Sales Navigator for small B2Bs can be overwhelming. Bypass this complexity by focusing on just four features.
I wrote an article some time ago called ‘Aren’t You A Bit Small for Salesforce?’ This article similarly reviews a software giant more commonly associated with large firms and considers if a small B2B service business might also benefit. Heads up; same conclusion! (and I have no affiliations with LinkedIn, receive no payments and do not run courses on using LinkedIn.)
No, your B2B service business is not too small to use Sales Navigator. Here are two reasons:
- When you’re small you need to leverage your limited resources as much as possible. And that includes your human resources and their networks.
- You don’t have to use the full suite of tools like your biggest competitor. Just use more of the tools than your same-size competitor.
The initial expense of Sales Navigator and the wide range of functions to be learned may put off small to midsize B2B services. But invest time and energy into accessing (not mastering) the system and you will realize your ROI.
So let’s look at four well-known features of Sales Navigator and ask: how useful are they for small to mid-sized B2B services?
1. Advanced search filters
Most of the positive features of Sales Navigator – and any CRMs, ERPs, marketing automation software, etc – can be linked to efficiency savings. And search filters are the most accessible and easiest features to learn for a small business.
When you’re sat at your desk not knowing where your next leads are coming from, drilling down using search filters can show you the abundance in the market as opposed to the paucity.
Pro:
- Replicating an ideal customer profile with advanced filters produces a lead list that is lean and relevant to a small company’s niche services
Con:
- Advanced search filters might cause you to inadvertently exclude potential leads who don’t fit narrowly defined criteria. (Although I’ll take a list of ideal customer profile leads over a vague sense of FOMO about new markets.)
2. Lead Recommendations
I’m pretty sure I don’t know how Sales Navigator’s lead recommendation algorithm works. However, if you’re uncertain about defining your ideal customer profile (a more common issue among B2B businesses than one might realize), then let LinkedIn make its suggestions and retroactively work out your ICP from the best-looking leads.
Alternatively, it’s helpful to begin by identifying who you don’t want as clients. And if LinkedIn or similar platforms recommend leads that don’t align with your target audience, you’ll quickly gain insights into the types of leads to avoid.
It can be challenging to rely solely on algorithms to provide recommended leads, as there’s a possibility that Sales Navigator may also have recommended these leads to other similar businesses. But manually selecting leads isn’t foolproof either. Competitors could employ similar strategies and target the same leads through their thought processes and research.
3. Data
Large volumes of data are both a blessing and a curse to the small business. TMI – too much information – can cripple your marketing objectives as you continue refining and refining your plans according to increasingly complex data.
However, if you stick to a scheduled time and criteria for data management and reporting, you can avoid being overwhelmed. Much like the practice of accessing your emails only at a set time of day.
Pro:
- Small to mid-size B2B businesses have access to the kind of broad and deep data that the largest competitors have access to.
Con:
- You can spend too much time sifting through data and refining your approach without actually designing a campaign, contacting a lead or posting an article.
4. TeamLink
TeamLink is an opportunity for the marketing and sales function in a smaller B2B to throw open its doors and gain access to shared company knowledge. If you can afford it. Consider involving individuals like your bookkeeper, accountant, operations manager, and IT manager. While they may not directly use Sales Navigator regularly, they possess valuable networks that could be tapped into for outreach efforts.
Pro:
- Maximizing a collective network’s potential.
Con:
- The risk of misusing staff networks with ill-judged marketing approaches.
Sales Navigator: please use responsibly
Straying from a sensible use-path creates a situation of too much lead data collection and not enough outreach going on. Committing to daily use of key features under strict scheduling of your own time will maximise your returns.