Why 99% of LinkedIn users never find the right leads

Less than 1% of LinkedIn users have Sales Navigator - the closest thing to a proper B2B prospecting tool the platform offers. If finding leads is part of your job, you can't afford to sit with the 99%.

And even within that 1%, most people never touch some of the filters that actually change what's possible. Because once you know how to use them properly, your search results stop being a random list of job titles and start surfacing warm, senior leads your competitors are missing completely.

Here are two filters most Sales Navigator users overlook - and how to get the most out of both. If you want the broader picture on what makes a LinkedIn strategy actually work, this breakdown covers the full weekly rhythm.

Filter 1: "Part of a Group" - the trust signal

This one is hiding in plain sight.

Groups signal intent. If a CFO joins an Africa Private Equity & M&A group, they're not just networking. They're telling you what they care about.

Here's how to use it. In Sales Navigator, go to Lead Filters, then Groups, and search for groups relevant to your niche - Africa CEO Network, FinTech Leaders Africa, or a Family Office Association, for example. You'll need to join the group first before it appears as a filter option.

Then layer on:

• Geography: the markets you actually serve
• Company size: whatever fits your ICP
• Seniority: CXO, Owner, Partner
• Industry: Finance, Tech, Professional Services
• Activity: "Posted in last 30 days" or "Changed job in last 90 days"

The result is a filtered list of decision-makers who are active, relevant, and already interested in your topic. That's a very different starting point from a generic title search.

Filter 2: "Connections Of" - the network approach

This filter is less obvious, but it's one of the more effective ones available.

The idea is simple: you're stepping into a network that already knows someone in your world. Go to Lead Filters, then Connections Of, and pick a competitor, founder, or influencer in your niche. You just need to be connected to them yourself.

Then narrow the list by geography, headcount and seniority.

You're no longer approaching complete strangers. You're reaching people who already know someone like you and, at least loosely, understand what you do. That context shifts how your message lands - and it's the kind of warm positioning that's hard to replicate with keyword searches. For a closer look at how personalised outreach fits into this, this piece on the outbound tool we built ourselves explains how we moved away from one-message-fits-all.

Why it works

These two filters work because they go beyond titles and start focusing on context - who people know, what they care about, where they're active. That's how you find leads who are already leaning in, not just scrolling past.

Generic keyword searches give you a list. Context-based filters give you a shortlist of people worth actually talking to. The quality difference shows up quickly when you start working the list.

If you want to see how this kind of targeting translates into real meetings, the Vuna case study is a good example of what happens when you combine precise lead selection with consistent outbound.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need Sales Navigator to find good leads on LinkedIn?

Sales Navigator gives you access to filters that simply aren't available in the free version, and less than 1% of LinkedIn users have it. If finding leads is part of your job, the gap between what you can do with Navigator and without it is significant. The filters that surface warm, senior decision-makers - like group membership and network proximity - only exist inside Navigator.

What is the "Part of a Group" filter in Sales Navigator and why does it matter?

The "Part of a Group" filter lets you find people who have joined specific LinkedIn groups. Group membership signals intent - a CFO who joins an Africa Private Equity group is telling you what they care about. Layer that with seniority, geography, company size and recent activity, and you surface decision-makers who are already engaged with your topic, not just scrolling past it.

How does the "Connections Of" filter work in Sales Navigator?

The "Connections Of" filter shows you the network of a specific person you are connected to - a competitor, founder, or influencer in your niche. Because those prospects already know someone in your world, your outreach lands in a warmer context than a cold approach. Narrow the results by geography, headcount and seniority to keep the list tight and relevant.