13 Tools We Use To Drive Pipeline Growth For Our B2B Agency
Whether you’re considering Prospectr to manage your lead generation or simply looking to build up your own marketing stack we’re here to share the “tools of the trade” we find vital to our day-to-day operations.
1. WordPress
Having a website that has visibility, accessibility and is easy to navigate is crucial for any business and thanks to websites like WordPress.org, web design is no longer reserved for coders and Silicon Valley types. WordPress is a user friendly, content management system which uses open source software, meaning the copyright of the source code is feely released to users allowing anyone to use, create and manage their own web content. Our website is completely overseen by our in-house creative team using WordPress.org, which did I mention s free. WordPress is used by businesses large and small and we highly recommend it (just be sure to enter the correct domain). There are two WordPress websites (WordPress.org and WordPress.com) using the same open source software but there are some major difference. To find out more about WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com click this link https://websitesetup.org/wordpress-com-vs-org/
2. G Suite
Numbers wise, Office 365 reigns supreme when it comes to business application suites. However, when it comes to our daily operations we prefer G Suite. G Suite is a collection fo Google apps including Gmail, Google Drive and Google Docs to name a few. It utilize Cloud storage for the synchronization and sharing of files for personal or business use, large or small. Due to G Suites utilization of the Cloud it has a huge storage capacity, the ability to link to other applications and software, and allows for staff to easily connect, collaborate and edit from many location making it, in our opinion, a worthy adversary of Office 365. G Suite applications have proven to be a scalable and budget-friendly way to segment our leads, work on client creatives, and collaborate across teams.
3. Calendly
“Nothing in business is so valuable as time.” – John Henry Patterson
We couldn’t agree more, and that’s exactly why we value Calendly. The name may give itself away a bit but Calendly is an easy and sharable scheduling software which can be used for simple purposes such as scheduling staff meetings. But what we find to be one of its greatest values is that it provides a direct and easy interface for leads and potential customers to schedule a meeting directly on our calendars with a click of the mouse. Implementing Calendly on our website has proven to be an effortless, no pressure scheduling feature for our customers and a simple way for us to turn cold leads into real appointments. Calendly is great for our sales funnel and we highly recommend it to any business of any size. Be sure you’re not missing out on easy leads, you can get started with Calendly today https://calendly.com/.
4. Zapier
With so many apps required for running a successful business today it can certainly get a bit overwhelming. Thankfully, there’s an app for that. Zapier essentially plays the role of middleman by letting apps “talk” to each other by automating workflows known as “zaps”. No need to worry if your apps have compatible software, Zapier does all of the work for you. One way we use Zapier to impact our sales pipeline is by automating new contacts to the right sales people so there’s no confusion on ownership. This service is available at a great price point, if you’re interested in finding out what Zapier can do for you check out their website here https://zapier.com/.
5. Zoho
If business is booming and you’re looking for a CRM tool to automate workflow for customers and leads, Zoho can be a very valuable resource. It is particularly beneficial for large companies that have multiple team members working on the same leads. Zoho allows you to close junk leads, view action history and schedule upcoming and follow up actions, ensuring the needs of customers and leads are not going unmet. Here is a link to a quick video detailing how Zoho, CRM, and workflow automation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-q8MYdfFUQ.
6. ClickFunnels
In the world of content marketing an app like ClickFunnels is essential. It allows you to create marketing landing pages which generate leads, manages opt-ins and automates marketing campaigns. ClickFunnels is valuable to our sales and marketing team because it eliminates the barriers for building high converting opt-in pages with pre-built (but customizable) sales funnels. Check out their website and click this link for a free trial http://www.clickfunnels.com/FreeTrial.
7. Mautic
Mautic is another lead magnet tool similar to ClickFunnels but is mainly utilized by our marketing team. It is an open source marketing automation tool that focuses on email marketing that manages, tracks and nurtures leads. Find out how Mautic can help you manage and segment your contacts here https://www.mautic.org/blog/marketer/using-mautic-contact-management/.
8. Ongage
If you are large company with technical ability Ongage is a great tool for “cold emailing”. Ongage can provide an analytical overview of your campaign down to individual contacts. This is another tool that allows for marketing automation, personalization and segmentation but recommended only for larger businesses. To read more on the features provided by Ongage follow this link https://www.ongage.com/features/.
9. SQL
We have already addressed some great CRM segmentation tools, but what makes SQL so valuable to the Prospectr team lies in the numbers. SQL is a database tool provided by Microsoft, and the best tool that allows us to store our extensive number of email contacts (26 million and growing!). This fast and effective tool is used by our entire team for customer segmentation. The segmented information can easily be entered into our marketing automation tools to effectively generate leads.
10. Buzzsumo
If you’re in the content marketing game Buzzsumo is definitely something you’ll want to check out. It is an easy way to identify what content is trending and in what market. You simply enter a topic into a search bar and within seconds you have a list of the top related articles that are being shared online and where online they are being shared. This is a great tool for any business creating blog or copyright content. Without a subscription Buzzsumo limits the amount of searches you can do a day but we can attest that the price is well worth it. See what the buzz is about at http://buzzsumo.com/.
11. Facebook Ads
There are so many social media platforms out there to boost your business through advertising, but the one we have found the most success from is Facebook ads. Facebook makes it easy for you to choose your audience and create content with a variety of Ad formats including photos, videos, slideshows and more. Since Facebook already has the contact information of its users it makes lead generation nearly effortless by pre-populating the contact information on pop up forms seen by an interested party. To see how you can acquire to customers using Facebook Ads click here https://www.facebook.com/business/products/ads.
12. Linkedin
In the social media world Linkedin is the leader when it comes to B2B relationships. And that’s exactly what it should be used for, building relationships, which can eventually turn into a lead. By taking a few minutes out of your day to search profiles of potential prospects you can initiate a connection and ultimately a sale. For more information on how we utilize Linkedin for lead generation click here https://prospectrmarketing.com/how-we-generate-b2b-leads-linkedin.
13. Canva
The days of hiring graphic designers is over. Canva is a free graphic design website which can be used for creating visual content for your website, marketing or ad campaign. It can also be a great tool when used for building infographics. Check out their website https://www.canva.com/ to see how easily you can create your own in-house graphics.
These 13 tools are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to growing your business pipeline. If your interested in finding out about more tools and how they can generate success for your business reach out to us at any time!
