Boosting Productivity through the Tech Stack from Coursera

This is Course 4 in the Salesforce Sales Development Representative Professional Certificate. In order to successfully complete the course, please ensure you have taken Course 1: Groundwork for Success in Sales Development, Course 2: Foundations for Interviewing with Confidence, and 3: Conversational Selling Playbook for SDRs.

This course demonstrates how to enhance productivity by implementing tech tools that streamline your SDR workflow. You’ll be introduced to a variety of best-in-class sales software that will help you achieve the most optimal results — every time. By the end of the course, you’ll feel confident in formulating bulletproof outreach strategies in order to engage with prospective customers.

Course 4 in the Sales Development Representative (SDR) Professional Certificate will give you the necessary skills to launch a career in the non-technical side of the tech industry.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

- Examine and navigate the tech stack and stay up-to-date on the latest tech tools used in the tech sales workforce

- Understand the basic principles of customer relation management (CRM) tools and how to use them effectively as part of your workflow

- Use sales intelligence tools to find prospects and optimize your workflow

- Formulate bulletproof outreach strategies to engage with prospective customers

- Apply the power of social media and video to find and connect with prospects

To be successful in this course, you should have:

- An ability to communicate in verbal and written form in a way that is accessible and understandable by a general audience (you don’t need to be formal or refined)

- Baseline computer literacy (you must be able to use a word processor, web search, and email)

- Familiarity with social media, including LinkedIn

- Ability and willingness to learn new technology tools

- Motivation to grow personally and professionally

- Hunger for feedback and coaching

- Successfully completed the previous courses in this training

What's inside

Syllabus

Tech Tool Basics for Sales Development

Explore how top-performing salespeople leverage tech tools, resourcefulness, and creative problem-solving to drive results.

Ground Your Workflow with Salesforce

Discover Salesforce, a foundational tool for sales development and tech industry professionals.

Optimize Your Workflow with Sales Intelligence Tools

Gain practical knowledge of sales intelligence, data enrichment, and call analysis tools.

Strategize, Interact, and Track with Sales Engagement Tools

Learn how to leverage engagement tools and generate bulletproof outreach strategies.

Create Leverage with Social Media and Video Prospecting Tools

Uncover the power of social media and video outreach to enhance human-to-human connection in a sales context.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Assists individuals in launching a successful non-technical career in the tech industry

Provides a practical introduction to best-in-class sales software

Builds foundational knowledge of Salesforce, a crucial tool in sales development

Helps learners use sales intelligence tools to optimize their workflow

Guides learners through formulating effective outreach strategies to engage with prospects

Requires learners to have completed the previous three courses in the series

Reviews summary

Highly reviewed productivity course

According to students, Boosting Productivity through the Tech Stack is a highly acclaimed course that delivers on its promise of teaching learners how to boost productivity using a tech stack. Students rave about the lessons, projects, and course content, calling them engaging, insightful, and effective. Many graduates mention the knowledgeable instructors and the supportive learning community as highlights of the program, and state that the certificate they earn at the end has helped enhance their employability and career prospects. However, students caution that the course load can be heavy at times and the deadlines can be strict.

Experienced, supportive, and responsive

"The instructors are very knowledgeable and supportive."

"The instructors were very responsive to questions and provided helpful feedback."

"The instructors are experts in their field and are passionate about teaching."

Interactive, practical, and well-paced

"The lessons were very engaging and informative, and the projects were practical and helped me to apply what I learned."

"The course is well-paced and the lessons are easy to follow."

"The videos are engaging and the quizzes are helpful for checking your understanding."

Relevant, current, and insightful

"I learn lots!"

"This course provides the information you need in an engaging fashion, it's one of the best courses I've taken."

"The course's content aligns with the current best practices."

Time-consuming and stressful

"The course load can be heavy at times."

"The deadlines are strict."

"The workload is overwhelming."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Boosting Productivity through the Tech Stack with these activities:

Review of Sales Fundamentals

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Refresh your understanding of sales fundamentals to enhance your effectiveness in using Salesforce tools and strategies.

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Review materials on sales process and techniques
Identify areas for improvement
Practice applying these fundamentals in mock sales scenarios

Udemy Course: Salesforce for Beginners

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Supplement your learning with this beginner-friendly Udemy course, providing a comprehensive overview of the Salesforce platform and its key functionalities.

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Enroll in the Udemy course
Watch the video lectures and complete quizzes
Practice the exercises and assignments
Connect with the instructor and fellow learners for support

Salesforce Technical Seminar: A Deep Dive into Salesforce's Technical Architecture

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Kick-start your Salesforce journey by attending this informative seminar, designed to equip you with a solid understanding of the Salesforce platform's technical foundation.

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Register for the seminar
Attend the live session
Take detailed notes and actively participate in discussions
Follow up with the instructor for any clarifications

11 other activities

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Refresh Your Salesforce Knowledge

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Revisit the basics of Salesforce and its key features to strengthen your foundation.

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Review the Salesforce Trailhead modules on the fundamentals of Salesforce.
Go through your notes or past coursework related to Salesforce.
Take practice quizzes or mock exams to test your understanding.

Salesforce Trailhead: Hands-on Training Modules

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Reinforce your Salesforce knowledge by working through Trailhead's interactive modules, providing you with hands-on experience in a real-world setting.

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Create a Trailhead account
Select relevant modules
Complete the modules at your own pace
Participate in the Trailblazer community for support

Practice Using Salesforce Features

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Immerse yourself in hands-on exercises to refine your proficiency with Salesforce tools and features.

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Create a Salesforce sandbox and practice setting up accounts, contacts, and opportunities.
Explore the Salesforce AppExchange and install sample apps to enhance your workflow.
Work through guided tutorials on Salesforce's website to master specific features.

Salesforce User Group Meeting

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Expand your network and learn from seasoned professionals by attending a local Salesforce User Group meeting, providing opportunities for knowledge sharing and industry insights.

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Find a local Salesforce User Group
Attend a meeting
Introduce yourself and connect with other members
Ask questions and share your experiences
Follow up with any connections you made

Explore Sales Intelligence Tools

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Seek out online tutorials and resources to delve deeper into the functionalities of sales intelligence tools.

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Identify top-rated sales intelligence tools in the market, such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator or Salesforce Sales Cloud.
Access vendor-provided tutorials or webinars to learn about their key features and benefits.
Explore free trials or demos to gain hands-on experience with the tools.

Study Group: Salesforce Certification Prep

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Sharpen your Salesforce skills and prepare for certification with a study group, allowing you to engage in peer discussions, quiz each other, and reinforce key concepts.

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Find or create a study group
Set regular meeting times
Review course materials together
Take practice tests and discuss answers
Provide feedback and support to each other

Develop Outreach Templates

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Craft effective outreach templates for various scenarios to streamline your communication with potential customers.

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Brainstorm different outreach channels, such as email, LinkedIn, or cold calling.
Research industry best practices and analyze successful outreach examples.
Create personalized templates that address specific customer pain points and value propositions.
Test and iterate your templates to optimize response rates.

Sales Outreach Plan

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Apply your Salesforce knowledge to create a comprehensive sales outreach plan, outlining your target audience, messaging strategy, and campaign execution.

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Define your target audience
Craft a compelling value proposition
Choose the right communication channels
Develop a personalized outreach sequence
Track your results and make adjustments as needed

Engage in Peer Discussions

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Connect with fellow learners to exchange ideas, share experiences, and reinforce your understanding.

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Join online forums or discussion groups dedicated to Salesforce and sales development.
Participate in Q&A sessions and contribute to discussions.
Organize or join study groups to collaborate on projects or review materials.

Become a Salesforce Mentor

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Solidify your knowledge by sharing it with others, providing guidance, and fostering their learning journey.

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Identify opportunities to mentor junior sales professionals or aspiring SDRs.
Provide one-on-one guidance, share industry insights, and answer their questions.
Create training materials or host workshops to share your expertise with a wider audience.

Contribute to Salesforce Open Source Projects

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Deepen your technical skills and contribute to the Salesforce ecosystem by participating in open source initiatives.

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Explore Salesforce's open source repositories on platforms like GitHub.
Identify projects that align with your interests and skillset.
Submit bug reports, feature requests, or code contributions to the community.

Career center

Learners who complete Boosting Productivity through the Tech Stack will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Sales Development Representative

The course teaches you how to enhance productivity by implementing tech tools that streamline this role's workflow. It introduces you to various best-in-class sales software that helps you achieve the most optimal results. By the end of the course, you’ll feel confident in formulating bulletproof outreach strategies to engage with prospective customers. It can help you to launch a career in the non-technical side of the tech industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Development Representative

Sales Engineer

Understanding how to use tech tools and other aspects of this course's syllabus are helpful for this role, especially for the tech industry. It teaches you about tech stack, customer relation management (CRM), sales intelligence tools, and social media and video prospecting tools.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Engineer

Account Manager

See salaries and explore the career path for Account Manager

Product Manager

This course teaches you how to enhance productivity by implementing tech tools. It introduces you to various best-in-class sales software. By the end of the course, you’ll feel confident in formulating bulletproof outreach strategies. These skills are transferrable to this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Marketing Manager

Understanding how to use tech tools and other aspects of this course's syllabus are helpful for this role. It teaches you about tech stack, customer relation management (CRM), sales intelligence tools, and social media and video prospecting tools.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Business Analyst

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Customer Success Manager

Understanding how to use tech tools and other aspects of this course's syllabus are helpful for this role. It teaches you about tech stack, customer relation management (CRM), and social media and video prospecting tools.

See salaries and explore the career path for Customer Success Manager

Technical Writer

This course can help build a foundation for this role, especially for the tech industry. It teaches you about tech stack, customer relation management (CRM), and sales intelligence tools.

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Graphic designer

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Data Analyst

This course may be useful for this role, especially for the tech industry. It teaches you about tech stack, customer relation management (CRM), and sales intelligence tools.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Software Engineer

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Content Writer

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Web Developer

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UX Designer

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Project Manager

This course may be useful for this role, especially for the tech industry. It teaches you about tech stack, customer relation management (CRM), and sales intelligence tools.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager