THE IDEAL SALES TECH STACK

“Our tech stack is AWESOME!”

Wouldn’t that be music to your ears as an enterprise go-to-market leader? Landing on the ideal set of sales technology tools, or tech stack, is challenging.  A good sales tech stack is one that sellers love because it enables them to move efficiently from lead to close. It’s also one that accelerates the revenue engine by removing manual steps and streamlining processes while aligning with business goals. 

About 80% of CROs say that technology is a key to their success but only about 25% of them feel like their tech stack is cutting it – definitely not awesome. To compound matters, gone are the days when sellers could say, “I’m just not tech-savvy.” Technology today is not just a competitive advantage, it’s essential to the success of any seller and sales organization. 

If you Google “Ideal Sales tech stack”, you will quickly be served an exhaustive list of recommendations from vendors or technology advisors prescribing what you need.  Some of that will be helpful, some won’t and that is mainly because every industry, every company, and every sales team is unique. There is no “one size fits all”.

But we can help you get closer to what an ideal sales tech stack might look like for your organization.  

Things to Consider

To begin, let’s talk about some key factors. As Daniel Pink says, “To sell is human.”  The best tools in your tech stack should not only consider the outputs and results but should consider the people who rely on them – your customers and sellers.  Thinking through each of these factors will help you evaluate your existing stack and plan for new tools or vendor selection.

• Business & sales goals: Begin with the end in mind.  Be clear on what your business and sales goals are and how technology can help you get there better and faster.
• Customers and their journey: This is the north star and can’t be overlooked. Be mindful of who your customers are, their journey and buying process, and how can you bring them through that process smoothly and efficiently. 
• Sales competencies: Today’s sales environment is dynamic; Market conditions, well-informed buyers, competitive landscape, and your own company’s pace of innovation.  To keep up, sellers require ongoing education in these areas and a way to continuously sharpen their skills.  
• Sales Process: Have clarity on what your process is and how buyers and sellers navigate it. Some questions to ask yourself include:
  • What are our KPIs?
  • How are leads coming in?
  • How does a seller get to know their prospects and customers?
  • How long is the sales process?
  • How does our customer like to be communicated with?
  • How do sellers work leads or opportunities?
  • How do they close deals?
• Mobile strategy: With sellers on the go, working remotely, and making in-person customer visits, a mobile strategy for your tech stack is non-negotiable.  Each tool in your stack should have a mobile option that empowers sellers to move deals forward, no matter where they are.
• Company and Sales Team Size: As your company grows, so will the tools needed to support it. A small company will be more agile, with people often wearing multiple hats.  A larger enterprise will require more tools to support its growing customer base, headcount, reporting needs, etc.
• Marketing & Customer Service Tech stack – Building on the points about company size, understanding the whole picture of tools used throughout the customer journey from Marketing, to Sales, through Customer Service, is critical.  Before diving into a new software purchase, you might be able to tap into or integrate with tools already in place.  Check out our recent blog on “Software Asset Inventory.” 

Categories for an Ideal Enterprise Sales Tech Stack

With thousands of tools to choose from, the options and configurations are limitless.  But, by coming into this process with a clear picture of your goals, environment, and the factors highlighted above, you can narrow the playing field to the best options for you. A sales tech stack can include anywhere from 4-10 tools.  Enterprise businesses will lean toward the higher end of that scale, covering the following categories:

1. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software: A CRM is the foundation of any sales tech stack. It allows sales teams to manage customer data, track leads, and automate communication with potential customers. Options here include Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho CRM to name a few.
2. Sales Engagement Platforms: These platforms help sales teams streamline and drive consistency in their communication with customers and prospects.  Engagement tools, like SalesLoft, Outreach, and Groove even automate repetitive tasks such as sending follow-up emails and scheduling meetings. “Spray and pray” is not the goal here. Instead, superior sales engagement techniques can foster communication that emulates bespoke 1-to-1 connections to drive conversation and conversion. 
3. Sales Intelligence and Prospecting Tools: These tools help sales teams build their pipeline by uncovering and enabling outreach to potential customers. They also help to enrich existing data, giving a better understanding of the customers they are engaging with. Examples include ZoomInfo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and Clearbit.
4. Proposal and Contract Management Software: The enterprise proposal process can be complex and time-consuming to navigate.  These tools help sales teams create and manage proposals and contracts and automate the approval process. Examples include DocuSign, PandaDoc, and Conga.
5. Analytics and Reporting Tools: These enable sales teams to track performance metrics, identify trends, and optimize their sales processes. Examples include Tableau, Looker, and PowerBI.
6. Sales Performance Management Tools: Tools like Xactly and Anaplan can help manage sales performance, commission structures, and incentive programs.
7. Video conferencing: In today’s remote work environment, the power of video conferencing to build trust, relationships, and connections can not be underestimated.  Studies show that when sellers turn on their webcam, even if the customer does not, win rates can increase between 30-40%.
8. Conversational AI: Think of these as your “virtual sales floor”. Call recording and intel that fosters peer-to-peer learning and bonding, provides sales leaders with a manageable method for coaching across large teams, and provides objective insight into how customers are responding. Options here include Gong and Chorus among others.
9. Sales Enablement Platforms: These platforms help sales teams with training and enablement resources such as sales playbooks, content libraries, and analytics. Examples include Showpad, Seismic, and Highspot.
10. Real-time Learning and Coaching: While Sales Enablement Platforms provide ongoing skill development, real-time learning supports sellers with contextual “in-the-moment” learning to maintain momentum.  Tools to consider here include Spekit or WalkMe.

Overall, the ideal sales tech stack should be scalable – able to integrate with other tools in the customer journey – and focus on the needs of those relying on it. Above all, it should align with the company’s sales strategy and goals, and be regularly evaluated and updated to ensure it meets the evolving needs of the organization. 

Done well, you will see results and your team will indeed be shouting, “Our tech stack is AWESOME!”