Step 1
Decide if Think Tanks is the right industry to target
The Think Tanks industry
The Think Tank industry comprises organizations that conduct research and analysis on a wide range of public policy issues. These organizations aim to provide insights, recommendations, and solutions to policymakers, stakeholders, and the public to inform decision-making and shape public discourse. It's crucial to distinguish Think Tanks from businesses that might conduct research for internal purposes or advocate for specific causes. While a lobbying firm might conduct research to support their lobbying efforts, they wouldn't be categorized under Think Tanks. Similarly, a company's market research department, focusing on consumer behavior, wouldn't be considered a Think Tank as their research serves the company's internal needs, not broader public policy goals.
What businesses are included
Businesses included in the Think Tank industry conduct research on various topics like economics, foreign policy, social issues, healthcare, education, and environmental policy. They produce reports, policy briefs, and opinion pieces, host conferences and seminars, and engage in public outreach to disseminate their findings. This includes independent policy research institutes, university-affiliated think tanks, and non-profit organizations focused on public policy research.
When targeting the Think Tanks industry on LinkedIn, your search will automatically cover all related sub-industries. To maximize the relevance of your leads, you may want to exclude certain sub-industries that don’t align with your ideal customer profile.
Sub-industries included in Think Tanks:
Which businesses are not included
Businesses not included are those primarily engaged in advocacy, lobbying, political campaigning, or providing services not directly related to public policy research. This includes political parties, advocacy groups, public relations firms, and consulting companies focused on business strategy rather than public policy.
Industry size on LinkedIn
Step 2
Pick job titles to target
Focus your LinkedIn search on these key decision-maker roles within the Think Tanks industry to find high-value leads. These roles are typically involved in B2B purchasing decisions and are most likely to respond to your outreach.
Influential roles in Think Tanks
Step 3
Run your Sales Navigator search
Setting your lead filters
Open LinkedIn Sales Navigator and select the ‘Leads’ tab. Use the filters on the left side to narrow down your search. Enter 'Think Tanks' in the ‘Industry’ filter, and add the job titles you want to target in the ‘Current job title’ field.
How many leads can I export?
You can export up to 2,500 leads per day from Sales Navigator. If your search results is higher than this limit, consider narrowing your filters or breaking your search results into multiple saved lead lists that can be exported over several days.
Do I have to use LinkedIn Sales Navigator?
Yes, to effectively target specific industries like Think Tanks, you'll need LinkedIn Sales Navigator. It provides the advanced filtering options you need to find the right leads and it has much higher export limits than the regular version of LinkedIn.
What does Sales Nav cost?
Sales Navigator offers a 30-day free trial, after which it costs around $90 per month.
Considering the quantity and quality of the targeted B2B leads you can export from Sales Nav, we think this is a bargain - certainly cheaper than almost any other way of generating leads.
Step 4
Export your leads
Install the Exportli Chrome Extension
To start exporting your leads, first install the Exportli Chrome extension.
Exportli works seamlessly with Sales Navigator and does two main things:
It allows you to export lead lists into a CSV
It uses 20+ email enrichment providers to find and verify business email addresses for your leads.
When you sign up, you’ll receive 50 free credits to get you started.
Run your lead export
With Exportli installed, you’re ready to run your export. The extension guides you through the process of exporting your selected leads into a CSV file.
Step 5
Import to your CRM or email tool
With your leads exported to a CSV file, you can now import them into your CRM or email outreach tools.
Most tools will let you import CSVs including:
Start exporting Think Tanks leads today
First 50 credits free, no credit card required