LinkedIn Sales Navigator & Dynamics 365

LinkedIn & Dynamics 365

Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn has brought new and exciting integration and opportunities for the Sales users within Dynamics 365 via Sales Navigator.  Finding the people/firms that you want to do business with and effectively managing those opportunities within Dynamics 365 is more powerful than ever.  In this article, we will look at the features of LinkedIn Sales Navigator, how to find and manage your lead lists, integration to Dynamics 365 and the companion features such as PointDrive.

Sales Navigator

LinkedIn users familiar with the standard interface will notice something unique when they first access Sales Navigator.  Sales Navigator presents (1) the top updates from the leads and accounts that you follow, instead of information related to the shares or contributions from the individuals, groups with which they have a direct relationship as in LinkedIn.  This content can be filtered (2) based on level or importance or by type.  This filtering capability significantly increases the potential of being presented actionable content to foster a successful outreach to those leads and/or accounts within your pipeline.

Searches against all potential Leads and Accounts are enabled (3) via keyword or Boolean, including the ability to launch the Lead Builder tool via the Advanced icon.  Searches can be saved for future use or modification based on changes to criteria (industry, geography, etc.).

Social Selling Index (SSI)

Sales Navigator users can also track their Social Selling Index (SSI) score via the main dashboard (4).  Your SSI score measures you against peers within the industry as well as your overall network on LinkedIn.  Social Selling Index also provides insight into the four elements of social selling — establishing your professional brand, finding the right people, engaging with insights, and building relationships.  Sales Navigator also tracks your SSI progress to help you understand where areas of focus are needed to see improvement and increase your score. Pro Tip: An SSI score of higher than 75 or more shows you are really aligned to the four elements of social selling!

Lead Builder

Lead Builder amplifies your search potential to identify the appropriate leads and accounts based on a multitude of filters.  As you search against potential Sales Navigator data based on the prescribed filters, the results are detailed at the top of the screen, narrowed as the details are provided within the search criteria.  A toggle for leads related to others within your organization via TeamLink is also available.  TeamLink helps you find the strongest path to someone you would like to meet by showing you the best routes to an introduction.

Manage your lists across LinkedIn and Sales Navigator via the Lists menu.  “My network” refers to those 1^st level connections on LinkedIn, “Saved leads” are the people you are following on Sales Navigator and “Saved accounts” are the companies you are following on Sales Navigator.

 

Sales Navigator provides insights to recommended leads and account based on your sales preferences, as well as leads and accounts that you currently follow.  Additionally, you can edit your sales preferences from the Discover menu.

Manage your inboxes related to InMail and messages across LinkedIn and Sales Navigator from the Messages icon.  As you are able to follow individuals that are in your 1^st connection network as Leads within Sales Navigator, managing your inboxes could not be simpler.

PointDrive allows organizations to create and share branded content, tracking the engagement and interaction with the client as they review the delivered presentations.  These metrics are vital to understanding the value of the content as well as the quality of the touchpoint with the pursued lead or account.  PointDrive allows for individual or team presentation creation and management, leveraging the best content across your organization with a personalized approach.

Dynamics 365 Integration

LinkedIn Sales Navigator and Dynamics 365 integrates seamlessly via cross system awareness.  Dynamics 365 Accounts, Contacts and Leads associated to Open Opportunities can automatically be imported to Sales Navigator as followed Accounts and Leads.  Launch an Account in Dynamics 365 directly from Sales Navigator, eliminating the need to bounce from one application to another.  Once viewed in Dynamics 365, LinkedIn data related to the linked account is displayed via the “widget” to maintain the context.

While working in Sales Navigator with a Lead or Account, Dynamics 365 integration allows instant track back of Notes, Messages and InMails back to the respective Dynamics 365 record as a completed activity.  This level of comprehensive tracking maintains a complete history of actions related to the pursuit of a prospective client.  Additionally, if you use the Sales Navigator app on your mobile device to contact a Lead by phone, this activity can also be tracked back to Dynamics 365 as a completed activity.

CRM “Widget”

Dynamics 365 Accounts, Contacts and Opportunities present information related to its LinkedIn profile via the CRM Widget.  On each record, uncover vital information on your prospective customer via (1) recommended leads, (2) connections, and (3) news.

Recommended Leads provides insight to individuals within the organization that it may be prudent to contact.  Connections provides insight to those within the organization with which you share connections within your network.  This immediately presents warm introductions into the organization.  News reflects any shares or articles within LinkedIn posted about or by members within the organization.  These articles present opportunities for proactive outreach potential for InMails, Messages or phone calls that have a greater chance for a successful connection!

Summary

Sales Navigator and Dynamics 365 presents an amazing opportunity for Sales Professionals.  Never before has there been a resource to find, contact with purpose, and capture sales leads than with the integration between LinkedIn Sales Navigator and Dynamics 365.  Keep an eye here on the CRM Hobbit blog for more tips and tricks to make your adoption of LinkedIn Sales Navigator as successful as possible!

If you would like to hear more about LinkedIn Sales Navigator, check out the CRM Audio podcast episode 67: LinkedIn Tattoo!  I talk with Chris Huntingford and Joel Lindstrom about everything in this post and more!