The Difference between LinkedIn Sales Navigator and Lead Generation Automation Tools: when to use which.

Read this blog in Dutch

LinkedIn is a professional social media platform with over 875 million users. It is used for Business-To-Business lead generation because the conversion rate is 3x better than any other social media platform. Moreover, the audience on LinkedIn has 2x buying power. It is therefore an excellent platform for generating leads and building business relationships. 

So, no wonder many sales teams use LinkedIn prospecting as their basis for targeting. After all, without LinkedIn, many sales executives would have a hard time generating B2B leads. Even marketers around the world use LinkedIn campaigns for B2B lead generation. Not to mention recruiters who started to use LinkedIn to find top talents for their companies. Nonetheless, it can be a challenge to identify the best approach to take when using LinkedIn for lead generation.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator and LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tools are two of the most popular tools for generating leads on LinkedIn. However, there are significant differences between these tools, and choosing the right one for your business can make a big difference in your results. In this article, we will compare LinkedIn Sales Navigator and LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tools to help you make an informed decision.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a premium version of LinkedIn that is designed to help businesses and sales professionals to find and connect with potential customers. Sales Navigator provides advanced search features that allow users to identify potential customers based on specific criteria, such as location, industry, company size, and job title. Sales Navigator also provides additional features, such as lead recommendations, account recommendations, and custom lists, that help users to find and prioritize leads.

One of the significant benefits of Sales Navigator is that it provides access to LinkedIn’s full database of users, rather than just the users who are within your network. This means that you can find potential customers who are not already connected to you, which can be incredibly valuable for businesses that are looking to expand their reach.

Another benefit of Sales Navigator is that it provides a range of tools for engaging with potential customers. Sales Navigator allows users to send direct messages to potential customers, and it provides insights into the content that potential customers are engaging with, which can help users to create more targeted and effective messages.

Spotlight is one of the coolest features of a Sales Navigator search. This feature can be used to segment your LinkedIn search results. This allows you to easily discover the prospects who are more likely to engage with you and get results from your outreach efforts faster.

Overall, LinkedIn Sales Navigator is an excellent tool for businesses and sales professionals who are looking to find and engage with potential customers on LinkedIn. However, it is a premium tool, and it can be relatively expensive, with prices starting at €80,- per month.

LinkedIn Lead Generation Automation Tools

LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tools are software tools that automate the process of finding and connecting with potential customers on LinkedIn. These tools use advanced search algorithms to identify potential customers based on specific criteria, and they can send automated messages to those customers to introduce your business and start a conversation.

We listed some benefits for you:

1. Time saving. One of the significant benefits of LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tools is that they can save a significant amount of time and effort. Rather than spending hours searching for potential customers and sending messages manually, these tools can automate the entire process, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business. In other words: we deliver you warm leads, you just have to set up a meeting with them. 

2. Scalability. With LinkedIn lead generation automation tools, it’s possible to scale lead generation efforts without requiring more resources. These tools can handle tasks such as identifying and reaching out to potential customers, which can be time-consuming if done manually. By using automation tools, businesses and professionals can expand their reach without the need for additional staff or resources.

3. Targeted approach. Another benefit of LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tools is that they can be highly targeted. These tools allow you to define specific criteria for the types of customers that you want to target, such as location, industry, job title, and company size. This can help you to ensure that you are reaching out to the right people and increase the chances of generating high-quality leads. There’s no point in just throwing your message out there, you want to speak to the people who are most likely to be interested in your product or service. Check out our blog on the importance of target group segmentation and learn more about the importance of a targeted approach.

4. Increased efficiency. By automating the lead generation process, businesses and professionals can increase their efficiency. These tools can send out connection requests and messages at a faster rate than manual efforts, which can lead to a higher number of leads generated. Additionally, these tools can help reduce errors and inconsistencies that may occur with manual lead generation efforts.

5. Cost-effective. LinkedIn lead generation automation tools can be cost-effective compared to other lead generation methods. Rather than spending money on paid advertising or hiring a dedicated sales team, businesses and professionals can invest in automation tools to generate leads. This can be particularly beneficial for small businesses and startups with limited budgets.

One of the main concerns in lead generation automation is that these tools can be seen as spammy by potential customers. Sending automated messages to large numbers of people can come across as impersonal and insincere, which can make it more challenging to generate leads in the future. Experienced lead generation companies are therefore more likely to focus on the importance of well-designed messages, in order to keep them personal, and more importantly, human. Check out our blog on Social Selling how we approach this at Leadblocks.

So, which one should you choose to fire up your lead generation game?

Both LinkedIn Sales Navigator and LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tools can be effective tools for generating leads on LinkedIn. Yet, they are different tools with different purposes. LinkedIn Sales Navigator is designed to help sales teams and professionals identify and connect with potential customers more effectively. In contrast, LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tools are designed to automate the process of finding potential customers, sending out connection requests, and messages to generate leads, which not only creates highly targeted leads but also saves a lot of time compared to LinkedIn Sales Navigator. 

It’s important to note that LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tools and LinkedIn Sales Navigator serve different purposes and can complement each other in lead generation efforts. Even so, there are some reasons why a LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tool may be a better fit for some businesses and professionals compared to Sales Navigator:

1. Cost: LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tools can be more cost-effective than Sales Navigator. Sales Navigator is a premium subscription service that starts at €80,- per month, and the cost increases with additional features. Moreover, you will still have to take care of your lead generation process or have someone else manage this for you. In contrast, LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tools are taking away all the workload on your lead generation process. For businesses and professionals on a budget, a LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tool may be a more affordable option. Want to learn more about our packages? Let’s schedule a call to see how we can help through Calendly. 

2. Time-saving: As mentioned above, LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tools can save a considerable amount of time compared to Sales Navigator. These tools automate the process of finding potential customers and sending out connection requests and messages. In contrast, Sales Navigator requires manual search and filtering, as well as personalized outreach efforts, which can be time-consuming. For businesses and professionals looking to generate leads efficiently and effectively, a LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tool can be a valuable time-saver.

3. Scalability: LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tools can scale lead generation efforts without requiring more resources, which may not be the case with Sales Navigator. These tools can handle tasks such as identifying and reaching out to potential customers, which can be time-consuming if done manually. By using automation tools, businesses and professionals can expand their reach without the need for additional staff or resources.

4. Targeted approach: LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tools can help businesses and professionals target specific audiences more effectively than Sales Navigator. These tools allow users to define criteria such as location, industry, job title, and company size to identify potential customers who fit the target audience. By targeting specific audiences, businesses and professionals can increase the chances of generating high-quality leads.

1. Customization: LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tools can offer more customization options than Sales Navigator, which may be beneficial for businesses and professionals with specific lead generation needs. These tools can help users manage their leads more effectively and tailor their outreach efforts to specific audiences. In contrast, Sales Navigator offers fewer customization options and may require external tools or software to manage leads effectively.

In conclusion, a LinkedIn Lead Generation automation tool may be a better fit for some businesses and professionals compared to Sales Navigator, depending on their lead generation needs, budget, and resources. These tools can be more cost-effective, time-saving, scalable, and offer more targeted and customized approaches to lead generation. 

Want to learn more about lead generation? Check out our blog on how to generate leads like a pro. Want to know what we can do for you? Schedule a call with Laura and let us help you build a solid sales strategy!

—

Read this blog in Dutch