding people. It helps maintain

relationships but I have never closed a deal using LinkedIn that I know of.”

We’re not using Sales

Navigator. That’s not to say we

won’t, but we would need to

see more details on the ROI of

the service. It’s pricey

compared to some of the

databases we use like

Data.com.

Regional Sales Executive, Software

Company Focused on Business

Expense Tracking

I use LinkedIn for research into

projects and companies that

design projects in my field. I

also use it to keep up with folks

after job or company changes,

etc.

Senior Sales Manager

Architectural Signage & Branding Firm


14

LinkedIn Corp.

“We use [McGraw Hill Financial Inc.’s/MHFI] Dodge construction data reporting. It is considerably more expensive

than LinkedIn, but gives us information on construction projects much earlier than they would show up on LinkedIn.”

“LinkedIn can be a useful tool in most industries, but service-oriented businesses may benefit a little more.”

Potential Pitfalls

“People are less receptive to being contacted via LinkedIn than a more personal approach, such as direct email or

phone.”

“I have not gotten any negative feedback from LinkedIn members when I contact them.”

“Perhaps [too many sales pitches on LinkedIn could turn users off] but to a small extent from what I have seen.”

6. Sales manager for a provider of real estate marketing solutions

This source does not pay for a premium LinkedIn subscription and was unfamiliar with Sales Navigator. He uses LinkedIn

daily to research leads and network with his business contacts. He said the site provides him with helpful information

and allows for easy contact with customers. His company has used Salesforce.com for about six years.

Sales Navigator

“I am not subscribing to Sales Navigator.”

“I am not really familiar with Sales Navigator. I am not aware of being

contacted about it.”

“We have been using Salesforce.com for about six or seven years.”


“I use LinkedIn daily to research leads/contacts, network with business

contacts and associates, and to host my profile/resume.”

“LinkedIn is an effective tool for me in my sales efforts. I do not necessarily

use it to close deals, but it arms me with information that helps. It also aids

me in keeping in contact with some of my customers.”

“We receive lists of contacts/leads from real estate franchise organizations.

Our websites are lead generation avenues, and we purchase some lists.”

“I do not have a paid subscription for LinkedIn, so I cannot beat the cost. I

do find LinkedIn very valuable in researching more detailed information about prospects.”

“I am very careful in who I reach out to via LinkedIn. I do not typically use LinkedIn as my first method of contact. I

will research using LinkedIn and Google, usually calling individuals first, then using email and LinkedIn for follow-up.”

Potential Pitfalls

“I have not experienced [people removing their profiles from LinkedIn after being contacted by salespeople].”

“I am not aware of any problems of overuse/abuse on LinkedIn.”

7. Consultant and former sales manager in the building supply industry

This source does not subscribe to Sales Navigator and has no desire to do so. He views LinkedIn as a way to increase

connections and currently is using the site to find a new job. LinkedIn is best for recruiters but ill suited to consumer

sales. Most people are receptive to being contacted via LinkedIn, especially if they are in the same industry.

Sales Navigator

“I do not subscribe to Sales Navigator.”

“I have no interest at this point in using Sales Navigator.”

“I do not think salespeople are reluctant to share their networks/contacts with other team members.”


“LinkedIn is a great way to expand your contact list.”

“In terms of other lead generation tools, I pay for none.”

“At this time, I am using LinkedIn to find a position with a company.”

“LinkedIn is best suited for someone like myself [in the building materials and HVAC industry], but I think the best

use is for recruiters.”

I do not have a paid

subscription for LinkedIn, so I

cannot beat the cost. I do find

LinkedIn very valuable in

researching more detailed

information about prospects.

Sales Manager, Real Estate Marketing

Solutions Provider

http://construction.com/dodge/


15

LinkedIn Corp.

“LinkedIn is poorly suited for someone selling items to end users.”

Potential Pitfalls

“Most people are very receptive to being contacted via LinkedIn, as long as you are in the same industry.”

“I have not received negative feedback from LinkedIn members after contacting them.”

“I do not think that LinkedIn as a sales tool is causing people to remove their profiles from LinkedIn or to stop using

the site.”

8. Top sales executive for a material supplier to the mattress industry

This 25-year sales veteran finds LinkedIn invasive and time-consuming. He has never used the site for finding leads and

is not interested in Sales Navigator, though he said it could be helpful for people “new to an industry.” He gets all the

contact information that he needs from an industry association membership list and through the use of Standard

Industrial Classification (SIC) codes.

Sales Navigator

“I would think it could be very helpful to somebody who is new to an industry.”


“I’m probably an outlier in the sales world when it comes to LinkedIn. When I first did my profile, I got a ton of

messages and inquiries and it was just too much. It’s not something I’ve thoroughly investigated. I just know I don’t

have time for it.”

“I don’t like the fact that you can see who is looking at your profile and they can see if you looked at theirs.”

“I don’t really need to know this and don’t really want other people to know what I’m looking at. I don’t want other

people knowing what I’m doing. It’s partly competitive. The little I do know about LinkedIn is that it offers too much

information.”

“[I have never searched for a sales lead] on LinkedIn. I’ve never really thought about using LinkedIn that way.”

“There’s a lot of sources for lead generation [in our industry]. The International Sleep Products Association [ISPA]

membership list really provides you with anyone and everyone that’s involved in the industry, and they’re separated

by manufacturers and everything else. There’s no need for me to go to LinkedIn and put the word ‘mattress’ into the

search box.”

“Every day I get these emails for lead generation services, but that’s all stuff that’s based on SIC codes that are

readily available for free in any industry. That’s something we’ve been doing for 25 years. The paid-for membership

[at ISPA] is a nice tool that I probably use once or twice a year. Other than that, the major players are readily

available.”

“We have a little bit of overlap [among different sales reps at the company], but it’s infrequent. We respect each

other’s territorial boundaries.”

Potential Pitfalls

N/A

9. Business development executive and owner of a small business consulting firm

This source views LinkedIn as better suited for recruiting and job hunting than lead generation, but said the site can help

sales professionals connect with decision makers. Trying to monetize its strengths through Sales Navigator is a smart

move for LinkedIn. He dislikes having no way to contact LinkedIn when he is having technical issues, even though he

pays for a premium subscription.

Sales Navigator

“I am not familiar with Sales Navigator. This is the first time I’ve heard of it.”

“LinkedIn made their bread and butter on premium subscriptions at first, and then started raking in some revenue

from selling into the employment agencies and staffing companies. Now [Sales Navigator sounds like] a new

revenue stream for the company, and it is quite brilliant. LinkedIn now has multiple revenue streams and market

share, and they are the 800-pound gorilla.”


http://www.sba.gov/content/what-standard-industrial-classification-sic-code

http://www.sba.gov/content/what-standard-industrial-classification-sic-code


16

LinkedIn Corp.

“LinkedIn is a must for both sales and recruiting. When I was directing sales teams, I used LinkedIn steadily for

recruiting people and finding good talent. And then as a recruiter overall, it is the same aspect: LinkedIn is crucial,

critical.”

“I do not consider LinkedIn a lead generator at all. I consider it a platform that people have access to, to market

themselves, and a platform for people who are looking for talent.”

“I do use it for prospecting.”

“LinkedIn is a way to connect with the decision maker.”

“LinkedIn is not an effective tool for closing deals. It is more of an

introductory site than it is a way to maintain an ongoing relationship or as a

means of closing deals.”

“LinkedIn is probably best suited for human resources. I never consider it

lead generation.”

“LinkedIn is better for business-to-business versus business-to-consumer.”

“I find people to be very receptive to being contacted via LinkedIn. You can

see the person’s skills and experience and be more comfortable when

connecting with them or networking with them.”

Potential Pitfalls

“LinkedIn as a sales tool is not causing people to remove their profiles or

stop using the site, that I am aware of. It is not like Facebook Messenger.”

“LinkedIn is doing enough to control abuse. I do not really have any experience to suggest that they are not.”

“I was having some problems sharing some content into the LinkedIn groups I belong to. I was getting frustrated

because it is a long process for the user to put together content to share with groups, and it was not working. I kept

trying and it would say ‘Not able to perform function, please try again later.’ … I went to Google and put in the

problem, and it sent me back into LinkedIn with a community where people have had the same problem, and I saw

there were three or four people that were coming across as experts. I was frustrated enough to put in a comment.”

“For a publicly traded company, I find it unacceptable that I have to rely on other members of a subscription-based

service to give me a solution. You cannot call LinkedIn. There is no phone number for you to call LinkedIn.”

3) Industry Specialists Four of five sources with insight into the sales profession think Sales Navigator has great potential to help salespeople find

leads and to provide a good return. Two of the five consider Sales Navigator to be expensive. One source said he has heard

good feedback from people using Sales Navigator, while two others expressed surprise that they had not heard of anyone

using the service. Two said maintaining a LinkedIn profile is too important for anyone to leave the site. One source was

confident LinkedIn will prevent salespeople from abusing the site through too many unwanted solicitations.


- 4 of 5 sources think Sales Navigator has significant potential.

- 2 consider the service expensive.

- 2 have not heard of anyone using Sales Navigator.

- 1 has heard good feedback from those using the service.


- 4 said LinkedIn is a great resource for salespeople to find leads.

Potential Pitfalls

- 2 said LinkedIn users will not leave the site even if it becomes more sales-oriented.

- 1 thinks LinkedIn does a good job preventing overuse by salespeople.

I find people to be very

receptive to being contacted

via LinkedIn. You can see the

person’s skills and experience

and be more comfortable when

connecting with them or

networking with them.

Business Development Executive &

Owner of a Small Business Consulting

Firm

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/08/08/facebook-messenger-privacy-fears-heres-what-you-need-to-know/


17

LinkedIn Corp.

1. Barbara Geraghty, president of the sales training firm Visionary Selling

LinkedIn is a fantastic sales instrument with just its free tools, so the company will need to provide strong proof that

Sales Navigator is a worthwhile investment. Ms. Geraghty regularly meets with salespeople and said no one has ever

asked about Sales Navigator. Still, the potential for such a product is significant, as LinkedIn allows for quick

communication and is much less labor-intensive than standard sales methods. She does not think users can afford to

flee the site.

Sales Navigator

“I have not used Sales Navigator, nor have I heard any buzz in the field about it.”

“I interact with salespeople all the time, but nobody has even asked me what I think about Sales Navigator—and they

ask me what I think about everything. I cannot remember one time that somebody asked, ‘What about Sales

Navigator?’ That means it is not a good product or LinkedIn has not introduced it properly.”

“I looked over what Sales Navigator did, and nothing really grabbed me as far as a killer app for my business.”

“Sales Navigator is cost-prohibitive.”

“Salespeople … are willing to invest to get a return. It is part of our DNA. …

But already LinkedIn has so many free tools for salespeople. If [Sales

Navigator] can make my job easier and make me more effective, that would

have to be proven.”

“I have been raving about LinkedIn, but I do have some complaints. I do not

think they are really connected. They do not really understand what their

market is, how people use them and how people could use them better.

LinkedIn does not have a clue why people use them.”

“I am a premium member, and I spend $40 a month. LinkedIn is so

important to my business, and it is almost a matter of honor that I spend

$40 a month. But when I went from regular to premium, I did not get much

of an increase in value at all. I see a basic disconnect. They need to bring

some top-end leadership and product development salespeople.”

“LinkedIn is sitting on a gold mine. This is the best thing that has happened in a long, long time to the sales

profession, and I do not think they really understand it. They are not as connected as they should be.”

“LinkedIn needs to get to a revenue model. I want them to because I do not want them to go anywhere. My business

is based on it, so I definitely think that Sales Navigator is a good name. But it is pricey and has not been marketed

correctly so far. Those are things that can be fixed.”

“If LinkedIn realizes from top to bottom that they are a sales machine and that their best application is to be an

engine for better sales results, that is where the money is. LinkedIn might have started out as a recruiting tool. They

may still do that, but they need to revisit every single decision and every single way that they brand themselves and

market themselves and that they are a sales enablement tool for salespeople.”


“I have never used LinkedIn as a recruiting tool—only as a sales tool—and it is the greatest sales tool that has come

along in decades.”

“There is a whole sales process. Most Fortune 1000 corporations have sales methodology, which might be three,

five, seven, nine steps, but the steps tend to be the same and always the first step is discovery.”

“All of this can be done on LinkedIn, and the entire discovery process is so much easier and efficient and effective. It

is a quantum leap in the discovery process—identifying a company and exploring that company’s challenges and

initiatives in enough depth that you believe your product or service would be of value to them. I do not think LinkedIn

is the only tool for that, but it provides preliminary information quickly.”

“You want to stay on customers’ radar screens and position yourself as being an influential thought leader in

whatever your field is. LinkedIn is good for all of that, but it is especially great for the discovery process and making a

connection. Then more strategic selling skills take over, where you have one-on-one relationships.”

“Salespeople who rely too much on LinkedIn or email or other electronic methods of communication miss the boat if

they stay at that level of communication versus taking it to the next level.”

“Within my target market, people are very receptive to being contacted via LinkedIn. It has become a cornerstone of

networking, of idea generation, of staying informed.”

I interact with salespeople all

the time, but nobody has even

asked me what I think about

Sales Navigator. … That means

it is not a good product or

LinkedIn has not introduced it

properly.

President, Sales Training Firm

http://www.visionaryselling.net/


18

LinkedIn Corp.

“In terms of effectiveness, it is about the same as what those other methods used to be in their prime. I keep a

running tally of my hit rate and always ask in every sales training course I do, ‘What is working for you? How do you

get through to people?’ I have been in sales my entire 30 years working; all along, if one out of your 10 phone calls

or emails or, now, LinkedIn connections allows you to land something, that is considered to be pretty much

customary in sales.”

“LinkedIn is working exactly the same as calls worked in the 1990s and how emails have worked. But you can move

faster. I can send 10 LinkedIn messages more quickly than I can make 10 phone calls, and you know the person is

getting it and it breaks through the clutter.”

“LinkedIn has huge data about my business. I work in data and data mining

and understand what can be done; if they are capturing my mouse clicks,

they know how I operate more than I do.”

Potential Pitfalls

“I do not think LinkedIn as a sales tool is causing people to remove their

profiles or stop using the site. Most people realize that would be career

suicide.”

“I do not think people would leave LinkedIn. There are very few people these

days that do not have a LinkedIn profile—even CEOs. It is crazy to cut

yourself off like that.”

“LinkedIn is user-friendly, but I do not think they are sales-friendly. I feel like

I am bucking up against the people who created it and run it. I use LinkedIn

to my benefit, which is kind of against what they think it is for.”

“What is LinkedIn and who are their customers? If the site is a sales tool,

they should have no problem with users contacting 100 people a day, and

that would not be abuse.”

2. President of a sales strategy firm

This source has heard good feedback about Sales Navigator and thinks it could be a successful product, but it will be

hindered by its cost and the competitive nature of sales teams. Sales Navigator is better suited for midsize or larger

companies. LinkedIn can be a great sales tool, and he expects it to replace some other lead generation services. The site

does a good job protecting data and monitoring abuse.

Sales Navigator

“Sales Navigator is an excellent tool. It gives you a lot of back-end insight into people’s profiles and into slicing and

dicing the data.”

“I do not have Sales Navigator, but I have used it with a client. I have the paid version of LinkedIn.”

“Sales Navigator for a small consulting company does not make sense. It makes sense for any organization that has

five or 10 salespeople or more.”

“I know General Electric is a Sales Navigator client, along with Forrester, IBM, Pfizer and Guardian. It gets

complicated when you get into pharmaceuticals or healthcare or financial services, trying to figure out what you can

do on Sales Navigator.”

“What is the market LinkedIn is going after? They want the small to mid-player, and they also want 100-, 500-,

1,500-employee companies.”

“I believe in teamwork and collaboration, so I am the total opposite. I want sales reps to help other sales reps, and in

good sales organizations that is what they do. But that is not the norm in business; everyone is out for themselves.”

“Sales Navigator is not getting the impact it should, and I believe the reason for that is because of the culture and

environment we have in organizations in general, and because of competitive markets. I know that has been some of

LinkedIn’s challenges. I know someone who works in LinkedIn sales who is beating his quota. I know the tool is

working, but it should be working better. But the key is you need to change culture and environment and you need to

change incentive systems.”

“At $1,200 per subscriber, the price is high. The challenge is, if you buy Salesforce.com, then you buy InsideView and

then buy LinkedIn, all of a sudden you are spending $300 to $500 per person a month.”

LinkedIn is working exactly the

same as calls worked in the

1990s and how emails have

worked. But you can move

faster. I can send 10 LinkedIn

messages more quickly than I

can make 10 phone calls, and

you know the person is getting

it and it breaks through the

clutter.

President, Sales Training Firm

http://www.insideview.com/


19

LinkedIn Corp.

“The tools I am talking about complement LinkedIn. Most of your sales insight tools have a hook into LinkedIn. There

is competition between LinkedIn and InsideView, but LinkedIn has all the data that nobody else has.”

“[Sales Navigator is an essential tool for sales professionals] in larger organizations. It is essential for the midmarket

and decent-sized sales organizations. I do not believe it is essential for smaller organizations. You do not need

everything it has. I believe it because I am not a big proponent of a lot of the other lead generation tools.”

“I am hearing that Sales Navigator gets results.”

“I have not seen the most recent version of Sales Navigator, but knowing

LinkedIn and how well it researches, I am pretty confident that it will help

LinkedIn a lot. The company is very good at looking at who they are and

what they do.”


“A lot of people perceive LinkedIn as a recruiting tool, a getting-a-job tool,

and I have always found it to be a phenomenal sales tool. It has strength in

both directions. It is a great tool to make sales effective.”

“There are a lot of lead generation tools out there. I do not see them as the

same quality. LinkedIn is a tool to build relationships, and it is about giving

and sharing and is not about taking. I get turned off by the aggressive

people on LinkedIn. When someone gets aggressive, I kick them out of the

group and only let certain people in.”

“LinkedIn allows you to gather insight and information about people, about what is important to them and how they

think, and it helps in closing the deal. My thought process is, you help people buy, you have relationships with them,

and you can understand the value. I have figured out companies’ organizational structures on LinkedIn.”

“LinkedIn is a really good tool. By using tags, I can communicate and touch people regularly. I send individual articles

and information to people.”

“LinkedIn is best suited for manufacturing distribution, healthcare business-to-business, technology.”

“LinkedIn is poorly suited as a sales tool for professional services, government, education, accounting law, finance.

The supply chain people are fairly active on it.”

“I have been on the site for 11 years. I know most of those people. If you give people something of value, versus

trying to sell them, they will be receptive. That can be an article or a study.”

“I think LinkedIn will replace other lead generation tools. There is too much value you can get from it.”

Potential Pitfalls

“A lot of people are not as receptive as they should be because there are more takers and sellers on LinkedIn than

there should be.”

“LinkedIn is trying hard to remedy abuse. If you abuse LinkedIn, you can be kicked off LinkedIn for a while. They do

not want you spamming people. There is a policy. Do people get creative and work around the system? They sure do.

But I know from both professional and personal experience that LinkedIn is very concerned about your data.”

“I do not think LinkedIn as a sales tool is causing people to remove their profiles from the site. I cannot think of

anybody who has done that.”

“Salesforce is not user-friendly. LinkedIn has the same challenge; it does not flow as well as it should.”

3. Speaker, sales trainer and author on sales intelligence and lead generation

This source does not know of anyone who uses Sales Navigator despite his large network. He believes the tool could help

sales professionals in certain industries because of the number of high-level executives on LinkedIn and the accuracy of

its data. Sales Navigator faces a lot of competition, including Alertmix. LinkedIn is a powerful sales tool as long as sales

professionals are properly trained on how to navigate the site.

Sales Navigator

“I have never talked to anybody who has used Sales Navigator, because it is so new.”

“Sales Navigator is pretty cool. It is not as good as some other things like Alertmix, which is better. The nice thing

about Sales Navigator is it integrates everything and puts it in one spot. The larger the company you call, the better

Sales Navigator is. Calling on smaller companies, it will be a little less effective.”

“Sales Navigator sends you everything on everybody, whether you want it or not.”

At $1,200 per subscriber, the

price is high. The challenge is,

if you buy Salesforce.com, then

you buy InsideView and then

buy LinkedIn, all of a sudden

you are spending $300 to

$500 per person a month.

President, Sales Strategy Firm


20

LinkedIn Corp.

“It is easily worth the subscription cost depending on what you sell and who you sell to. Sales Navigator allows me to

stay in touch and know more about my prospects, and that information can help me close a deal. Then for sure Sales

Navigator is worth it if the average order size is $10,000.”

“But if your target audience is nursery school directors, then it is not worth it. It depends how complex the sale is,

how important it is, your price point of LinkedIn and the price point of your product.”

“In terms of Sales Navigator’s cost-versus-results measurement, that will differ for every company, every industry.

There is no major silver bullet; it is just another tool. CRM is a great tool; most people do not use it effectively. Sales

Navigator is an incredible tool. But have you been effectively trained on that tool?”

“Something like Sales Navigator is an essential tool, but it does not have to be Sales Navigator specifically.”

“Sales Navigator could potentially replace other lead generation tools. It is not easy to find a midlevel procurement

manager in a healthcare system, for example, so places where you might be able to purchase a list, you would have

to see where they are gathering their information from. Because LinkedIn is self-updated, and because a new person

adds a new LinkedIn profile every second of every day, those leads are

probably more accurate and probably are the ones you need anyhow.”

“If LinkedIn is successful at selling Sales Navigator at the enterprise level …

it could produce some significant revenue.”

“The midsize market will be hard to penetrate. … There is a perception—

and, to some degree, reality—that I could pay $1,200 a year [for Sales

Navigator], but I already get 80% of what Sales Navigator does for free

using other tools. LinkedIn has to overcome ‘free’ and overcome technology

overload.”

“Sales professionals already have [Rocket Science Group’s] MailChimp,

Marketo [Inc./MKTO], Salesforce.com. Sales Navigator is just another thing

I have to use. The thing is that LinkedIn has such great reach. Sales

Navigator could do pretty well, and it will not take a huge number of

licenses to start producing seven-figure or eight-figure revenue.”

“This is Sales Navigator 2.0. No one used [the original version]. … 2.0 has a

lot more features and … is more embedded. I have gotten trial usage and

used it in the past, and I certainly read a lot about it.”

“There are a lot of neat tricks that one can use for LinkedIn. I do not

subscribe to the premium program. That is why I think LinkedIn [offering] things like Sales Navigator—which is highly

targeted advertising—is smart on their side. There is a balancing act. Obviously they will have to make money since

they are a publicly traded company. But if LinkedIn would start charging me anything—even $20 a year—I would

probably stop using it.”

“They have done a really nice job of having a very powerful tool for free, and they are generating revenue wisely

through their advertising ability and by retargeting their advertising and adding tools like Sales Navigator. They are

doing a good job of having that balance, but they have to be careful and will face pressure.”

“My hunch is that 90% to 95% of users are using the free version, and LinkedIn will face continual pressure to

convert. Now you can no longer see your third-level connections. Now folks have to pay for that, and that ticked off a

lot of people. We might start seeing a mass exodus.”

“My hope is that the core version—what they have to today—will continue to stay free and LinkedIn will continually

introduce more powerful tools like Sales Navigator that allow them to charge a premium.”


“LinkedIn is an effective tool for sales professionals to find leads, but they have to be trained to do that. You cannot

just give them a LinkedIn account. Using LinkedIn effectively is pretty hard. It is a combination of understanding

complex queries and knowing how to use the tool effectively.”

“LinkedIn is a very powerful sales tool. … You can use LinkedIn to generate what I call ‘very warm referrals.’ Most

people ask for referrals from a position of weakness.”

“LinkedIn is not an effective tool to close deals.”

“LinkedIn is OK for maintaining relationships, but email is still more effective.”

“LinkedIn is best suited as a lead generation tool in business-to-business, particularly for manufacturing or

professional services. The more complex the sale, the more LinkedIn can be valuable.”

“Some business-to-consumer financial advisors, legal professionals and potentially real estate professionals could

all benefit from LinkedIn as well.”

Sales Navigator could

potentially replace other lead

generation tools. It is not easy

to find a midlevel procurement

manager in a healthcare

system, for example, so places

where you might be able to

purchase a list, you would have

to see where they are gathering

their information from.

Speaker, Sales Trainer & Author on

Sales Intelligence & Lead Generation

http://mailchimp.com/

http://www.marketo.com/


21

LinkedIn Corp.

“LinkedIn is poorly suited as a sales tool for retail, restaurants, hotels. If you are selling a business-to-business

product into the retail industry, then it would be beneficial, but if you run a boutique craft store, you probably will not

use LinkedIn to reach out to your customers.”

“In today’s world, the likelihood that someone will Google your name is high, and you can also leverage LinkedIn as a

personal branding tool to promote your expertise.”

“There are 300 million people globally with LinkedIn profiles. How many are active, meaning someone keeps their

stuff updated and the profile actually has some valuable info in it? About 80%.”

“The last statistic I read is that only 28% of C-Level executives have LinkedIn profiles, and based on my experience in

working with tens of thousands of C-Level executives a year, that is probably an accurate number.”

“If I were in a room of 1,000 CEOs and asked how many have a LinkedIn profile, 400 would raise their hands. How

many have a Facebook account? Less than that. Twitter account? I would be

shocked if 20 raise their hands. So even though one-third of C-Level

executives have a LinkedIn profile, it is the social media of choice. And

‘social media’—the name implies that there is a social interaction and that

there is communication.”

“Other than C-Level executives, most vice presidents and managers and

directors at most companies in the United States probably have a LinkedIn

profile.”

“The big thing is LinkedIn is accurate. You can certainly buy lists on just

about anything and that will probably cover more people than LinkedIn, but

LinkedIn may have more accurate data.”

“Other lead generation tools will have contact information. LinkedIn only

allows you to have contact info if you are connected with that individual.”

“People are pretty receptive to being contacted via LinkedIn, especially if

there is a relationship. If there is not a relationship, most executives ignore

that request. Some people think it is a game, but in general if it is a loose relationship, you probably will not accept

an invitation from an individual. That is why when you are trying to connect with someone, it is really important that

you customize that message—and most people do not.”

“People are probably most receptive on LinkedIn [compared to other contact methods]. If you are connected with

somebody on LinkedIn, I find they return your messages more often than on email. But for the client relationship,

where they are already paying you money, email will be better for a prospecting request for referral.”

Potential Pitfalls

“I have not heard that people are removing profiles from LinkedIn or stopping using the site due to sales contacts. I

speak to tens of thousands of people a year and I have not heard that before. You have to be on LinkedIn.”

“In terms of a spam tool, LinkedIn is probably better than Facebook, Twitter and those types of things. Let’s say I

sent you an invitation; you did not know me and you clicked ‘ignore.’ It only takes two or three of those ignores where

people note that they do not know this person. If I sent those invitations and two or three are reported, LinkedIn

would block me from being able to invite other people into my network. You have to be careful. LinkedIn has done a

pretty good job. But from what I have heard, those regulations have loosened a lot.”

“LinkedIn groups are still ripe for abuse. … Groups get pretty heavily monitored. Managers will say if people post

spam one more time they will kick them out of the group. But groups have become less effective.”

4. Social media marketing consultant

The advanced search filters available with a LinkedIn premium subscription are a great resource for salespeople to find

and connect with potential customers, but LinkedIn has done a poor job articulating how effective the site can be for lead

generation. Because companies invest so much more money in sales efforts than human resources, Sales Navigator

easily could become a money generator for LinkedIn. The source is not concerned about people getting overloaded with

sales pitches.

Sales Navigator

The big thing is LinkedIn is

accurate. You can certainly buy

lists on just about anything and

that will probably cover more

people than LinkedIn, but

LinkedIn may have more

accurate data.

Speaker, Sales Trainer & Author on

Sales Intelligence & Lead Generation


22

LinkedIn Corp.

“Look at any company, look at how much they spend on the HR department versus how much they spend on the

sales department. Look at how much money is in the CRM market. I would consider [Sales Navigator] part of that

[market] because it’s really about finding and managing customers.”

“I use the Business Executive version of the [LinkedIn premium subscriptions]. I didn’t try the old version of Sales

Navigator because I didn’t see anything in it that made me want to switch. It’s the same price, and [the old version

of] Sales Navigator basically does the same thing. They say you get Lead Builder with Sales Navigator. Well, Lead

Builder is just Saved Search. Why bother changing [subscriptions]?”

“They’ve got a couple of things in the new version [of Sales Navigator] that look interesting, so I’m wondering if

they’re finally going to start building something that is worthwhile for salespeople.”

“I’m skeptical when they say [the new Sales Navigator] is going to suggest leads to you. That sounds a lot like [the

existing] ‘People You May Know’ function, which is something that shows up in the screen for any LinkedIn user.”

“Any industry that has a huge number of customers [will be a good fit for targeting through LinkedIn]. I’ve got friends

in the telecom industry and they’re selling to the telecoms. How many telecom providers are there in America? Six?

Eight? I don’t need LinkedIn to know Verizon is out there. But if you’re going after medical device manufacturers,

there may be 300 or 500 of those in North America.”


“LinkedIn works terrifically as a tool for finding prospective customers and

for initiating contact with them in an inoffensive way that improves the

chances they’ll respond. It’s also a great way for keeping in touch with

customers.”

“LinkedIn does a very poor job of showing people how they can use it. They

just talk about ‘social selling’ and saying you get introductions and InMails,

but people don’t understand how they can use those and how good they

can be.”

“The primary thing I use the premium subscription for is that I use the

advanced search utility every day, and I have for several years. I use it for

finding salespeople for my clients, for scoping out the competition for my

clients, for helping them find prospects to sell to.”

“With the additional filters that you get with a premium subscription, you

can find people more quickly, and with the additional number of results you see after a search, you get a broader

range of people to look at. With the really exotic subscriptions, like the $100-per-month one, you can see full profiles

for everybody. It’s something that’s going to save an awful lot of time and let salespeople hone in on the right people

very quickly in their research. This is something that LinkedIn doesn’t do a good job of getting across.”

“The possibility of someone responding to an approach by a stranger on LinkedIn is directly proportional to the

number of connections they have, which also equates to how much they get and appreciate networking. If I send an

InMail to someone who has 30 connections, the chances of them seeing it in the next two weeks is almost zero. He

doesn’t use LinkedIn; he doesn’t get LinkedIn. However, if another person has 500-plus connections, I know I will

probably get a response within 24 hours. He gets networking and uses LinkedIn a lot.”

“Using LinkedIn [to reach out to sales leads] is like using email in that there’s a learning curve of what to do and

what not to do. People have learned that you can’t just send an email to a stranger and ask them to buy from you.

There’s a whole dance you have to do to get their interest first. LinkedIn is just a different flavor of ice cream.”

“I did an experiment recently where I sent 32 InMails to people with basically a sales pitch. I got zero replies. Then I

sent 40 messages to people with a very soft pitch that basically said maybe we should connect because there might

be a basis for us to work together in a mutually beneficial way. It was a very low key approach, and I got a 30%

response rate.”

“There’s an industry that I follow that three years ago had 30,000 people on LinkedIn. Today there are 110,000

people, and it’s not because the industry is growing. More and more people are using it. All your customers in a

business-to-business field are going to be on LinkedIn. The advanced search gives you a tool to go find them.”

“LinkedIn has the database. Other people like Salesforce.com give you the tools to manage the people you pull out

of a database. But LinkedIn has the database with all your prospects.”

Potential Pitfalls

“People don’t educate themselves about how to use the product, and LinkedIn does a poor job of helping them.

There are a lot of tools in the privacy settings part of your account where you can adjust the flow of information. …

LinkedIn hides that in tiny print.”

LinkedIn works terrifically as a

tool for finding prospective

customers and for initiating

contact with them in an

inoffensive way that improves

the chances they’ll respond. It’s

also a great way for keeping in

touch with customers.

Social Media Marketing Consultant


23

LinkedIn Corp.

“How many emails do you get a day that you just toss them? It takes me 20 seconds to go ‘No, no, no, that’s not

worthwhile.’ But I don’t get up in arms about it.”

5. CEO of a corporate training firm

Sales Navigator could be a boost to LinkedIn if the company markets it correctly and offers tutorials on how the product

works. However, it could severely damage the site’s image if the service does not work well. LinkedIn already is an

effective recruiting tool and soon will be a powerful sales tool for certain industries. The site is good for businesses that

offer products or services that improve other companies, such as coaching or software. The company has done a great

job branding itself and creating an environment in which people are not bothered when they are contacted. The source

was unaware of people leaving LinkedIn as a result of too many sales contacts, and said individuals will only hurt their

own careers if they leave the site.

Sales Navigator

“I saw Sales Navigator. I have not signed in, and I have not really used it.”

“[Sales Navigator] is a good offering if they have a really good tutorial of people using it—or it can backfire. LinkedIn

has a really good brand, but if it does not work, it is huge. And people will speak about it.”

“Sales Navigator is very low-cost for what they are saying it could accomplish. The price will probably go up if it is

effective.”

“[Sales Navigator’s effectiveness] depends on what you are selling.

Salesforce.com will have a tough time with this, and LinkedIn is the only

one who can compete with them.”

“I am not hearing feedback yet about Sales Navigator.”


“LinkedIn is very effective as a recruiting tool and is going to be effective as

a sales tool. It is up-and-coming and is going to be very, very powerful and

the only way to do business.”

“LinkedIn is not really looked upon as a lead generation tool. It has a

different identity. The company has done a good job of training people to look at what it is and make it safe.”

“People approaching you via LinkedIn is legitimate. It does not bother me as much to be contacted as it sort of

qualifies the people who would take the time to create a strong LinkedIn profile.”

“I would give LinkedIn a ‘B’ in recruiting. I would give it a ‘D’ in finding leads. It depends on the product and what you

are selling.”

“For small to midsize companies that do not have a CRM or any type of back-end sales system to support the client,

if LinkedIn created an infrastructure where people could use it to maintain the customer care or follow through for

some type of intelligent accountability or scheduling, it would be effective. Midsize to large companies have their own

systems.”

“LinkedIn is beneficial if you are selling any type of product or system that is more coaching-oriented, or if you have a

consulting product or some type of software that could help people do better in business in any way. It is beneficial

for any business-to-business type of system where you have a lot of social proof and where you could help people

look pretty good.”

“LinkedIn is more business-to-business versus business-to-consumer. The consumers on LinkedIn are really

interested in business or they have connections to other businesses.”

“People are receptive to being contacted on LinkedIn. People are very receptive because they cannot be assumptive

as to what someone is reaching out to them for. You could be getting endorsed and it can be so many things, so

people do not automatically know why someone is contacting them. LinkedIn has created this; it has allowed for us

to be continuously curious as to who is contacting us via LinkedIn.”

“LinkedIn has done a good job. You do not know if someone is passing something forward. Because of the unknown

nature of the messaging and all of the things it could be, we have not become assumptive yet about getting a

message via LinkedIn. You are still curious as to who is writing to you.”

Potential Pitfalls

“I do not think that LinkedIn as a sales generation tool is causing people to remove their profiles or stop using the

site. I have not heard anything. If a person pulls their name off LinkedIn, they will have bigger issues in their career.”

Sales Navigator is very low-cost

for what they are saying it could

accomplish. The price will

probably go up if it is effective.

CEO, Corporate Training Firm


24

LinkedIn Corp.

4) LinkedIn Users These seven sources represent decision makers that are likely to be targeted by salespeople, and they offered mixed opinions

about whether LinkedIn is an appropriate sales venue. Four of the seven said they are not bothered by sales-related

messages that they receive on the site, but three others said they ignore or delete such contacts. These three said the

number of solicitations has been manageable but that a significant increase could alter how they use the site. One reported

getting so many sales pitches that he changed his privacy settings so that only people in his network could contact him.

Another said he was more receptive to a sales pitch through LinkedIn if introduced by a mutual connection.


- 2 think Sales Navigator could be a good resource for sales professionals.

- 1 is more receptive to a sales call through LinkedIn if there is a mutual connection.

- 1 hopes Sales Navigator makes solicitations on the site more targeted so that he gets fewer of them.


- 4 of 7 sources said they are not bothered by sales pitches on LinkedIn.

- 3 said they are not interested in hearing from salespeople through LinkedIn.

Potential Pitfalls

- 3 said a significant increase in solicitations through LinkedIn could alter the way they use the site.

- 1 changed his privacy settings because of too many sales-related contacts.

1. CTO for a human resource consulting company

This IT executive is not interested in getting sales pitches through LinkedIn. He gets an average of one connection

request a day from someone in a sales role—solicitations that he declines with a single click. However, Sales Navigator

could be a tipping point in which the number of sales requests becomes to be too much, which would prompt this source

to seek an alternative to LinkedIn.

Sales Navigator

N/A


“Speaking as someone who salespeople try to find through LinkedIn, it is

pretty easy to ignore requests.”

“I check my LinkedIn an average of once each day. I get an average of one

connection request each day from some sales or business development

person. When I see a connection request from someone who is obviously in

a sales role, I simply decline the request, which takes just one click to do.”

“If I make a mistake and actually accept the request—because they

somehow used language that disguised their true role—I then simply ignore

any messages they might send.”

“When I talk with salespeople about how to connect with me, I tell them the

only way they will get to me—unless I make a mistake—is through an [IT]

practitioner that I know. Now, because of my writing and speaking, I get an average of one practitioner LinkedIn

request a day, and I accept those pretty readily.”

Potential Pitfalls

“If I were getting lots of connection requests from vendor types, I would either hold my nose and keep using

LinkedIn—and wade through the sales requests—or look for an alternative to LinkedIn.”

“In some weeks, I get a dozen requests and simply delete the requests. It is not a big deal but could be if I have to

spend too much time looking at profiles before declining the requests.”

In some weeks, I get a dozen

requests and simply delete the

requests. It is not a big deal but

could be if I have to spend too

much time looking at profiles

before declining the requests.

CTO

Human Resource Consulting Company


25

LinkedIn Corp.

2. Senior purchasing manager for a raw material provider

This buyer has seen an increase in LinkedIn being used as a sales tool. He is open to being contacted by salespeople on

LinkedIn as long as they have done their homework and have reached out in a professional manner. LinkedIn is a great

resource to research salespeople who have contacted him. He was unfamiliar with Sales Navigator but believes such a

product could offer a good ROI as it reduced the amount of time spent hunting for prospects.

Sales Navigator

“I have not heard of Sales Navigator, but perhaps that is because I am a professional buyer and not a professional

seller.”

“I can only imagine it is a process to narrow down the search for specific businesses, organizations, commodities

and individuals. If that is what the intent is, I can certainly see a strong return on investment as it would reduce the

amount of time sales professionals spend looking for prospects. It would also increase the time he or she can spend

on companies who could benefit from their products and services.”


“I have been contacted on LinkedIn by a few companies interested in selling

us products and services. Unfortunately for some, they failed to conduct any

type of homework on their end regarding our company and our products.”

“LinkedIn is an excellent tool for reaching out to prospects, but it still

requires doing some basic research on the part of the sales professional.”

“I have seen an increase in LinkedIn being used as a sales tool, and that is

a good thing. In my opinion, the process of networking is underrated.

Networking is a powerful combination of social skills, business skills and

sales skills.”

“More and more sales professionals are realizing the quality and quantity of

information LinkedIn provides. Not only can they search for companies and

individuals based on locations, they can search based on commodities, job

titles, backgrounds and interests. Through LinkedIn, sales professionals are

finding they are able to greatly reduce the amount of legwork they used to

conduct when cold calling and prospecting. Important data regarding

companies, departments and individuals are easily presented to them.”

“Networking is underrated. There is no reason to cold call when sites like LinkedIn exist. If you do not have access to

a buyer or decision maker, network and find someone who does. Find the person you want to connect with and see if

they are already connected to someone you know. That is a great sales tool for any sales professional.”

“LinkedIn is also a great tool for me to use to research sales professionals trying to connect with me. If your profile is

not updated or appears to be unprofessional, good luck getting my attention. In your profile, there should be as

much information about your products and capabilities as there is about yourself.”

Potential Pitfalls

“I am open to being found and contacted through LinkedIn as long as it is done professionally and based on my own

preferences.”

“LinkedIn should never be used as a means to abruptly dive into a business relationship. That is like proposing on

the first date. Keep it professional.”

“I refuse to connect with anyone who simply uses the generic LinkedIn request to connect. Show me some creativity.

Show you are really interested in me or my own pursuits.”

“Once we are connected, do not start trying to sell me something off the bat. Do not rush me into anything. Let’s get

to know each other. Let’s discuss our mutual interests. Let’s find out our wants and needs. Let’s build a relationship

based on trust. Then when the time is right, introduce your products. But remember, never sell me a product—sell me

a solution.”

“Be sure to find out how the person wants to be contacted. How do they prefer to communicate? In my profile I

specifically give my personal email address. I ask not to be contacted at work. Why? Because buyers and other

decisions makers are heavily monitored by their human resources departments. HR knows that LinkedIn is a good

source to find a new job. That is why some companies do not allow anyone to sign on to it. I have had too many

people send me an invite to connect on LinkedIn at my business email address. It puts me in an uncomfortable

position, and I am certainly not going to respond.”

More and more sales

professionals are realizing the

quality and quantity of

information LinkedIn provides.

Not only can they search for

companies and individuals

based on locations, they can

search based on commodities,

job titles, backgrounds and

interests.

Senior Purchasing Manager

Raw Material Provider


26

LinkedIn Corp.

“A few unprofessional sales representatives would never make me leave LinkedIn. I continue to find new means and

new approaches in finding product and services, or to research companies and individuals I am interested in doing

business with. The only reason I could see leaving LinkedIn is if they modified their site to such a point that it is

difficult to navigate through, or if the search functions cease to be user-friendly.”

“If LinkedIn has done anything to control, monitor and remedy overuse, I have not noticed it. So far I personally have

not experienced any overuse or abuse.”

3. Publicity manager with a U.S. publishing company

This source received so many solicitations through LinkedIn that he altered his profile settings so that only members of

his network could contact him directly. He hopes a service like Sales Navigator will enable salespeople to connect with

the right audience for their products and services, rather than blasting sales pitches to as many people as possible.

Sales Navigator

“I knew there was a Sales Navigator. I didn’t know there was a new version.”

“I hope [Sales Navigator] helps people selling things to target the right

audience. The shotgun approach some people take doesn’t work, at least

not with me, and it diminishes the experience of using the site for

networking.”


“I see [a free LinkedIn account] more as a business networking or

promotional tool. Their subscription services would seem to be much better

for selling than a basic LinkedIn account.”

“I was getting so many sales pitches on LinkedIn that I changed my settings

so only connections could contact me.”

Potential Pitfalls

“Anywhere you have a desirable audience gathered in one place, there is

going to be a certain amount of selling. An occasional pitch is no big deal,

but when it starts approaching the level of spam, it takes away from the

value of the site.”

“I used to get sales solicitations in large bursts. It’s not a problem since I

closed the window on who can contact me. I’m not going to remove my

profile if I can control how much [InMail] comes in.”

“If I get a request for an introduction or somebody in my network makes an

introduction, I am much more likely to connect with them. That’s the social

aspect of social media—building relationships. Otherwise, a sales pitch

landing in your inbox is not much different than a stranger ringing the

doorbell.”

“I know you can report unwanted mail to LinkedIn. I found it was easier and

faster just to change my privacy settings.”

4. Senior manager of digital content for a major U.S. candy manufacturer

This source does not mind occasional unsolicited sales pitches through LinkedIn, but may change his privacy settings if

he starts getting too many. LinkedIn is too valuable as a networking tool for him to consider canceling his account. He

uses the site mainly to exchange ideas and tips with fellow digital marketing professionals. He has received invitations

from LinkedIn to buy Sales Navigator, which he questioned because he is not involved in direct sales.

Sales Navigator

“I got an offer to try out Sales Navigator. I thought it was odd since I’m not involved in direct selling. It’s not

something I need to look at.”

I hope [Sales Navigator] helps

people selling things to target

the right audience. The shotgun

approach some people take

doesn’t work, at least not with

me, and it diminishes the

experience of using the site for

networking.

I used to get sales solicitations

in large bursts. It’s not a

problem since I closed the

window on who can contact

me. I’m not going to remove my

profile if I can control how

much [InMail] comes in.

Publicity Manager

U.S. Publishing Company


27

LinkedIn Corp.

“It looks like it’s mainly for people selling B2B. [Sales Navigator] apparently helps them find more leads, which I’m

sure is better than doing your own searches on LinkedIn to see what pops up.”


“I use the site to connect with other people in social media and marketing.”

“I doubt if you can do a lot of efficient selling with just a basic LinkedIn

account. I think it would take up a lot of time, doing manual searches.”

“I still get the occasional [InMail] from somebody trying to sell something.

Usually it’s software. If it’s not out of control, it doesn’t bother me.”

Potential Pitfalls

“I don’t mind the occasional sales call or an email. When you create a

profile on a social site, it’s sort of implied that you want to be seen.”

“On LinkedIn I think I have a better chance of connecting with peers fairly

quickly than by any other means. I can keep track of what people are doing,

what they’re talking about in terms of social engagement, and stay on top of

trends in this business.”

“If I started getting a flood of sales-related emails, I might report it to LinkedIn or maybe tighten my profile settings so

it’s harder for salespeople to get through to me.”

5. President of a contract manufacturing firm

This source regularly declines LinkedIn connection requests that he suspects are sales-related. However, if Sales

Navigator helps vendors find a mutual connection to make an introduction, it might help them get in the door. Too many

solicitations through LinkedIn would prompt him to look at whether using the site is worth the hassle.

Sales Navigator

“I am not familiar with Sales Navigator, but I looked at it online a little bit

yesterday. If I was introduced or recommended to someone directly by a

connection, I would be more apt to accept and engage with that person.”

“I feel that if someone in my network endorses/recommends another

connection, there is a small amount of personal accountability taking place

on behalf of the person I know.”


“If I am asked to connect with someone that has no connection to my

network, I almost always decline the invitation. I know it’s a sales call.”

“I do get frustrated when people try to use LinkedIn as a cold sales tool.”

Potential Pitfalls

“That being said, if I was inundated with requests all day, it would make me

reevaluate using LinkedIn.”

6. Managing director of a financial services company

This financial planner receives a few sales pitches each week on LinkedIn, which she considers manageable. She prefers

being contacted through LinkedIn than by a cold call. Also, she does not think that an increase in solicitations would

cause her to stop using the site, as the benefits of professional exposure outweigh the “nuisance” of sales pitches.

Although aware of Sales Navigator, she does not use it or see any value to it for her own sales efforts.

Sales Navigator

“I’ve heard of [Sales Navigator]. I don’t use it.”

“It looks like it’s mainly a B2B selling tool. It uses the LinkedIn database to recommend leads.”

“I’m not sure how it would benefit us. We are looking to establish business relationships with high net-worth

individuals, and that’s not the kind of information you can readily find on LinkedIn. You can make an educated

If I started getting a flood of

sales-related emails, I might

report it to LinkedIn or maybe

tighten my profile settings so

it’s harder for salespeople to

get through to me.

Senior Manager of Digital Content

Major U.S. Candy Manufacturer

If I am asked to connect with

someone that has no

connection to my network, I

almost always decline the

invitation. I know it’s a sales

call.

President, Contract Manufacturing Firm


28

LinkedIn Corp.

guess, based on a person’s position or job title, but there are better ways to find new clients in our business. We

receive a lot of referrals, word-of-mouth. We’re working with a fairly small subset of the population.”


“I get at least two sales pitches a week on LinkedIn. It’s usually for software,

but I’ve gotten everything from real estate investments to business

consulting.”

“It’s been about the same: two or three emails a week.”

Potential Pitfalls

“I expect a certain number of sales-related contacts. So long as it doesn’t

get excessive, OK. If you publish your profile on LinkedIn, you ought to know

that people are going to try to reach you if they think they can sell a product

or a service.”

“I wouldn’t remove my profile from LinkedIn. The benefits of the exposure

are greater than the nuisance of spammy email.”

“LinkedIn is seen as the top website for professionals to network with each other. I think that’s why people choose to

use LinkedIn in the first place.”

“I’d rather be contacted on LinkedIn than get unsolicited phone calls.”

“I suspect LinkedIn relies on user complaints rather than any active monitoring of the site. There is a cap on the

number of emails you can send to people outside your network.”

7. Food and beverage purchasing manager

This source has been contacted by salespeople via LinkedIn but is not bothered by such solicitations. Salespeople could

abuse LinkedIn, like any other tool, but the site administrators are doing enough to prevent overuse. If used properly,

LinkedIn can be a great resource for sales professionals.

Sales Navigator

“I have not heard of Sales Navigator.”


“I have been contacted via LinkedIn [by someone trying to sell me a service or product].”

“I have not seen an increase in LinkedIn being used [as a sales tool for sales professionals].”

Potential Pitfalls

“LinkedIn has the potential to be used effectively or abused, just like any other sales tool. That is the nature of

networking. If done correctly, it would be invaluable as far as saving time and money.”

“If LinkedIn is being used as a sales tool for sales professionals, no, this would not be a reason for me to leave

LinkedIn.”

“LinkedIn is controlling and monitoring overuse. If you contact too many unknown connections, you are suspended.”

Secondary Sources

The following five secondary sources discussed the new Sales Navigator, some successful tests of the product, its potential

and limitations, and a call to allow people to opt out of getting sales pitches on LinkedIn and through its Sales Navigator.

July 31 Mashable article

Sales Navigator is looking to reduce cold calling by showing links to prospects through existing connections. One reader

believed enhanced Update filters will be great for identifying “trigger” events, and pointed to advanced posting features

as a way Navigator could be improved.

“Sales Navigator, which is designed for salespeople, leverages LinkedIn’s network of 316 million-plus members to

expose sales leads. If you work in a company with 500 employees, for instance, LinkedIn will let you know if one of

those employees is connected with someone at one of your target companies. This reduces cold calling and leads to

If you publish your profile on

LinkedIn, you ought to know

that people are going to try to

reach you if they think they can

sell a product or a service.

Managing Director

Financial Services Company

http://mashable.com/2014/07/31/linkedin-social-selling-sales-navigator/


29

LinkedIn Corp.

more sales, according to LinkedIn; a February survey from the company found that ‘social sellers’—those that used

social media to interact with their prospects—were 51% more likely to beat their quota than traditional sellers.”

“In addition to making connections, Sales Navigator also sends ‘insights’ about sales targets, including notifications

about when they switch jobs and instances when they are mentioned in the news.”

“Pricing for Sales Navigator is $1,200 per year/per seat for corporate customers, which prices for individuals starts

at $60 a month. In its most recent quarter, LinkedIn reported that 58% of its total revenues came from Talent

Solutions, while 22% came from Marketing Solutions and Premium Subscriptions generated the other 20%. A

LinkedIn rep says Sales Navigator falls under the latter category.”

August 18 comment: “The enhanced Update filters for social listening will certainly help capture trigger events. I am

curious whether there are also advanced social posting features. Dialog is a two-way process. Features like

scheduling and being able to post to networks other than LinkedIn are standard for many social content apps.”

Aug. 12 TinderBox blog entry

Sales Navigator has huge potential because it allows salespeople to connect client information from other sources, such

as Salesforce.com or Microsoft Dynamics. SalesLoft CEO Kyle Porter believes Sales Navigator is one of the best tools that

combines the top features of other social selling apps.

“LinkedIn is looking to lay claim to the social aspect of online selling. The professional network announced the

launch of its standalone selling tool, Sales Navigator, during its quarterly earnings release on July 31st. An earlier

version of the tool was embedded in the LinkedIn website, but the new Sales Navigator will require a separate login.”

“Sales automation is becoming a necessary tool for sales teams, and the ability to access and share information

online is essential. LinkedIn is hoping that by integrating with online sales tools and providing teams with a way to

collaborate and leverage data, it can expand its reach.”

“After launching an open publishing platform earlier this year, LinkedIn’s efforts to diversify seem to be bearing fruit:

publisher and Influencer traffic has risen by more than 100 percent, and the network’s membership base has

passed 300 million users. Sales Navigator has the potential to help LinkedIn attract a new user base, and to

establish LinkedIn as a competitive force in the online sales tool space.”

“Sales Navigator’s CRM integration allows salespeople to connect client information from Salesforce.com or

Microsoft Dynamics CRM with their professional networks. Sales tools that integrate with other systems help provide

a connected experience for both salespeople and their prospects. Combined with LinkedIn’s existing features like

InMail messages, TeamLink land Who’s Viewed Your Profile, sales teams can collaborate and communicate with

their leads and with each other.”

“Sales Navigator’s edge on similar tools is its versatility and all-in-one approach.”

“‘LinkedIn Sales Navigator takes the best features from many of the ‘social selling’ applications we’ve seen try to

emerge over the last few years and combines them all into one super application,’ says Kyle Porter, CEO of SalesLoft.

‘You’ll still see significant value for tools that help fill the funnel (like data.com and SalesLoft), but once it’s filled,

there is now no limit to the social value you can derive with LinkedIn.’”

“LinkedIn’s approach to social selling aims to reestablish relationships as the most important tool of a successful

sales process. By making Sales Navigator a standalone platform, LinkedIn draws a clear line between sales

relationships and other professional connections. This can help prepare sales teams to approach prospects with a

more focused strategy, and provide the competitive edge that organizations and sales teams are vying for in today’s

fast-paced business environment.”

Aug. 27 Slide3 article

Directors from LinkedIn and Smarsh highlighted the overwhelming upside of using Sales Navigator to generate leads and

increase ROI.

“According to new IDC research, 84% of C-level/VP executives use social media to make purchasing decisions, but

regulated organizations are challenged with governance and compliance complexity when selling and marketing via

social networks.”

“75% of business owners now use social media to conduct research.”

“51% of consumers trust the information shared on LinkedIn, the most out of other social media platforms.”

“Guardian Agents results from its 12 week pilot program with Sales Navigator:”

o “56% growth in connections.”

o “Average number of messages sent per user: Pilot Group 86 vs. Control Group 30.”

http://gettinderbox.com/sales-navigator-data-win-linkedin/

http://www.slideee.com/slide/3-ways-to-accelerate-social-selling-for-regulated-organizations


30

LinkedIn Corp.

o “Over $21 million total face value of life insurance sold.”

“‘Sales Navigator has a direct impact on sales of financial products. The ROI on the meetings we’ve obtained by

using LinkedIn and the educational curriculum is 400%,’ said Martin Gagnon, Senior VP of Intermediary Business

Solutions, National Bank of Canada.”

“Sales Navigator users do 4.3x more searches for prospects than their peers, view 2.1x more pages than their peers,

and connect to 2x more people than their peers.”

“Sales reps using Sales Navigator are 5.2x more successful than their peers.”

MakeSocialMediaSell.com article

One salesman wrote that Sales Navigator could be a good lead generator but was only worth the cost if paired with “an

effective, repeatable process” to generate buzz about one’s company.

“LinkedIn Sales Navigator IS worth the money. But only if you have an effective, repeatable way to get buyers talking

about your product/service. Here is a proven way to spark prospects curiosity AND get them asking you for more

details. I’ll also provide a template to make it easy.”

“What is LinkedIn Sales Navigator REALLY?”

“Access. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Plain and simple, what you’re buying is a faster, easier way to search (access) specific kinds of prospects. LinkedIn

will also make suggestions for you—help you find buyers.”

“Making LinkedIn Sales Navigator worth it means 1 thing: Having an effective, repeatable process.”

“Sales managers: You’re buying access to insights about how your team is, or is not, using Sales Navigator to its

fullest potential. You might also exploit the ability to ‘connect’ your reps LinkedIn prospecting to your CRM or SFA

system … like Salesforce.com.”

Aug. 5 The Australian article

Sales Navigator could result in a flood of unwanted sales pitches for users of the site, and people should be offered a

chance to opt out from such solicitations.

“LinkedIn serves some useful purposes. In DoubleClick’s daily news-gathering work, we often come across a

reference to an executive that’s a little light on details. A quick shoofty at their LinkedIn profile can fill a lot gaps—

where they work and have worked, where they were educated, sometimes how old, what they’re qualified to talk

about. Sometimes there’s even a photo, though it may be decades old.”

“People with like interests can set up links with each other: there are more than a million ‘interest groups’. And there

are job listings for those who fancy moving on. Total membership topped 300 million this year, and six million are

Australians.”

“So it’s a good, useful service, and DoubleClick applauds that. But LinkedIn, like the much more facile Facebook, is a

money-making venture listed on the New York Stock Exchange.”

“Last year it recorded revenue of $US1.5 billion, mainly from advertising and fees for specialist services. Now it’s

looking for ways to earn more bucks, via what it calls the ‘new era of social selling’. The latest move, announced last

week, is a bit of a worry. Dubbed Sales Navigator, it’s a tool that lets salespeople hunt through LinkedIn listings to

find potential customers—and learn about their lives and interests.”

“Australian companies that have signed up for Sales Navigator are said to include PayPal Australia, Macquarie

Telecom, CGU Insurance, Epicor, St George Bank and Samsung Australia. They’re respected outfits, no doubt with

privacy policies in place, but many smaller concerns, some peddling dubious propositions, may not be quite so

honourable.”

“Says a LinkedIn pitch: ‘Sales prospecting has never been easier. Sales Navigator helps you find the right prospects,

fast … Easily save leads and follow updates of your prospects to turn cold calling into warm conversations.’”

“You could be fielding dozens of calls like that. Perhaps people trying to sell you not only insurance but cars, wine,

land and other ‘investment opportunities’. LinkedIn does have some privacy guidelines, but there appears to be no

way for a LinkedIn member to disengage totally from Sales Navigator.”

Additional research by Cheryl Meyer and Steve Evans

http://www.makesocialmediasell.com/is-linkedin-sales-navigator-worth-it/

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/technology/sales-navigator-a-connection-too-far-for-linkedin/story-e6frgakx-1227013219235?nk=134274f00125b1a5f6d63533b0c61b83


31

LinkedIn Corp.

The Author(s) of this research report certify that all of the views expressed in the report accurately reflect their personal views about any and all of the subject securities

and that no part of the Author(s) compensation was, is or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views in this report. The Author does not

own securities in any of the aforementioned companies.

OTA Financial Group LP has a membership interest in Blueshift Research LLC. OTA LLC, an SEC registered broker dealer subsidiary of OTA Financial Group LP, has both

market making and proprietary trading operations on several exchanges and alternative trading systems. The affiliated companies of the OTA Financial Group LP, including

OTA LLC, its principals, employees or clients may have an interest in the securities discussed herein, in securities of other issuers in other industries, may provide bids and

offers of the subject companies and may act as principal in connection with such transactions. Craig Gordon, the founder of Blueshift, has an investment in OTA Financial

Group LP.

© 2014 Blueshift Research LLC. All rights reserved. This transmission was produced for the exclusive use of Blueshift Research LLC, and may not be reproduced or relied

upon, in whole or in part, without Blueshift’s written consent. The information herein is not intended to be a complete analysis of every material fact in respect to any

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