Sick of sending LinkedIn messages that get ignored? You’re not alone. Most people’s inboxes are a graveyard of generic pitches. If you’re in B2B sales or business development and want to actually get replies, you need to make your outreach about them, not you. That’s where LinkedIn Sales Navigator comes in handy—if you use it right.
This guide will walk you through how to use Sales Navigator insights to write outreach that feels like it was meant for one person (because it is). No theory, no empty “personalization at scale” promises—just clear steps, pitfalls to avoid, and a few honest takes on what works.
1. Get Clear On Who You Actually Want to Reach
Before you even open Sales Navigator, you need to know your audience. This sounds basic, but skipping it is the #1 reason outreach falls flat.
- Define your ICP. Who’s a genuinely good fit for what you’re selling—not just anyone with a VP title.
- Look at patterns. What do your best customers have in common? Industry, company size, tech stack, recent funding?
- Be honest. Just because you could sell to someone doesn’t mean you should bother.
Pro tip: You can waste hours “personalizing” messages to people who’ll never buy. The most effective outreach is focused and ruthless about who it targets.
2. Use Sales Navigator to Build a Real List (Not Just a Spreadsheet)
Sales Navigator’s search filters are powerful—when you use them thoughtfully. Don’t just dump in a bunch of keywords and hope for the best.
How to Actually Build a Useful List
- Start broad, then narrow down. Filter for job titles, seniority, industry, and company size. Then look for signals like recent job changes or posted content.
- Use “Spotlights.” These highlight prospects who:
- Changed jobs in the last 90 days (
Job Change) - Shared content recently (
Posted on LinkedIn) - Follow your company
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Are connected to your colleagues
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Save your leads. Don’t try to manage this in Excel. Save leads and accounts in Sales Navigator so you can track what’s happening.
What doesn’t work: Relying only on job titles. Titles are all over the map. Look at what people actually do and post about.
3. Dig for Personalization Gold: What to Look For
This is where most people get lazy. They’ll see a prospect’s company, maybe a recent post, and call it a day. Real personalization takes a bit more digging.
Where to Find Useful Insights
- Recent LinkedIn activity: Did they post, share, or comment? If so, what about? Engage with specifics, not generic “great post!” nonsense.
- Job changes or promotions: Congratulate them, but don’t be robotic—tie it to your outreach.
- Company news: Funding, new hires, product launches, awards. Mention something relevant and connect it to why you’re reaching out.
- Mutual connections: Don’t force it, but if you actually know the same person, bring it up.
- Pain signals: Are they hiring for roles your product can make easier? Complaining about something in a post? That’s your in.
What to ignore: “I see you went to [X University]”—unless you have a legit shared experience, this is filler.
4. Write Outreach That Isn’t Cringe
Now for the hard part: crafting a message that sounds like you’re a human, not a sales robot. Here’s how to use the insights you just gathered.
Anatomy of a Good Message
- Start with relevance.
- Reference something real: a post, a recent funding announcement, a product launch.
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Make it clear this isn’t a copy-paste job.
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Keep it short.
- 2–4 sentences is enough for an initial message.
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Don’t dump your whole pitch in the first note.
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Make it about them.
- How does your message relate to their work, challenges, or goals?
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If you can’t answer that, don’t send the message.
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Ask for dialogue, not a demo.
- Try: “Curious if this is on your radar?” or “Would love your take on this.”
Example
Hi Alex—Saw your post on scaling remote onboarding at [Their Company]. We’ve worked with a few SaaS teams tackling similar headaches. Would you be open to a quick exchange about what’s worked (and what hasn’t) for you?
What works: Specificity. Brevity. Curiosity.
What doesn’t: “I’d love to connect and explore synergies.” Or anything that sounds like it was written by ChatGPT on autopilot.
5. Follow Up (Without Being a Pest)
Most people won’t respond to your first message. That’s normal. But following up doesn’t mean spamming them with “just checking in” every week.
How to Follow Up Properly
- Wait at least 4–7 days. Give them time.
- Add new value. Did their company just launch a new product? Did they post something new? Reference it.
- Keep it short and human. “Saw your recent post on [topic]—totally agree, especially on [point]. Curious if you’ve tried [solution] yet?”
What to ignore: Templates that say “bumping this to the top of your inbox.” If you have nothing new to say, don’t follow up.
6. Track What’s Working (So You Don’t Waste Time)
It’s easy to get lost in the LinkedIn grind—sending, following up, tweaking, starting over. But if you’re not tracking what’s actually getting replies, you’re guessing.
- Use Sales Navigator’s notes and tags. Keep brief notes on what you referenced in each outreach.
- Pay attention to response rates, not just connection rates.
- Don’t overanalyze. If you find something that gets replies, double down and keep it simple.
Pro tip: If you’re getting ghosted by everyone, your outreach probably isn’t as personal as you think. Go back to step 3 and dig deeper.
7. What to Ignore: Common Sales Navigator Traps
You’ll see plenty of advice out there about “scaling personalization” or using automation tools with Sales Navigator. Here’s what to skip:
- Automated InMail blasts. People can smell them a mile away.
- Overly clever subject lines or connection requests. “Quick question” and “Two seconds of your time” are played out.
- Endless “value add” content. You don’t need to send a 12-page PDF or a whitepaper with your first message.
Stick to what’s real and relevant. That’s what stands out.
Wrap-Up: Keep It Simple, Make It Real
Personalizing outreach isn’t about tricking people—it’s about showing you care enough to do your homework. LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a solid tool, but only if you use the insights to start real conversations, not just add more noise.
Don’t overthink it. Start with a tight list, dig for one or two real reasons to reach out, and write like you talk. Test, tweak, repeat. That’s how you get replies that matter.