LinkedIn Sales Navigator is the version of LinkedIn built for selling: a Premium subscription that turns the professional network into a sales prospecting tool. It lets you find exactly the right people and companies, follow them over time and reach out at the right moment.
In this guide we look at what Sales Navigator is, how it differs from free LinkedIn, which plans are available and, above all, how to use it to generate sales opportunities without being intrusive.
What LinkedIn Sales Navigator is
Sales Navigator is one of LinkedIn’s Premium subscriptions, designed for salespeople, business developers, entrepreneurs and consultants who use LinkedIn to do business. Compared with a free account it offers:
- advanced search filters for people and companies (industry, company size, role, seniority, location, headcount growth and many more);
- lead and account lists to save, organise and monitor;
- alerts on job changes, new posts and company news;
- InMail credits to message people outside your network;
- automatic recommendations of new contacts similar to the ones you have saved.
Free LinkedIn vs Sales Navigator: a different logic
Free LinkedIn works around your network of connections: you mainly see first, second and third-degree contacts, and search filters are limited. Sales Navigator works around leads (people) and accounts (companies): they do not need to be connections, because you select them based on your ideal customer.
In practice you move from “who do I know?” to “who should I know?”. Used well, this shift makes prospecting far more structured and measurable.
Sales Navigator plans
LinkedIn offers three subscription tiers with increasing features:
| Plan | Designed for | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Professionals and individual sellers | Advanced search, lists, alerts, InMail |
| Advanced | Sales teams | Collaboration features, visibility on colleagues’ connections (TeamLink), shareable and trackable content |
| Advanced Plus | Larger organisations | Integration with the company CRM and more advanced management features |
Prices and features change from time to time, so check them on LinkedIn and start with the free trial when available. Choose based on your goals and the number of people involved, not on price alone.
How to use Sales Navigator to find customers: 6 steps
- Define your ideal customer: industry, size, location, decision-making roles. Without this, filters return long and unhelpful lists.
- Build saved searches: set precise filters on accounts and leads and save them, so new matching profiles are delivered to you automatically.
- Organise your lists: split contacts by priority, industry or stage (to research, to contact, in conversation).
- Observe before you write: read their posts, company news and job changes. They are the best reasons for a relevant first contact.
- Reach out personally: no copy-and-paste messages. A few lines showing you understand their context work better than any sales pitch.
- Measure and log it in your CRM: track replies, meetings and opportunities, and connect your activity to your company CRM so no contact gets lost.
Social selling: the part that makes the difference
Sales Navigator finds the right people, but social selling turns them into customers. Moving from contact to customer is never instant: you need to build trust consistently without becoming pushy.
- Polish your profile: it is the first thing a prospect will check after your message.
- Post regularly: useful content for your audience makes your name familiar before you even get in touch.
- Engage: thoughtful comments on your leads’ posts are often the best way to start a relationship.
- Use your company page too: personal profiles and company pages work better together. For company and advertising tools, read our guide to LinkedIn Business Manager.
Common mistakes
- Treating it as a database to spam: mass, generic messages burn contacts and reputation.
- Filters that are too broad: lists of thousands of names are not a sales plan.
- Selling in the first message: the first contact should open a conversation, not close a deal.
- No consistency: without a weekly routine of research, outreach and follow-up, the subscription stays underused.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator FAQ
Is Sales Navigator worth the cost?
Yes, if your business relies on B2B sales and you have a structured sales process. If you cannot dedicate time to research and outreach consistently, start with free LinkedIn and a content strategy.
What is the difference between Sales Navigator and LinkedIn Premium Business?
Premium Business is designed for networking and personal visibility; Sales Navigator is specific to selling, with advanced search, lead and account lists and sales alerts.
Can Sales Navigator be connected to a CRM?
Yes, the higher plans can sync contacts and activities with the main CRM platforms.
Want to use LinkedIn to win new customers?
E-Business Consulting supports companies with B2B lead generation and LinkedIn marketing strategies: from defining the ideal customer to setting up Sales Navigator, through to content and campaigns. Get in touch with us to build your plan.
