Just when you thought you had everything nailed down in your sales process, you stumble upon some tool that promises to skyrocket your conversions.
Sales technologies are digital tools and platforms designed specifically to enhance and streamline the sales process.
They boost the efficiency and productivity of sales teams by automating routine tasks, facilitating lead generation, managing customer relationships, and improving sales outcomes.
However, there are loads of options—each one whispering, "Pick me, pick me!" So, you confront analysis paralysis.
I get it. It’s hard to shake the feeling that if you don’t find the right tech, opportunities will slip through your fingers. But with the right strategy and knowledge, you can navigate the noise, pick the technologies that best suit your team, and use them to turn your sales process into a well-oiled machine.
Today, move from paralysis to power by understanding which sales technologies you actually need—and why.
How the Right Sales Technology Can Amplify Your Sales Team’s Efforts
When leveraged correctly, sales technology can supercharge your efforts—and catapult your sales numbers.
Don't believe me? Let's look at some stats.
In 2021, a McKinsey global survey of 2,500 B2B companies showed that organizations willing to embrace next-generation sales technologies, such as CRM and advanced seller-friendly tools, achieved 5 to 10 percent higher sales and 10 to 20 percent higher productivity.
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Source: McKinsey
Technology has also helped sales reps reduce costs and close deals they couldn’t before. For example, more than 75 percent of B2B buyers don’t want to meet sales reps in person—but are open to remote meetings.
Additionally, tech is changing how sales professionals conduct prospecting and interact with customers. Of course, many top performers still use cold calls and cold emails. However, video is now emerging as a top channel among sales reps, with an increase of 41 percent in digital interactions since the pandemic.
With 73 percent of sales professionals stating that technology allows them to close more deals, it’s clear that tech has a significant impact on today’s sales landscape—one that’s only growing.
Want to crush your sales targets? Delve into our guide on effective sales productivity tools to drive better results.
6 Best Sales Technologies to Supercharge Growth
From CRM systems that keep your contacts organized, to sales prospecting tools that fill your pipeline faster, the sales tech space has come a long way.
Although you don’t need every tool on the market, think of it this way: While a skilled chef can whip up a decent meal with a dull knife and simple ingredients, if you give them high-quality tools and the finest produce you’ll get a culinary masterpiece.
Your sales team is the same. Equip them with the right sales technologies, and they'll turn leads into deals faster than ever before.
1. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems
A customer relationship management (CRM) system is a software system that helps teams manage interactions with current and potential customers.
CRMs can:
- Automate sales processes
- Track sales activity
- Monitor sales performance
- Manage tasks, projects, and customer data
Communication is key when it comes to sales—and a quality CRM platform makes it easy to email, call, and text your customers in a personalized way. CRM software provides a full view of each customer's history, so your sales team can tailor their pitches and offers.
It also streamlines pipeline management, helps salespeople prioritize their efforts, and supports accurate sales forecasting.
It's like having a personal assistant reminding you when to follow up, pointing out the hottest leads, and directing where to focus your energy.
Now, you have lots of CRM options. At Close, we’re laser-focused on streamlining sales—and we pack a punch. Our CRM is user-friendly with time-saving features like built-in communication tools, follow-up automation, robust reporting features, and seamless integrations. (And we offer a 14-day free trial.)
But we're not the only player in the game—and we might not be your best option. Salesforce offers a robust suite of features, catering to large enterprises. HubSpot excels with its integrated approach as they combine CRM, marketing, and customer service functions into one platform.
Check out the top CRMs for sales managers—and make the call.
2. Sales Enablement Technologies
The right sales enablement technologies are a godsend for sales managers looking to onboard new reps or train existing ones.
They provide you with the content, tools, training, and resources that can help you level up your sales team.
There are a couple of popular sales tech stack additions like Seismic and Ambition. These act as a central hub for your team to access valuable sales collateral and on-demand training.
However, sales enablement tech can go beyond these enablement-specific tools. A CRM or general call recording software are both great learning resources. CRMs provide invaluable data insights about customer interactions, while call recording software provides reps with a way to listen in on successful sales strategies, customer objections, and negotiation tactics.
Hey, have you heard about our guide to effective real estate prospecting? It's a game-changer.
3. Sales Force Automation (SFA) Tools
Sales force automation tools are all about efficiency.
As per the name, SFA tools automate tedious tasks so your team can focus on revenue-generating activities. With nearly two-thirds of a sales rep’s time spent on tasks that don’t increase the bottom line, there’s tons of room for improvement.
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Source: Close
For example, scheduling discovery meetings or demos can involve a lot of back and forth communication. Platforms like Calendly or Chili Piper automate this process by allowing leads to schedule appointments directly in your calendar, based on your availability.
You can also use Zapier like an SFA to automate certain lead management, customer communication, or customer retention processes.
That said, many automation features are now also directly built into modern CRMs. Find things like:
- Automated communication sequences
- Task management and reminders
- Performance tracking and reporting
SFA tools provide a level of organization that can’t be achieved manually. This leads to more consistent follow-ups, faster deal cycles, and higher close rates.
4. Sales Analytics and Reporting Tools
Sales analytics tools transform raw data into deep insights, improving sales performance management.
A sales organization could be collecting all of the data and metrics in the world—but if they can’t properly analyze it, it won’t improve sales productivity.
Now, there are four types of analytics, each used for a different purpose:
- Predictive analytics: Uses past trends to forecast future sales, helping managers allocate resources effectively.
- Prescriptive analytics: Provides specific recommendations on how to improve performance.
- Descriptive analytics: Gives an overview of past sales performance, providing insight into what strategies worked.
- Diagnostic analytics: Delves into why certain sales strategies worked and how to replicate their success.
ActionDesk and Domo are just two examples of powerful sales reporting tools that provide data visualization and analysis functionalities to drive sales growth.
5. Sales Prospecting Tools
For most companies selling SaaS, sales prospecting tools are non-negotiable.
These tools give your team valuable insights about potential leads before they even make first contact. Prospecting tools help in the discovery of sales opportunities and facilitate outreach to the right people at the right time.
A few sales prospecting tools are:
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator: LinkedIn is one of the best social media platforms for prospecting. Sales Navigator helps salespeople find leads based on specific criteria and connect with them directly.
- ZoomInfo: Provides a vast database of company and decision-maker information, along with data-driven insights.
- Leadfeeder: Identifies companies that visit your website even if they don't fill out a form, giving you warm leads that have already shown interest in your product or service.
Dive into our guide and become a master of lead generation on LinkedIn.
6. Outreach Sales Technology
Outreach tools are where the rubber meets the road with inside sales.
Once you’ve secured a qualified lead and scheduled a meeting or call, you’ll likely need to use one (or more) of these tools.
Real-time interaction platforms like Zoom or Intercom offer instant communication. They enable sales reps to answer questions, overcome objections, and build relationships—all in less time than when meeting face-to-face.
Asynchronous tools like Drift or Loom help sales reps to communicate with leads when convenient. Reps can record a personalized video message with Loom, for example, and a lead can view it at their leisure.
The Top Sales Technology Trends You Need to Know
We’ve already talked about the current state of sales technology. Now let's explore some of the new technology trends that you need to be aware of.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Sales
AI isn't just for sci-fi movies anymore. It’s here, and it's turbocharging sales teams.
AI-powered sales tools and apps are helping teams identify patterns, predict outcomes, and automate repetitive tasks.
For example, AI can analyze communication patterns and suggest the best time to contact a prospect. Or, it can predict a lead's likelihood to close based on historical data. That way, you can focus your efforts for maximum impact.
Chatbots are another AI application for sales. The bots can qualify leads around the clock, making sure you never miss an opportunity. Companies like Drift lead the way in this space, providing AI-driven conversational marketing tools that feel personal—even though they're automated.
Vertriebsautomatisierung
Sales automation is like having an assistant that works 24/7. It eliminates the manual tasks that slow your team down, freeing them to focus on revenue-generating activities.
In practice, this means automating everything from:
- Data entry
- Smart content delivery
- Follow-up emails
- Report generation
- Activity tracking
- Customer segmentation
These tools also offer personalization features that ensure your communication doesn't sound robotic or generic, which helps you deliver persuasive, highly personalized experiences.
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Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR + AR) in Sales
VR and AR are reshaping the sales landscape. Especially in certain industries like real estate, retail, and manufacturing, these technologies are already leaving their mark.
VR lets customers explore a product or property in a completely immersive way. Imagine walking your prospect through the virtual model of a home, or letting them “experience” your product as if it was right in front of them.
Platforms like Matterport provide these experiences.
AR, on the other hand, layers digital information onto the physical world. This could mean seeing how some furniture fits in the customer's actual living room, or demonstrating how complex machinery operates in a hands-on and interactive way.
Companies like Augment offer AR solutions that bring the product to life in the customer's own environment.
5 Best Practices for Implementing Sales Technologies
Implementing these tools can seem daunting. But with a little guidance and a step-by-step approach, you can set your team up for success.
1. Define Your Sales Goals and Needs
Before you get lost in the options, take a step back and look at your sales plan.
What do you want to achieve using these technologies? Maybe you want to accelerate your sales cycle, improve team productivity, or gain better insights into your performance.
Once you've defined your goals, identify your needs. What gaps are you looking to fill? Where are the bottlenecks in your current sales process? Do you need a better way to manage customer relationships, automate repetitive tasks, or streamline reporting?
Answering these questions will guide you toward the right solutions.
2. Conduct Market Research
Once you have a clear understanding of your goals and needs, it's time to hit the market.
Start by researching different tools that align with your objectives. Look at the features, advantages, and disadvantages of each option.
Remember to check out customer reviews and case studies to get a real-world perspective on performance. And always consider the tool’s scalability—will it grow with your business and adapt to your evolving needs?
3. Plan and Execute Implementation
Now that you've chosen your tool, it's time to implement.
Start by setting a realistic timeline for implementation. This should include time for setting up the software, importing data, and training your team.
During implementation, it's important to maintain clear, team-wide communication. Make sure they know what's happening, when, and why. This helps manage expectations and secures buy-in from the start.
4. Train Your Sales Team
Don't just throw your team into the deep end with a new tool. Provide thorough training to make sure that everyone knows how to use it properly. This might include:
- Hands-on workshops
- One-on-one training sessions
- Bringing in a specialist from the software provider
Remember, there will be a learning curve.
Encourage questions, provide ongoing support, and practice patience. The goal is not to simply implement a new tool—but to make it an integral part of your team's workflow.
5. Measure the Impact
Once your tool is up and running, it's important to measure its impact. Are you seeing improved efficiency? Higher sales? Better customer relationships?
Remember those initial goals you set? Here's where they come back into play.
Use KPIs that align with your goals to measure success. Monitor these regularly and be prepared to adjust if things aren't going to plan. It's all part of the process.
Unleash the Power of Sales Technology to Ignite Sales Success
With all of the sales technology tools available, it's both exciting—and somewhat overwhelming.
But while technology can give you a boost, it's not the silver bullet that will magically solve all your sales challenges. The most successful salespeople harness these technologies—but they prioritize genuine connections, active listening, and problem-solving for their customers.
So, if you haven't already, it’s time to evaluate your sales technology stack. Identify the areas where you're losing time or missing opportunities, and explore the technologies that address these gaps.
Usually, a modern sales-focused CRM like Close will be at the center of your tech stack. Why? It handles customer management, sales pipeline tracking, sales automation, and much more, freeing your team to focus on what they do best—selling.
