Feature lists look alike. These eight questions help you tell tools apart by what matters to your team.
The eight questions
- How many LinkedIn accounts will send, and who owns them? Some tools charge per account, some per user. Use only accounts you own and have the right to use.
- Where do your leads come from? Check the tool can import from the place you already work, such as Sales Navigator, a search or a CSV file.
- Do you need email as well as LinkedIn? Some tools start from email and add LinkedIn. Others start from LinkedIn. Choose the one built around your main channel.
- What does the tool do to protect accounts? Ask for specifics, such as how it paces activity. No tool can promise that an account will never be restricted, and LinkedIn's terms restrict automated tools. See Is LinkedIn automation safe?.
- How are replies handled? Look at the inbox, any AI assistance, and whether you can take over a conversation at any point.
- Do you work for clients? If so, check for separate workspaces, role-based access and reporting you can share.
- What does it cost at your size? Price your real number of accounts and users, and see how these tools charge.
- How do you leave? Check you can export your leads and conversation history, so your data does not live only inside the tool.
Try before you commit
Where a tool offers a trial, use it with a small list and your own message. Check the pace of sending, the way replies appear and how easy it is to stop a campaign. Read the terms before you connect an account.
A short checklist
- I know how many accounts will send and who owns them.
- The tool imports from my lead sources.
- I understand what it does for account protection, and what it cannot promise.
- I know the full price at my size.
- I can export my data.
Questions
- Which feature matters most?
- It depends on your team. For most, the lead sources, how replies are handled and the price at their real number of accounts matter more than the length of a feature list.
- Is it safe to connect my LinkedIn account to a tool?
- LinkedIn's terms restrict the use of automated tools, and accounts using them may be restricted or suspended. Read the safety guide before you decide.