You are through the process of email marketing and targeted calls to finally set up a presentation to rope in more business. You might be a good salesperson with a good product but closing the deal requires a little more. Preparing for your sales presentation is the key, whether in person or digitally. A good presentation will help you get the required funding or the action (sale) for your product, service, or offer.
In this article, we have put together a few tricks that help you put your best foot forward and close deals with your important clients.
10 Tips/Tricks to Better Your Sales Presentation and Close More Deals
Set Up the Base with A Positive Tone
Psychology says how we initiate a meeting sets the tone for the entire duration. Setting up a positive light environment will also help you connect better with your audience. You can set up a positive environment by asking your audience quick questions about them, like sharing any interesting fact or story they learned, something everyone looks forward to in the recent future, etc. Asking questions and interacting like this will be an icebreaker (if not too much prior communication) and create a comfortable, quick communication base to build your further interaction.
Focus on the Beginning and End
Research says that the beginning and end of a presentation are crucial. The attention span is most when you start the meeting, and the end of the presentation is where you close the deal. So, be mindful of strategically using these two time frames of your presentation and place your essential facts here. Build your presentation with the most crucial points addressed in the opening. Move on to the 2nd important next and let your presentation flow from there (a technique called solution mapping).
Go for a Story
Storytelling works wonders in catching someone’s attention and is the reason why people rely on it so much during presentations. Weave a story around some fictional character, i.e., how using your product or service improved things for them. You can also add personal, relatable stories to help your audience connect more.
Communicate/Interact with Your Prospective Client
You must have done your bit of interaction with the client to have resulted in this presentation. However, interaction or communication doesn’t stop anytime in this process. Learn about their concerns or pain points. Confirm if anything has changed since the past discussion. It will let them know that you are personally invested there and care about your prospects. Learning well about your prospects and sharing unique insights (offering perspective regarding their situation) will give you an upper hand and better equip you to lead in the presentation. You can move on to your product’s strength smoothly; post that.
Tailor Your Presentation According to The Needs
Tailor your discussions and presentations according to the concerns of your prospects. Whatever gets uncovered during your discussions with the client (even during the meeting), make sure to address that to let them know you are concerned. Addressing their needs in real-time will help build a strong personal bond with them and show them you care enough. Handling objections is one of the most crucial parameters when closing a deal. FAB (Features Advantages Benefits) sales technique can come in handy at this time as you can keep going back to the most significant points while addressing the issues, as and when raised.
Communicate the Objectives of Your Presentation
Discussing objectives beforehand or during the presentation will help you structure your presentation well. You can let your audience know of the agenda by either sharing it over email, via presentation invitation, or during the presentation with a separate slide. It will let your audience know the flow of the meeting and what they should expect from it. A quick discussion on this will also acquaint you if your prospect wishes to close the deal after the presentation or intends to make a decision later. Discussing objectives will highlight what everyone hopes to accomplish with the presentation.
Share Materials/Agenda in Advance
Making presentation materials available to your audience (in advance) will prove highly beneficial to you later. It will save you time during the presentation, and you can share comprehensive information, long videos, or other material that’s too long to use in the presentation. It will also give your prospects a chance to discuss all the information with other decision-makers. Sharing the presentation materials folder will help them follow the presentation better and come prepared with concerns. You can include materials like white papers, press releases, data and price sheets, product/service description sheets, CDs (videos), business cards, etc., in your folder.
Share Your Knowledge Regarding Competitors and the Industry
Address your competitors in the presentation too. Include their well-known strengths, and let your audience know how your product or service is better suited to serve their needs. It will give them an idea about how well-versed you are with the trends and the industry and will help them gain confidence in your offer. Acknowledging your competitors and running trends in the industry will show them your preparedness and add to your credibility. It will also let your prospects know how concerned you are regarding their needs and how well you understand their requirements.
Research says that the starting and ending 10 minutes are crucial in a presentation as your prospects will be more attentive. You will have everyone’s full attention in the beginning, and the last minutes generally lead to closing the deals. However, be mindful of the duration as people’s attention generally wanes due to information-heavy presentation slides. So, remember to keep your presentation to an optimal length (preferably short) and do not include too much information in the slides. You can take the help of presentation material to relay heavy data and material.
Rely on Feedback
Utilize the power of the feedback loop in your presentation. Try not to make it a one-way communication; involve your clients by asking for feedback and interacting with them. It will add more value to your presentation and help you close the deal as you can tailor the presentation accordingly (knowing what you should lean on more and what you should omit). It will help you learn how your clients feel about your pitch, whether they resonate with what you are saying, and let you know the direction you should take.
You can ask questions like, have I addressed your key concerns? Do you resonate with what I am saying? Does it make sense to you?
In a Nutshell
These tips will help you prepare better for your sales presentation and rope in more business. However, the key is to prepare and practice. Communicate well with your prospects, understand their key concerns, address that in your presentation structure, tell them why you are well suited for their needs, and you are good to go. Do remember to follow up after you have closed the deal.
You can use pre-designed PowerPoint presentation templates if you don’t have much time to create your sales deck from scratch. These templates will let you edit every element to make them well-suited to your presentation’s theme and tone.
StartupTalky presents Recap’22. This is a series of interviews in which we conduct in-depth discussions with founders & industry leaders to understand their growth in 2022 and their predictions for the future.
The gig economy refers to an economic system in which people work as independent contractors or freelancers rather than as employees in traditional jobs. In this type of economy, people offer their services on a project or task basis, often through online platforms or app-based companies.
This type of work arrangement provides workers with flexibility and the ability to choose when and where they work, but can also result in a lack of job security, benefits, and protections that come with traditional employment.
According to a report published by Maple Capital Advisors, the Indian gig economy was valued at approximately $20 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a rapid pace in the coming years. This growth is driven by several factors, including the increasing penetration of the internet and mobile technology, the growing demand for flexible work arrangements, and the increasing number of people looking for alternative sources of income. As a result, the Indian gig economy is projected to grow at a CAGR of 17% between 2021 and 2025 and reach a valuation of approximately $35 billion by 2025.
However, it is important to note that the gig economy in India, like in many other countries, is still in its early stages of development and faces several challenges, such as a lack of clear regulations and protections for gig workers. Nevertheless, the overall outlook for the gig economy in India is positive, and it is expected to continue to grow at a significant rate in the coming years.
For this Interview, we invited, Kajal Malik, Co-founder and CSO of PickMyWork and we talked about the growth, challenges, insights, and future opportunities in the Gig Economy.
StartupTalky: Kajal, what service does your company provide? What was the motivation/vision with which you started?
Kajal: With the vision to create a platform where unemployed youth could register, complete sales gigs, and earn commissions, I (Kajal Malik) along with my friends Vidyarthi Baddireddy, and Utsav Bhattacharjee founded PickMyWork in 2019.
We embarked on this mission only after discovering that, despite developing great product lines, internet companies struggle to expand and attract new customers. They depend heavily on two channels which are outdated and unreliable. Online channels are costly and do not result in transactional customers for internet service providers. Managing in-house sales teams on the ground to sell the product to end users is time-consuming and inefficient. It is more expensive, produces slower results, and is not intended for hype scaling. By-passing these alternatives, we established PickMyWork to facilitate plug & play networking solutions for hyper scaling and creating meaningful value for internet companies. On the other side, PickMyWork presents itself as an income platform for gig workers that promises 3X earnings per hour of effort when compared to delivery gigs.
Co-founders – PickmyWork
StartupTalky: What new features have been added in the past year? What is/are the USP/s of your service?
Kajal: Many consumer tech companies are collaborating with us to improve ROI and achieve faster results in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, where businesses face difficulties in penetrating the market. We freely allow consumer tech firms to concentrate on what they do best, which is creating technological solutions, while we leverage our on-field gig partner network to facilitate the customer/merchant onboarding process.
For Internet companies, this model turns out to be 1/10th cheaper compared to online marketing or having in-house sales teams. Enabling sales gigs at an affordable cost is therefore our USP.
StartupTalky: How has the gig industry changed in recent years, and how has your company adapted to these changes?
Kajal: Disruptive innovations had already infiltrated the gig industry prior to Covid-19, but the pandemic accelerated their growth and mass acceptance. Businesses that initially believed that face-to-face interactions were the only way to execute business were forced to abruptly alter their strategy and become more flexible and dynamic in their customer service. While the global pandemic-inspired digital transformation is constantly revamping the marketing landscape, we at PickMyWork are increasingly educating our workers on marketing tactics to meet client demands. By providing gig workers with various skill sets, attractive payment options, and giving companies access to a larger market via a readily available network of on-demand gig workers, we have garnered a lot of interest in our offerings from different states across India.
StartupTalk: How do you stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in the gig industry?
Kajal: We stay current on market trends affecting the gig workforce and the gig economy. We particularly intend to meet the needs and aspirations of all segments of society, from Generation Z to Millennials, who are looking for an opportunity to embrace alternative ways of working and put their entrepreneurial skills to use.
We’re also interested in deeper technological integration, which can lead to greater automation of work for tech platforms. Furthermore, we are constantly looking for ways to upskill our employees and provide work flexibility that traditional full-time employment does not provide.
StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check the company’s growth and performance?
Kajal: As our business model grows in a variety of channels, including revenue, client base, and conversion rate, we use multiple metrics to track our growth and performance. Analyzing the company’s sales allows us to determine how well our gig services are functioning in the sector and whether our marketing strategies are paying off or not. In addition, we track the number of visitors to our company’s website each month in order to assess the demand for our services as well as to assess the reputation of our brand.
StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges your company faced in the past year and how did you overcome them?
Kajal: While many businesses stagnated during the unprecedented times of Covid-19, the gig economy grew exponentially, owing to a massive need for cost-effective solutions and freelance workers.
Also, digital businesses and brands that used to emphasize long-term goals, such as meeting yearly milestones, had to shift their focus toward short-term targets. With such growing trends, we had to readjust our platform and expand our potential by hiring ambitious youth and enthusiastic gig workers that could drive the growth of internet companies.
To upskill them, we undertook initiatives such as live webinars and made use of pre-recorded training videos with an end test for each product to further improve the understanding of the gig agents to work on new gigs and challenging situations.
StartupTalky: Trust among all the stakeholders is very important for a marketplace. How do you ensure it?
Kajal: At PickMyWork we believe in the philosophy of honesty and clarity to build trust with stakeholders. Communication too is critical to be on the same page when it comes to expectations from each other. Direct communication also holds true in situations when coursework and priorities change. Keeping shareholders engaged in the project and taking their inputs seriously works for the long run.
StartupTalky: What are the different strategies you use for marketing? Tell us about any growth hack which you pulled off.
Kajal: As a growth-stage startup, we use marketing strategies and growth hacks in the most optimized way. We heavily focus on the CAC, ROI, and RoAS. We focus on different channels of marketing: we use 6 social media platforms which form a major chunk of our marketing. We have a small community of influencers who create awareness and drive user acquisition for us. Other than this we have SMS, WA, and Email as additional tools to reach out to our partners on a regular basis. We maintain our user acquisition with in-app marketing campaigns and giveaways for our partners. Growth hack which worked for us: doing webinars and live sessions with industry leaders on our socials to create awareness on relevant topics without directly focusing on marketing our product. Talk about important day-to-day issues regarding finances. This acts as a consideration stage and a credibility tool for us, establishing us as Key Thought Leaders in our chosen sector. In addition to these, the meme marketing and our office BTS videos have acted as a bridge between the PickMyWork employees and our on-field network of partners, giving a personalized touch by focusing on the PickMyWork team members working behind the scenes to make this gig platform go from strength to strength.
StartupTalky: Keeping up with supply and demand is important. How do you keep both in order?
Kajal: Companies in India are increasingly looking for gig workers to fill roles in business development. To keep the supply and demand for gig workers balanced, we use cutting-edge technology to find, train, and manage agents for digital companies. Our mobile app lists internet products that need to be sold to end users (individual users/shop owners). Any interested youth who wants to earn extra money can download the PickMyWork mobile app from the Google Play store and begin earning when a sale is completed successfully.
StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see for future growth in your industry in India and the world? What kind of difference in market behavior have you seen between India and the world?
Kajal: The gig economy has been growing not only in India but around the world, and it is estimated to outperform pre-pandemic projections due to an influx of gig workers switching from full-time employment.
Since India has been quick to adopt gig trends, domestic gig employment models are expected to become more flexible than ever before. To be able to provide for themselves, workers no longer have to rely solely on traditional 9-to-5 employment to make ends meet.
Although gig work is not yet prevalent across all sectors of the economy, it has the potential to become so in the coming years. The gig economy will include both traditional jobs that have adapted to gig platforms and new jobs that are being created in the industry. Similarly, because gig work is more gender-inclusive, women will be able to take on gig work while continuing to fulfill their other responsibilities.
StartupTalky: What lessons did your team learn in the past year and how will these inform your future plans and strategies?
Kajal: While we had started out to build solutions for certain kinds of gig opportunities, it became clear with each passing month that there was a tremendous amount of demand from multiple segments of the population for a variety of gig opportunities.
Therefore, with this huge appetite being clearly visible to us, we are now foraying into sourcing and providing various kinds of gig opportunities that we can design and deliver to the ever-increasing number of gig workers registering with PickMyWork. Therefore, allowing the market to guide us on the path ahead instead of restricting ourselves to a predetermined plan, has been one of the biggest lessons learned in 2022.
StartupTalky: How do you plan to expand the Customers, service offering, and team base in the future?
Kajal: At PickMyWork we are working diligently to grow and expand into new geographies, upskill our gig workers, and build a solid foundational model for our clients to scale up and acquire customers. As new-age startups emerge in the Fintech, D2C, and Social Commerce spaces, we continue to build more operational muscle and expertise in various domains via the gig model: we aspire to be the preferred distribution channel for all emerging startups. Additionally, we aim to have 10 million agents on our digital distribution network by the end of 2023 as well as build the largest plug-and-play network of its kind to facilitate the hyper-scaling of internet companies.
StartupTalky: One tip that you would like to share with another marketplace company founder?
Kajal: Solve for the side of the marketplace that is harder to solve. The other side(s) become progressively easier to solve after that.
We thank Kajalfor spending her valuable time and sharing her learnings with all of us.
As companies strive to increase revenue and gain a competitive edge, effective channel management has become a crucial component of their strategy. Channel management involves identifying, cultivating, and maintaining relationships or communication with partners and customers who help sell a company’s products or services to others.
By utilizing this approach, businesses can improve customer satisfaction, boost sales and increase brand visibility in the market. In this article, we delve into the concept of channel management and its significance for companies aiming for growth and success in the current business environment.
Channel management is the process of coordinating and optimizing the distribution of a company’s products or services through various sales channels, such as online marketplaces, brick-and-mortar retail stores, direct-to-consumer sales, and more.
The goal of channel management is to maximize revenue, minimize costs, and ensure a consistent brand experience across all channels. This involves activities such as setting pricing strategies, managing inventory levels, monitoring channel performance, and maintaining relationships with channel partners.
Why Is Channel Management Important for Your Company?
By carefully selecting and managing the various channels through which a company distributes its products or services, it can maximize its reach and optimize its distribution.
This can involve identifying the most effective channels for your company’s products or services, and maximizing their potential. Additionally, it can involve creating a clear strategy for each channel, and regularly reviewing and adjusting the approach as needed. By doing so, your company can improve its reach and accessibility to customers, and can increase its sales and profitability.
With channel management tools and software, you can create the right decisions with real-time data, it gives you an advantage over your competitors and helps you to save your time, etc.
10 Channel Management Strategies You Can Use for Your Company
Channel management requires an understanding of customer preferences, an analysis of current and potential sales opportunities, and an understanding of competitors’ strategies and capabilities. Here are 10 channel management strategies that businesses can use to create long-term relationships and drive sales growth:
1. Differentiate Your Channels
Make sure each channel has unique offerings to differentiate them from each other. This will avoid confusion and create loyalty among customers. Differentiating channels also allows the expansion of the reach of the audience.
2. Strategize for Market Expansion
Have specific strategies for expanding your presence in each channel. Analyze current market share and opportunities for expansion. One can also have a closer inspection of the strategies used by competitor platforms while creating one for the self.
3. Analyze Performance
Track the performance of your channels and analyze any changes or trends. If a particular channel is performing poorly, look into ways to adjust or optimize it. However, while looking for a poorly performing one, giving an equal amount of attention to the better-performing channels is also important.
4. Evaluate Channel Partners
Identify the right distributors, resellers, and partners to ensure their upselling efforts are having a positive impact on sales numbers. For a better selection, one can prepare a list and then sort from them as per the requirements.
5. Understand Competitors’ Strengths and Weaknesses
Become familiar with the strategies of your competitors and strive to understand how they manage their channels. Also, taking the knowledge of tools and services used by them can be a good point to consider while learning about their strategies.
6. Optimize Visibility and Accessibility
Make sure customers can find your products or services and have easy access to them. Keep this in mind when designing a website, creating content, executing promotions, and engaging customers.
7. Integrate Channels
Ensure the channels you use are in sync with each other and customers can have consistent experiences across all of them. Having perfectly synced channels can provide great help in executing a better business plan.
8. Leverage Technology
Take advantage of available technology to monitor channels and make it easier to move data between them. The web has a number of applications and software that can help in easy channel management. One should not forget to use them for better management.
9. Focus on Personalization
Create an experience tailored to each customer by personalizing how you communicate with them and addressing their unique needs. Each business has its own need, hence using personalized methods is way better than directly following the path set by others.
10. Provide Good Customer Support
Make sure every channel has good customer support, so customers can easily get their questions answered and access help. One can also take the help of an online chatbot that can help with easy customer management.
By using these channel management strategies, businesses can create successful long-term relationships with their customers and ensure they get the most out of each channel. It takes time and effort, but the results are worth the effort.
Most Commonly Used Channel Management Tools
Top channel management tools
Distribution Software
This type of software is used to manage the distribution of products or services through various channels.
It typically includes features such as inventory management, order processing, and shipping and tracking. Some of the best examples are NetSuite ERP, ShipStation, QuickBooks Commerce, etc.
Sales Force Automation (SFA) Software
SFA software is used to manage and optimize the sales process, from lead generation to closing deals.
It often includes features such as customer relationship management (CRM), lead tracking, and sales forecasting. Some of the best examples of SFA software are Teamwork, Salesflare, PipelineDeals, etc.
Marketing Automation Software
Marketing automation software is used to automate and streamline marketing tasks, such as email campaigns, social media marketing, and lead generation.
It can help companies save time and resources by automating repetitive tasks and providing insights into marketing performance. Some of the marketing automation software examples are Tidio, HubSpot, Sendinblue, etc.
Channel Partner Management Software
This type of software is specifically designed to help companies manage their relationships with channel partners, such as resellers and distributors.
It can include features such as partner portal management, lead sharing, and commission tracking. Some of the channel partner management software are PartnerStack, Allbound, ImpartnerPRM, etc.
Overall, these tools can help companies manage their channels more effectively and efficiently, enabling them to better serve their customers and grow their business.
How Can You Effectively Manage Your Channels?
Effective channel management is essential in ensuring the successful delivery of products and services from the company to its customers. It ensures that the organizations can ensure that their marketing and sales efforts are effective and successful.
It is key that organizations have effective channel management strategies in place to maximize their sales potential and maintain efficient business partnerships.
Identify The Most Effective Channels for Your Business
This will depend on your target audience and the type of products or services you offer. For example, if you are a B2B company, LinkedIn may be a more effective channel than Instagram.
Develop a Clear Strategy for Each Channel
Once you have identified the channels that will be most effective for your business, you should create a clear strategy for each one. This should include goals, a content strategy, and metrics for measuring success.
Regularly Review and Adjust Your Approach
As with any marketing strategy, it’s critical to regularly review and adjust your channel management approach. This will help you stay on track and ensure that you are using the channels that are most effective for your business.
Use Tools and Technology to Manage Your Channels
There are many tools and technologies available that can help you manage your channels more effectively. These include social media management tools, email marketing platforms, and analytics tools.
Engage With Your Audience on Each Channel
To be effective, your channel management strategy should include a plan for engaging with your audience on each channel. This could include responding to comments and messages, posting regular updates, and running promotions or contests.
Important attributes helpful in customer experience can be made better with effective channel management
By following these tips, you can create an effective channel management strategy that will help you reach your target audience and achieve your business goals.
Effective channel management can also help a company to optimize its distribution and reach more customers and can improve its overall efficiency and profitability. Additionally, channel management can help a company to maintain healthy relationships with its channels, and address any challenges or opportunities that may arise.
The Future of Channel Management in Businesses
The future of channel management is likely to be shaped by several emerging trends, including the following:
1. Increased use of digital channels: As more and more consumers turn to the internet to shop, companies will need to focus on developing and managing digital channels, such as e-commerce websites and social media platforms, to reach and engage with customers.
2. Continued globalization: As the global economy continues to integrate, companies will need to adapt their channel management strategies to account for differences in consumer preferences, cultural norms, and regulatory environments across different regions and markets.
3. A stronger emphasis on customer experience: With increased competition and changing consumer expectations, companies will need to focus on providing a seamless and personalized customer experience across all channels to retain and attract customers.
4. Rise of omnichannel marketing: Omnichannel marketing refers to the use of multiple channels, such as brick-and-mortar stores, online platforms, and mobile apps, to provide a consistent and integrated customer experience. This approach will likely become more relevant as customers increasingly expect a seamless and consistent experience across different channels.
5. Increased use of data and analytics: As the amount of data generated by customers and channels continues to grow, companies will need to use data and analytics to gain insights into customer behavior and preferences, and to optimize their channel management strategies.
Altogether, the future of channel management will likely be characterized by a continued shift towards digital channels, the need to adapt to a global and increasingly competitive marketplace, and the growing importance of customer experience and data-driven decision-making.
Businesses are looking for ways to establish and maintain successful relationships with their customers, and a key way to do this is through effective channel management strategies.
To ensure successful channel management, there are several key steps to consider. These include researching the target market and the characteristics of the products or services, identifying the most effective channels, creating a clear strategy for each channel, and regularly reviewing and adjusting the approach as needed.
Additionally, it is important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in the industry, as this can help to ensure that the company is taking advantage of the most effective channels. By following these steps, a company can ensure that its products or services are widely available and accessible to customers, and can improve its overall efficiency and profitability.
FAQs
What is channel management also known as?
Channel management is sometimes also referred to as marketing management.
What is the importance of channel management in marketing?
Channel management allows the creation of a direct pathway for the marketing and selling of products or services offered through them.
What is the need for channel management?
Chanel management is essential for forming a connection between customers, supporting third parties, different vendors, etc. They establish direct communication with customers in each channel.
StartupTalky presents Recap’22. This is a series of interviews in which we conduct in-depth discussions with founders & industry leaders to understand their growth in 2022 and their predictions for the future.
India is known for its diverse and flavorful street food, with each region offering its own unique dishes and flavors. Among them, kulcha is a popular street food and a staple of North Indian cuisine. It is a type of leavened bread that is traditionally made with a mixture of refined flour, yogurt, and ghee.
In India, street food is a popular and integral part of the country’s food culture, and it is widely available in cities and towns across the country. With the growing popularity of street food and the increasing demand for quick and affordable food options, it is likely that the street food industry in India will continue to grow in the future.
However, it is important to note that the growth of the street food industry in India may be impacted by various factors, such as food safety concerns, competition from other food businesses, and government regulations. According to a report published in Business Standard, India’s food service market is expected to reach $79.65 billion by 2028.
For this Interview, we invited, Manas Wadhwa, founder of क se Kulcha and we talked about the growth, challenges, insights, and future opportunities in the food industry.
StartupTalky: Manas, what does your company do? What was the motivation/vision with which you started?
Manas: Amidst covid and its dynamic temper people are inevitably missing finger-licking, spicy street food. Interestingly, “क se kulcha” found the key to the stumbling block without weighing heavy on your pockets. Where ‘Good and Healthy Food’ comes along with the taste, the place is no other than क se kulcha!
Our object of the exercise is to bring the essence from the streets of India, the taste you can’t impede right into your plate and in your slice of the budget. After the hammer-like hit of Covid 19, we came across the reluctant nature among the masses where they wanted to enjoy street spices like before the new normal came into existence but the agitation of getting infected was honest to goodness high or the cost of falling sick was such that they are forced to avoid their liking in this sphere. Keeping this thought in mind “क se kulcha” was born, with almost 100 dishes to choose from, so you don’t have to stay aloof from your most liked street kulchas.
StartupTalky: What is/are the USP/s of your products?
Manas: Rich aromatic gravies, spicy vegetable stir-fries, moist and tender slow-cooked meat, and sinful desserts each dish shut a unique and different flavor at K se Kulcha but among all, Multigrain Kulcha with delicious mouth-watering chole holds a favorite spot in most people’s hearts.
Our Unique Selling Product (USP) is the multigrain kulcha bread which is served along with delicious, smokey Punjabi-style chole. We also offer varieties of kulcha that are not just healthy and tasty but also rich in essential nutrients. Our field professionals, working behind the screen (in the kitchen) make sure to maintain a healthy balance of ingredients. Options in Kulcha bread are most liked by the consumers, as traditionally it is made with flour but at क se kulcha we offer 5 distinctive bread options that are tasty and healthy. For instance, we have multigrain kulcha, whole wheat kulcha, herbs kulcha, and likewise.
StartupTalky: How has the food industry changed in recent years, and how has your company adapted to these changes?
Manas: There has been no journey if it was challenging yet enjoyable. Recently, a change in consumer demand for vegan options has been observed. Increasing demand will be met across the industry with new items on the menus, and an attempt to offer vegan and plant-based dishes as a staple and not as a limited option for those with alternative diets.
StartupTalky: How do you stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in the food industry?
Manas: Our R&D team actively works on observing the latest taste and preferences of the consumers which further helps us in keeping up in the competitive environment. We maintain close relations with our team members and offer refresher courses to sharpen team skills. Web organizes periodic workshops in coordination with the best trainers in the industries to stay updated. Other than this we constantly upgrade our services and menu observing the customers’ feedback.
StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check the company’s growth and performance?
Manas: I keep a close check on KPIs like sales, labor cost, food cost or cost of goods, and turnover rate as it shows how the restaurant is doing over time. Food is a substantial cost for any restaurant. One good way to keep food costs under control is by tracking your food cost percentage. High staff turnover is another challenge, so keep an eye out for ways to decrease the costs of labor while increasing retention.
StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges your company faced in the past year and how did you overcome them?
Manas: The main challenge we faced while establishing this concept of क se kulcha, was to find the right field professionals. Usually, on the streets, we see a stall serving a particular kind of dish but here, we have a plethora of dishes to choose from and find chefs who were trained enough to bring out the traditional flavors along with trying out new combinations was the greatest hurdle we faced while establishing this outlet.
StartupTalky: What are the different strategies you use for marketing? Tell us about any growth hack which you pulled off.
Manas: In today’s time, to cope and excel in a highly competitive environment one has to stay up to date. We understand that social media plays a vital role in both building a brand presence and staying updated and here, at क se kulcha we collaborate with several food bloggers from time and time to maintain relevance amid the changing food trends.
We are also present across various social media platforms like Instagram, and Facebook that provide us with knowledge of the newest food trends. Lastly, customer feedback is a major source of information that motivates us to always do better and be at our best.
StartupTalky: What are the important tools and software you use to run your business smoothly?
Manas: For the success of a restaurant, it’s imperative to stay technically updated, and we at क se kulcha have always equipped us with the latest and most effective technology applications. For instance, installation of point-of-sale software for guest billing, customer database, in cashier cage. The cage is also the center point for handling all phone calls and mail. Furthermore, the kitchen is divided into four parts: the receiving dock, storage (dry, fresh, temporizer controlled), preparation area, and cooking area.
Every space is equipped with the newest gadgets and technology for optimum functioning. For example, an MMS terminal and weighing scales are installed in the receiving area. In addition, the kitchen has biometric access. Thus no one without their biometrics can enter this area.
StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see for future growth in your industry in India and the world? What kind of difference in market behavior have you seen within states in India?
Manas: QSR has been very famous in foreign countries for a long time, but it has now entered the Indian market and has a vast scope for development. QSR format is exploding in India post covid with new concepts, and the masses are positively looking forward to this concept.
The foodies of India, especially the students and office employees, are keen to range over food/meal options that are fast prepared, quickly served, and economical. These options help satiate your hunger in a timely fashion. The younger crowd especially shows their interest in the QSR segment, low-priced food, and easy-to-go menu and dining option.
We all know that Indian cuisine is most loved; however, very few restaurants are able to magically pack and serve it in the QSR format. But now, the race has begun, and the market is set to explore and explode with innovative Indian QSR models.
StartupTalky: What lessons did your team learn in the past year and how will these inform your future plans and strategies?
Manas: One of the most important lessons that I have learned and will always be with me is to focus on networking and staying updated, not just in the case of technology but in every aspect. The industry is always changing, and you need to keep up with those changes as best you can. Networking can enlighten you, help with your challenges, and find you friends who can relate to what you’re going through. It can be uncomfortable initially, but connecting with people over LinkedIn and Twitter can be a great start. Conferences and events are other great places to form connections.
StartupTalky: How do you plan to expand the Customers, product, and team base in the future?
Manas: Talking about business expansion plans, being a first-generation company we have very aggressive expansion plans. We are eagerly looking for business growth partners who would like to shake hands with us. Furthermore, we plan to focus on the Delhi NCR market only.
We are in process of developing various formats for our outlets which could be further branched out into market-specific locations. In simple words, Kiosks for food courts in malls, and full-service sit-down outlets for high street markets. We are mainly focusing on the FOCO (Franchise Owned Company Operated) Business Model, where we and investment will operate outlets sought from a franchise partner.
StartupTalky: One tip that you would like to share with people reading this article who want to get into entrepreneurship?
Manas: In my view, there’s no one said solution or tip behind every entrepreneur’s success but the magic lies in getting started and facing your fears. Fears exist for a reason, but they’re never unconquerable. You may feel reassured to know that many entrepreneurs start a little hesitant and fearful. It certainly is a good time for a passionate food entrepreneur. With thorough groundwork, before venturing into the business brings good results later. Even the best businesses occasionally face financial challenges. Maybe your first marketing strategy didn’t work out, but that doesn’t mean you should quit. When taking on new projects, you must keep your costs and budgets in mind to prepare yourself for any challenges you might face.
We thank Manasfor spending his valuable time and sharing his learnings with all of us.
StartupTalky presents Recap’22. This is a series of interviews in which we conduct in-depth discussions with founders & industry leaders to understand their growth in 2022 and their predictions for the future.
AI-based services refer to services that leverage artificial intelligence technology to perform tasks that would otherwise require human intelligence. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to play a significant role in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of homeland security operations.
AI can be used to analyze vast amounts of data from multiple sources, including social media, satellite imagery, and sensor networks, to identify potential security threats and prevent them before they occur. AI is helping different sectors, including manufacturing and real estate, improve products and services.
The AI industry in India is growing rapidly and has the potential to play a significant role in the country’s economic growth. The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry in India is expected to be high in the coming years. According to a report by NASSCOM and EY, the AI industry in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 20–25% from 2019 to 2025.
For this Interview, we invited, Atul Rai, Co-founder and CEO of Staqu Technologies and we talked about the growth, challenges, insights, and future opportunities in the AI and analytics industry.
StartupTalky: Atul, what service does your company provide? What was the motivation/vision with which you started?
Atul: I (Atul Rai) along with my friends Anurag, and Pankaj Co-founded Staqu in 2015, which is an award-winning AI research startup with more than 7 years of experience to solve the problem of automation in the audio-video data management domain through our product JARVIS.Our vision is to facilitate a seamless solution for any problem involving image analysis and information extraction.
JARVIS technology was initially developed for homeland security, but after achieving exceptional outcomes, we subsequently spread our wings to other public and private sectors, including Real Estate, Manufacturing, and Retail, as well as undertakings like smart cities, infrastructure, and Covid-19 solutions. Cameras armed with Staqu’s advanced video analytics tool JARVIS can offer valuable insights while supervising all parameters in object detection, crowd analytics, footfall analytics, queue management, heatmap analysis, violence detection, fire & smoke detection, smart parking management, traffic congestion detection and behavioral changes that traditional cameras cannot evaluate or foresee.
On direct lines, we have over 100 companies working with us, including some of the top brands such as Raymond, Café Coffee Day, Starbucks, Chaayos, Crocs, GMR, JK Cement, Agrocel, and others. In addition, nine state police forces are collaborating with us to meet their needs for safety and security monitoring and criminal identification.
StartupTalky: What new features have been added in the past year? What is/are the USP/s of your SaaS?
Atul: When it comes to enabling safety and data analytics through fully integrated technology, we are miles ahead of any competitor in this segment. The first advantage is that the JARVIS platform is plug-and-play, which means that if you have a camera, you are not required to install any hardware; all that is necessary is a working internet connection. Second, in addition to the video stream, we are analyzing the audio data from the CCTV. This means that scenes will be analyzed using both audio and video data (bimodal data), leaving no gaps. Lastly, we provide video management software that permits users to aggregate all feeds from various locations and view them all in real-time while also receiving real-time alerts. So, while our competing companies show post-event analysis or day-by-day reporting, we, on the other hand, enable real-time feeds. Furthermore, we target not only CCTV cameras but also drones, and the Jarvis platform can even analyze mobile streams.
StartupTalky: How has the AI and analytics industry changed in recent years and how has your company adapted to these changes?
Atul: In recent years, changes in analytics technologies have been rapid and widespread. Data and analytics had grown in importance to the point where it was being referred to as the new oil or gold.
In today’s hypercompetitive marketplace, modern businesses have begun to recognize the value of data analytics, as they depend heavily on data-driven solutions rather than dominant narratives or instincts to make more precise choices, maximize efficiency and be more intelligent. It’s no surprise that companies are heavily investing in visual data analytics to improve everything from retailing and manufacturing operations to security.
With cutting-edge image recognition technology and smart monitoring of objects, crowds, perimeters, and vehicles, JARVIS has proven to be one of the simplest highly configurable AI-based Video Analytics Engines. JARVIS offers a user-friendly dashboard that enables clients to track critical incidents and respond appropriately. The Video Wall panel facilitates centralized monitoring of all cameras from different locations on a single screen. Additionally, JARVIS Video Analytics provides dependable, dynamic, and comprehensive solutions with over 40 use cases. Furthermore, insights from 85+ analytics dramatically improve operational intelligence and accelerate situational awareness.
StartupTalky: How do you stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in the AI and analytics industry?
Atul: At Staqu, we keep up to date on all technological and industry trends. We enjoy reading the most recent research papers in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) domains that have a good number of citations. On Twitter, we also follow some researchers and technologists who share very insightful perspectives on AI. In addition, our team enjoys listening to podcasts and following the lives of creators in the technology industry on YouTube.
StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check the company’s growth and performance?
Atul: Revenue is among the most insightful business metrics that we track regularly at Staqu. By analyzing our company’s sales, we can determine how well our products and services are performing in the sector and whether our marketing tactics are effective. We also like to track the number of visitors to our company’s website each month because it is a great way to assess the hype of our product offerings and the overall public image of the company. Furthermore, we monitor our customer satisfaction index regularly through feedback and surveys to guarantee that they are pleased with our offerings.
StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges your company faced in the past years and how did you overcome them?
Atul: The toughest challenge was dealing with the marketing of artificial intelligence, which was a novel idea in 2015. When AI was first introduced, most people thought of it in terms of robots that could perform human tasks. However, as the market developed and the right investors got involved, this barrier was effectively addressed. Furthermore, India falls short behind regarding the infrastructure of camera systems that are less than 5 megapixels in most places. As a consequence, we’ve had to develop features to handle low-resolution video feeds, multi-camera trafficking, and other issues. Like any other business we had to encounter other challenges as well, but fortunately, we have a dedicated team of employees who see every obstacle as an opportunity for the company’s overall growth.
StartupTalky: Customer Success has become more important than ever. How do you keep your customer engaged to stop churn?
Atul: In the AI domain, if the user experience with software or applications is sluggish, glitchy, or otherwise complicated for them to implement, they are less likely to deploy it or build expertise with it, increasing the likelihood that they will not remain loyal. Customers want to feel valued and accepted by the communities they support, and if they have negative interactions with the company, they will leave.
Therefore, at Staqu we employ proactive customer service, which actively seeks to identify and resolve issues before they negatively impact the customer experience. We also improve customer experience through other channels of communication, such as marketing content and social media channels, to reduce customer churn.
StartupTalky: What are the different strategies you use for marketing? Tell us about any growth hack which you pulled off.
Atul: A well-thought-out marketing strategy demands powerful insight, dedication, and research, as well as a time and energy investment. Staqu has a sturdy roadmap in place to ensure that all marketing strategies continue to be integrated with our product portfolio. The first step in expanding our business into new customer geographies is to be able to reach the right target customers through the right mediums at the right time. We also keep track of our customers’ insights, which outline market values, potential, and prospects. Furthermore, we keep our marketing strategy up to date by analyzing our campaign performance. This also allows us to tweak and modify our approach as the business and market evolve and change.
StartupTalky: Content marketing and Community building are something everyone is talking about in SaaS, how do you plan to leverage that?
Atul: Almost every SaaS business (both B2C and B2B) is now utilizing content as part of its branding strategy to orient itself as a specialized thought leader by providing its audiences with valuable, insightful resources. It necessitates a lot of effort to create remarkable content, but it is well worth the investment, notably if it is evergreen and can boost conversions and profits in the long term. Since each SaaS solution has attributed keywords, we initiate our compelling content by considering the terms users search on Google when looking for an AI data analytics product or service. We believe in designing content that provides actionable information to the reader and persuades a potential customer to sign up for our SaaS product/service.
StartupTalky: What are the important tools and software you use to run your business smoothly?
Atul: Software tools are critical for simplifying both internal and external work. Salesforce, Keka, and Slack are a few tools we use to streamline our business processes. We’re also experimenting with Eddy AI for email automation.
StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see for future growth in your industry in India and the world? What kind of difference in market behavior have you seen between India and the world?
Atul: Billions of cameras are used for monitoring around the world. Add to that- there are billions of cameras implanted in smartphones and other personal gadgets, and we have a mind-boggling ecosystem yielding incomprehensible amounts of video data every minute. Therefore, video analytics is a rapidly evolving field around the world, and it will continue to expand in the coming years as data volumes grow exponentially year after year. As a consequence, we have to constantly update our resources to engage with big data. At the same time, what distinguishes this field is that it applies to the evolution of every business in the world. It’s also a thriving industry for young prospective students to enter because there’s a lot of unstructured data, which means there are a lot of interesting job opportunities.
StartupTalky: What lessons did your team learn in the past year and how will these inform your plans and strategies?
Atul: Working in the AI field has taught us the value of listening to and receiving client feedback. This enables us to innovate, renovate, and make constant adjustments and modifications based on clients’ use cases and preferences. Besides focusing on our product portfolio and clients we also realized the importance of investing in our employees because they are the most valuable assets one can have.
StartupTalky: How do you plan to expand the Customers, product features, and team base in the future?
Atul: Growth and expansion are major considerations for all business owners and entrepreneurs. For us, expansion encompasses not only improving business traction and offering new products or services, but also optimizing employee and shareholder values, ramping up marketing efforts, forming partnerships, merging with or acquiring another company, and advancing online. With video and image data accounting for 60-70% of all data on the internet, our growth strategy is to maximize on all fronts. The key, however, will be to serve as many industries as possible by deploying JARVIS to automate their internal operations.
StartupTalky: One tip that you would like to share with another SaaS founder?
Atul: Looking at the market as a whole, developing software is becoming increasingly easier to set up, and the industry is becoming increasingly congested. We now have more available skills, more advanced technologies, and so on, all of which lower the impediment to entry for developing software. What will set you apart is your brand and your ability to discover and connect with potential clients. Most importantly, every successful business must address problems and gaps that no other brands are currently addressing.
We thank Atulfor spending his valuable time and sharing his learnings with all of us.
StartupTalky presents Recap’22. This is a series of interviews in which we conduct in-depth discussions with founders & industry leaders to understand their growth in 2022 and their predictions for the future.
Handcrafted metal artifacts refer to metal objects that are created by skilled artisans using traditional techniques and tools. These can include a wide range of products, such as jewelry, decorative objects, utensils, and more. Handcrafted metal artifacts are a popular and traditional form of art in India, and they are in high demand both locally and internationally.
The demand for handcrafted metal artifacts has been growing in recent years due to the increasing popularity of traditional and artisanal products. This trend is likely to continue, driven by a growing appreciation for unique and high-quality products as well as a desire for sustainability and a connection to local cultures.
According to IMARC Group, the global handcrafts market size reached US$ 752.2 Billion in 2022. Looking ahead, the market is expected to reach US$ 1,296.6 billion by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.1% from 2023 to 2028.
For this Interview, we invited, Palash Agrawal, Founder and Director of Vedas Exports, and we talked about the growth, challenges, insights, and future opportunities in the handicraft industry.
StartupTalky: Palash, what products does your company sell? What was the motivation/vision with which you started?
Palash: Vedas exports is a renowned name in the domestic as well as export markets when it comes to handcrafted metal artifacts. We design and manufacture all our products in-house. My vision behind the company was to build a global enterprise that offers décor products showcasing India’s rich cultural heritage and excellence of metal handcraft. We have been able to make a mark on the global market within a short duration due to our emphasis on quality, excellence of customer service, and commitment to giving a contemporary touch to classic décor items.
StartupTalky: What other products/features have been added in the past year? What is/are the USP/s of your products?
Palash: We have been regularly introducing new designs and products. Some of our new additions in 2022 include various nature-inspired products such as trees, leaves, birds, and nature or garden-themed products. What makes our products stand out is the high quality of materials used in producing them. Recycled metals match the handcrafted excellence of our artisans to create sustainable artwork. The colors that we use are environmentally friendly and safe. Further, we have an unmatched customer service mechanism with options to replace the products and other such customer-centric initiatives, which make Vedas Exports a preferred brand for the customers.
StartupTalky: How has the handicraft industry changed in recent years, and how has your company adapted to these changes?
Palash: India is a prominent handicraft exporting country in the world, and the overall handicraft market was estimated to be over $4.35 billion in 2021/22. Recently, we have been witnessing very strong demand in countries like the US, UK, UAE, Australia, and other European nations. The handicraft export market in India is highly evolved and structured. Today, the country exports almost every type of décor products ranging from metal artifacts and carpets to wooden craft. However, our core category, which is metal home décor products, is witnessing even stronger growth since the demand is not only strong from overseas markets but also from domestic buyers. We have been focusing on the growing trends and have steadily revamped our product offerings to ensure the continuous availability of creative and high-quality artifacts for the audience.
StartupTalky: How do you stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in the handicraft industry?
Palash: I regularly read about the various developments and emerging trends in the global arena. At Vedas, the emphasis has been on creating unique designs based on the heritage Indian metal handicraft. We also constantly listen to customer feedback and expectations and design our products as per the changing preferences of the buyers.
StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check the company’s growth and performance?
Palash: Our focus is on providing assured support and sharing information that the customers don’t generally get elsewhere. Thus, we can achieve greater customer retention and organic publicity through customer recommendations. Repeat purchase and word of mouth are parameters that we count on too.
StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges your company faced in the past year and how did you overcome them?
Palash: There were a lot of challenges, and we had to constantly adapt to the changing market scenarios and keep our customers engaged. We have overcome the market challenges by always focusing on creating art that has its own story to tell. We also envision the creation of décor pieces that can be effortlessly integrated into any décor or part of the interiors of a home, office, or restaurant. Sustainable manufacturing practices, appealing designs, and excellence in customer service have been a part of our strategy to maintain our position in the market.
StartupTalky: Repeat purchase is one of the most important parameters on which most e-commerce brands are betting. How do you keep your customer engaged to stop churn?
Palash: Instead of focusing too much on marketing activities and gimmicks to engage the customer, our focus has been on ensuring high-quality standards, and a customer-centric sales and support process. Our customers feel related to the products they buy and appreciate the best-in-class support, leading to superior customer retention and engagement consistently.
StartupTalky: What are the different strategies you use for marketing? Tell us about any growth hack which you pulled off.
Palash: We rely on content marketing as our primary channel to reach out to our audiences and we have achieved significant success with it. The growth hack that Vedas Exports has leveraged is to build a customer-centric business where our customers love the products as well as the service on offer. As a result, we enjoy higher customer retention than most other brands and also a lot of organic growth through word-of-mouth publicity.
StartupTalky: What are the important tools and software you use to run your business smoothly?
Palash: Need Inputs For billing and maintaining the stock, we have a CRM system associated with a private company. For Accounting we use Tally. For other daily office tasks which include entering data manually, video conferencing, etc, we rely on Google since it is one of the most secure systems out there. Microsoft Excel is also one of the most used software in the office. Again, we do have a separate CRM system for online.
StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see for future growth in your industry in India and the world? What kind of difference in market behavior have you seen within states in India?
Palash: The economy right now is a bit slow due to rising oil and petrol prices but if we have to discuss in terms of the decor industry we are witnessing a growing trend. Consumers are increasingly looking into buying home decor items with changing times. With workplaces becoming remote and work-from-home mode getting adopted, a huge chunk of people is looking into buying home decor pieces to adorn their workspaces with.
Talking about market behavior across different states in India, we may notice that the classy and subtle designs sell more in North India while South India opts for more colorful, gold vibrant patterns. On the Eastern side of the country, markets are full of wooden pieces. States like Goa prefer a modernized touch to their pieces while urban cities like Mumbai with smaller houses prefer minimalistic designs. Places with huge villas prefer a lot more items to fill their houses with The world economy is suffering due to the ongoing war but once everything is settled we could experience a lot of opportunities for the home decor industry.
StartupTalky: What lessons did your team learn in the past year and how will these inform your plans and strategies?
Palash: Today, we are paying a lot of attention to feedback and customer grievance. Vedas also does a follow-up call with the buyers to understand their experience with the products. We integrate the feedback received by further refining our products. Earlier, we focused more on offline sales through partner stores, but in the last year, our emphasis has been on growing an online presence. We have a full-fledged e-commerce website and are now able to offer a hybrid shopping experience across offline as well as online channels.
StartupTalky: How do you plan to expand the Customers, SKUs, and team base in the future?
Palash: Expansion of the product range and the team is an ongoing process with Vedas. We have an in-house design and manufacturing facility, and every few months, we add new products to the portfolio alongside training more artisans to join our team and earn a healthy and respectful income for themselves. We are planning to train more female artists who will not only add a new dimension to our team’s creative approach, but also bring about inclusivity. Our products are sustainable and made from recycled metals, eco-friendly colors, and so on. We are aiming to drive customer awareness through content marketing and sharing of insights on our products as well as the emerging trends and how Vedas’ products are the right fit for every need.
We have been working to expand our footprint and our aim is to become the top brand in the Indian as well as a global metal handicraft market. The goal is to have at least 400 sister stores throughout India, and long terming-term, we will establish a worldwide presence. My vision is to reach a level where every residential or commercial property would have at least one Vedas product as a part of its interior décor.
StartupTalky: With so much hype around D2C brands spending on ads, what will be your growth strategy organic or inorganic? How to plan to work around SEO and content marketing?
Palash: As a growing brand with domestic as well as international markets to cater to, we are focusing on digital and content marketing to drive awareness about our products and their USPs. The key for us is to make every customer happy by offering the right product and uniqueness as well as superior quality. Happy customers lead to a lot of organic growth as they proudly recommend Vedas to other buyers. As far as our content marketing strategy and SEO is concerned, the first thing to focus is on creating a compelling story for each product. When the customer is able to see the picture and relate to it, sales conversions happen. The SEO activities revolve around the most trending keywords such as product types to drive the audience to our online store.
StartupTalky: One tip that you would like to share with another D2C founder?
Palash:
Focus on your goals and what you want to achieve in the long term
Always balance out the expense and selling. Expenditure should never cross your selling/spending power in business
Watch out for competitors and always practice forward engineering.
We thank Palash for spending his valuable time and sharing his learnings with all of us.
In eCommerce businesses, it is the quality of shipping service that the customers receive – that decides whether your business succeeds or fails. Whether you manage a tiny online store in your house or a large corporation, you will need shipping software to give a hassle-free post-purchase customer experience. It will help your business swiftly execute supply chain operations.
The post-purchase experience symbolizes and builds a brand name in the eCommerce business. If you want to compete with big companies, you need to give your customers the best shipping experience possible. Each company’s requirements are unique but with the help of a strong eCommerce shipping solution onboard, you can store data, confirm or cancel orders, change inventory status, select courier, and more. It will enhance your overall efficiency and speed up the delivery process.
Everything else in an eCommerce business is pointless if your delivery service is sloppy or falls short of quality standards. Thus, in today’s time, it is necessary to take the help of eCommerce shipping software for better service provision.
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What is eCommerce Shipping Software?
Ecommerce shipping software is a program that tracks orders and logistics. The software automates many aspects of shipping and provides businesses with information on their shipments. It can automate and streamline shipping services and delivery procedures that were previously handled manually. Furthermore, the software can detect and resolve all the shipping-related concerns. Automated shipping software aids eCommerce businesses in the efficient management of orders and providing quick delivery. It is a must-have solution for every eCommerce seller who receives large orders. Small, mid-sized, and large businesses can benefit from advanced software and solutions provided by shipping solution firms.
Global Ecommerce Logistics Market Size from 2020 to 2026
Advantages of Ecommerce Shipping Software
Keeping track of all procedures and monitoring performance require preparation and organization. Different software has made running a business easier compared to conventional ways. We can’t avoid the eCommerce sector when we talk about today’s business world. When we talk about eCommerce, logistics solutions come into play in a logical order.
Shipping software helps investors, the operation team as well as customers. It is a 360° solution. The team can ensure accuracy and make a balance between supply and demand. Customers get 24×7 support with track and fast delivery.
The Following are Some of the Advantages of Using an eCommerce Shipping Software:
Faster and Accurate Shipping Experience:
Shipping software automates different shipping operations. Order acceptance, manifestation, picking, packing, mailing, tracking, and delivery confirmation are all simplified. To check on orders, placements, and delivery, the user can rapidly browse through the system. Furthermore, the system provides insights into the delivery operations.
Time-Saving
Your organization will have more productive hours to spend on potential things. Is it better to spend a talented team member’s time filling orders or answering a call from a loyal customer? This means that, even if an employee’s total number of hours worked remains constant, the value of those labor hours could skyrocket as they take on more specialized jobs. Companies may be able to save money if they use the correct services or programs instead of traditional means. This is especially true for small enterprises that are approaching new growth stages.
Minimize Error in Logistic Channel
eCommerce logistics rely heavily on data analytics. This allows any eCommerce organization to identify the numerous delivery problem areas and concerns that need to be solved. Courier-based software connections are effective in processing and sending all types of order information across all shipping partners. Data on the number of stopped shipments, delayed deliveries, non-delivery reports, returns, and other issues can be compiled. Using software interfaces correctly allows for the transfer of information and more metrics in data collecting, and assures that the data collected is accurate. It helps to reduce overall logistics costs while also increasing brand loyalty.
How Do You Choose Shipping Software for Your Online Store?
The finest eCommerce shipping software provides services and features that are tailored to your company’s requirements. Because each eCommerce business has a unique order volume, client base, budget, and requirements, they must take into account the following factors when selecting a shipping solution:
Logistics requirements now and in the future.
Friendly user interface.
Solutions for forward and return shipping.
Shipping volume.
An accurate order tracking system.
Tablet and mobile-friendly characteristics.
Artificial intelligence-based solutions, including humanitarian assistance.
Simple interface.
Estimated pressure on the system.
Capacity plan.
The pandemic has completely altered people’s purchasing habits, and it is seen that the online shopping trend is here to stay. An eCommerce shipping software is a must-have for any eCommerce firm with aspirations for development and expansion.
Choosing the right shipping software can make a significant impact on the success of your online business, from reducing shipping costs to improving the customer experience. In this blog, we will take a closer look at some of the best ecommerce shipping software available on the market. We will compare features and pricing to help you make an informed decision when selecting the right shipping solution for your business. Whether you are just starting out or are looking to upgrade your current shipping process, this blog will provide you with the information you need to make the best choice for your business.
The following are the eight most popular shipping software for your growing eCommerce businesses:
It’s no surprise that the eCommerce giant Shopify has its own eCommerce shipping software. If you use Shopify as your eCommerce platform, Shopify Shipping is already available to you. With the Shopify shipping system, you can send your products using easy solutions that help you expand your eCommerce business and save up to 88% on shipping. It speeds up the fulfillment of each purchase by purchasing and printing shipping labels ahead of time to prepare the deliveries. You can manage everything in one location, including products, inventory, and customers, and complete orders more quickly.
Beginner’s Guide to Shopify Shipping
Features of Shopify
It has the ability to print upto 50 shipping labels at a time.
Integrates with various shipping carriers, including USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL, to provide shipping rates for customers during checkout.
Enables you to purchase and print shipping labels directly from your Shopify admin panel.
Real-time delivery tracking information, so you can keep track of your orders and receive notifications when the packages are delivered.
It allows you to manage all your business-related work in a single platform without depending on other providers.
Enables you to create custom shipping options, such as offering free shipping or flat-rate shipping.
Pros:
$200 Shipping insurance is included
Built-in custom forms
Shipping-related learning resources
Easy International shipping
Comes in-built with an e-commerce plan
Excellent customer support
User-friendly interface
Shopify app store with a wide range of apps
Cons:
Limited default courier partners
Shopify shipping is only available to Shopify users
Pricing Plan:
Shopify offers three pricing plans that include Basic, Shopify and Advanced. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Plan
Monthly Price
Basic
$29 per month
Shopify
$79 per month
Advanced
$299 per month
Easyship
Website
www.easyship.com
Rating
4.2 out of 5
Free Trial
Available
Founded in
2014
Platforms supported
Web
EasyShip – Best Ecommerce Shipping Software
When compared to courier firms that charge so much for a single shipment, Easyship provides a great tracking and shipping experience at a reasonable price. It will show you two hundred courier services from DHL, UPS, and others, allowing you to save up to 89% on package rates for your customers. Easyship connects with the most well-known international carriers, allowing you to increase revenue by selling internationally.
All are under a single shipping tool, from sending a product to generating labels, comparing quotations, tracking finances, arranging return pickups, and automating your shipping needs. The platform has a good track record for international delivery, thanks to its live checkout function, which displays all applicable taxes.
Features of Easyship
Provides a powerful API that helps your developers to streamline and automate your shipping process.
Offers a variety of delivery options, including standard shipping, express shipping, and same-day delivery.
Automatically generates the necessary customs documents to save time and reduce errors.
Automates the entire shipping process, from label creation to tracking updates.
Customize your shipping labels and packaging to match your brand’s image.
Provides detailed shipping analytics, such as cost breakdowns and shipping performance metrics to help you optimize your shipping operations.
Pros:
250+ courier partners
Intuitive interface
Robust analytics and reporting
Mobile app is available
API Access
The free plan is available
A 14-day free trial is available
Cons:
No direct customer support
Need to buy insurance separately
Pricing Plan:
Easyship offers a Free plan limited to 50 shipments per month and three pricing plans that include Plus, Premier and Enterprise. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
ShipStation – Best Shipping Software for Ecommerce Store
ShipStation is an ecommerce shipping platform and software designed to provide a streamlined fulfillment experience for online businesses. It operates mainly throughout Australia, Europe, America, and Asia. Order management, product sales, and resource planning features are integrated into ShipStation. The software uses a scan-based approach to provide automation and mass updates. It also imports orders with automatic shipping configurations from various selling channels, IMS, CRMs, ERPs, and marketplaces. It can deliver tracking information to customers and selling outlets in real-time.
Features of ShipStation
Seamless integration with e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, Squarespace, Bigcommerce, WooCommerce, and more.
Automatically import orders from over 100 popular marketplaces and shopping carts into a central location.
It helps to create and print shipping labels for various carriers.
You can set up custom workflows to automate shipping tasks and streamline operations.
Automatically update order status and notify customers with shipping updates, tracking information, and delivery status.
Allows you to respond to customer inquiries, process returns, and manage customer feedback within the platform.
Pros:
Free trial is available
180+ Partner integration
Mobile app is available
Scan based workflows
Print labels in bulk, up to 500 at a time
Wide range of integration options
Cons:
Limited automation
Some users experienced issues with printing
Pricing Plan:
ShipStation offers six pricing plans that include Starter, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Enterprise. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Plan
Monthly Price
Starter
$9.99 per month
Bronze
$29.99 per month
Silver
$59.99 per month
Gold
$99.99 per month
Platinum
$149.99 per month
Enterprise
$229.99 per month
Ordoro
Website
www.ordoro.com
Rating
4.8 out of 5
Free Trial
Available
Founded in
2010
Platforms supported
Web
Ordoro – Best eCommerce Shipping Software
Ordoro is a cloud-based eCommerce shipping platform that provides advanced reporting and analytics to help you streamline your eCommerce operations across sales channels. Its standard plan comes with discounted carrier rates, automation rules, barcode scanning, and no seller fulfilled prime costs. The advanced plans offer tailored workflows, integrations with different platforms, access to vendor portals, supplier management, and personal customer service representatives. Ordoro user interface is a bit more complicated than other ecommerce shipping software. It involves onboarding and training, but once you grasp the system’s functionality, you will be amazed at its powerful features. Everything is neatly organized, but it takes a while to feel ready to use it daily.
Features of Ordoro
It syncs inventory levels across all sales channels in real time.
Automates manual tasks such as order fulfillment, invoice creation, and shipment tracking.
It enables you to manage all your orders in one place, regardless of the sales channel they are coming from.
Seamlessly integrates with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, and more.
It allows you to print shipping labels, create shipping rules, and track shipments.
Helps to keep track of inventory levels to ensure that you never run out of stock.
Pros:
Free plan is available
Automation rules
Advanced analytics
Good customer support
Unlimited shipping labels
Cons:
Shipping insurance at additional cost
Average user interface
Pricing Plan:
Ordoro offers a Free plan and two pricing plans that include Advanced and Premium. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
ShippingEasy is a shipping platform designed to help you to streamline your eCommerce shipping processes. It integrates with popular e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, Magento, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and more. Using this tool, you can manage your orders, shipping rates, and shipping labels from a single platform.
It helps to automate and simplify the shipping process, and reduce the time and effort required to manage orders and shipments. With ShippingEasy, you can access real-time shipping rates from multiple carriers, print shipping labels, and track packages. It also provides robust reporting and analytics tools to help you understand your shipping operations and make informed decisions.
Features of ShippingEasy
You can avoid oversells and stockouts by monitoring inventory levels and tracking stock levels in real-time.
It allows printing shipping labels directly from the platform.
Users can easily keep track of their shipments using real-time tracking links.
It provides you with the ability to customize your shipping workflows to create a shipping process that works best for your business.
Detailed shipping reports to understand the shipping costs, shipping performance, and shipping trends over time.
Pros:
30-day free trial on paid plans
Free plan is available
In-built marketing feature
Advanced Reporting
Shipping Automation
Excellent support
Cons:
Limited learning resources
You cannot do multiple packages in one order
Pricing Plan:
ShippingEasy offers a Starter Plan which is Free Up to 25 shipments per month and six pricing plans that include Growth, Basic, Plus, Select, Premium and Enterprise. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Plan
Monthly Price
Starter
Free
Growth
$19.99 per month
Basic
$29.99 per month
Plus
$49.99 per month
Select
$69.99 per month
Premium
$99.99 per month
Enterprise
$159.99 per month
Veeqo
Website
www.veeqo.com
Rating
4.1 out of 5
Free Trial
Completely Free
Founded in
2013
Platforms supported
Web, Android, iPhone/iPad
Veeqo – Best Shipping Software for eCommerce
Veeqo is an easy-to-use eCommerce shipping management platform that provides all shipping solutions. It helps you to manage operations, inventory, shipping, order fulfillment, and customer service. The log of every transaction is recorded automatically. It adjusts the stock level whenever any transaction happens on any marketplace where you are available.
The platform provides a single view of all e-commerce operations. This reduces the risk of errors and helps retailers work more efficiently. With insights into how the store is performing, you can make data-driven decisions to grow your business.
Features of Veeqo
Easy to create Shipping rules that can automatically assign suitable carriers based on the condition you’ve set.
Syncs stocks from different marketplaces in one single interface to manage it efficiently.
It allows you to Pick, pack, and ship the right order using the scanner on a mobile device.
Future forecast feature that predicts the future demand so that you never go out of stock.
Brand personalization to customize everything according to your brand image and enhance your brand in front of your customers.
Provides integration with the major shipping providers, e-commerce, and marketplace.
Pros:
Free to use
Detailed analytics and forecasting
Inventory management
Learning resources are available
User-friendly interface
Cons:
Poor customer support
Some users experienced that the software is buggy
Pricing Plan:
Veeqo is completely Free to use.
ShipBob
Website
www.shipbob.com
Rating
3.8 out of 5
Free Trial
Available
Founded in
2014
Platforms supported
Web, Android, iPhone/iPad
ShipBob – Best Shipping Software for Ecommerce Fulfillment
ShipBob is an excellent choice for ecommerce fulfillment services in the United States and abroad. By using ShipBob’s global logistics platform, eCommerce business owners can effectively ship their products and provide speedy delivery to customers, becoming successful in the process. This platform can help you find cost-effective and timely shipping solutions, as well as improve your customer experience with shipping.
ShipBob delivers orders to over 220 nations and territories, making it an ideal choice for worldwide shipping. Cart abandonment can be reduced by 18% with a simple delivery process. ShipBob features a straightforward onboarding procedure that integrates with Shopify, Amazon, and other top eCommerce platforms. ShipBob facilities are available in the United States, Europe, Canada, and also in India.
Features of ShipBob
Supports multiple sales channels such as Amazon, Shopify, and Walmart.
Custom branding to the shipping boxes, packing slips, and email notifications.
Network of strategically located fulfillment centers across the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Fast and efficient order fulfillment, with the ability to pick, pack, and ship orders within one business day.
Automates many of the manual processes to reduce the time and effort required to complete each order.
Pros:
2-day shipping in the US
Live chat support
Personalized customization
Easy integration with a third-party platform
User-friendly interface
Robust reporting and analytics
Cons:
Pricing is not disclosed
Charges $3 processing fees on returns
Pricing Plan:
ShipBob provides custom pricing solutions to suit your business requirements.
Shippo
Website
Goshippo.com
Rating
4.9 out of 5
Free Trial
Available
Founded in
2013
Platforms supported
Web
Shippo – Best Ecommerce Shipping and Delivery Software
Shippo is a popular eCommerce shipping and delivery software that allows you to compare real-time carrier prices to discover the best alternative for your company. It includes integrations that reduce time by syncing orders and tracking information, address validation, order fulfillment, and even easier returns. Shippo’s user interface just like WordPress or Shopify, appears well-organized, with menu options on the left. The menu highlights shipments, orders, and carriers, with a list of each detail about the items being shipped and fulfillment choices. You can take your eCommerce business to the next level with Shippo shipping and delivery management software.
Shippo Shipping Software Tutorial For Beginners
Features of Shippo
Real-time notification and tracking to update customers with every aspect of their order.
Robust API that makes it easy for developers to integrate shipping functionality into applications.
It can sync all the orders and shipping details from different marketplaces like Amazon and eBay.
Automates shipping processes, including rate calculation, label printing, and tracking updates.
Provides insights and reports to help you optimize your shipping processes.
Integrates with multiple shipping carriers like FedEx, UPS, and DHL which makes it easy to compare rates and choose the best option.
Pros:
Live chat support
Automatic validates address
Free plan is available
30-day free trial on paid plans
85+ courier partners
Huge learning resources
Cons:
Mobile UI is pretty difficult to use
Pricing Plan:
Shippo offers a Free plan and two pricing plans that include Professional and Premier. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
ShipEngine provides an API that can help you automate order fulfillment and shipment. ShipEngine’s shipping APIs allow you to compare real-time shipping rates from more than 30 carriers and integrations. Using their API, you can track your goods and delivery. The ShipEngine API also allows you to validate your addresses globally. This will reduce the frequency of returns due to wrong client information. ShipStation is a cloud-based application that provides a user interface for users that require one, whereas ShipEngine is an API that you can connect to your existing technology.
Features of ShipEngine
It allows printing shipping labels for all supported carriers.
Offers a range of automation features, like the ability to automatically select the best carrier based on cost and delivery time.
Supports batch shipping to process multiple shipments at once.
Provides tracking information for all shipments and sends updates via email or SMS to keep customers informed.
Real-time shipping rates from multiple courier partners, so you can compare prices and select the most cost-effective option.
Provides integration tools for FedEx, UPS, USPS, and more.
Pros:
Live chat and email support
Free API key to new user
First 250-label generation is free
Intuitive interface
Detailed reporting
Wide range of e-commerce integration
Cons:
No free trial is available
Confusing printing for beginners
Pricing Plan:
ShipEngine offers a pay-as-you-go plan with rates beginning at around $0.05 per package.
Metapack
Website
www.metapack.com
Rating
3.0 out of 5
Free Trial
Not Available
Founded in
1999
Platforms supported
Web, Android, iPhone/iPad
Metapack – Best Shipping Software for Ecommerce Stores
Metapack is a famous shipping software that helps eCommerce businesses worldwide optimize their order fulfillment and management processes. Metapack manages extensive warehouse facilities worldwide and provides pick-pack-deliver services from 3,50,000 locations. With the correct delivery options, they claim that you can get 38% more conversions and 40% fewer WISMO(where is my order) calls due to simple tracking and nearby 5,000 delivery services via one integration. Metapack can select the most appropriate delivery provider for every order, ensuring a seamless and personalized delivery experience while eliminating time-consuming and manual operations in the retailer’s warehouse.
Features of Metapack
It can easily track and manage deliveries, set delivery dates and times, and update customers with real-time delivery information.
Gives insights into customer behavior, delivery preferences, and order history.
Offer customers a range of delivery options at checkout with leading shipping carriers, such as DHL, FedEx, UPS, and Postmates.
Centralized dashboard for managing and processing orders, order tracking, payment processing, and returns management.
Gives a range of delivery options, including next-day delivery, same-day delivery, click-and-collect, and international shipping.
Pros:
350+ carriers
Huge learning resources
Automatic service selection
Multi-language labels
Smooth and easy-to-use interface
Cons:
ShipEnhine API integration at additional cost
Pricing Plan:
Metapack offers custom pricing plans, you can contact vendor to get a quote.
Conclusion
Shipping is a complex activity that necessitates precise data and multitasking. Everything must be precise, from monitoring shipment expenses, weight disparities, and tracking through delivery. Every organization must prioritize customer pleasure. By employing shipping software to streamline your shipping processes, you will be able to boost customers’ happiness.
The above-mentioned tools will help you to make your eCommerce shipping process easy and efficient. Several eCommerce businesses have already incorporated AI-based shipping software. It is important to carefully evaluate your business needs and priorities before choosing the right software for you. When making your decision, be sure to consider factors such as cost, shipping carrier options, ease of use, and integrations with your current eCommerce platform. With the right shipping software, you can streamline your shipping process, save time and money, and provide a better overall customer experience.
FAQs
Which is the best eCommerce shipping software in 2023?
Some of the best eCommerce shipping software in 2023 are:
ShipBob
Easyship
Shopify
Shippo
Ordoro
ShipStation
Can you do your shipping on Shopify?
Yes, you can do shipping on Shopify. Shopify integrates with various shipping carriers and also offers its own shipping label printing solution, Shopify Shipping.
What is order fulfillment software?
Order fulfillment software is a tool designed to help eCommerce businesses manage their order fulfillment process. This software automates the process of receiving, processing, and shipping customer orders.
Is ShipStation an eCommerce platform?
No, ShipStation is not an eCommerce platform. ShipStation is a shipping software designed to help eCommerce businesses manage their shipping process.
What is eCommerce fulfillment?
Ecommerce fulfillment refers to the process of storing, packing, and delivering products to customers who have purchased them online. This process includes receiving and managing inventory, picking and packing orders, preparing shipping labels, and delivering the products to the customers through a shipping carrier.
How does eCommerce shipping software benefit my business?
It saves time and money by automating shipping processes, provides access to discounted shipping rates, and enhances the customer experience by providing tracking information and delivery updates.
Which shipping software is the best for my business?
The best shipping software depends on your specific business needs and priorities, such as cost, shipping carrier options, ease of use, and platform integrations.
Can I integrate eCommerce shipping software with my current platform?
Most eCommerce shipping software offers integrations with popular eCommerce platforms, such as Shopify and Magento.
Can eCommerce shipping software handle international shipping?
Yes, many eCommerce shipping software options offer international shipping capabilities. Some of the examples are Shippo, ShippingEasy, Shipstation and Easyship.
How do I get started with eCommerce shipping software?
Most eCommerce shipping software can be set up and started quickly and easily, with step-by-step instructions and resources provided by the software provider.
StartupTalky presents Recap’22. This is a series of interviews in which we conduct in-depth discussions with founders & industry leaders to understand their growth in 2022 and their predictions for the future.
Flexible workspaces are becoming a popular solution for businesses of all sizes, offering a flexible and cost-effective alternative to traditional office spaces. From coworking spaces to serviced offices, the market for flexible workspaces has grown tremendously in recent years, providing businesses with a range of options to meet their specific needs and requirements.
According to a report by Maximize Market Research, the global flexible workspace market is expected to reach a size of USD 82.71 billion by 2027, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.9% during the forecast period. This growth is attributed to the increasing demand for flexible workspaces, driven by the changing nature of work and the need for more flexible and cost-effective solutions to accommodate the evolving needs of businesses.
For this Interview, we invited, Arjun Gulati, Co-founder of Easydesq, and we talked about the growth, challenges, insights, and future opportunities in the flexible workspace industry.
StartupTalky: Arjun, what service does your company provide? What was the motivation/vision with which you started?
Arjun: Easydesq is a SaaS-based product providing an option for employers offering to step out and work at a facility near their homes to overcome power and network issues. The company is working to reduce permanent office rentals, by making distributed work simple, seamless, and sustainable. I along with Dhruv Agarwal saw a massive opportunity in the shared workspace for corporate users. Limited supply options, and the inability of clients to verify the credibility of various operators/space providers, are some of the pain points that Easydesq is trying to solve. We are tapping into the white space of digital-first search to resolve the need for optimal office space.
StartupTalky: What new features have been added in the past year? What is/are the USP/s of your service?
Arjun: A digital-first approach toward turning around deals has been the USP for the brand, helping us scale at a faster rate. Easydesq has curated a cocktail of digital and offline mechanisms to reach relevant stakeholders which includes founders/ CXOs/ Senior management folks, through Digi-marketing ads on various platforms, while targeting them at special forums, industry events, etc. for the offline reach-out.
StartupTalky: How has the flexible workspace industry changed in recent years, and how has your company adapted to these changes?
Arjun: The co-working industry has been around for about 17 years, but it’s still relatively new. The recent boom in popularity is due to the broadening acceptance of remote working, a phenomenon that is only growing with the rise of technology. We see a massive opportunity in the shared workplace for corporate users who have to decide with only limited supply options. The co-working space has witnessed a drastic change post-Covid, in terms of choice of preferences in working spaces. Easydesq is trying to solve and tap into the white space of digital-first search to resolve the need for optimal office space.
StartupTalky: How do you stay up to date on the latest trends and developments in your industry?
Arjun: We keep ourselves informed on the latest trends and developments in our industry by allocating time for industry research, connecting with thought leaders, and leveraging social media for recent updates. Also, monthly reports are shared by Operators about their Anchor tenants, Occupancy, and new take-ups.
StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check the company’s growth and performance?
Arjun: We track Company’s growth and performance by revenue and ARR. Easydesq did $100k+ revenue last financial year and is well on track to achieve $300k+ revenue in FY 23. The company is growing 200% this financial year with aggressive plans to increase the team size and grow to achieve at least an ARR of $2mn in FY23-24.
StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges your company faced in the past year and how did you overcome them?
Arjun: Facing Challenges is something very common in the start-up world, as there are a lot of new things that need to be figured out. Adapting to change is essential to effectively deal with such problems. The most significant challenge our company faced in the past year was when everything came to a standstill when 2nd covid wave hit us. People were facing personal losses and we couldn’t ask our clients to come back to the office at that time.
How we overcome this was when we started with smaller transactions. We took a very different approach since people were scared to even leave their homes and convincing them to come back to the office was not easy. So we thought of a ‘Back to office strategy’ for all our clients which helped them call back all their employees gradually and now all our client’s offices are working on almost 90% + strength in current times.
StartupTalky: Trust among all the stakeholders is very important for a marketplace. How do you ensure it?
Arjun: The depth of supply options, coupled with our personal touch, for all the clients allows us to stitch customized deals for every customer. This ensures a very high repeat & referral business for us along with building trust for the company.
StartupTalky: What are the different strategies you use for marketing? Tell us about any growth hack which you pulled off.
Arjun: To build our presence in the industry, Easydesq actively leverages digital marketing platforms, strategic alliances and affiliate partners, direct sales channels, and events with government bodies and industry federations.
StartupTalky: What are the important tools and software you use to run your business smoothly?
Arjun: Easydesq is a premier destination that offers a tech-enabled platform for the workforce to search and book flexible workspaces. Offering an easy, effective, and brokerage-free solution, the company serves as a true marketplace to make an informed choice for workspace seekers. A digital-first approach toward turning around deals has been the USP for the brand, helping them scale at a faster rate. We curated a cocktail of digital and offline mechanisms to reach relevant stakeholders which includes founders/ CXOs/ Senior management folks, thru digital-marketing ads on various platforms, while targeting them at special forums, and industry events, for their offline reach-out.
StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see for future growth in your industry in India and the world? What kind of difference in market behavior have you seen between India and the world?
Arjun: Similar to other significant economies, Indian real estate is still in the early stages of technological adoption. The proptech market has had a significant rise over the last two years and will continue to do so going forward. The market already had a significant impact on all facets of real estate, from transactions, planning, and design, to building methods, rental, and property administration. The year 2022 was a good year for the entire real estate sector after a long gap, looking past the disruptions in the last 5-6 years caused by demonetization, the introduction of RERA & GST, the NBFC crisis, and of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. We strongly believe that the real estate sector will continue a growth trajectory in 2023 as well.
StartupTalky: What lessons did your team learn in the past year and how will these inform your plans and strategies?
Arjun: One thing that we learned was, there’s very less margin of error here since we are growing at a rapid pace. If we want to make it big we all have to give in our all. A company’s success is defined by team effort. Our strategy is simple, to be honest with our customers.
StartupTalky: How do you plan to expand the Customers, service offering, and team base in the future?
Arjun: We have serviced 40+ corporate clients in their 18-month journey so far. We plan to attract our customers through various channels including digital marketing, offline outreach, and curating a cocktail to ensure a healthy growth rate for the business. Easydesq is present across Delhi NCR and Bangalore. However, we are planning to penetrate Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Pune, and Mumbai markets by end of 2023.
StartupTalky: One tip that you would like to share with another marketplace company founder.
Arjun: Being an entrepreneur is not as easy as it may sound. I would suggest my friends invest more time & money in technology. We are already competing with International Property consultants and in no time aggregator’s tech will help our industry reach small and medium businesses better and faster.
We thank Arjunfor spending his valuable time and sharing his learnings with all of us.
SEO plugins are tools used for adding extensible features for content management systems, browsers, and software solutions. An SEO plugin helps in expanding the scope of the source content with special tasks and functions which affect search engine optimization, website analysis, and several other aspects. It offers features such as keyword optimization, sitemap creation, meta tag creation, and analytics tracking to improve a website’s visibility and ranking on search engine result pages (SERPs). SEO Plugins are quite helpful when people are working on platforms like WordPress.
To help website owners optimize their sites for search engines, there are numerous SEO plugins available for WordPress. Using SEO Plugins for WordPress, one can compliment the features of their website and blogs that helps to rank higher in search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. These plugins offer a range of tools and features to improve a site’s visibility and ranking on search engine result pages (SERPs). From keyword optimization to sitemap creation, these plugins can help streamline the SEO process and drive more traffic to a website. In this blog, we will discuss some of the most popular SEO plugins for WordPress.
Optimizing your WordPress website for search engines
Yoast SEO Plugin – Best SEO Plugins For WordPress
Yoast SEO is one of the most famous SEO plugin software for WordPress that most people would come across. Well, it is the best because it serves its best features to the users and helps them make their content complete. Yoast SEO’s major advantages would include its easy optimization on the website so that better search results are performed.
Unlike other SEO plugins, Yoast SEO has the benefit of additional features like content analysis, meta title and description, managing duplicate content, XML sitemap creation and other such important parameters. However, other SEO plugins seems to be as good as Yoast SEO. Keeping all things aside Yoast SEO has been provided for free but there is also a subscription option that offers more advanced features.
Yoast SEO Tutorial
Features of Yoast SEO:
You can set a focus keyword for each page or post and Yoast SEO will analyze your content to make sure it is optimized for that keyword.
Analyzes your page content for keywords, readability, meta descriptions, and other SEO factors.
Generates an XML sitemap for your website and makes it easier for search engines to crawl and index your pages.
Provides you with recommendations on how to improve your content for search engines.
Insights into how your content is performing in terms of readability and SEO.
Provides a preview of how your page will appear in search results, and gives you the option to edit your title tags and meta descriptions.
Pricing Plan:
Yoast SEO offers a Free plan and two pricing plan that include Yoast SEO Premium plugin and Plugin subscription. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Plan
Yearly Pricing
Yoast SEO Premium plugin
$99 USD / year (ex. VAT)
Plugin subscription
$229 USD / year (ex. VAT)
SEOPress
Website
www.seopress.org
Rating
4.2/5
Best For
Large websites to cope with heavy traffic and extensive content
SEOPress – Best SEO Plugins For WordPress
If you are looking for the most powerful WordPress SEO plugin then SEOPress might be most suitable for your work. SEOPress also helps improve traffic to your website, improve social sharing, add schemas, along with many additional features. With SEOPress, you can enjoy the complete white-labeling experience – even with the free version – without leaving any footprints. This SEO plugin is simple, fast and powerful, allowing you to take care of all your SEO requirements, from breadcrumbs to redirects, schema and sitemaps.
Like Yoast SEO, it comes with a beginner-friendly setup. However, some things that make a difference between SEOPress and Yoast SEO is that SEOPress is much more affordable and has unlimited website capabilities.
Features of SEOPress
It helps in recognizing and focusing on the keywords that hold the most significance to your intended audience.
Provides tools for local SEO optimization and allows you to improve your website’s visibility and ranking in local search results.
You can customize your metatags to match your content and target keywords.
It is regularly updated to ensure it is compatible with the latest WordPress releases and provides the best possible performance.
It includes a keyword analysis tool that helps you identify relevant keywords for your content.
You can optimize your content, such as images, videos, and other media, to improve your website’s visibility in search results.
Pricing Plan:
SEOPress offers a Free plan and three pricing plan that include SEOPress PRO, SEOPress Insights and SEOPress Bundle. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
W3 Total Cache not only improves the SEO and increases the overall user experience but helps maintain other significant features too. W3 Total Cache plugin helps improve website performance and adds valuable benefits like integrating with best practices.
W3 Total Cache can handle huge loads of traffic without crashing which is also a major advantage of it. If you want a powerful SEO tool then there is none better than W3 Total Cache.
W3 Total Cache plugin is used by many websites like Mashable, Matt Cutt’s blog and many other websites use the plugin.
W3 Total Cache Overview
Features of W3 Total Cache
It is compatible with WordPress multisite networks to manage cache settings for all sites from one central location.
It reduces the size of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files by removing unnecessary characters and combining multiple files into one.
Caches all the pages of your website to reduce the load time for returning visitors.
It allows you to easily set up browser caching to reduce the load time of your website.
Detailed reports and analytics on your website’s performance, including cache statistics and performance metrics.
Removes unnecessary data, such as post revisions and trashed posts, and helps improve site performance.
Pricing Plan:
W3 Total Cache offers a Free plan but with limited features. The pro version on the other hand, has been made available only in-app and has got all the features that you want. Pricing details of Pro plan is given below:
Plan
Pricing
W3 Total Cache
$99/year or $8.25/month
All In One SEO Pack
Website
Aioseo.com
Rating
4.7/5
Best For
Optimize WordPress websites and content for search engines
All In One SEO Pack – Best WordPress SEO Plugins
All In One SEO Pack is such a plugin that allows users to import SEO data from third-party plugins. This process helps in utilizing the most powerful and much better SEO tool for your work. However, the Yoast SEO plugin also has the option to import and export tool. But, the main reason why All In One SEO Pack becomes worth it is that there is a free version of it.
If you want a WordPress SEO plugin that can perform all the basic functions then All In One SEO Pack might do the job for you and that too lower your cost and expenses. However, there is a paid version of it that allows users to get access to some extra features such as social media integration, headline analyzer, smart schema markup, custom breadcrumbs, user access control and more.
All In One SEO Pack is the simplest WordPress SEO plugin that you will ever come across. Only because of its ease of use, better user experience, and good control over various features makes it a standout WordPress SEO over others.
Features of All In One SEO Pack:
It helps to tell search engines which pages to crawl and which pages to ignore using the robots.txt file.
Optimizes images by adding alt tags and other relevant information to help search engines better understand the content of your images.
It provides schema markup to generate rich snippets and other special search results.
Generates an XML sitemap for your website to help search engines better crawl and index your content.
Conducts detailed keyword analysis to help you understand what keywords your site is ranking for.
Helps to optimize the title and meta description of your pages and posts for search engines.
Pricing Plan:
All In One SEO Pack offers a Free plan but with limited features and four pricing plan that include Basic, Plus, Pro and Elite. Pricing details of Pro plan is given below:
Broken Link Checker – Best SEO Plugins For WordPress
Broken Link Checker is a WordPress SEO plugin that is responsible for monitoring all internal and external links to your website. However, its other functional areas include SEO optimization and enhancing user experience.
It is such a plugin that allows users to check all comments, posts, and links that may or may not be removed or modified. To use the Broken Link Checker, the user must download the zip file on their computer and then activate it through WordPress to use it.
It is a useful tool that checks web pages for dead links and reports if any hyperlinks are found. All in all, it is such a tool that should be included on your computer if you are working in WordPress.
Features of Broken Link Checker
Analyzes the links and provides detailed information on the type of error, location, and source of the problem.
It can verify that links are valid and active, and identify those that are broken or no longer exist.
Classifies the links into different categories like internal links, external links, and broken links.
It monitors all the links in real time and reports any broken or dead links instantly.
You can customize the frequency of checks, the number of links to be checked, and the types of links to be monitored.
It allows you to check multiple links at once, saving time and effort compared to manual checks.
Pricing Plan:
Broken Link Checker is a Free to use WordPress SEO plugin.
Rank Math
Website
Rankmath.com
Rating
4.9/5
Best For
Best SEO Plugin for WordPress
Rank Math – Best SEO Plugins For WordPress
RankMath is a powerful and user-friendly SEO plugin for WordPress. It helps to optimize a website for search engines and improve its ranking on search results pages. It provides features for optimizing various aspects of a website, including keywords, meta descriptions, title tags, images, content, and more.
RankMath helps to improve the visibility of a website and increase its traffic, which can lead to more leads and sales. It provides real-time analysis and feedback on the optimization of each page. This makes it easy to identify and fix any issues that may be affecting the website’s search engine ranking. The detailed tutorials and guides make it accessible for even novice users to improve their website’s SEO.
Features of Rank Math:
Analyzes the content of a page to determine the best keywords to target for optimization.
Provides real-time analysis of the optimization of each page and offers suggestions for improvement.
Automatically adds alt tags and proper image file names for better image SEO.
Helps to optimize meta descriptions and title tags for maximum visibility in search engine results pages.
Adds schema markup to improve the appearance of a website’s search engine result snippets.
It allows for easy redirections to be set up and managed, helping to avoid broken links and 404 errors.
Pricing Plan:
RankMath offers three pricing plan that include Business, Agency and Pro. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
The SEO Framework is a free plugin for WordPress. It offers a range of SEO optimization features, including automated title tags, meta descriptions, and structured data. This plugin helps the website owner to optimize their website for search engines and improve their search engine ranking.
It uses a set of best practices and algorithms to generate optimized content and structure. This makes it easier for search engines to crawl and index a website. The tool comprises of numerous advanced features, including schema markup, which elevates the visual appearance of a website’s snippets on search engine results pages (SERPs).
Features of The SEO Framework
It can add noindex and nofollow tags to pages and posts, which helps to control how search engines crawl and index content on a website.
Automatically generates canonical URLs to prevent duplicate content issues.
Helps to identify keywords and phrases relevant to the content and optimize the pages and posts for those keywords.
Supports a range of structured data types, including article, product, event, and recipe schema.
Generates an XML sitemap to help search engines to find and crawl all the pages on a website.
Automatically generates title tags and meta descriptions for each page or post.
Complete RankMath Tutorial | SEO Tutorial For Beginners
Pricing Plan:
The SEO Framework offers a Free plan and three pricing plan that include Pro, Business, and Agency. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Plan
Yearly Pricing
Pro
$7/month, paid yearly
Business
$17/month, paid yearly
Agency
$27/month, paid yearly
Redirection
Website
www.wordpress.org/plugins/redirection/
Rating
4.4/5
Best For
Managing and tracking all 301 redirects on website
Redirection – Best WordPress Plugin
Redirection is a popular WordPress plugin that allows you to easily manage and track all the 301 redirects on your website. This means you can redirect visitors from an old URL to a new URL, preserving search engine rankings and traffic.
The plugin has a simple and intuitive interface for managing redirections. This makes it easy for you to create, edit and delete redirections with just a few clicks. You can maintain a website’s SEO ranking by redirecting traffic from old, outdated URLs to new, relevant URLs. This helps prevent 404 errors and ensures search engines can find the correct pages.
Features of Redirection
Tracks the number of hits each redirection receives to monitor the effectiveness of each redirection.
You can create custom redirects for specific URLs to redirect users to the right page.
It supports API integration to automate the process of creating and managing redirections.
It keeps a log of all redirections and provides detailed information about each redirection, such as the type of redirection and the number of hits.
Send notifications when certain conditions are met, such as a 404 error.
It allows you to set up certain conditions for redirection.
Pricing Plan:
Redirection is a Free to use WordPress SEO plugin.
Conclusion
The use of SEO plugins for WordPress is a crucial component for anyone looking to improve the search engine optimization of their website. With the ever-changing algorithms of search engines, having an SEO plugin that keeps up with the latest industry trends is essential for a website’s long-term success.
When it comes to choosing the best SEO plugin for your WordPress website, it’s important to consider your specific needs and goals. Some plugins may have more advanced features, while others may have better user interface or customer support. By conducting thorough research and comparing the various options, you can make an informed decision on which plugin will provide the best results for your website.
FAQs
What is WordPress SEO plugin?
A WordPress SEO plugin is a software tool designed to improve the search engine optimization (SEO) of a website built with WordPress.
Why are SEO plugins needed?
SEO plugins help rank a website and help bring a large number of traffic. Other than that SEO plugins add some valuable functionality to your website allowing you to control important activities.
What are some popular SEO plugins for WordPress?
Some of the most popular SEO plugins for WordPress are:
Yoast SEO
SEOPress
W3 Total Cache
All In One SEO Pack
Broken Link Checker
What do SEO plugins do?
SEO plugins for WordPress perform several tasks to help optimize a website for search engines, including:
Generating and managing meta tags
Creating and submitting sitemaps
Analyzing and optimizing content for keywords
Managing and redirecting broken links
Integrating with social media for sharing and indexing
Providing insights and suggestions for improving site ranking.
The ultimate goal of an SEO plugin is to increase a website’s visibility, traffic, and ranking on search engines like Google.
Does WordPress need SEO plugins?
While WordPress is designed with basic SEO in mind, the use of an SEO plugin can improve a website’s optimization and visibility in search engines. The plugin can provide additional features and functionality, such as keyword analysis, meta tag generation, and sitemap creation, which are not built into the core WordPress platform.
For those looking to maximize their website’s search engine optimization, an SEO plugin is recommended. However, it is not strictly necessary for a basic WordPress site to function. The choice to use an SEO plugin ultimately depends on the individual’s specific needs and goals for their website.
Is Yoast SEO free?
Yes, there is a free version of the Yoast SEO plugin available for WordPress. This version provides basic SEO functionality and a good option for small and basic websites.
However, there is also a premium version of Yoast SEO available, which provides additional features, such as real-time content analysis, social media previews, and advanced redirect management. The premium version is a better option for more complex websites and those looking to enhance their search engine optimization efforts.
Are all SEO plugins for WordPress the same?
No, all SEO plugins for WordPress are not the same. Each plugin has its own features, functionality, and level of support. Some plugins may be better suited for specific types of websites or SEO needs. It’s important to research and compare different plugins to determine which is the best fit for your website.
Are SEO plugins for WordPress free?
Some SEO plugins for WordPress are free, while others are premium and require a paid subscription. The free versions typically provide basic SEO functionality, while the premium versions may offer additional features and support.
As we all know, the sole reason for a company’s existence in the market is to make a profit, which can be accomplished through sales. You must make significant attempts to entice clients in order to identify your potential customer base. Sales prospecting is the initial step in the sales process, in which sales representatives put out a proposal to ensure that the prospects are the best for the company at their maximum.
Sales prospecting is an essential aspect of any sales process, as it involves identifying and nurturing potential customers to generate new business. In today’s highly competitive marketplace, sales teams need to be effective and efficient in their prospecting efforts to stay ahead of the curve. With the right tools and techniques, sales prospecting can be a highly effective way to drive growth and success for any business.
What is a Sales Prospecting Tool?
A sales prospecting tool is a software or platform designed to help sales teams identify, nurture, and convert potential customers into paying customers. The main goal of these tools is to streamline and automate various recurring sales tasks, freeing up time and resources that can be used for other priority activities.
These tools offer a range of benefits, including automating time-consuming tasks such as sending emails and messages, collecting data and insights on prospect behavior, and simplifying the lead conversion process.
With a sales prospecting tool, you can expect to have many of your basic tasks handled for you, from building a prospect list to scheduling meetings and collecting contact details of potential customers. This can free up valuable time and resources, allowing you to focus on more important, high-priority tasks.
The Best B2B Sales Prospecting Techniques For Lead Generation
Common Features Of Sales Prospecting Tools
Some common features of sales prospecting tools include:
Lead Generation: Tools to help find and identify potential customers through various sources such as social media, websites, and databases.
Lead Management: Features to help prioritize and organize leads based on their potential and fit for a business’s products or services.
Email and Outreach: Tools to automate and personalize email communication with prospects, including templates, follow-up reminders, and email tracking.
Reporting and Analytics: Dashboards and analytics to provide insights into the performance of sales prospecting activities, and measure the effectiveness of outreach efforts.
Integration With Other Sales Tools: Ability to integrate with other sales tools, such as customer relationship management (CRM) systems, to provide a complete view of a prospect’s engagement with a business.
Best Sales Prospecting Tools
With so many sales prospecting tools on the market, it can be difficult to find one that meets the specific needs of your business. That’s why in this article, we’ll take a closer look at some of the leading sales prospecting tools, along with their features and pricing, to help you make an informed decision about which one is right for you. Whether you’re a small business looking for a simple solution, or a large enterprise searching for a comprehensive platform, there’s a sales prospecting tool out there that’s perfect for your needs. So let’s dive in to the best sales prospecting tools in 2023:
Leadfeeder is a cutting-edge website visitor tracking platform that helps you know about the visitors to your business website. With Leadfeeder, you’ll be able to see not only who has visited your site, but also how much time they spent on each page. This valuable information helps you understand your visitors’ behavior and allows you to develop targeted customer engagement strategies to convert them into leads. Leadfeeder provides you with accurate data about your potential leads, so you can identify missed opportunities and reach out to those prospects that might have slipped through the cracks. Furthermore, Leadfeeder provides the contact information of the companies that have visited your website, making it even easier to connect with potential customers.
Overall, Leadfeeder helps sales teams improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their prospecting efforts, leading to a higher volume of qualified leads and increased sales.
Features of Leadfeeder:
Lead filtering.
Lead generation & scoring.
Automatic reporting.
Integration with Salesforce, CRM, WebCRM, and PipeDrive.
Pricing of Leadfeeder:
Leadfeeder offers a Lite plan which is Free plan and one Premium plan. Pricing details are given below:
LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a tool designed to help sales professionals with their prospecting efforts. It offers advanced search capabilities, lead recommendations, account insights, InMail messaging, and activity alerts to make it easier for salespeople to find and engage with potential clients. With these features, salespeople can target the right prospects, get insights into their businesses, track their activity, and reach out to them directly on the platform. By using LinkedIn Sales Navigator, sales professionals can streamline their prospecting process and increase their chances of success.
Features of LinkedIn Sales Navigator:
Advance & alert your saved leads.
Create a custom list to find out potential buyers.
Track engagement of the lead.
Integrate with CRM.
Pricing of LinkedIn Sales Navigator:
LinkedIn Sales Navigator offers custom pricing plan. You can contact vendor for pricing details.
Quora
Website
www.quora.com
Rating
4.6 out of 5
Free Trial
Completely Free
Platforms supported
Web, Android, iPhone/iPad
Quora Website
Quora is a question-and-answer website that allows users to ask and answer questions on a wide range of topics. While Quora is not a direct sales tool, it can be a valuable resource for sales professionals looking to research prospects and their needs, build relationships through engagement and helpful answers, generate leads by answering relevant questions and providing contact information, and establish brand visibility and credibility through educational content.
Features of Quora:
Active feed.
High rate of engagement.
Pricing of Quora:
Quora is Free to use.
Hunter.io
Website
Hunter.io
Rating
4.6 out of 5
Free Trial
Available
Platforms supported
Web
Hunter.io – Best Sales Prospecting Tool
Hunter.io is a email verification and lead generation tool that helps sales professionals find and verify email addresses of potential prospects. It offers a range of features to help salespeople quickly and easily find the contact information of the people they want to reach.
Hunter.io is designed to help sales professionals save time and increase the accuracy of their prospecting efforts. By using this tool, salespeople can focus on building relationships with potential prospects, instead of spending time trying to find their contact information.
Features of Hunter.io:
Domain Search
Email Finder
Email Lookup
Email Verifier
Integration with CRM
How to create and send cold email campaigns for free
Pricing of Hunter.io:
Hunter.io offers a Free plan and four pricing plan that includes Starter, Growth, Pro and Business. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Cirrus Insight is a sales productivity tool that integrates with email platforms such as Gmail and Outlook to streamline sales prospecting activities. It provides real-time email tracking, integrates with CRMs such as Salesforce for contact management, has a lead capture tool, pre-written email templates, and a scheduling tool to coordinate with prospects. The goal of Cirrus Insight is to make sales professionals more efficient and effective in their prospecting activities.
Features of Cirrus Insight:
Salesforce sidebar, where customer data will be presented to your business email
Salesforce sync
Scheduling meeting
Analytics sales activities
Multi-touch outreach with a sequence of emails, phone calls, and chain messages
Tracking
Report buyers signal, those who have visited your website timely
Pricing of Cirrus Insight:
Cirrus Insight offers three pricing plan for team size than 100 users, that includes Salesforce Sync, Pro and Expert. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Plan
Yearly Price
Salesforce Sync
$10/user/month
Pro
$21/user/month
Expert
$29/user/month
Boomerang for Gmail
Website
www.boomeranggmail.com
Rating
4.7 out of 5
Free Trial
Available
Platforms supported
Web, Android, iPhone/iPad
Boomerang for Gmail Website
As we know email marketing is one of the main components in generating as many as leads. Boomerang for Gmail is a productivity tool that provides real-time email tracking for sales professionals to monitor their prospecting efforts. This information can help salespeople determine the best time to follow up with potential prospects and adjust their messaging.
Features of Boomerang for Gmail:
Creation of responsive emails.
Inbox pause.
Schedule send emails and meetings.
Alert emails that are supposed to be sent to targeted clients.
Gmail follow-up, notes, snooze, delay send, tracking and many more.
Read receipts for Gmail.
Pricing of Boomerang for Gmail:
Boomerang for Gmail offers a Free plan and four pricing plans that includes Personal, Pro, Premium and Teams. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Plan
Yearly Price
Personal
$4.98/month
Pro
$14.98/month
Premium
$49.98/month
Teams
Custom Price
BuiltWith
Website
Builtwith.com
Rating
4.3 out of 5
Free Trial
Not Available
Platforms supported
Web, Android
BuiltWith Website
BuiltWith is a technology research tool developed by Gary Brewer in 2007 that helps sales professionals with their sales prospecting by providing insights into the technologies used by websites and companies. This information can help salespeople understand the technology landscape of potential prospects, target their outreach accordingly, and generate leads based on the technologies they use. Additionally, BuiltWith provides information on specific industries and the competitive landscape, allowing salespeople to better understand their market and adjust their approach accordingly.
Features of BuiltWith:
Sales intelligence
CRM integrates
Screencast to help with the setup process.
Lead generation via predictive leads over a database of 38,675+ web technologies.
Provides market analytics.
Data Coverage
CRM Cyber risk auditing.
Pricing of BuiltWith:
BuiltWith is free to use for individual site lookups forever. It also offers three pricing plan that includes Basic, Pro and Team. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Pipedrive is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform founded by Timo Rein, Ragnar Sass, Urmas Purde, and Martin Henk in 2010. It helps sales professionals with their sales prospecting activities by providing a centralized platform for managing sales activities and tracking the progress of leads. Besides, this software is all about scheduling, completing, and tracking activity-based selling.
Features of Pipedrive :
Task automation with one-click contact data collection.
CRM platform that enhances sales productivity.
Customization of the customers.
Centralize communication efforts via email & sales funnel.
Set goals, and provide insights and reports on the sales activity.
Prioritize leads according to the prospects.
Pipedrive protects the data and is informed on all levels.
Pricing of Pipedrive :
Pipedrive offers four pricing plan that includes Essential, Advanced, Professional and Enterprise. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Cloze is a CRM solution that functions as your personal assistant. It keeps track of all your clients by gathering data from your apps and combining it into a single view of each individual and organization. Cloze employs powerful data science to find out who is important and prioritize client relationships based on having all of this critical information in one location.
Cloze helps sales representatives identify and prioritize the most promising leads. By integrating with a salesperson’s email, calendar, and contacts, Cloze provides a comprehensive view of each prospect’s interactions and engagement. This allows sales reps to see which prospects are the most active, which ones are the most engaged, and which ones are the most likely to convert into customers.
Features of Cloze :
Contact information for customers, phone and email exchanges, document exchanges, and social media interactions are all in one location.
Automatically urges you to contact.
Automatically maintains prospect data.
Pricing of Cloze :
Cloze offers four pricing plan that includes Cloze Pro, Business Silver, Business Gold and Business Platinum. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Plan
Yearly Price
Cloze Pro
$17/month
Business Silver
$21/month
Business Gold
$29/month
Business Platinum
$42/month
Gong.io
Website
www.gong.io
Rating
4.8 out of 5
Free Trial
Not Available
Platforms supported
Web, Android, iPhone/iPad
Gong.io – Best Sales Prospecting Tool
Gong.io is a revenue intelligence tool that enables businesses to capture consumer interactions via the web, phone, email, and other channels. The platform uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze sales calls, emails, and demos to identify best practices and common pitfalls. This allows sales reps to better understand what works and what doesn’t when it comes to engaging with prospects and closing deals. It also provides real-time insights and data based on sales conversions enables superior revenue strategy decision-making. Deal intelligence, integrations, people intelligence, field sales, and market intelligence are among the company’s other key features.
Features of Gong.io:
Reporting & Statistics for Third-Party Integrations
Gong.io offers custom pricing plan. You can contact vendor for pricing details.
Bit.ai
Website
Bit.ai
Rating
5.0 out of 5
Free Trial
Available
Platforms supported
Web
Bit.ai – Best Sales Prospecting Tool
Bit.ai is a is a collaborative content creation platform that can help sales teams streamline and optimize their sales prospecting efforts. The platform allows sales reps to create and share sales proposals, presentations, and other sales materials in one centralized location, making it easier to collaborate with their colleagues and keep all their materials up-to-date. Because these documents are brand-consistent, your consumers and clients will quickly recognize them.
In addition, Bit.ai provides real-time analytics on the performance of each sales material, allowing sales reps to see what’s working and what’s not. This information can help them optimize their approach and increase the effectiveness of their sales materials over time.
Features of Bit.ai:
Tracking of documents.
Collaboration with other sales reps in real-time.
Keep all of your media assets, files, and documents in one location.
Pricing of Bit.ai:
Bit.ai offers a Free plan and two pricing plan that includes Pro plan and Business plan. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Plan
Yearly Price
Monthly Price
Free Plan
$0/user/month
$0/user/month
Pro Plan
$8/user/month
$12/user/month
Business Plan
$15/user/month
$20/user/month
ZoomInfo
Website
www.zoominfo.com
Rating
4.2 out of 5
Free Trial
Available
Platforms supported
Web, Android, iPhone/iPad
Zoominfo – Best Sales Prospecting Tool
ZoomInfo is a sales intelligence platform with a large contact database that may assist your sales team with lead generation, market research, and insight-driven interaction. It helps you power your go-to-market strategy with reliable B2B insight and company contact data.
You may acquire direct mobile phone numbers and confirmed email addresses of top executives and critical connections at businesses, such as the Chief Strategy Officer or a Senior Sales Executive. You can also use targeted prospect lists to improve sales prospecting and conversion rates.
You’ll be able to convey the correct message to the prospect at the right moment thanks to ZoomInfo’s data-driven insights. This will help you enhance conversions and receive a better return on your time and money investment (ROI), which is why choosing ZoomInfo is a sound financial decision.
Features of ZoomInfo:
Comprehensive database.
Verified emails.
Detailed company profiles.
Search by keyword or name.
Email alerts.
Export data in multiple formats.
Location and corporate hierarchy data.
Department organization charts.
Buyer intent data
How to Re-Engage Cold Sales Leads with ZoomInfo
Pricing of ZoomInfo:
Zoominfo offers custom pricing plan. You can contact vendor for pricing details.
Doodle
Website
Doodle.com
Rating
4.6 out of 5
Free Trial
Available
Platforms supported
Web, Android, iPhone/iPad
Doodle – Best Sales Prospecting Tool
Doodle is an online scheduling tool that can help sales teams streamline their sales prospecting efforts by making it easier to schedule and manage sales meetings and calls. The platform allows sales reps to send out meeting requests to multiple prospects and receive real-time updates on their availability, without the back-and-forth of email scheduling.
This saves sales reps valuable time and reduces the administrative burden of scheduling, freeing them up to focus on more important tasks like researching prospects, developing messaging, and building relationships.
Features of Doodle:
Group Meetings.
Scheduling.
Enhanced Customization.
Bookable Calendar.
Security and Privacy.
Automation Calendar Tools.
Interview Management.
Integration.
Custom Reminders.
Conferencing Integrations.
Pricing of Doodle:
Doodle offers a Free plan and three pricing plan that includes Pro, Team and Enterprise plan. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Plan
Yearly Price (Save upto 55%)
Monthly Price
Free
$0/user/month
$0/user/month
Pro
$6.95/user/month
$14.95/user/month
Team
$9.95/user/month
$19.95/user/month
Enterprise
Custom Price
Custom Price
HubSpot Sales Hub
Website
www.hubspot.com/products/sales
Rating
4.5 out of 5
Free Trial
Available
Platforms supported
Web, Android, iPhone/iPad
HubSpot Sales Hub – Best Sales Prospecting Tool
HubSpot Sales Hub is a robust CRM that may help you manage your sales pipeline and close more deals. When your lead opens your email, the Email Tracking tool sends you a notification. It allows you to put your finest emails into templates, which saves you time. Document Management & Tracking, Conversation Intelligence, Call Tracking, and Sales Automation are just a few of the other useful features.
HubSpot Sales Hub is a sales tool that helps with prospecting by providing features such as lead management, email tracking, email templates, and automated workflows. It helps prioritize and organize leads, streamline communication, and increase productivity. These tools help sales teams prospect more efficiently and effectively.
Features of HubSpot Sales Hub:
A deal dashboard that you can customize to see your full sales funnel.
Email tracking, meeting scheduling, live chat, and prospect tracking.
Integration with Gmail and Outlook, as well as email templates, make it simple to email and engage with leads.
Features include email notifications, company analytics, and pipeline management.
A built-in activity stream that sends out notifications as soon as a lead opens an email, clicks on a link or downloads a critical document.
Up to 1 million contact and company records can be stored.
The ability to record sales conversations, send emails, plan tasks, and assign assignments is all available.
Emails taped calls, and sales notes are automatically published.
Pricing of HubSpot Sales Hub:
HubSpot Sales Hub offers a free plan to get started and two pricing plan that includes Sales Hub Professional and Sales Hub Enterprise plan. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Ring.io is a sales acceleration platform that helps teams with prospecting by providing advanced call management and telephony features. It integrates with popular CRM systems and offers tools such as lead prioritization, automatic call logging, call scripts, and call recording. These features help sales teams to improve their call efficiency and effectiveness, allowing them to reach more prospects and close more deals.
Without leaving Salesforce, sales reps can get the most out of their cold calling strategy using Ring.io. In Salesforce, you can track and log all calls in real-time, and you can make simultaneous calls to several people with a single click. Salespeople can also use Ring.io to construct lists based on Salesforce data and filters.
In short, Ring.io streamlines the prospecting process and helps sales teams work smarter and more efficiently.
Features of Ring.io:
Sales Productivity
Inbound Call Routing
Coaching & Training
Pricing of Ring.io:
Ring.io offers three pricing plan that includes Ring.io for Pipedrive, Zoho CRM, Zendesk, Ring.io for Hubspot and Ring.io for Salesforce. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Plan
Monthly Price
Ring.io for Pipedrive, Zoho CRM, Zendesk
$69/month
Ring.io for Hubspot
$89/month
Ring.io for Salesforce
$109/month
Followup.cc
Website
Followup.cc
Rating
4.8 out of 5
Free Trial
Available
Platforms supported
Web, Android, iPhone/iPad
Followup.cc Website
Followup.cc is a fantastic Chrome plugin that connects easily with your Gmail account and lets you keep track of your follow-ups at the top. The extension will remind you to plan a follow-up the next time you send an email to a prospect. Over 40% of sales reps give up after the first try, despite the fact that 80% of sales require five follow-up attempts.
Followup.cc helps sales teams with prospecting by providing email tracking, follow-up reminders, and email scheduling capabilities. It allows salespeople to track when their emails are opened, set reminders to follow up with prospects, and schedule emails to be sent at a later time. These features help sales teams stay organized and ensure that they never miss an opportunity to follow up with a prospect.
Features of Followup.cc:
Set recurring reminders, track email openings, and auto-respond to emails.
Scheduling by email.
Pricing of Followup.cc:
Followup.cc offers three pricing plan that includes Starter, Professional and Salesforce Edition plan. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Plan
Yearly Price
Monthly Price
Starter
$18/month
$23/month
Professional
$29/month
$36/month
Salesforce Edition
$40/month
$50/month
Overloop
Website
Overloop.com
Rating
4.0 out of 5
Free Trial
Available
Platforms supported
Web
Overloop – Sales Prospecting Tool
Overloop (formerly Prospect.io) is a multichannel sales automation platform built for enhancing the team’s efficiency and convert more leads through greater reach. With the help of robust tools, Overloop helps you build your prospect list and schedule tasks for the following day, in turn increasing your productivity. Moreover, with the help of multichannel campaigns, it combines follow-ups on prospects for better reach and also analyzes campaign performance for better performance in the future.
Feature Offered by Overloop
Automating sales takes a lot of tasks off your back and offers you time to attend to matters which take precedence over them.
Overloop also offers to automate enrollment of leads and prospects based on their account activity.
Conditionally apply automation wherever needed and use delays for a window between consecutive steps.
Assign tasks to enrolled prospects and update their fields. Moreover, you can also integrate tools that you use, to help make automation even more smooth.
Search emails for bulk prospects and verify them with the Email Verifier.
Pricing for Overloop
Overloop offers a pricing plan. Pricing details are given below:
Plan
Yearly Price
Monthly Price
Paid Plan
$82/user/month
$99/user/month
Detective.io
Website
www.detective.io
Rating
4.8 out of 5
Free Trial
Available
Platforms supported
Web, Android, iPhone/iPad
Detective.io Website
Detective by Charlie App is a sales prospecting tool that helps users to automate tasks such as reaching out to prospects. Although automating tasks makes your work a lot easier, but what makes it even better is if the automation made your work more efficient, which is exactly what Detective excels at. With personalized emails and data-driven insights, you can get up to two times the conversions of what you used to get. Detective.io helps sales teams prospect more intelligently by providing valuable data and insights that can inform and guide their outreach efforts.
Features Offered by Detective.io
Detective helps reps to find the right prospects for every unique proposition and help avoid wandering with the wrong leads.
With basic demographic data pertaining to companies and prospects, reps can effortlessly filter out the prospects which aren’t suited for a particular proposition.
Finding the right prospects helps in ways more than just saving time; for instance, reps also need lesser training directed to the right prospects that they will be propositioning to.
Detective also offers reps customizable CRM to suit their business needs and close more deals and enhance conversion rate.
The CRM can also be integrated with tools which reps use initially to maintain consistency with prospects and in the workflow.
Pricing of Detective.io:
Detective.io offers three pricing plan that includes Hustler, Trusted Advisor and Team Edition plan. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Datanyze is a sales intelligence platform that helps teams with prospecting by providing actionable insights about their prospects and their technology stack. Datanyze helps you with the implications of techno-graphics to the digital world of sales and marketing. It helps you market products with strategies based on the choices of your prospects in turn offering you a better conversion rate. Moreover, Datanyze also helps you find new prospects through researching accounts, contacts, and email addresses along with techno-graphics implemented into your CRM, to nourish customer data. It is one of the best sales prospecting tool.
Features Offered by Datanyze
Instead of relying on demographics and firmographics, Datanyze uses techno-graphics to find suitable prospects to enhance conversion rate.
Datanyze helps combine most prospecting based tasks into a single workflow, simplifying sales prospecting and saving time.
Get the company’s social and technical insights with a single click irrespective of prospecting within Datanyze, or on the company’s website.
Find your prospect’s email address without having to leave your page simply by highlighting the required name.
Seamlessly manage your prospect list and juggle them between your CRM and other tools with one click.
Pricing of Datanyze:
Datanyze offers a Free plan and two pricing plan that includes Nyze Pro 1 and Nyze Pro 2 plan. Pricing details of each plan is given below:
Plan
Monthly Price
Yearly Price
Nyze Lite
$0/month
$0/month
Nyze Pro 1
$29/month
$21/month
Nyze Pro 2
$55/month
$39/month
Bloobirds
Website
www.bloobirds.com
Rating
4.3 out of 5
Free Trial
Not Available
Platforms supported
Web
Bloobirds Sales Prospecting
With an intuitive sales platform, Bloobirds helps you make informed decisions while simultaneously guiding sales reps through their work. It helps you turn your work and all of your activities into opportunities giving you a clear and bigger picture of what marketing and sales strategies actually work. Bloobirds helps you make the perfect marketing strategy, support your work throughout the implementation of the same and then deliver you the best results. Moreover, you get insights on all of your work, be it a conversion or a failed lead.
Features Offered by Bloobirds
Bloobirds is very similar to having a Sales Development Representative(SDR), to help you guide through the process of qualifying leads, questions, and recommended leads.
All the data required by the sales reps are readily made available by Bloobirds, which is presented as insights to ensure lead conversion.
From getting quality prospects to managing contact tools, Bloobirds effortlessly guides sales reps through sales workflow to meet deadlines and targets.
The entire process of sales prospecting from marketing to prospecting to a meeting, can be covered by Bloobirds and hence you get more inbound leads and better conversion.
Bloobirds offers a user-friendly interface with constant reminders and alerts to help reps be more organized, and pay more attention to prospects while automating trivial tasks such as data collection.
Pricing of Bloobirds:
Bloobirds offers custom pricing. You can contact vendor to get a quotation.
Conclusion
The process of sales prospecting can often involve repetitive and time-consuming tasks, but utilizing right tools can help you streamline your efforts and achieve better results. By using the best sales prospecting tools, you can increase your efficiency, connect with a larger number of prospects in less time, and ultimately close more deals.
So if you’re looking to boost your sales results and simplify your prospecting efforts, consider incorporating one of these top sales prospecting tools into your strategy. With the right tool in place, you’ll be able to take your sales to the next level and achieve new levels of success.
FAQs
What is a sales prospecting tool?
Sales prospecting tools are software applications designed to help sales teams identify and engage potential customers, also known as prospects. These tools automate many of the manual tasks associated with prospecting and help sales reps to reach out to more prospects in less time.
Why is sales prospecting important?
Sales prospecting is a crucial part of the sales process, as it helps sales reps to identify and engage potential customers and build relationships with them. By using sales prospecting tools, sales teams can increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their prospecting efforts, leading to a higher volume of qualified leads and ultimately, increased sales.
What are some of the best sales prospecting tools?
Some of the best sales prospecting tools are given below:
Overloop
Linkedin Sales Navigator
Hunter.io
Bloobirds
Hubspot Sales Hub
Leadfeeder
PipeDrive
What features should I look for in a sales prospecting tool?
When choosing a sales prospecting tool, you should look for features that align with your sales team’s needs and goals. Some important features to consider include lead generation, email and call automation, lead scoring, lead tracking and reporting, and integration with other sales tools.
What are sale prospecting techniques?
Effectivesales prospecting techniques includes:
Scheduling and committing to sales prospecting
Make warm as opposed to cold calls
Create ideal customer prospect profiles
Attend and network at events
Don’t sell but develop relationships
Request referrals
Get involved in social selling
How can sales prospecting tools improve my sales process?
Sales prospecting tools can help to improve your sales process by streamlining and automating many of the manual tasks associated with prospecting, such as lead generation, email and call follow-up, and lead tracking.
Can sales prospecting tools integrate with my other sales tools?
Yes, many sales prospecting tools offer integration with other sales tools, such as customer relationship management (CRM) software and marketing automation platforms. This allows for seamless and efficient data transfer between tools, saving time and improving accuracy.
What is the most effective prospecting method?
Cold Calling is considered the most effective prospecting method.
Sushree Sangeeta Behera
