Best B2B Sales Tools in 2024

Business-to-business or B2B ecommerce is in a league of its own, especially in terms of sales approach, strategies, and sales tools B2B teams use. Where B2C customers can be swayed by emotional advertisements, B2B’s pool of clientele is persuaded more by conducting an in-depth examination of how a B2B sales tool can make the sales process easier, successful, and more profitable. This involves the exploration of technical features, including automation and integration capabilities, usability, adaptability, and potential ROI, among others. In this buyer’s guide, we will take a look into the important factors to consider when looking for B2B sales software, as well as some of the best B2B sales tools that are currently available in the market.

One of the most sensible ways to get to know a product is by taking it for a test run. For business sales software solutions, this part is covered by the free trials, demos, or free versions offered by the service provider. Taking advantage of the free trial or free versions gives you first-hand experience of the core functionalities of B2B sales apps, which play a significant part in assessing which software is worth the investment.

There, however, is an overwhelming number of B2B sales platforms to help you narrow down your list, we recommend that you start with the high-ranking applications. Some of the software solutions that are on top of the B2B sales category are Freshsales, HubSpot Sales, Salesforce CRM, Toast POS, and Connectwise PSA.

B2B sales tools cater to different types of buyers. In order to get the right B2B sales app, it is important to determine what type of sales representatives you have and the type of buyers you are targeting. B2B buyers typically fall into the following categories:

• Direct sell buyer. Buyers under this category include companies that employ sales teams such as telesales and direct field sales representatives to sell their products and services.
• Channel selling buyer. Companies that fall under this category sell their products or services with the help of third-party partners, such as affiliates.
• Enterprise buyer. Purchasers under the enterprise banner include large organizations that have a wide range of products or services. Enterprise buyers need B2B sales tools that can address their complex sales infrastructure, which include centralizing multi-channel sales activities. The B2B tools enterprise buyers are after are typically those that can seamlessly integrate with their existing software systems to further streamline not only their sales but other business processes.
• Small company buyer. Buyers under this category include small businesses and startups that want to transition to digital sales tools as they build and grow their sales opportunities.

B2B sales solutions are key components of large enterprises for simplifying complex sales processes. Essentially, the tools needed are those that enable sales teams to have easy access to the right information they need at the right time in order to meet customer expectations during the different stages of the customer journey. B2B sales platforms for enterprises offer the capability to create customized and automated workflows with defined sales processes, data collection, gathering leads and lead scoring, maintaining a healthy contact database, and robust reporting and analytics tools.

Below are some of the best B2B sales tools that you might consider looking into:

• Freshsales. This comprehensive sales platform leverages the power of AI technology to automate the different stages of the sales cycle. These automations apply to generating leads, contact management, moving contacts through the sales pipeline, closing deals, and more.
• HubSpot Sales. This intuitive B2B sales solution offers flexibility and customizability, which makes it ideal for businesses with unique sales process needs and requirements.
• Salesforce CRM. Another powerful B2B sales platform, Salesforce CRM offers sophisticated sales automation tools in a more affordable package. This also comes with a full-featured mobile application, which is ideal for companies with members of their sales teams out on the field.
• Connectwise PSA. Connectwise PSA combines sales tools for B2B with a help desk, procurement, marketing, billing features, and more in a single platform.
• Pipedrive. Pipedrive provides robust sales and CRM functionalities, powerful automation capabilities, and a clear view of the entire sales pipeline for more efficient and effective sales management.

B2B sales tools are divided into three general categories based on software deployment:

• On-premise B2B sales software. This type of B2B sales software is hosted locally on the company server and maintained by IT staff. On-premise solutions are also typically purchased by license on a one-time payment scheme and are more customizable compared to other types of platforms.
• SaaS sales software. Software-as-a-Service solutions are currently the more popular versions because of their accessibility, usability, and affordability. B2B sales solutions under this category are usually deployed on the cloud or web and are ideal for small and medium-sized businesses. Also, unlike on-premise software, SaaS solutions are maintained and updated by the service provider.
• Open-source sales software: Open-source B2B sales systems have their source code accessible to users. This grants users the ability to modify and enhance the software however they see fit. Open source platforms are also free to use and can seamlessly integrate with other software solutions.

Below are some of the essential tools a good B2B sales software must have:

• Contact management. This allows companies to utilize contact databases and turn them into powerful customer relations management tools. As an essential B2B sales software feature, contact management enables sales teams to store and keep track of important data on customer leads.
• Lead management. This feature enables teams to automate time-consuming and complex processes, such as lead capture, lead scoring, routing, and other processes that help sales teams to focus on nurturing leads in every stage of the sales funnel.
• Opportunity management. With this feature, sales teams will be able to keep track of sales opportunities as well as the leads as they move down the sales pipeline.
• Forecasting. Forecasting tools help sales teams assess potential sales growth and make accurate predictions based on the status of deals in their sales pipeline.
• Web forms. Web forms are key tools for turning site visitors into valuable leads.

Using B2B sales solutions brings a number of benefits to your business and here are some of them:

• Organized customer data. Having accurate, updated, and easily accessible customer information is key for sales teams to have a better understanding of how to nurture potential leads and continue to engage existing customers.
• More accurate sales forecasting. With robust tools to keep track of forecasting metrics, such as conversion rates and other essential historical data, sales teams will be able to make a more precise prediction of future sales trends and how to effectively apply it to their sales strategies.
• Enhanced productivity. The capability to automate various processes not only helps sales teams become more efficient but also allows sales representatives to focus on converting leads into customers and retaining existing clients.
• Reduced operating cost. Another benefit brought by automation is cutting down operating expenses by greatly reducing manual tasks without sacrificing productivity and quality of output.

The sales industry was among the sectors hit hardest by the pandemic in the last several years. Although the recovery is gradual, it has also been promising with the following trends shaping the present and future of B2B sales:

• Omnichannel sales. B2B customers now have more sales channel options. These include in-person or face-to-face, remote sales channels, including videoconferencing, and self-service sales channels such as online marketplaces.
• Mobile applications. Mobile devices have become integral tools in conducting business, including sales. B2B sales solutions with dedicated mobile applications help sales representatives to be more productive and efficient as mobile sales apps enable them to cater to customers, access necessary information, and keep track of important sales metrics anywhere.
• AI technology powering up sales solutions. Service providers of sales software solutions are using artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to further enhance different functionalities. Some of these AI-powered functionalities include smart lead scoring, AI sales assistant, and more.

B2B sales solutions, despite the many advantages they offer, have their own sets of issues and limitations, such as the following:

• Steep learning curve. Although modern B2B sales tools are designed to be user-friendly, learning to effectively utilize the features and navigate the platform can be a real challenge to those that are using this technology for the first time.
• B2B sales solutions can be expensive. Investing in B2B sales software can be very costly depending on the type of tools you need to purchase, the number of users you have to enroll in the platform, and if the software you are using requires regular maintenance by your own IT team.

• Free. B2B sales platforms that are completely free to use include open-source solutions and freemium proprietary B2B software sales tools.
• Monthly or annual subscription. SaaS providers typically offer their services in monthly or yearly subscription packages.
• One-time payment. This pricing scheme usually applies to on-premise software solutions in which license versions can be purchased one time

Before adopting a B2B sales solution, it is important to understand not only why your sales team needs one but how you can effectively implement it. Below are some of the key questions that can help you explore the important things to consider before choosing a B2B sales software:

• Will your team require intense training to learn how to effectively use the software?
• Is the software capable of mitigating user-imposed errors?
• Does the service provider have a responsive support team?
• Are there self-service help options available, such as FAQs, accessible troubleshooting documentation, and training videos?