15 Ways To Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator For Better Prospecting

Ever feel like you’re searching for a needle in a haystack when trying to find the right prospects on LinkedIn? You’re not alone. With over 900 million users on the platform, finding your ideal customers can feel overwhelming without the right tools and strategies.

But here’s the thing – 79% of successful sales professionals use LinkedIn as their primary source for generating leads. The difference? They’re leveraging LinkedIn Sales Navigator like a pro.

Sales Navigator isn’t just LinkedIn with extra features. It’s a dedicated prospecting powerhouse that transforms how you find, connect with, and convert your ideal customers. Whether you’re looking to fill your pipeline or close more deals, mastering this tool is non-negotiable in today’s competitive landscape.

Let’s dive into 15 proven strategies that will transform your prospecting game forever.

Why LinkedIn Sales Navigator Matters (The Numbers Don’t Lie)

Before we jump into the tactics, let’s talk about why Sales Navigator should be your secret weapon:

• LinkedIn generates 277% more leads compared to Facebook and Twitter combined
• 61% of overperforming sales teams use automation in their processes (vs. 46% of underperformers)
• Sales professionals who actively engage on LinkedIn are 51% more likely to hit their quotas
• Companies using sales automation report an average ROI of $5.44 for every dollar spent

The platform isn’t just about networking anymore – it’s become the backbone of modern B2B sales strategy.

How To Identify Ideal Prospects With Right Keywords

Your ideal customer profile forms the foundation of successful prospecting. Sales Navigator lets you pinpoint these prospects using precise keyword searches across multiple profile sections.

Here’s how to nail your keyword strategy:

Start with job titles: Instead of searching “Manager,” try “Revenue Operations Manager” or “Head of Sales Operations” for better precision.

Use industry-specific terms: For SaaS companies, combine keywords like “SaaS” + “B2B” + your target role to narrow down results significantly.

Search beyond titles: The global keyword search scans skills, about sections, and job descriptions – perfect for catching prospects who might not have standard job titles.

Pro tip: Create a keyword bank with 10-15 variations of your ideal customer’s role, industry terms, and pain points. This ensures you’re casting the right net.

Use Advanced Search Filters

Sales Navigator’s advanced search is where the magic happens. The platform organizes searches into two categories: lead search and account search.

Lead Search Filters:

Company filters let you target by headcount, company type (public/private), and location. Perfect for finding prospects at companies with 500-1000 employees in your target region.

Personal filters include geography, industry, years of experience, and school. The “Connections of” filter is gold for leveraging your network to find prospects connected to competitors or key influencers.

Role filters help you zero in on specific functions, seniority levels, and tenure. Use the CXO filter to target C-suite executives directly.

Spotlight filters reveal buying signals like job changes in the last 90 days, recent news mentions, or LinkedIn activity. A recent job change often signals new budget allocation – perfect timing for outreach.

Account Search Filters:

Target growing companies with headcount growth filters, or find companies using specific technologies relevant to your solution.

Boolean Search

Boolean search transforms basic keyword searches into laser-focused prospecting tools. Master these operators to unlock Sales Navigator’s full potential:TeamLink transforms cold outreach into 

Quoted searches (“”): Use “marketing manager” to find exact phrases, preventing LinkedIn from splitting the words.

NOT operator: “CEO NOT Assistant NOT Intern” finds CEOs while excluding assistants or interns.

OR operator: “Revenue Operations” OR “RevOps” catches both formal and informal job titles.

AND operator: “B2B AND Sales AND SaaS” finds profiles containing all three terms.

Parenthetical searches (): Combine operators like “SaaS AND (Freelance OR Consultant)” for complex queries.

Remember to use UPPERCASE for operators (AND, OR, NOT) – lowercase treats them as regular words.

Creating Lead Lists

Organized lead lists are your prospecting command center. Here’s how to build lists that actually convert:

Set clear criteria: Define your target audience with specific job titles, industries, and locations before building lists.

Save your searches: Click “Save Search” to automatically receive notifications when new prospects match your criteria.

Name lists strategically: Use descriptive names like “VP Sales – FinTech – NYC” instead of generic labels.

Add context with notes: Include discovery call insights, personal details, or specific pain points for each prospect.

Organize by stage: Create separate lists for “Cold Prospects,” “Engaged,” “Follow-up Needed,” and “Hot Leads.”

Well-organized lists prevent opportunities from falling through the cracks and help you prioritize your outreach efforts.

Set-up Alerts For Follow-ups

Sales Navigator’s alert system keeps you informed about prospect activities, enabling perfectly timed outreach.

Navigate to your profile settings and enable email notifications for job changes, company updates, and shared content. These alerts provide valuable conversation starters – congratulate someone on a new role or comment thoughtfully on their recent post.

The key is acting quickly on these signals. A prospect who just changed jobs might have new budget authority or fresh mandates, making them more receptive to your solution.