LinkedIn Sales Navigator, combined with automation tools like Closely, can transform how you manage B2B sales. Here’s why:
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator: A premium tool tailored for sales professionals, offering advanced search, lead tracking, and decision-maker insights. Starting at $67.49/month, it helps users connect with 3.8x more decision-makers than standard accounts.
- Automation Benefits: Tools like Closely handle repetitive tasks (connection requests, follow-ups, etc.) and integrate AI for personalized outreach. This saves time, improves efficiency, and enables multichannel campaigns (LinkedIn + email).
- Who Benefits: Ideal for sales teams, marketers, recruiters, and SMBs aiming to scale outreach without sacrificing quality.
Key Features
- Sales Navigator: Advanced filters (location, industry, seniority), lead/account recommendations, and real-time alerts.
- Closely: AI-driven personalization, data enrichment (emails, phone numbers), and a unified dashboard for campaign management.
Pricing
- Closely Plans: Start at $49/month for 1 LinkedIn account and 1,000 credits. Higher tiers support more accounts and outreach.
By combining these tools, you can target leads more effectively, automate outreach, and focus on closing deals while maintaining a professional, personal touch.
Sales Navigator 101: How to Automate Lead Generation with Lead Lists
LinkedIn Sales Navigator Features
LinkedIn Sales Navigator takes your prospecting efforts to the next level, offering tools that help you find, track, and engage with leads more efficiently. These features are designed to make outreach smarter and more targeted.
Advanced Search and Filtering
The Advanced Search feature goes beyond LinkedIn’s basic search, offering detailed filters to help you zero in on your ideal prospects. This is particularly useful for targeting specific niches within the U.S. market.
- Geographic filters: Narrow your search by state, city, or even postal code to focus on local prospects. Perfect for finding decision-makers in key metropolitan areas.
- Industry and company size filters: These allow you to refine your search to match your target customer profile. For example, instead of broadly targeting "Technology", you can drill down into sectors like "Computer Software", "Information Technology and Services", or "Internet."
- Seniority and job function filters: Ensure you’re reaching out to those with the authority to make decisions. You can also filter by experience levels or tenure to tailor your messaging based on where a prospect is in their career.
To refine your searches even further, you can use Boolean operators like "AND", "OR", and "NOT." For example, a search for "data scientist OR machine learning engineer NOT intern" can help you exclude irrelevant profiles and focus on the right candidates.
Once you’ve mastered search, Sales Navigator’s recommendation engine takes things even further by suggesting new leads and accounts.
Lead and Account Recommendations
Sales Navigator’s recommendation engine is like having a personal assistant for prospecting. It analyzes your saved leads, search patterns, and engagement history to suggest new prospects that align with your goals.
- Lead recommendations: These appear on your Sales Navigator homepage and are updated frequently. The system considers factors like mutual connections, job titles, and company traits to surface potential leads that naturally fit your network.
- Account recommendations: Instead of focusing on individuals, this feature highlights companies that match your target profile. It evaluates factors like company size, industry, and growth trends to uncover new business opportunities.
The platform also includes a "lookalike search" feature, which finds leads and accounts similar to your best-performing customers. This helps you replicate successful strategies at scale. Plus, relationship insights show how you’re connected to recommended leads – whether through shared contacts or common experiences – giving you a natural way to start conversations.
With these tools in place, Sales Navigator also ensures you’re always in the loop with real-time updates and alerts.
Activity Insights and Alerts
Keeping up with what your prospects and target companies are doing is key to striking at the right moment. Sales Navigator’s alert system helps you stay informed and act quickly.
- Job change alerts: When a prospect gets promoted or takes on a new role, it might be the perfect time to reach out.
- Company growth and hiring updates: Expanding organizations often have new needs that your product or service could address.
- Content engagement tracking: Monitoring likes, comments, and shares on posts can give you a window into a prospect’s interests, helping you craft relevant messages.
- News updates: Stay on top of major developments like product launches, acquisitions, partnerships, or leadership changes. These insights not only provide conversation starters but also help you understand your prospect’s evolving business needs.
Real-time feeds also show profile updates and new connections, ensuring you never miss a good moment to engage. Alerts about mutual connections can even open the door to warm introductions.
With these features, Sales Navigator equips you to build smarter, more timely outreach strategies that align with your prospects’ needs and behaviors.
Adding Automation Tools to Sales Navigator
LinkedIn Sales Navigator offers powerful tools for prospecting, but scaling manual outreach can be a real challenge. That’s where automation tools like Closely come in, turning your Sales Navigator data into streamlined, scalable campaigns – without losing the personal touch your prospects expect.
How Closely Simplifies LinkedIn Outreach
For sales teams in the US, Closely integrates seamlessly with LinkedIn Sales Navigator to automate targeted outreach. It eliminates the repetitive tasks like copying and pasting messages, freeing up your team to focus on closing deals.
Closely handles tasks such as profile visits, connection requests, follow-up messages, and InMail sequences, all while mimicking human activity to protect your LinkedIn account. Instead of spending hours manually sending messages, you can automate the process and keep your attention on building relationships and driving sales.
Beyond just messaging, Closely amplifies your visibility by automatically visiting prospect profiles, sending personalized connection requests, and triggering follow-up sequences based on how prospects respond – or don’t respond. This approach ensures your outreach feels tailored and data-driven.
Personalization with AI and Data Enrichment
Automation without personalization often leads to generic, ignored messages. Closely tackles this issue by enriching your LinkedIn lead data with over 30 real-time data points – everything from job titles and company size to industry details and even a prospect’s tech stack.
Its AI-powered personalization engine goes far beyond simply inserting names or company details. It digs into each prospect’s company, analyzes their website, and tracks recent updates to craft messages that sound like they were written just for them. For example, the AI can reference recent funding rounds or product launches to make your outreach more relevant and engaging.
Closely also helps you go beyond LinkedIn by finding verified email addresses and phone numbers for your leads. This means you can reach out through multiple channels if someone doesn’t respond to your LinkedIn messages, significantly increasing your chances of getting a reply. All this enriched data is seamlessly integrated into a single campaign management system, making it easy to keep everything organized.
One Dashboard for Campaign Management
Managing multiple LinkedIn campaigns becomes much simpler with Closely’s unified dashboard. This central hub lets you coordinate multichannel campaigns, combining LinkedIn and email outreach into smooth, cohesive sequences.
From the dashboard, you can monitor campaign performance, track response rates, and tweak your messaging based on real-time data. Replies from both LinkedIn and email are collected in a single inbox, so you never lose track of a prospect’s communication.
Closely also integrates directly with popular CRMs like HubSpot and GoHighLevel, syncing lead data and campaign results automatically. This eliminates the need for manual data entry and keeps your sales pipeline updated without extra effort.
Detailed analytics show you which messages are working, the best times to reach your audience, and conversion rates at every step of your outreach. With this data, you can refine your strategy and improve your results over time. Plus, automated lead scoring based on engagement levels helps your team prioritize the most promising prospects, ensuring no opportunity slips through the cracks.
Step-by-Step Guide: Building and Automating a LinkedIn Campaign
Launching a successful LinkedIn campaign requires a well-thought-out approach: identifying your ideal prospects and crafting outreach sequences that feel personal, not mechanical. Here’s how to do it.
Setting Up and Exporting Leads
Start by using Sales Navigator to create targeted searches. Apply filters like industry, company size, job title, location, or specific regions within the U.S. Once you’ve refined your search, save it and export your list of prospects.
To enrich this data, you can use third-party tools that extract additional details such as verified emails, phone numbers, company domains, and industry specifics. Research indicates these tools have about a 40% success rate for email verification[1][2].
Once your leads are enriched with key details, segment them based on factors like industry, job level, or company size. This segmentation allows you to customize your outreach for better results. With your segmented list ready, you’re set to design a strategic outreach campaign.
Setting Up Campaign Sequences
Create your outreach sequence in Closely, incorporating multiple touchpoints over a few weeks. Begin with a connection request that includes a personalized note – mentioning something specific about the prospect, like a recent accomplishment or company milestone. Closely’s AI tools can pull relevant details from a prospect’s company website or the latest news to help with this.
Plan follow-up messages to go out every few days. For example:
- One message could share a relevant industry insight or a case study.
- Another could offer a resource that addresses a common challenge your prospects face.
Include a soft call-to-action to encourage engagement without pressuring for an immediate response. For maximum impact, set up multichannel sequences that combine LinkedIn messaging with email outreach. If a prospect doesn’t reply on LinkedIn, Closely can automatically send a follow-up email using their verified contact information.
Timing is also key – schedule messages during U.S. business hours (9:00 AM–5:00 PM) to increase visibility. Use Closely’s lead scoring feature to identify engaged prospects and prioritize follow-ups. These automated sequences save time and effort compared to manual outreach, as shown below.
Manual vs. Automated Workflows Comparison
Automation with Closely significantly improves the efficiency of LinkedIn outreach. Here’s how it stacks up against manual efforts:
| Aspect | Manual Outreach | Automated Outreach with Closely |
|---|---|---|
| Time Investment | Requires daily effort and time commitment | Streamlines tasks, drastically cutting down time spent on admin work |
| Personalization Quality | Can be personalized but often inconsistent | Delivers consistent, AI-enhanced personalization |
| Follow-Up Consistency | Missed or delayed follow-ups are common | Ensures timely, automated follow-ups |
| Data Management | Relies on manual tracking, prone to errors | Centralized dashboard with CRM sync for accurate data handling |
| Response Tracking | Requires monitoring replies across platforms | Unified inbox aggregates responses from all channels |
| Scalability | Limited daily outreach capacity | Handles a larger volume of prospects without losing the personal touch |
| ROI Measurement | Difficult to track accurately | Offers detailed analytics and conversion tracking; Forrester research shows Sales Navigator users integrating automation tools can achieve a 312% ROI over three years[3] |
While manual outreach allows for full control over each interaction, scaling becomes a major challenge as your prospect list grows. Automated workflows take care of repetitive tasks, letting you focus on closing deals and nurturing leads that are ready to convert.
sbb-itb-8725941
Best Practices for US-Based Sales Teams
These tips are designed to help LinkedIn campaigns thrive in the US market, building on earlier strategies around automation and personalization.
Personalization Strategies for Better Engagement
- Go beyond job titles. Before sending a connection request, dig a little deeper. Check out prospects’ recent posts, company updates, or milestones to find natural ways to start a conversation.
- Reference local events or company milestones. Mention industry trends, product launches, or relevant market news to show you’re in tune with their world.
- Be direct and results-oriented. Skip lengthy introductions. Instead, acknowledge their achievements or highlight how your solution can deliver specific, measurable benefits.
- Tailor your value proposition. Focus on how your offering can make a tangible difference to their business rather than listing features.
While personalization is key, the timing of your outreach can make or break your efforts.
Timing Outreach for US Time Zones
- Align with regional workday schedules. The US spans multiple time zones, so segment your campaigns to reach prospects during their peak working hours.
- Avoid outreach during major US holidays. Periods like Thanksgiving, Christmas through New Year’s, Memorial Day, and Independence Day are downtime for most businesses – plan accordingly.
- Space out follow-ups gradually. Start with shorter intervals for initial follow-ups, then extend the gaps to maintain a respectful and non-intrusive cadence.
Once you’ve nailed personalization and timing, compliance and etiquette become the final piece of the puzzle.
Compliance and Professional Etiquette
- Stay within LinkedIn’s connection request limits. Use automation tools wisely to avoid exceeding acceptable activity levels and risking account restrictions.
- Build trust step by step. Focus on establishing credibility first, then gradually move toward business discussions.
- Keep your tone professional and concise. Save a more casual tone for follow-up conversations.
- Honor opt-out requests immediately. If someone asks to be removed, act quickly to maintain professionalism and comply with LinkedIn’s policies.
- Balance automation with authenticity. Even if you’re using automated tools, make sure your messages feel personal. Keep an eye on response rates and adjust your approach as needed.
Closely Platform: Features and Pricing for US Users
If you’re part of a US-based sales team, you know how important it is to have a platform that handles LinkedIn automation while keeping your outreach effective and compliant. Closely steps in as a solution tailored to these needs, integrating seamlessly with your existing strategies to simplify your campaigns.
Key Features of Closely
Closely takes your LinkedIn outreach to the next level using AI-powered tools. It automates data enrichment, pulling verified contact details for your prospects to help you save time and connect more effectively.
Its Sales AI agents analyze both prospect and company data, crafting messages that feel personal and relevant. With a single dashboard, you can manage multichannel outreach, and a unified inbox ensures you never miss a reply, no matter the channel.
For safety and compliance, Closely uses features like natural activity mimicking and gradual warm-up modes to protect your LinkedIn account from being flagged.
Pricing Plans and What They Offer
Closely’s pricing is based on monthly credits and the number of LinkedIn accounts you manage. Every plan includes unlimited email accounts and white-label options, making it flexible for teams of all sizes:
| Plan | Monthly Price | LinkedIn Accounts Managed | Credits | Email/Phone/AI Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $49 | 1 | 1,000 | 250 emails or 50 phones or 500 AI personalizations |
| Growth | $127 | 3 | 3,000 | 750 emails or 150 phones or 1,500 AI personalizations |
| Essential | $205 | 5 | 5,000 | 1,250 emails or 250 phones or 2,500 AI personalizations |
| Custom | $350 | 10 | Custom | Custom limitations based on credits |
The platform’s credit system allows you to allocate resources based on your campaign priorities, whether that’s finding emails, discovering phone numbers, or creating AI-personalized messages. Plus, all plans come with 24/7 chat support and CRM integrations with tools like Salesforce and HubSpot.
Picking the Right Plan for Your Team
Choosing the right plan depends on your team’s outreach strategy and workload. For individual sellers or small teams just getting started, the Starter plan is a great way to test the waters and launch initial campaigns.
If you’re managing a larger team or targeting multiple market segments, the Growth plan offers more LinkedIn accounts and higher capacity for outreach.
Established sales teams with a steady flow of leads may find the Essential plan ideal for handling larger volumes of outreach. Meanwhile, agencies or enterprises with more complex needs can turn to the Custom plan for tailored credit allocations and support for high-volume campaigns.
When deciding, consider how much time your team spends on manual prospecting. Closely’s automation features can significantly reduce that burden, letting your team focus on closing deals instead of hunting for contact details. Using multiple LinkedIn accounts also helps spread out activity, keeping your outreach compliant with LinkedIn’s policies.
Conclusion
Bringing together LinkedIn Sales Navigator and automation tools can completely transform the way you handle prospecting and outreach. Sales Navigator offers advanced search capabilities, lead recommendations, and account insights to pinpoint your top prospects. Meanwhile, automation platforms like Closely take care of tasks like data enrichment, message personalization, and campaign management.
The real magic happens when these tools work together. Automation eliminates the need for manual research and repetitive messaging, giving you more time to focus on what truly matters – building connections and closing deals. Sales Navigator helps you find the right people, and automation ensures you can reach them efficiently and at scale. This partnership creates a seamless link between identifying leads and reaching out to them.
This method also tackles common hurdles like time zone differences, compliance issues, and the need for scalable outreach. With a credit-based pricing model, teams can allocate resources effectively – whether for verified contact lists, AI-driven personalization, or account management.
However, success lies in striking the right balance between automation and authentic engagement. While tools handle the groundwork of prospecting and initial outreach, the most effective sales professionals use this extra time to focus on meaningful conversations and relationship-building. When prospects receive personalized, well-researched messages paired with timely follow-ups, response rates often see a noticeable boost.
As LinkedIn continues to evolve, using tools that replicate natural, human-like interactions ensures your strategy remains effective. The investment in combining these tools often pays off through improved efficiency, better response rates, and more closed deals.
Whether you’re an individual salesperson looking to streamline your process or a sales leader managing a team, this combination offers a scalable way to generate leads and maintain consistent engagement. By embracing this strategy, you can set the stage for ongoing growth and success.
FAQs
How can LinkedIn Sales Navigator and automation tools like Closely improve my B2B sales efforts?
LinkedIn Sales Navigator supercharges your B2B sales efforts with powerful tools such as targeted lead recommendations, in-depth account insights, and CRM integration. These features make it easier for sales professionals to pinpoint and connect with high-value prospects effectively.
Pairing Sales Navigator with automation platforms like Closely takes things a step further. By automating personalized messages at scale, you can save hours of manual effort while still keeping interactions personal. This dynamic duo boosts lead engagement, improves response rates, and streamlines your sales team’s workflow.
What’s the difference between manual and automated LinkedIn outreach, and how can automation make your outreach more efficient?
Manual LinkedIn outreach offers the advantage of creating highly personalized interactions and fostering genuine relationships. But let’s face it – it’s incredibly time-consuming and hard to scale. On the flip side, automated outreach simplifies the process, allowing you to send a large volume of messages consistently and reach a wider audience in much less time. The key is using automation wisely to avoid coming across as robotic or spammy.
Automation helps streamline your workflow by freeing up time for activities that require more strategic focus, like closing deals or building stronger connections with top prospects. It also makes managing large campaigns much more practical, letting you engage with more people while maintaining consistency and timely follow-ups. When you strike a balance between automation and personalization, you get the best of both worlds – efficiency without losing the human touch.
How does Closely keep automated LinkedIn outreach personalized and within LinkedIn’s guidelines?
Closely helps you keep your automated LinkedIn outreach both personalized and aligned with platform rules by leveraging AI to craft messages that feel genuine and tailored to each individual. This allows you to scale your outreach efforts without losing that all-important human touch.
To ensure compliance with LinkedIn’s guidelines, Closely uses automation designed to replicate natural user behavior and adhere to platform limits, minimizing the risk of account issues. Plus, it gives you the flexibility to manually review and tweak campaigns, so you stay fully in line with LinkedIn’s policies.