Microsoft’s Enterprise Sales Team focuses on growth bets with Sales Navigator
SUCCESS STORY
Microsoft's Enterprise Sales team tackled the challenge of finding net-new customers by leveraging LinkedIn Sales Navigator. The deep sales platform has helped Microsoft successfully identify whitespace in various B2B industries and has enabled the identification of key contacts and influencers within buying committees. Overall, Microsoft’s enterprise sales team has been able to build more pipeline and secure larger wins with Sales Navigator.
THE CHALLENGE
Finding Net New Customers
Global software development and technology leader, Microsoft, has a client base of over 9,000 enterprise customers.
Due to the widespread adoption of Microsoft’s software solutions, we are always looking for ways to connect with new people and engage in conversations around net new opportunities.
Microsoft’s Enterprise Sales team acts as the growth engine for the company, identifying available whitespace and uncovering new opportunities that Microsoft solutions can help transform.
The Enterprise Sales team at Microsoft works with customers that have approximately 5,000+ employees, creating a need for a tailored approach in order to best serve each customer’s needs.
THE SOLUTION
Surfacing Hidden Opportunities with Sales Navigator
Microsoft uses LinkedIn Sales Navigator to accurately identify the whitespace and growth opportunities within a broad range of B2B industries. “The Digital Enterprise Sales team at Microsoft’s job is to uncover net-new contacts and to drive new conversations and opportunities,” explains Michelle Westlund, General Manager, Digital Sales Cloud Acquisition.
As a deep sales platform, LinkedIn Sales Navigator enables the identification of key contacts and influencers within buying committees.
“We need to be super targeted in our approach to make sure we’re investing our time in the right accounts. We’re focusing on what we call ‘growth bets.’ LinkedIn Sales Navigator has been central to how we achieve that.”
THE RESULTS
Breaking into New Personas
Sales Navigator has allowed the Digital Enterprise Sales team at Microsoft to find net new contacts with trusted insights, which saves time and increases productivity.
“It’s the priority of this Digital Sales motion to expand those personas and relationships to other lines of business owners,” discusses Jen Holtvluwer, Director of Digital Enterprise Sales.
With deep sales, the team can “bring data and insights together to help connect with customers in a deeply personalized and curated way,” says Michelle Westlund. The Digital Enterprise Sales team is constantly checking Sales Navigator to see what new insights and new contacts have surfaced in order to form new connections.
Developing New Relationships
Microsoft's sales philosophy emphasizes active listening, understanding customer business outcomes, and putting the buyer first.
Personalized, trust-based relationships lead to better outcomes in terms of pipeline, win rates, and deal sizes. Jen Holtvluwer, explains, “Success comes from being able to find decision makers with insights and creating the kind of personal trust-based relationships that we know hold the key to success for both sellers and buyers. LinkedIn Sales Navigator is integral to that.”
Additionally, it is important to develop multiple relationships with members in a buying committee. “With Enterprise Sales, you’re often looking to build relationships with 15 to 20 or more members of a buying committee,” Westlund adds. “That’s where the strength of LinkedIn Sales Navigator really comes in.”
Accelerating Wins with Trusted Data
The trusted data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator has helped Microsoft’s Enterprise Sales team become more efficient. “Finding those contacts, and data on those contacts we can trust, saves us time and has had a huge impact on productivity,” says Holtvluwer. “We’re seeing an increase in opportunities and a corresponding rise in connection rates.”
Westlund echoes Holtvluwer: “Sales Navigator is helping us transform the way we sell, using reliable data and actionable insights to ensure better results in terms of pipeline, win rates, and deal sizes. I would recommend it to any serious sales leader.”
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“Sales Navigator is essential in our approach to finding net-new customer contact records. It has helped us understand the whitespace landscape we haven’t traditionally explored and is a key platform we leverage for successful customer outreach efforts.”
Jen HoltvluwerDigital Enterprise Sales
Microsoft -
“Sales Navigator is helping us transform the way we sell, using reliable data and actionable insights to ensure better results in terms of pipeline, win rates, and deal sizes. I would recommend it to any sales leader.”
Michelle WestlundGeneral Manager
Digital Sales Cloud Acquisition
Microsoft -
“We could not have the same success in Microsoft Digital Enterprise Sales without LinkedIn Sales Navigator.”
Michelle WestlundGeneral Manager
Digital Sales Cloud Acquisition
Microsoft
ABOUT MICROSOFT
Every company has a mission. What's ours? To empower every person and every organization to achieve more. We believe technology can and should be a force for good and that meaningful innovation contributes to a brighter world in the future and today. Our culture doesn’t just encourage curiosity; it embraces it. Each day we make progress together by showing up as our authentic selves.
INDUSTRY
Software Development
No. OF EMPLOYEES:
220,000 Employees
HEADQUARTERS
Redmond, WA
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