Making sales is difficult enough. Â You've got competitors up to your ears, rapidly improving technology that continues to change your industry, and customers who will always shop based on price.
Who wouldn't take help if it was available?
The great thing about technology is that we're constantly seeing new products and services that help us as small business owners do more, and more efficiently.
Here are some of the latest and greatest sales tools and apps that can help you close more deals:
1. SalesTrakr
A sales tool worth checking out is SalesTrakr. It's especially useful if you need to limit access to data in your sales hierarchy. If you're a data junkie, SalesTrakr lets you create reports and lists to your heart's desire. You can also use Dropbox to keep all your client emails together.
Info: This platform appears to be Web only (no mobile app), and is $99 per user annually. The company blog says a mobile app is in the works.
2. Mothernode
If assigning leads to your salespeople gives you a headache, Mothernode may be able to help. The Web and mobile platform lets you assign leads and send all pertinent information about a lead to your sales rep easily. You can identify each lead as it progresses through your sales pipeline and assign action items so nothing falls through the cracks.
Info: Mothernode has monthly and yearly plans, starting at $39.99 per user per month. It's available as an app for both iPhones and Android phones.
3. DemandForce
Purchased by Intuit, DemandForce focuses on the communications side of sales. The software allows users to manage referrals and their online reputation, as well as create targeted offers. The platform has solutions catered to dozens of industries.
Info: Pricing isn't posted on the site, though visitors are invited to request a demo. It appears to have a mobile app for iPhone.
4. PipelineDeals
PipelineDeals helps simplify the sales pipeline by tracking progress of sales leads and standardizing common processes. Users can set sales goals to foster competition and get real-time status updates on deals.
Info: Plans start at $15 a month, and the site doesn't list a mobile version.
5. Do.com
Part productivity tool, part sales tool, Salesforce's Do.com boils down what can be a complex system for salespeople and makes it easy to collaborate on the sales process, as well as track deals and revenue. New features let you collaborate with contacts from Gmail, Facebook and other social channels.
Info:Â Currently available for the iPhone, Do.com expects to release its Android app soon as well. The platform is free, though there may be fees for using some features like Deals and Contacts beyond the free level.
Why Focus on Sales-Driving Tools?
If you've heard a lot about CRM (customer relationship management) tools, you may wonder why you should consider tools like the ones mentioned above. Brent Leary, owner of CRM Essentials, says you might not need so much power for your small business:
“CRM suites are broader in functionality and may be overkill for small organizations very focused on selling.â€
Leary suggests looking for an app or platform that is nimble and easy to configure for your organization's needs. Here are the questions he recommends asking when choosing sales tools:
- How easy is it to share information and collaborate with the sales team?
- Does it integrate with popular data sources like InsideView, Data.com and Fliptop.com? Â Social profiles from Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn?
- Does it integrate with popular email services like Outlook and Gmail, as many sales pros still do most of their 1-on-1 interactions via email?
- Does it work with the mobile devices your sales team is using?
Consider what your business' needs are, and where your focus is. If you want to manage your client relationships, CRM should work just fine. But if you're extremely sales-driven, a sales-focused tool might fit the bill better.
Closing The Deal Photo via Shutterstock
