Do you rely on LinkedIn to grow your professional network, stay in touch with connections from events, or drive social selling? 

Why LinkedIn alone isn't enough

While LinkedIn is a powerful platform, it lacks built-in CRM functionality, making it difficult to organize contacts, track interactions, and streamline outreach. Manually copying and pasting details or trying to keep tabs on every connection can quickly become overwhelming.

A LinkedIn-friendly CRM simplifies this process by helping you manage contacts, create visual pipelines, and capture key information—eliminating the need for manual data entry. It also enhances your sales and marketing efforts by tracking interactions, automating follow-ups, and enriching contact data, so you can focus on building relationships instead of switching between platforms.

In this blog post, we'll cover:

• Key features to look for in a LinkedIn-focused CRM
• The top LinkedIn CRMs, including folk, Nimble, HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, and Copper

What features should you look for in a CRM ideal for LinkedIn?

Not all CRMs offer the same level of LinkedIn functionality. The best CRMs for LinkedIn typically include features that has:

• Direct LinkedIn integration or a Chrome extension for seamless contact management,
• Automated LinkedIn messaging and follow-ups,
• Contact enrichment with LinkedIn data,
• Compatibility with LinkedIn Sales Navigator,
• User-friendly interface for managing contacts and leads.

1. folk

folk is a modern CRM designed for relationship-driven professionals, making it a powerful tool for LinkedIn users. Specifically built for teams of 20-50 people, folk CRM excels at managing LinkedIn connections for growing sales teams who need robust features without enterprise complexity. Ideal for mid-size sales organizations, marketing teams, and networking professionals, folk ensures that LinkedIn remains a key part of relationship-building efforts.It offers seamless LinkedIn contact management through the folkX Chrome extension, allowing users to quickly capture and organize LinkedIn connections.

👉🏼 Try folk now to capture LinkedIn profiles and build pipelines without manual entry

Key Features:

• Smart capture that allows you to export LinkedIn search lists and individual contact information,
• Streamline workflow between LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and free version of LinkedIn, folk X Chrome extension to easily import LinkedIn contacts,
• Automated follow-ups and reminders for LinkedIn outreach,
• Contact enrichment and segmenting with LinkedIn profile data,
• Customizable pipelines for tracking deals, partnerships, and hiring processes,
• Integration with 6,000+ tools like Gmail, Zapier, and Slack,
• Sales research Find emails in 1 click, identify a lead's strongest connection, and import data from your prospect's website with AI,
• App for on the go notes and updates.

2. HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM is a widely used platform that integrates with LinkedIn Sales Navigator, helping sales teams connect with prospects more effectively. It's particularly beneficial for businesses that rely on LinkedIn for lead generation and automated workflows.

Key Features:

• LinkedIn Sales Navigator integration for lead insights and InMail tracking,
• Automated email sequences and LinkedIn outreach scheduling,
• Contact and deal tracking with robust reporting tools,
• AI-powered recommendations for better engagement,
• Free plan available, with advanced features in paid tiers.

3. Salesforce Sales Cloud

Salesforce Sales Cloud is a powerful CRM that offers LinkedIn integration through the AppExchange, making it ideal for enterprise sales teams that require in-depth data tracking and AI-driven insights.

Key Features:

• Integration with LinkedIn Sales Navigator via AppExchange apps,
• AI-powered lead scoring and relationship insights,
• Advanced automation for LinkedIn-based sales processes,
• Customizable dashboards and reporting tools,
• Scalable for businesses of all sizes.

4. Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a sales-focused CRM with automation and LinkedIn integration through third-party applications that helps sales professionals manage their LinkedIn-based outreach.

Key Features:

• LinkedIn contact syncing and enrichment,
• Customizable sales pipelines for tracking LinkedIn-generated leads,
• Smart contact data suggestions based on LinkedIn profiles,
• Automated email and LinkedIn follow-up reminders,
• Mobile app for on-the-go sales management.

5. Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is a flexible an d affordable solution that offers LinkedIn integration.

Key Features:

• LinkedIn Sales Navigator integration for contact insights and lead tracking,
• AI-driven sales assistant (Zia) to optimize outreach,
• Automated LinkedIn follow-ups and messaging,
• Multi-channel communication tools, including email, phone, and live chat,
• Affordable pricing with a free plan for small teams.

Conclusion

Managing LinkedIn connections efficiently is crucial to support your sales, marketing, and networking efforts. The best LinkedIn CRMs, such as folk, HubSpot, and Salesforce, help streamline workflows, automate outreach, and enhance contact management.

If you're looking for a well-rounded solution that balances user-friendly features with enhanced contact management, folk CRM stands out as the ideal choice for sales teams of 20-50 people who want to maximize their LinkedIn networking efforts. For growing sales organizations that need powerful LinkedIn integration without the complexity of enterprise solutions, folk CRM offers the perfect balance of functionality and ease of use. Try different CRMs to see which one fits your workflow best and take your LinkedIn networking to the next level. Get started with folk today.

👉🏼 Try folk now to manage contact-based reminders with your team

FAQ

Does LinkedIn have its own CRM?

LinkedIn does not include a full CRM. Sales Navigator offers lead lists and insights, but a separate CRM is needed for pipelines, email logging, automation, and reporting.

How do I export LinkedIn contacts to a CRM?

Use a CRM integration or Chrome extension. The folkX extension saves profiles and search results directly to folk, enriches data, and removes manual copy‑paste.

Can a CRM automate LinkedIn outreach safely?

Some CRMs support LinkedIn actions, but heavy automation can trigger limits. Keep volumes low, personalize messages, stagger sends, and follow LinkedIn terms. Combine LinkedIn with email for better deliverability.

Which CRM works best with LinkedIn Sales Navigator?

Several CRMs integrate well, including folk, HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, and Zoho. Pick based on team size, pipeline needs, and budget; folk suits relationship-driven teams wanting fast LinkedIn capture.