Linked Adds AI Capabilities in Sales Navigator

LinkedIn today introduced a suite of artificial intelligence capabilities, including Lead Finder, Lead IQ, Message Assist, and  enhancements to Account IQ, to its Sales Navigator solution.

The enhancements to Account IQ include more detailed, personalized insights that show why companies' solutions are a perfect fit for a target account and will coach sales reps on how to best map their solution to buyers' business needs.

Lead Finder uses custom-built Sales Navigator personas and information about target buyers on LinkedIn to identify whom sales people should contct at accounts alongside connections for warm introductions.

Lead IQ summarizes everything sales reps need to know about contacts and aggregates information shared on LinkedIn, combined with Account IQ data, to highlight shared experiences and opportunities for connection, like celebrating a new job or mutual topics of interest.

Message Assist ;harnesses Lead IQ and Account IQ, pulling insights from LinkedIn, web results, and details users choose to share on their products or services to help craft personalized messages. It also provides a draft InMail that users can customize to reach prospective buyers they have yet to engage.

These releases follow LinkedIn research which found that sales professionals only spend, on average, 10 hours a week actually selling, with administrative tasks taking away crucial time that should be spent investing in customer relationship, and thatAI can help free an additional 11.5 hours a week so they can spend more time engaging with customers and closing deals.

"AI has the potential to revolutionize sales by automating administrative tasks, increasing productivity and efficiency, while freeing up valuable time for selling and relationship-building. Of course, just having the right technologies and a team that knows how to use them isn't enough. You have to find the right AI partners to realize a meaningful impact on revenue. Today's news represents one of a number of exciting initiatives we're working on to support our larger AI vision," LinkedIn executives wrote in a blog post.