7 Best Sales Prospecting Tools in 2024

Your sales are only as good as your list of prospects. Finding the right people requires time, industry knowledge, and, of course, a good prospecting tool. 

Here is a list of 8 prospecting tools that help you identify and engage potential leads. You can learn more about their pricing, pros, cons, and additional features in this article.

Summary of Sales Prospecting Tools

1. LinkedIn Sales Navigator

LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a robust tool for LinkedIn-based prospecting but comes with a higher cost and complexity. It excels in targeted lead generation and CRM integration, making it a strong choice for sales teams focused on leveraging LinkedIn’s network.

Features:

• Advanced Search Filters: Refine searches based on job title, company size, location, and more.
• InMail Messaging: Send direct messages to prospects even if you're not connected.
• Lead Recommendations: AI-driven suggestions based on your search criteria.

Pricing:

Sales Navigator Professional:

• Price: Approximately $99.99 per month if billed annually.
• Features: Includes advanced search filters, InMail messaging, lead recommendations, and integration with CRM systems.

Sales Navigator Team:

• Price: Approximately $149.99 per user per month if billed annually.
• Features: Includes all the Professional plan features plus additional team collaboration tools, shared lists, and advanced CRM integrations.

Sales Navigator Enterprise:

• Price: Custom pricing based on the organization’s size and needs.
• Features: Includes all the Team plan features plus advanced admin controls, dedicated customer success manager, and more customization options for enterprise needs.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator also offers a 30-day free trial for its Core and Advanced plans. The trial allows users to explore features such as lead and company search, lead recommendations, and InMail messaging. You can learn more about Sales Navigator Pricing here.

Pros:

• Highly Targeted: Great for finding specific types of leads within a professional network.
• Lead Recommendation: The platform provides personalized lead recommendations based on your search criteria and activity, which can help you discover potential prospects you might have missed.
• Real-Time Updates: Provides up-to-date information on prospects and companies.

Cons:

• Cost: Sales Navigator can be quite expensive, especially for smaller businesses or individual users. The cost might not be justifiable for everyone, particularly if the advanced features are not fully utilized.
• Complex Integration: While Sales Navigator integrates with major CRM systems, the setup and integration process can sometimes be complex and may require technical support or additional customization.(The platform has a range of features and functionalities that can be overwhelming at first. Users may require some time to get accustomed to all the tools and settings.)
• Potential for Spam:The ability to send InMails and connect with a large number of users can lead to an increase in spammy outreach if not managed properly.

2. Skrapp.io

Skrapp.io is a tool designed to help sales and marketing professionals find and verify email addresses for potential leads. It’s often used to build prospect lists and enhance outreach strategies. It is known for its simplicity and effectiveness in building prospect lists.

Features:

• Email Finder: Skrapp.io helps users find email addresses associated with specific domains or LinkedIn profiles. This is particularly useful for reaching out to potential leads or decision-makers.
• Domain Search: You can search for email addresses linked to specific domains, which helps in building lists of contacts from particular companies or industries.
• Extension: Skrapp.io offers an extension that allows users to find email addresses directly from LinkedIn and other web pages, making it easier to gather information on the go.This extension is conveniently available for both Chrome and Firefox users.

Pricing:

• Free Trial : Includes 100 Deliverable emails/mo and 200 email verifications/mo for a single user.
• Starter : Includes 1k Deliverable emails/mo and 2k email verifications/mo for 2 users at 39$/mo.
• Seeker : Includes 5k Deliverable emails/mo and 10k email verifications/mo for 5 users at 99$/mo.
• Enterprise 20K : Includes 20k Deliverable emails/mo and 40k email verifications/mo for 8 users at 189$/mo.
• Global 50K : Includes 50k Deliverable emails/mo and 100k email verifications/mo for 15 users at 299$/mo.

Pros:

• User-Friendly: Easy to use with a straightforward interface.
• Integration: Integrates with various CRM systems and other sales tools.
• Affordable: Competitive pricing with various plans to suit different needs.

Cons:

• Data Limits: Some users report limitations in the number of emails they can find or verify.
• Accuracy: While generally reliable, there can be occasional issues with email accuracy.

3. ZoomInfo

ZoomInfo is a comprehensive sales and marketing intelligence platform designed to help businesses with prospecting, lead generation, and data enrichment. It provides access to a vast database of company and contact information, along with various tools to enhance sales and marketing efforts.

Features:

• Lead and Account Enrichment: The platform provides additional details about leads and accounts, including company financials, recent news, and organizational changes. This helps in crafting more informed and personalized outreach.
• Advanced Filtering: Use complex filters to narrow down prospects.
• Intent Data: ZoomInfo offers intent data, which signals when a company or individual is showing signs of being in the market for specific products or services. This can help prioritize outreach efforts.

Pricing:

Zoominfo offers three types of 3 types of plans i.e Sales, Marketing and Talent. ZoomInfo typically offers pricing plans tailored to different business needs. However, specific pricing details are often provided directly by ZoomInfo’s sales team, as they tailor their quotes based on individual requirements. Range can vary from 1000$/mo to 5000$/mo.

Pros:

• Comprehensive Database: Extensive contact and company information.
• Data Accuracy:Generally high-quality and accurate data.
• Integration: Works well with many CRM systems.

Cons:

• Pricing: Cost for the services are not transparent, however it has a higher price point, which can be a barrier for smaller teams.
• Data Overload: The vast amount of data can be overwhelming to navigate.
• Plan Duration:  Pricing is often quoted on an annual basis, so breaking it down to a monthly rate is an approximation. Annual contracts might offer better pricing compared to monthly terms.

4. Outreach

Outreach is a sales engagement platform designed to automate and optimize the sales prospecting process, with a focus on multi-channel outreach and analytics.

Features:

• Sales Automation: Automate email sequences, follow-ups, and task assignments.
• Multi-Channel Outreach: Manage outreach across email, calls, and social media.
• Analytics and Reporting: Detailed insights into outreach performance and engagement.
• Training and Support:Offers training resources and customer support to help users effectively leverage the platform’s features and get the most out of their investment.

Pricing:

Outreach typically does not publish specific pricing details online, as costs can vary based on factors such as the size of your team, the features you need, and any customizations required.

Range can vary from 100$/mo to over 400+$/mo per user.

Pros:

• Robust Automation: Highly effective at streamlining sales workflows.
• Detailed Analytics:  Helps optimize sales strategies with actionable data.
• User Experience: Positive feedback for its intuitive user interface.

Cons:

• Complex Setup:Initial setup and configuration can be complex.
• Cost: No price transparency and also comes at a high price, which may be prohibitive for smaller businesses.

5. Apollo.io

Apollo offers a comprehensive sales prospecting platform that combines lead generation, email outreach, and CRM functionalities.

Features:

• Lead Generation:Access a large database of contacts and companies.
• Email Outreach: Tools for creating and managing email campaigns.
• CRM Integration: Integrates with various CRM systems for seamless workflow.
• Multi-Channel Outreach: Supports communication via email, phone, and social media.

Pricing: 

Apollo.io offers several pricing tiers to accommodate different business needs. 

• Free Trial: Includes 10,000 email credits/month per account and 5 Mobile Credits/mo along with 10 Export Credits/mo.
• Basic: Includes min10,000 email credits/month per account and 75 Mobile Credits/mo along with 1000 Export Credits/mo at 59$/mo.
• Professional:  Includes min10,000 email credits/month per account and 100 Mobile Credits/mo along with 2000 Export Credits/mo at 99$/mo.
• Organization:  Includes min10,000 email credits/month per account and 200 Mobile Credits/mo along with 4000 Export Credits/mo at 149$/mo.

Pros:

• All-in-One Solution: Combines multiple prospecting functions into a single platform.
• Data Quality:Good quality and accuracy of contact data.
• Integration: Compatible with many CRM and sales tools.
• Affordable: Has various plans to offer at convenient cost. 

Cons:

• User Interface: Some users find the interface less intuitive.
• Feature Overlap: May have overlapping features with other tools, which could be redundant.

6. Clearbit

Clearbit focuses on data enrichment and lead generation, providing detailed company and contact information to enhance your prospecting efforts. 

Features:

• Data Enrichment: Enhance existing lead information with additional company and contact details.
• Real-Time Updates: Provides up-to-date information on prospects.
• Efficient Lead Discovery:Streamlines the process of finding new prospects with targeted search filters and criteria.
• Integration: Works with various CRM and marketing automation platforms.

Pricing:

Clearbit's pricing is typically customized based on the specific needs and scale of your organization.Clearbit offers custom solutions, so pricing can be tailored based on specific requirements, such as data volume, number of users, and additional features.Larger organizations or those with complex needs may receive custom quotes and additional services.

Pros:

• Accurate Data: High-quality, real-time data updates.
• Enhanced Insights: Provides detailed information to better understand and engage prospects.
• Integration: Easy integration with other sales and marketing tools.
• Real-Time Updates:Ensures that the data you use is current, helping to avoid outdated or inaccurate information.

Cons:

• Cost: No such pricing transparency and the premium pricing can be a concern for smaller teams.
• Complex Features: Some users find advanced features and configurations complex.The platform’s range of features may require some time to fully understand and utilize effectively.

7. Lusha

Lusha is a tool designed to help sales teams quickly find and verify contact information, including phone numbers and email addresses.

Lusha is also a sales prospecting and data enrichment tool designed to help businesses find and connect with potential leads. 

Features:

• Contact Information: Provides phone numbers and email addresses for prospects.
• Lead Discovery: Allows users to search for and find new leads based on criteria like industry, company size, and job roles.
• Email Verification: Verifies the accuracy of email addresses.
• Browser Extension: Convenient extension for finding contact details directly from your browser.

Pricing: 

Lusha has multiple affordable plans.

• Free Trial: Includes 50 emails and 5 phone number verifications per user.
• Pro: Includes 160 emails and 40 phone number verifications per user at 49$/mo.
• Premium: Includes 320 emails and 80 phone number verifications per user at 79$/mo.
• Custom: This plan is for users who want to tailor their usage as per requirements.

Pros:

• Ease of Use: Simple and straightforward to use.
• Affordable: Generally considered cost-effective.
• Quick Results: Fast access to contact details.

Cons:

• Data Accuracy: Some issues with the accuracy of contact information.
• Limited Features: Focuses primarily on contact information with fewer advanced prospecting tools.
• Usage Limits: Some plans may have limits on the number of searches or data credits, which could impact larger teams or extensive data needs.

These tools each offer unique features and benefits that can greatly enhance your sales prospecting efforts. Choosing the right one will depend on your specific needs, budget, and the aspects of prospecting that are most important to your team.

How to Choose the Right Sales Prospecting Tool?

 1. Define Your Needs and Goals

• Identify Pain Points: Determine what challenges you're facing with your current prospecting process. Are you struggling with lead generation, data management, or follow-ups?
• Set Objectives: Clarify what you want to achieve with the tool—whether it’s improving lead quality, increasing outreach efficiency, or enhancing data accuracy.

 2. Consider Key Features

• Lead Generation and Research: Look for tools that can help with finding and qualifying leads. Features like data enrichment, lead scoring, and company insights can be valuable.
• CRM Integration: Ensure the tool integrates seamlessly with your existing CRM system for smooth data flow and management.
• Email Tracking and Automation: Features like email tracking, automated follow-ups, and template management can save time and increase effectiveness.
• Analytics and Reporting: Choose a tool with robust analytics to track performance, measure success, and refine your strategy based on data.

 3. Ease of Use

• User Interface: The tool should have an intuitive and user-friendly interface. Complex tools with a steep learning curve can hinder productivity.
• Training and Support: Check if the provider offers comprehensive training resources and customer support to assist with onboarding and troubleshooting.

4. Integration Capabilities

• Compatibility: Verify that the tool integrates with other software you use, such as CRM systems, email platforms, and marketing automation tools.
• APIs: If you have specific integration needs, check if the tool provides API access for custom integrations.

 5. Budget and Pricing

•    Cost: Compare the pricing of different tools and assess whether they offer good value for the features provided.
• Pricing Structure: Understand the pricing model—whether it’s a flat fee, per user, or based on usage. Consider any additional costs for upgrades or add-ons.

 6. Reputation and Reviews

• Vendor Reputation: Research the tool’s reputation in the industry. Look for reviews, testimonials, and case studies to gauge user satisfaction.
• Recommendations: Seek recommendations from peers or industry experts who have experience with prospecting tools.

 7. Trial and Evaluation

• Free Trials: Take advantage of free trials or demo versions to test the tool's functionality and see if it meets your needs.
• Feedback: Involve your sales team in the evaluation process to get feedback on usability and effectiveness.

 8. Future-proofing

• Innovation: Choose a tool from a vendor that regularly updates its features and stays current with industry trends and technologies.
• Data Protection: Ensure the tool adheres to data security standards and compliance regulations relevant to your industry.

Did We Miss Any Names?

If we missed anything, feel free to reach out and tell us which sales prospecting tool you prefer, along with its pros and cons, and we will update the list.

In the meantime, if you need help with building your prospect list, try Skrapp to reach out to the right people. You can use our LinkedIn finder extension, People Search, to comb through our database, and finally, verify the email addresses to avoid sending them to the deactivated accounts.