I’m a big believer in LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and that’s why I’m revisiting episode 1827. Josh Shirley from Sandler joined me to share how to use the tool effectively and get real results.

Josh Shirley’s Background

• Josh Shirley is a sales professional with Sandler, a well-known sales training organization. 
• He works with sales leaders who want a structured system that delivers predictable results. 
• Sandler’s approach gives sales professionals the foundation they need to perform effectively from the start.

Referrals: The Gold Standard of Leads

• Josh shares personal experiences about how structured approaches to request referrals can significantly enhance lead generation.

Using the LinkedIn Rule of Seven

• Josh explains that for every seven LinkedIn connections, there’s typically one person willing and able to refer you. It’s a simple concept, but it can completely change how you approach outreach.
• There are a few ways to apply it depending on your goals. If you’re covering a broad territory, you can use one connection to open the door to many referrals. 
• If you’re targeting a specific account, multiple connections can help you get closer to the right person. 
• And in some cases, it’s as direct as asking one person for one specific introduction and repeating that process over time.

Using LinkedIn Sales Navigator to Find Referrals

• Josh walks through how LinkedIn Sales Navigator makes it easier to find the right people to connect with. 
• It helps you identify mutual connections who can introduce you and guide you toward the right prospects. 
• With the right filters, you can narrow your search and make your outreach more focused and efficient.

Getting Past the Fear of Asking

• A lot of salespeople hesitate when it comes to asking for referrals. There’s a fear of coming across as pushy or intrusive. 
• Josh challenges that mindset and reminds us that most people are willing to help, you just have to ask.

“Referrals are the most bankable form of leads you can get.” – Josh Shirley 

Resources

• If you want to connect with Josh Shirley, you can find him on LinkedIn. And if you’re looking for more insights like this, take a listen to the Sales Tales Podcast.
• Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool.
• Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals.
• Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. 

Sponsorship Offers

• This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.

• This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.

• This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.

Credits

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.