LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a premium paid subscription service offered by LinkedIn to help sales professionals identify, connect with, and close more deals. It provides advanced search filters, lead recommendations, conversation starters, and other sales tools not available with a free LinkedIn account.
If you are unable to access Sales Navigator on LinkedIn, there are a few potential reasons why:
You don’t have a paid Sales Navigator subscription
The Sales Navigator features and tools are only accessible to LinkedIn members who have purchased a paid subscription. There are various subscription options available, including Sales Navigator Team, Sales Navigator Professional, and higher tier Sales Navigator Enterprise plans.
Without an active paid subscription, you will not be able to use Sales Navigator and will be prompted to upgrade when trying to access it.
Your company hasn’t purchased Sales Navigator
For larger companies and enterprises, LinkedIn offers corporate Sales Navigator plans. Often companies will purchase an enterprise-level Sales Navigator subscription and then grant access to employees who need it.
If your company has not purchased a corporate Sales Navigator plan, you as an individual employee may not have access to use Sales Navigator, even with a personal LinkedIn account.
You don’t have necessary admin permissions
For corporate Sales Navigator plans, LinkedIn provides admin tools to manage user access. Company admins can assign and remove Sales Navigator licenses to employees as needed.
If you don’t have admin permissions within your company’s LinkedIn or Sales Navigator setup, you may not have an active license assigned to your profile, preventing access to Sales Navigator.
Your Sales Navigator license expired
Personal and corporate Sales Navigator subscriptions need to be renewed when they expire. If your individual or company-assigned Sales Navigator license has expired, your access will be revoked until the subscription is renewed.
You will need to either renew your personal subscription or have your company renew its Sales Navigator plan before you can access it again.
You’re signed into the wrong LinkedIn account
If you have multiple LinkedIn accounts for personal and work purposes, you may be signed into the wrong account without an active Sales Navigator subscription.
Make sure you are signed into the proper LinkedIn account that has Sales Navigator access before trying to use it.
You reached your account’s usage limit
Some Sales Navigator subscription levels limit how many users can access an account or how many searches can be performed per month. If your individual or company-level subscription plan usage limits have been reached, Sales Navigator capabilities may be restricted until the next renewal.
LinkedIn is experiencing technical issues
Like any website or online platform, LinkedIn can sometimes experience technical glitches on their end that temporarily interrupt service. Network outages, platform bugs, or other technical issues could prevent access to Sales Navigator.
If the problem persists, contacting LinkedIn customer support can help determine if there are any known technical issues affecting Sales Navigator availability.
Why Consider a Sales Navigator Subscription?
Although it requires a paid subscription, Sales Navigator provides powerful sales tools and information to help boost productivity and performance. Here are some of the key benefits it offers:
Advanced lead and contact search
Sales Navigator makes it easy to identify your ideal prospects with filters like location, company size, job title, and more. You can save advanced searches to surface promising leads automatically over time.
Lead recommendations
Let Sales Navigator suggest relevant leads for you to connect with based on your saved searches, interests, and profile. Recommendations are complete with contact info and conversation starters.
Team collaboration
Collaborate seamlessly with colleagues to share contacts, accounts, and notes. Manage tasks and activity as a team to build stronger relationships.
Contact insights
Get the scoop on prospects with automated alerts about job changes, work anniversaries, and new contacts at their company. Stay up-to-date on your network.
On-the-go mobile access
The Sales Navigator mobile app makes it easy to progress deals from anywhere. iOS and Android apps allow searching, sharing, notifications, and messaging.
Sales automation integration
Connect Sales Navigator with sales engagement platforms like Salesforce and Marketo to streamline workflows and combine capabilities.
Premium support
Get your Sales Navigator questions answered with priority access to LinkedIn customer support to help maximize effectiveness.
Sales Navigator Subscription Options
Sales Navigator is available with different subscription levels depending on individual or company needs. Here is an overview of the main plans:
Sales Navigator Professional
- For individual sales reps
- $64.99/month billed annually
- Lead recommendations
- Advanced search filters
- Team collaboration
- Mobile app access
Sales Navigator Team
- For sales teams
- $83.33/month billed annually per user
- All features of Professional
- Compare team member notes
- Manager analytics
- Calendar integrations
Sales Navigator Enterprise
- For larger businesses
- Custom pricing based on seats
- All features of Team
- Account insights
- Premium support
- Admin console
Contact LinkedIn sales for details and pricing on corporate Sales Navigator Enterprise plans.
Getting Sales Navigator Access
If you want access to Sales Navigator, here are steps you can take to get set up:
Purchase an individual subscription
Any LinkedIn member can purchase a personal Professional or Sales Navigator Team subscription through their account settings. Use a credit card to subscribe instantly.
Request access through your company
Ask your manager or admin if your company has a corporate Sales Navigator plan you can be added to. They can assign a paid license to your profile if available.
Start a free 30-day trial
LinkedIn offers 30-day free trials of Sales Navigator to experience the benefits firsthand. Individuals and companies can start free trials before deciding to purchase.
Become a Sales Navigator admin
If there is a need at your company, volunteer to be the Sales Navigator admin. You can manage the corporate configuration, including assigning licenses to employees.
Upgrade to an Enterprise plan
If your company has a Team plan, discuss upgrading to Enterprise with stakeholders. The premium features may provide even more value.
Getting the Most from Sales Navigator
Once you have access to Sales Navigator, optimize it for sales success with these tips:
Personalize your profile
A complete, professional profile makes connecting with prospects easier. Showcase your expertise.
Define target accounts
Use advanced filters to create saved searches for your ideal customer profiles at target companies.
Segment key contacts
Tag prospects into appropriate lead lists like new connections or recently promoted.
Track touchpoints
Log emails, calls, and meetings with contacts so your team can pick up the thread.
Automate reminders
Set reminders for follow-ups and touchpoints so you never drop the ball.
Send thoughtful connection requests
Review profiles before connecting and include personalized notes. Quality over quantity.
Monitor notifications
Stay on top of timely alerts about job changes, work anniversaries, new hires, etc. Act quickly.
Share insights with colleagues
Keep your sales team in the loop on relevant prospect intel and potential opportunities.
Sync with CRM and email
Integrate Sales Navigator with existing sales tools to maximize efficiency.
Measure results
Track conversion rates and ROI over time to showcase Sales Navigator impact and value.
Conclusion
Sales Navigator provides a wealth of tools and data to take sales results to the next level. For many professionals, the benefits easily justify the subscription cost. Focus on smart setup, disciplined utilization, and continuous optimization to get the most strategic value from Sales Navigator.