Outbound and outreach
What actually sends the emails and LinkedIn messages.
- Smartlead
Cold email sending across multiple warmed mailboxes, with warmup built in. The one I run my own campaigns on.
- Instantly
The main alternative to Smartlead. Similar feature set, a cleaner interface, and a good API.
- HeyReach
LinkedIn outreach across several sender accounts. Keep the volume low; a restricted LinkedIn account costs more than any campaign earns.
Lead data and enrichment
Finding the right people and an email address that does not bounce.
- Apollo
Contact and company database. Good for building a first list, but check that the person still works at the company before you write to them.
- Apify
Ready-made scrapers for Google, LinkedIn, Maps and job boards. Most of my lead sourcing starts here.
- Reacher
Open-source email verification you can host yourself. Cheaper than per-check verifiers once you verify in volume.
CRM, proposals and calls
Where deals live once someone replies.
- HubSpot
The free CRM is enough for most teams under ten people. Pay for it once you need sequences and reporting.
- PandaDoc
Proposals with e-signature and the view tracking that tells you when to follow up.
- Fireflies
Records and transcribes sales calls. The transcripts are where the real objections and buyer language are.
Automation
The glue between the tools above.
- n8n
Open-source workflow automation you can self-host. Connects the CRM, the outreach tools and Slack without per-task pricing.
Launch and positioning
Getting the message right before you spend on reach.
- Flowjam
Launch and explainer videos for AI and SaaS startups. A short video is one of the fastest ways to test whether your messaging lands.
Measuring what works
Free tools that show what your site and funnel are doing.
- Google Search Console
Which searches show your pages and at what position. Free, and the only search data that comes from Google itself.
- Microsoft Clarity
Free session recordings and heatmaps. Shows where visitors get stuck on a page that ranks but does not convert.
- Ahrefs Webmaster Tools
Free backlink and site-audit data for sites you own. Enough to see who links to you and what is broken.