On Linkedin, I've mentioned here and there that Sales and VC have more in common than we think. It's especially true when you're looking for opportunities. Because most of SDR and VC Analyst are using Linkedin as their main tool. And adding tools around to be more efficient, precise, creative is a necessity.
Linkedin can be super powerful as an investor. It can be used to find top talents to help a portfolio startup grow, find expert in an industry you want to learn more about or simply to source new deals. LinkedIn is essential.
However, to fully exploit its potential, you often need to rely on effective prospecting tools. Most of the tools we are going to present were initially designed for Sales but can easily be twisted to be useful for you as VC.
1. LinkedIn Sales Navigator
Main usage: search for founders and make lists of potentials founders to reach out.
Not very surprised to find LinkedIn Sales Navigator as the go-to choice for any professional looking to strategically leverage LinkedIn’s capabilities. This premium tool offers advanced search capabilities through tons of filter. Even though it's a little bit expensive, it's worth every penny.
Key Features that might interest you:
- Advanced search filters to refine targeting criteria (location, industry, company size)
- Lead recommendations based on your preferences, very helpful to detect new founders you might have missed
- CRM integration to synchronize prospect data and track interactions (in my opinion the most important feature)
- Real-time insights such as job changes to follow potential founders
Starting €80/month when billed annually
2. Kaspr
Main usage: get more data on profiles, fill your CRM with missing informations and run automated outbound campaign.
Super useful its ability to quickly extract contact information from LinkedIn. This is super useful for extracting complementary informations on founders to automatically fill up your CRM (mail, phone number). Also useful when you want to run an automated outbound campaign to reach out founders.
Key Features:
- Chrome extension to extract emails and phone numbers directly from LinkedIn profiles
- Automated messaging to send personalized messages automatically to founders
- CRM integration for easy lead tracking
- Free plan available, with affordable upgrade options
Paid plans start from. € 45/month when billed annually
3. Waalaxy
Main usage: run and monitor easily outbound campaign on Linkedin.
Waalaxy allows you to automate multichannel campaigns by combining LinkedIn, email, and Twitter but is mostly useful on Linkedin for VC.
Key Features:
- Multichannel campaign automation and multi-step
- Advanced segmentation to target the right profiles
- Campaign analytics to track the effectiveness of your outreach in real-time
- Easy-to-use interface for quick and simple campaign setup
Paid plans start from. € 19/month when billed annually
NB: Waalaxy has 2 downsides: very expensive and campaign limited to 2 steps.
4. Surfe
Main usage: data enrichment for Linkedin contacts and CMR synchronization for messages.
Surf is a tool that integrates LinkedIn directly with your CRM systems, simplifying data transfer and lead management. Surfe can be an interesting alternative to Kaspr.
Key Features:
- CRM synchronization to transfer LinkedIn profile data directly into your CRM
- Data enrichment to complete missing prospect information (it has access to Apollo database, which can be a huge plus)
- LinkedIn messaging via CRM to centralize your interactions
- Real-time notifications on prospect updates (only Pro version)
Paid plans start from. € 29/month when billed annually
+ Big bonus: it has access to Apollo's data which allow you to see what is the tech stack of the start-up so far.
5. SalesMind
Main usage: run automated outbound campaign on Linkedin using AI to suggest reply to founders.
SalesMind is a sales automation tool powered by artificial intelligence designed to run LinkedIn prospecting campaigns. It's a cheaper alternative to Waalaxy but a little bit less intuitive.
Key Features:
- Automated connection requests, messages and profile views
- AI-driven personalization to tailor messages for each founder based their profile and answer
- Campaign management and reporting for easy tracking of your outreach efforts + lead import feature from Sales Navigator
Paid plans start from. € 55/month when billed annually
Bonus: the campaign can reach more than 7 actions, including severals messages making it more efficient than Waalaxy to run long campaigns in one shot.
6. La Growth Machine
Main usage: run multi-channel campaign from one place
Last but not least! And maybe the best tool of the list. If you don't know it yet, we would strongly suggest you give it a try. La Growth Machine is an automation tool designed to help users grow their network and generate leads at scale wether it be by mail, Linkedin or SMS. It allow you to automate at scale any repetitive tasks
Key Features:
- Automated connection requests and messages for simplified contact management
- Multi-account management to handle multiple LinkedIn profiles simultaneously
- Advanced targeting with specific filters to reach the right prospects
- Analytics and reporting to measure campaign effectiveness
Bonus: it's one of the cheapest tools in the list - Starting €50/month when billed annually
Last words.
For VC, the right tools means saving sometime so you can focus on where you good at: helping entrepreneurs. LinkedIn is the backbone of your dealflow and using it effectively requires more than just a profile and a search bar.
These tools will allow you, as a VC, to streamline your operations, improve your deal-sourcing strategies, and ultimately, gain a competitive edge in finding and nurturing the next big thing. By incorporating them into your daily workflow, you ensure that every connection and opportunity is fully optimized.
