How to Export a List from Sales Navigator: A Quick Guide

Exporting a list from Sales Navigator sounds like it should be a breeze, right? But if you’ve ever tried to pull your hard-earned leads out of LinkedIn’s walled garden, you know it’s more like running an obstacle course—with a few surprise hurdles thrown in for good measure. I’ve seen sales teams spend hours copying and pasting, only to end up with half-baked spreadsheets and a headache. And with over relying on Sales Navigator, this isn’t just a minor nuisance—it’s a real productivity killer.

The truth is, exporting a list from Sales Navigator is the critical first step for any data-driven sales or marketing campaign. Whether you’re prepping for a big outreach push or just trying to keep your CRM up to date, the way you handle this export can make or break your workflow. Let’s dig into why exporting matters, the pitfalls of doing it the old-fashioned way, and—most importantly—how you can use AI-powered tools like to turn this chore into a two-minute win.

Why Exporting a List from Sales Navigator Matters for Sales Teams

Let’s get real: Sales Navigator is an incredible tool for finding and organizing leads, but its value skyrockets when you can actually use that data outside of LinkedIn. Here’s why exporting your lists is a strategic move:

• Improved Lead Targeting: Once your leads are in a spreadsheet or CRM, you can slice and dice them by industry, location, or seniority—making it easy to personalize your outreach and prioritize the hottest prospects.
• Multi-Channel Outreach: Exported lists let you launch email campaigns, upload custom audiences for ads, or hand off leads to SDRs for calls—all without re-entering data.
• CRM Integration: Importing structured lead data into Salesforce, HubSpot, or your CRM of choice means your pipeline is always up to date, and reps can track every touchpoint.
• Performance Tracking: With exported lists, you can measure campaign ROI, monitor lead status, and ensure no one slips through the cracks.

A Forrester study even found that Sales Navigator can drive a over three years—but only if you can get the data where you need it. In my experience, the teams that master exporting are the ones who move fastest and close the most deals.

Common Challenges Before Exporting Lists Was Easy

Before export tools came along, getting your leads out of Sales Navigator was a bit like trying to get ketchup out of a glass bottle—slow, messy, and occasionally rage-inducing. Here’s what most teams faced:

• Manual Copy-Paste: Reps would literally copy each name, title, and company into a spreadsheet. Not only is this mind-numbing, but it’s also error-prone—typos, missed leads, and formatting chaos.
• Data Loss Risks: Ever lose your work because of a browser crash or a missed save? Manual methods are notorious for accidental data loss.
• No Contact Info: The native export (if you even find it) doesn’t include emails or phone numbers, so you’re left hunting for contact details one by one.
• No List Segmentation: All your saved leads get dumped into one big file, with no indication of which campaign or segment they belong to.
• Time Drain: spend an hour or more each day on data entry. That’s time you could be spending actually selling.

I’ve heard stories of teams spending days prepping a single campaign list. And let’s be honest—no one got into sales to become a part-time data entry clerk.

Overview of Solutions to Export a List from Sales Navigator

Thankfully, we live in the age of Chrome extensions and AI. Here are the main ways to export a list from Sales Navigator today:

• Manual Copy-Paste: Still an option, if you enjoy tedium and carpal tunnel.
• Native LinkedIn Export: Buried in LinkedIn’s settings, this gives you a basic CSV—but with limited fields and no contact info.
• Third-Party Chrome Extensions: Tools like , Surfe, and Evaboot automate the process, add enrichment, and export in various formats.
• CRM Integrations: Some tools push leads directly into your CRM, but often at a premium price.

Here’s a quick comparison:

Thunderbit stands out for its AI-driven field suggestions, subpage scraping, and direct export to your favorite tools. Plus, it’s built for non-technical users—no coding, no templates, just results.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Export a List from Sales Navigator with Thunderbit

Ready to ditch the manual grind? Here’s how to export a list from Sales Navigator using :

Step 1: Install and Set Up Thunderbit

• Head to the and click “Add to Chrome.”
• Sign up for a free account. The free tier lets you try out the basics—perfect for a test run.
• Pin the extension for easy access (trust me, you’ll want it handy).

Step 2: Select Your Target List in Sales Navigator

• Open Sales Navigator and navigate to your saved lead list or search results.
• Make sure all the leads you want are visible—scroll down to load more if needed.
• You can export from saved lists, search results, or even account lists.

Step 3: Use AI Suggest Fields for Smart Data Structuring

• Click the Thunderbit extension icon while on your Sales Navigator page.
• Select the LinkedIn Sales Navigator scraper (Thunderbit may even have a pre-built template for this).
• Hit “AI Suggest Fields.” Thunderbit’s AI will scan the page and recommend columns—like Name, Company, Title, Location, Email, and Phone.
• Adjust the fields if needed. Want to add a custom tag or split first/last names? Just add a column and let the AI handle it.

Step 4: Export and Download Your List

• Click “Scrape.” Thunderbit will extract the data for all visible leads.
• For multi-page lists, Thunderbit can handle pagination or prompt you to move to the next page.
• Once done, review your data in Thunderbit’s table view.
• Choose your export format: Excel, CSV, Google Sheets, Airtable, or Notion. One click, and your data is ready to use—no messy imports or reformatting.

Pro tip: If you want even more detail (like a lead’s full bio or company website), use Thunderbit’s subpage scraping to visit each profile and enrich your table automatically.

Enhancing Exported Lists: Categorize, Tag, and Format with Thunderbit

One of my favorite Thunderbit features is how easy it is to organize your data before export:

• Custom Categories & Tags: Add columns for campaign names, lead status, or custom segments. Thunderbit’s AI can even auto-tag leads based on job titles or industries.
• Field AI Prompts: Give plain English instructions for tricky fields—like “Categorize by seniority” or “Extract company website.”
• Formatting: Thunderbit outputs clean, CRM-ready data. No more fixing column headers or splitting names in Excel.

This makes it a breeze to import your leads into Salesforce, HubSpot, or any CRM—and ensures your team can jump straight into outreach.

Best Practices for Managing Exported Sales Navigator Lists

Getting your list out is just the beginning. Here’s how to maximize its value:

• Clean Your Data: Remove duplicates using the LinkedIn profile URL as a unique ID. Thunderbit’s exports make this easy.
• Verify Emails: Run your list through an email verifier (especially for large campaigns) to avoid bounces.
• Merge & Deduplicate: If you’re combining lists from multiple sources, use Excel’s “Remove Duplicates” or Google Sheets’ “Unique” function.
• Segment for Outreach: Use filters to group leads by persona, region, or campaign. This helps personalize your messaging and track results.
• Secure Your Data: Only share exported lists with team members who need access, and always respect privacy laws.

Here’s a simple post-export checklist:

1. Clean and deduplicate your list.
2. Verify contact info.
3. Tag and segment leads.
4. Import into your CRM or outreach tool.
5. Track engagement and update statuses.

The Future of List Exporting: AI-Powered Data Extraction and Analysis

AI isn’t just making exports faster—it’s transforming how we use lead data:

• Automated Enrichment: Thunderbit’s AI can pull emails, phone numbers, and even categorize leads on the fly.
• Subpage Scraping: Visit each profile or company page for deeper insights—without opening a hundred tabs.
• Workflow Automation: Schedule recurring exports, auto-sync with Google Sheets, and trigger alerts when new leads match your criteria.
• Predictive Analysis: The next wave? AI will help score and prioritize leads based on likelihood to convert, using data from your exported lists.

Thunderbit is at the forefront here, making advanced data extraction accessible to every sales team—not just the ones with big IT budgets.

Thunderbit is my go-to for flexibility, speed, and AI-powered enrichment—especially if you want to export, organize, and act on your leads in minutes, not hours.

Comparing Export Tools: Which Solution Fits Your Workflow?

Here’s a side-by-side look at the top options:

Thunderbit is my go-to for flexibility, speed, and AI-powered enrichment—especially if you want to export, organize, and act on your leads in minutes, not hours.

Conclusion & Key Takeaways

Exporting a list from Sales Navigator isn’t just a technical step—it’s the foundation of every high-impact sales and marketing campaign. The old way (manual copy-paste or basic CSVs) is slow, risky, and leaves a lot of value on the table. With AI-powered tools like , you can export, enrich, and organize your leads in just a few clicks—fueling smarter outreach, better CRM integration, and faster results.

Key takeaways:

• Exporting lists unlocks the full power of Sales Navigator for your team.
• Manual methods are inefficient and error-prone—automation is the way forward.
• Thunderbit makes exporting fast, flexible, and accessible to everyone (no coding required).
• Use best practices for data cleaning, enrichment, and segmentation to maximize ROI.
• AI is shaping the future of sales data—embrace it to stay ahead.

Ready to see the difference? , try exporting your next Sales Navigator list, and watch your productivity soar. For more tips and deep dives on sales automation, check out the .

FAQs

1. Why doesn’t Sales Navigator have a simple export button?
LinkedIn restricts direct exports to encourage in-platform engagement and to protect user data. The native export is buried in settings and offers limited fields—no emails or segmentation.

2. What’s the biggest advantage of using Thunderbit over manual exports?
Thunderbit automates field detection, data extraction, and enrichment (including emails and phones), and exports directly to your favorite tools—saving hours and reducing errors.

3. Is it safe and compliant to export leads from Sales Navigator?
Exporting public data for legitimate business outreach is generally acceptable, but always respect privacy laws and LinkedIn’s terms. Use data responsibly and provide opt-outs in outreach.

4. Can Thunderbit handle large lists or recurring exports?
Yes! Thunderbit’s cloud scraping can process up to 50 pages at a time, and you can schedule recurring exports to keep your CRM or spreadsheets up to date.

5. How do I get started with Thunderbit?
Install the , sign up for a free account, and follow the steps above. You’ll be exporting smarter in no time.

Happy exporting—and may your lead lists always be clean, complete, and ready for action.

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