Build a target list in Sales Navigator by filtering, saving the leads that qualify, and sorting them into a list you can work. LinkedIn's own prospecting playbook recommends starting with job function, title and seniority to get "a clear starting point," then narrowing with intent signals before you reach out (LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)). The tutorial below follows that sequence from a blank search to a saved list you can send from.
Step 1: Set up your target market filters
Open Sales Navigator's lead search and work from broad to narrow. The order matters because LinkedIn's filters are designed to cut a large market down rather than to start from a single account.
- Start with the firmographic frame. Filter by company, industry and size.
- Add job function, title and seniority. LinkedIn's playbook names these three as the way to turn a broad market into a workable list (LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)).
- Layer an intent signal (optional). LinkedIn calls out "Category interest" as one intent signal worth using, and describes intent signals as a way to prioritise accounts that show buying behaviour (LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)). Treat this as a step you can skip on Core: LinkedIn lists Buyer Intent signals as an Advanced and Advanced Plus feature, so a Core search can be built from the firmographic, job and activity filters alone (Sales Navigator Help (opens in a new tab)).
- Decide whether to filter for activity. The "Posted on LinkedIn" toggle narrows results to people who have actively used the platform in the past 30 days, which LinkedIn states guarantees you connect with recently active members (LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)).
On the filter count, LinkedIn counts at different scopes on that page: "15 different account-based filters" and "36 different lead filters" for its two methods, and a headline of "50+ filters" overall (LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)). Those describe different scopes, so do not build a plan around one exact number.
Step 2: Check the list size before you save
A filter set that returns 40,000 people is not a list; it is a market. Tighten the seniority and title filters until the result is a size you can actually work in the period you have. Your saved-lead budget is finite — LinkedIn documents a ceiling of 10,000 saved leads and accounts per user (Sales Navigator Help (opens in a new tab)) — so the goal is a list you can finish, not the biggest possible one.
Save the search itself, not just the results. Click Save search at the top of the search filters, and LinkedIn will notify you when new accounts or leads meet your criteria (LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)). Saved searches let you return to the same filter set later and catch new matches without rebuilding it (Sales Navigator Help (opens in a new tab)).
Step 3: Save the leads that qualify
As you review results, click Save to the right of a qualifying lead's record to add that person to a custom lead list. Save the qualifying contacts to the same custom list, using a name such as "Qualified leads" for this tutorial (LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)). Saving also lets LinkedIn's alerts watch that lead for changes (Sales Navigator Help (opens in a new tab)). That second effect is the reason to save deliberately rather than saving everything the search returns. Alerts are only as useful as the list behind them.
Use the Lead Profiles and Account Pages to check a prospect before saving: LinkedIn describes these as the pages for learning about accounts and noting icebreakers (Sales Navigator Help (opens in a new tab)).
Step 4: Build lists that feed outreach
Custom lists are how you turn a pile of saved leads into a sequence. LinkedIn lists custom lists as a Core feature, and sharing lists and saved searches with teammates as an Advanced feature (Sales Navigator Help (opens in a new tab)). Continue with the "Qualified leads" custom lead list from Step 3; this tutorial stays in lead search rather than switching to an account-list route.
A workable list structure keeps the next action obvious:
- By trigger. Leads with a recent change, such as the hiring activity or role changes that Alerts surface.
- By fit. Leads that match the profile but have no trigger yet.
- By stage. Leads you have contacted, awaiting a reply.
For the outreach step itself, LinkedIn suggests using Lead IQ to research an account and Message Assist to draft personalized outreach as an AI-driven refinement aid (LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)). Those AI research and drafting features are documented across Core, Advanced and Advanced Plus, but LinkedIn also notes that some features are in public beta and only available in select languages, so check availability on your plan and language before relying on them (LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)). This is optional, not required to build a list. Reach out with the InMail credits the plan includes — 50 a month per user on every tier (Sales Navigator Help (opens in a new tab)).
Common search mistakes
- Filtering so tightly that the list is empty. A search with no results is a filter problem, not a market problem. Remove the intent signal first and see whether the market exists at all.
- Saving without a trigger. A saved lead with no signal is just a name. Save the moment, not only the person.
- Treating the search as the campaign. Sales Navigator produces a list. What happens after the list — sequencing, follow-up, one inbox — is a separate workflow, and it is worth being clear about that boundary before you assume one tool covers both.
- Ignoring the saved-lead ceiling. At 10,000 saved leads per user, an unfiltered saving habit fills the budget with people you will never contact (Sales Navigator Help (opens in a new tab)).
The limit to keep in mind
Sales Navigator is a prospecting tool, not a multi-account sending engine, and the platform still polices activity on the account. LinkedIn states that features may be temporarily restricted if its system detects unusual activity, affecting InMail sending, connection invitations, lead and account searches, or profile views (Sales Navigator Help (opens in a new tab)). A good list does not change that.
If you are comparing outreach tools, Visit Clapa. For the tool itself, start with what Sales Navigator is and the tier and price comparison.
FAQ
How do I add Sales Navigator?
Sales Navigator is a separate paid subscription. You buy a Core, Advanced or Advanced Plus license and sign in with it; the plan details are in Sales Navigator pricing (Sales Navigator Help (opens in a new tab)).
How do I find leads in Sales Navigator?
Search with job function, title and seniority, then click Save to the right of a qualifying lead's record to add that person to your named custom lead list (LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)).
How many leads can I save?
Up to 10,000 saved leads and accounts per user, on every Sales Navigator tier (Sales Navigator Help (opens in a new tab)).
Does a saved list send messages for me?
No. Saving builds the list; you still send the outreach, using the InMail credits included with the plan (LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)).
Sources
- LinkedIn, "How to Prospect with LinkedIn Sales Navigator": https://business.linkedin.com/sell/sales-navigator/how-to-prospect (opens in a new tab)
- Sales Navigator Help, "Sales Navigator account types and features": https://www.linkedin.com/help/sales-navigator/answer/a104003 (opens in a new tab)
- Sales Navigator Help, "Sales Navigator usage, limitations, and restrictions": https://www.linkedin.com/help/sales-navigator/answer/a1644013 (opens in a new tab)