Building a RevOps Tech Stack: A Practical Guide
A RevOps tech stack isn't a shopping list. It's an architecture decision that affects every revenue-generating function in your company. Get it right and your sales, marketing, and CS teams operate from the same data with consistent processes. Get it wrong and you've got data silos, broken integrations, and teams that don't trust each other's numbers.
The Four Layers of a RevOps Stack
Every RevOps stack has four layers, regardless of company size:
Layer 1: System of Record. Your CRM. This is where all customer data lives and where every other tool pushes or pulls data. Salesforce, HubSpot, or Dynamics 365 for most B2B companies. This decision is foundational and expensive to change.
Layer 2: Data Layer. Enrichment, validation, and hygiene tools that keep your CRM data accurate and complete. ZoomInfo, Apollo, Clearbit, or similar. Also includes intent data providers like 6sense or Bombora.
Layer 3: Engagement Layer. The tools your teams use to interact with prospects and customers. Sales engagement (Salesloft, Outreach), marketing automation (HubSpot, Marketo), and customer success platforms (Gainsight, ChurnZero).
Layer 4: Intelligence Layer. Analytics, conversation intelligence, and reporting tools that help you understand what's working. Gong, Tableau, Looker, or your CRM's native reporting.
Start With the CRM. Everything Else Is Secondary.
Your CRM choice constrains every subsequent decision. Salesforce has the broadest integration ecosystem but the highest cost and complexity. HubSpot has the best UX and a strong free tier but less depth for enterprise use cases. Dynamics 365 wins if you're already a Microsoft shop.
For companies under 50 employees, HubSpot's free CRM is the best starting point. The upgrade path to paid tiers is straightforward, and the marketing tools are built in.
For companies over 100 employees with dedicated RevOps staff, Salesforce is still the default. The ecosystem depth, customization options, and talent pool are unmatched.
Don't choose a CRM based on today's needs. Choose based on where you'll be in 2-3 years. CRM migrations are expensive, disruptive, and take 3-6 months minimum.
The Data Layer: Less Is More
The biggest mistake in building a data stack is buying too many tools. A company running ZoomInfo, Apollo, Clearbit, and Lusha simultaneously is paying for overlapping data with no clear primary source.
Pick one primary data provider for contact and company data. Supplement with one or two specialized tools for specific gaps (e.g., intent data, phone verification).
For most mid-market companies, one of these combinations works:
Budget stack: Apollo (enrichment + outreach) + LinkedIn Sales Navigator (research)
Mid-market stack: ZoomInfo (enrichment) + Salesloft or Outreach (engagement) + LinkedIn Sales Nav
Enterprise stack: ZoomInfo (enrichment) + 6sense (intent + ABM) + Salesloft (engagement) + Gong (intelligence)
Don't buy intent data until you've nailed basic enrichment and hygiene. Intent data is powerful but only if your underlying data is clean enough to act on it.
Integration Strategy: The Unglamorous Part That Matters Most
Tools don't create value sitting next to each other. Value comes from data flowing between them.
Map your data flows before buying tools. Which system is the source of truth for each data type? Where does lead data originate? How does it get enriched? Where does engagement data go? What triggers a handoff from marketing to sales?
Native integrations beat custom builds. If Tool A has a native Salesforce integration, that's maintained by the vendor. A custom API integration is maintained by you (or your dev team). Prioritize tools with native connectors to your CRM.
Use an integration platform (Zapier, Make, or Workato) for the long tail. You'll always have edge-case integrations that don't justify custom development. A no-code integration platform handles these.
Build a data dictionary. Document what each field means, where it comes from, and which system is authoritative. This prevents the 'whose numbers are right?' arguments that plague every RevOps team.
What to Buy When: A Staging Framework
Stage 1 (0-20 employees): CRM (HubSpot free) + LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Total cost: ~$100/user/month. This covers basic contact management, deal tracking, and prospect research.
Stage 2 (20-50 employees): Add a data enrichment tool (Apollo or ZoomInfo) and a sales engagement platform (Salesloft or Apollo's built-in sequences). Total: $200-500/user/month depending on tools.
Stage 3 (50-200 employees): Add conversation intelligence (Gong), advanced analytics, and potentially intent data (6sense or Bombora). Dedicated RevOps hire to manage the stack. Total: $500-1,000/user/month.
Stage 4 (200+ employees): Full stack with specialized tools per function, dedicated data ops team, and formal governance processes. Custom integrations, data warehouse, and business intelligence layer. Total: varies widely.
The key principle: add tools when you've outgrown your current capability, not when a vendor gives you a good demo.
Common Mistakes
Buying tools before hiring ops people. Tools without someone to configure, maintain, and optimize them are expensive shelf-ware. Hire your RevOps person first, then let them pick the tools.
Optimizing for features over adoption. A tool with 100 features that nobody uses is worth less than a simple tool the whole team uses daily. Prioritize UX and training over feature checklists.
No data governance from day one. Every day without data standards is a day of garbage entering your CRM. Define required fields, naming conventions, and data quality rules before they become a cleanup project.
Treating the tech stack as permanent. Your stack should evolve as your company grows. Tools that worked at 20 employees might hold you back at 200. Budget for periodic re-evaluation and don't let sunk costs drive decisions.