The best productivity tools for digital sellers

Email discovery & validation

Among the better choices (based on our seller community's collective experience... please share yours in comments) are:

Email management, open tracking & productivity 

Typical functions of outbound sales email management include:

For all of the above (and more) MixMax is exceptional. Our team has used MixMax for years and they're a stable, growing organization with strong customer support, heavy integrations (with all the usual other tools like Salesforce.com, Dropbox, Gsuite, etc.) 

Other contenders include SalesHandy (a MixMax competitor), Yesware (for Outlook/Office 365 users), Docsify and Boomerang for Gmail (a long standing, solid tool).

Outsource your cold-calling

Don't overlook UpCall.com. If you're a business owner or manager interested in finding high-quality, vetted cold-callers this service is for you.

In essence, UpCall.com is “like UpWork for cold-callers.” UpWork was formerly known as Elance.

UpCall is a growing database of cold-callers from around the globe. Select language, geographic and other preferences you require for callers. Then UpCall's search engine suggests callers who's skills best fit your requirements.

For example, my US (Chicago) 312 area code phone line rings in my pocket while connected via wifi in Athens. 

You can even listen to successful calls potential vendors have made, view training & certifications they hold and more.

Sound too risky? Callers are rated based on feedback of paying clients they call for. Just like on Ebay or UpWork, you can choose the “safest bet” to start a new vendor relationship.

Digital call tools

Get on the phone. Maybe you're a small business entrepreneur ... or part of a global sales team. Either way, you need to be on the phone. Like it or not, cold calling remains essential to success of 85% of students we coach.

Thus, you may need (or benefit from) emerging VOIP telephone tools like Grasshopper.com. This service makes it easy for small organizations to look-and-feel big. Once you have a registered toll-free phone number the possibilities begin. Your business can have:

1. Multiple extensions: An automated call routing system. (even if there are only 2 of you!)

2. Voicemails transcribed & emailed or texted to you.

3. Call forwarding.

4. Business text messages.

Hardware required? Zero. It's all in the cloud. 

Microsoft-owned Skype should not be overlooked, especially if you're like me: Traveling and working with international clients. Simply pick your phone number and bring it with you—no matter where on the planet you are. So long as you have wifi you have your local phone number.

Skype Manager is a great team management tool complete with call reporting for your in-office or remote team. Plus, Skype for Business gives you online meetings and integration with Microsoft Office tools.

Templates don't work

Remember: If you are unable to start discussions with customers you're done. No tool will help. In fact, some tools hinder.

MixMax is great at inserting templates. But if you insert templates to send out as many emails as possible you'll FAIL. Instead, use the tool to customize (and send) faster.

Need help getting good at that? Join us in our next online workshop. See you there!