Digital sales tools use technology to maximize sales efforts, such as prospecting, lead nurturing and client engagement. But many in the industry haven’t used them efficiently–or at all. Allego reports that 76% of companies say poor adoption of sales tools is a top reason their sales teams miss their quotas. And SalesFuel found that nearly a quarter of sellers say that they’d be more successful if their companies provided better sales tools and systems.

Digital sales tools: The advantages

When used efficiently, sales tools provide many benefits to sellers. As Salesloft points out, advantages include:

Increased efficiency because reps are able to focus more time on selling than tedious tasks.
Boosted effectiveness, thanks to the ability to improve lead qualifications.
Long-term adoption as sellers improve their performance and see the value in continued usage.

Keep the stack simple

One of the key issues facing reps regarding sales tools is that they are faced with many options. “Sellers have so many disparate tools that they’re wasting time juggling multiple systems,” write the professionals at Salesloft. “It ends up none of the tools are used to their full potential, which means enterprise, mid-size, and even small businesses are losing money on these sales tools.”

They recommend focusing on a slim sales stack and using it proficiently. But where should sellers start? They might want to consider two commonly used digital sales tools that can boost productivity and save time.

Sales prospecting tools

One specific type of tool that is often adopted by sales teams is a prospecting tool. Sales prospecting is vital to success but it also takes up much of sellers’ time and it's not always performed efficiently. Hubspot reports that “18% of salespeople cite a lack of high-quality leads as their top challenge” and “19% of salespeople struggle with getting in direct contact with decision-makers.” They note that a sales prospecting tool can eliminate both issues. Sellers should consider this tool to help them search for, qualify, engage with, and manage leads.

A quality prospecting tool can help:

Segment lead lists and focus on the most promising prospects.
Streamline communications for maximum efficiency and engagement.
Collect and analyze data to guide outreach efforts.
Track activity and goal progress.

Sellers may choose to use a tool for only one part of the sales prospecting process–or all of it.

Sales automation tools

Another digital sales tool that can be worth adding to a sales stack is one that automates sales. ”Sales automation tools refer to sales software that speeds up administration and eliminates manual tasks,” Salesloft explains. “It takes some of the guesswork out of their jobs and gives them more time to do what they do best: sell.” They point out the following valuable automated features that these tools typically offer:

Prioritized task management
Re-routing prospects based on call outcomes
Communications sent out based on chosen factors
Email tracking
Lead scoring functionality

Other benefits include less chance of human error, as well as a shortened sales cycle. As Mary Clare Novak writes for G2.com, “So much time and energy go into your selling process, and it’s important that a majority of it be spent working with customers to find solutions to their pain points through your product or service. Sales automation makes that possible.”

Digital sales tools are a must-have for modern sellers. But don’t get overwhelmed by adding too many to your stack. Focus on quality tools, like the two discussed here, to get started and learn to use those efficiently. You’ll find that your process is more effective and you have more time to actually sell.

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