AI Sales Tools

The stack I actually run.

Every tool here is one I use, have used or frequently recommend.

Grouped by job, favourites marked with a star.

Some links here are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you sign up. It costs you nothing extra, and I only ever list tools I'd recommend to a friend with no kickback at all. If that ever stops being true, this page comes down.

The point isn't to buy everything, it's to buy the right things. Most of these solve one specific problem, and you only need the ones that match the play you're running. I've grouped them by job, and my favourites are starred.

Data and research

Finding the right people and knowing enough about them to be worth a reply.

Clay ★

Affiliate

What I use to build and enrich lists beyond what a stock database can find.

Honest caveat: The most powerful tool here by a mile, but the learning curve is real and credits burn fast. Overkill if you just need a simple list.

Try Clay

Apollo

Affiliate

The database I reach for when I need contacts and sequencing in one place, fast.

Honest caveat: Brilliant value to get started, but data accuracy drops off outside the US and the all-in-one features are shallower than the dedicated tools.

Try Apollo

Prospeo

Affiliate

My go-to for finding an email once I already know who I want to reach.

Honest caveat: Best as a finder/verification layer, not a full database. You still need a source of prospects to feed it.

Try Prospeo

Sending and infrastructure

The unglamorous layer that decides whether your email lands or rots in spam.

Sendkit ★

Who sets up my sending infrastructure so I don't have to babysit DNS and warmup myself.

Honest caveat: Worth it if you're scaling volume and don't want to babysit DNS, but unnecessary if you only run a mailbox or two.

Try Sendkit

Smartlead

Affiliate

What I run high-volume campaigns through when one platform's mailbox cap isn't enough.

Honest caveat: Fantastic for volume and deliverability, but the interface is dense and there's a learning curve to set up properly.

Try Smartlead

Outreach and sequencing

Running the play at volume without sounding like a robot.

Instantly

An easy way to get a campaign live fast, inbox rotation and warmup included.

Honest caveat: Slick and beginner-friendly, but the lead data is hit-and-miss. Best paired with a stronger data source.

Try Instantly

HeyReach

What I use to run LinkedIn outreach safely across multiple sender accounts.

Honest caveat: The safest way to scale LinkedIn, but you still need warm, well-aged profiles for it to work without flags.

Try HeyReach

Claude

What I use to research accounts and draft the first pass of personalised outreach.

Honest caveat: Only as good as the brief you give it. Great for first drafts and research, not a hands-off copywriter.

Try Claude

CRM and orchestration

Keeping the machine organised once it's running.

Attio

The CRM I run my own pipeline in, flexible enough to match how I actually work.

Honest caveat: A joy to use for lean teams, but lighter on mature sales features than the legacy CRMs if you need heavy process.

Try Attio

Want to see these tools inside a real play?

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