Sales Software: 8 Solutions To Consider in 2024

Choosing the right kind of sales software for your team can be overwhelming, especially when there are so many different types of solutions in today’s market. And more isn’t always better. In fact, 50% of sales reps feel like they’re required to learn too many tools. Shockingly, the average number of solutions adopted by sales teams is 8 (in addition to CRM).

It’s essential that you find the best software solution for your team without adding too much complexity to your reps’ toolkit. Sales software should be working for your team, not the other way around.

Fortunately, there are many different types of software designed especially for sales teams of all sizes, industries and methodologies. Here are 8 software solutions to consider for your sales team in 2023.

1. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is foundational for most companies with large sales functions. The main purpose of a CRM is to help companies manage their interactions and relationships with customers, clients, and prospects. This type of software provides a centralized repository for customer information and data, allowing businesses to easily access and track customer interactions and history.

One of the biggest benefits of using CRM software is the ability to streamline and automate various sales processes. This can help businesses save time and increase efficiency, as well as reduce the risk of human error. CRM software can also help businesses better understand their customers by providing valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences. This information can then be used to personalize marketing campaigns and improve the overall customer experience.

While many businesses see the value in implementing a CRM, there are cases when the benefits may not outweigh the costs. For small businesses with limited resources, the cost of purchasing and maintaining a CRM system can be a major challenge. Additionally, some businesses may struggle to fully utilize the capabilities of a CRM system, leading to underutilization and a lack of return on investment.

2. Sales Automation Software

Sales automation software is a tool designed to streamline and automate various sales processes, freeing up sales teams to focus on more strategic tasks. It helps businesses automate tasks such as lead generation, lead scoring, email campaigns, and sales forecasting, among others. The primary goal of sales automation software is to increase efficiency, reduce the risk of human error, and improve overall sales performance.

By automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks, sales teams are freed up to focus on more strategic activities, such as building relationships with customers and closing deals. Additionally, sales automation software has the ability to improve customer engagement and satisfaction. With automated email campaigns, businesses can easily send personalized and targeted messages to customers and prospects, improving their overall customer experience. Sales automation software can also help businesses manage and track customer interactions, allowing them to easily access and analyze customer data and feedback.

These are some additional benefits of adopting sales automation software:

• Improved Lead Management: Sales automation software can automate lead generation, lead scoring, and lead distribution, allowing businesses to quickly identify and prioritize the best leads.
• Enhanced Data Analytics: With the ability to easily track and analyze customer interactions and data, businesses can gain valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences.
• Consistency in the Sales Process: Sales automation software helps ensure that tasks are completed consistently and accurately, reducing the risk of human error.
• Better Collaboration: With access to the same customer information and data, sales teams can collaborate more effectively and ensure that customer interactions are consistent and professional.
• Lower Costs: By automating repetitive tasks and reducing the risk of human error, businesses can lower their costs and improve their overall sales performance.

Steal our playbook for tried-and-true sequences you can use to reach more buyers.

3. Sales Forecasting Software

Sales forecasting software helps businesses predict future sales performance based on historical data and trends. It provides valuable insights into potential sales outcomes and allows businesses to make informed decisions about their sales strategies and resource allocation. With the ability to track and analyze sales performance in real time, sales forecasting software helps businesses stay on top of their sales goals and adjust their strategies as needed.

These are some questions this kind of software can help your team answer:

• How did actual sales compare to expected sales?
• What prevented us from reaching our sales goals?
• Which deals should we invest in right now because they are more likely to close?
• How much revenue can we expect this quarter?
• Which method should we use in the future for the most accurate sales forecasting?

4. Sales Enablement Software

Sales enablement software is like a trusty sidekick for sales teams, providing them with the resources and information they need to engage with prospects and customers in a personalized and effective way. Think of it as a one-stop-shop for all of your sales needs, with everything from sales content and product information to customer engagement tools and reporting insights all in one place.

Instead of spending hours searching for the right information or resources to close a deal, reps have everything they need right at their fingertips, giving them more time to focus on building relationships with prospects and customers. This leads to a more enjoyable and less stressful sales process, which in turn leads to more closed deals.

Check out the Sales Enablement Podcast with Andy Paul for some inspiration on how to better enable your sales team.

5. Sales Acceleration Software

Similar to sales automation software, sales acceleration software provides sales teams with the tools and resources they need to effectively engage with prospects and customers, automate repetitive tasks and streamline the sales process. But while sales automation software focuses on automating repetitive and manual tasks within the sales process, such as data entry, email follow-up, and lead tracking, sales acceleration software is designed to speed up the entire sales process with features like real-time analytics, lead prioritization, and engagement tracking.

One of the key benefits of sales acceleration software is the ability to shorten the sales cycle. Additionally, sales acceleration software can provide real-time insights into the sales process, allowing businesses to identify bottlenecks and improve their sales performance.

These are the types of companies that would get the most out of sales acceleration software:

• Sales-driven organizations
• Businesses with long sales cycles
• B2B companies with complex sales processes
• Companies in highly competitive industries
• Fast-growing startups and others who are rapidly scaling their teams

6. Sales Analytics Software

Sales analytics software uses data to help businesses gain insights into their sales performance and identify opportunities for improvement. It provides real-time insights into key sales metrics, such as conversion rates, pipeline health and deal size, so sales teams can make informed decisions about how to win more.

Of course, more data is not always the answer. Sometimes, adopting sales analytics software can lead to data overload and analysis paralysis. With so much data available, sales teams may become overwhelmed and struggle to make sense of it all. This can lead to a focus on the data itself, rather than on the underlying issues affecting sales performance.

To zero in on the right metrics, don’t miss this episode of the RevOps Podcast.

7. Configure Price Quote (CPQ) Software

Configure Price Quote (CPQ) software is designed to automate the quote-to-cash process for businesses. It allows sales teams to quickly and accurately generate quotes for customers based on product configuration, pricing and available discounts and promotions. By providing accurate and up-to-date information, CPQ software can help customers make informed purchasing decisions and increase customer satisfaction.

Here are some specific ways to use CPQ software:

• Customizing product features, options, and accessories
• Setting up complex pricing rules and conditions
• Automatically calculating discounts based on volume, customer type, etc.
• Generating quotes in real time
• Managing contracts and agreements with customers
• Creating sales analytics reports, such as win-loss analysis, sales pipeline velocity and performance metrics

8. Sales Coaching Software

Sales coaching software offers a way for sales teams to build a positive and productive work environment that supports personal growth and success. Imagine a workplace where every member of your sales team is equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Without spending extra time on coaching, sales managers can use this software to create this type of environment.

For example, think of a seller who is great at building relationships but needs help closing deals. With sales coaching software, they can receive specific training and feedback in this area, helping them improve and reach their full potential.

The Revenue.io Platform includes a complete coaching suite that empowers managers to identify areas where reps need coaching and then automatically reinforce sales training during live calls. Watch this video to learn more.