Zack Deris

Strategic Advisor | A* Community Builder | Digital Transformation Specialist | Chief Growth Officer | Web3 Investor

At ZDTS, we've revolutionized how businesses approach sales by harnessing the power of AI. Our innovative strategies have attracted over 3,000 clients and generated seven figures in revenue, demonstrating a robust competency in high-ticket deal closures and inbound marketing. As Founder and CEO, my mission is to continue pushing the envelope in sales systems and marketing automation

Our passion is focused on helping Agencies, Marketing Departments & Independent consultants maximize their sales potential by utilizing social media platforms, building relationships and adding value to their clients. 

What you get: 

-Sales Workshops & Masterclasses
-Strategic Advisory and Consulting
-Lead Generation and Closing Deals
-Business Strategy
-Raising Capital

If you would like to apply to work with us, please send a detailed email to info@zackderis.com with the subject: “Service request” 
Thank you.

Founder & CEO

Welcome to ZDTS. 

We focus on simplifying the internet to help our clients grow, acquire new customers, and increase their brand visibility. 

Ways of working with us: 

- Web2/Web3 Marketing
- Advisory & Consulting services 
- Full sales takeover
- LinkedIn Live events
- Masterclasses & Workshops 
- Raising Cap

If you're looking to build a community, scale your agency, or improve your content production, please book a call with us via www.zackderis.com

PLEASE stop spending $75,000 a year on sales tools

This is the ONLY setup we're using for sales in 2026...

Apollo . io [$49/user/month] + Claude . ai [$17/user/month]

Total: $794/year

Apollo recent Claude MCP integration has sales team reevaluating their setups

I tested the full outbound loop so you don't have to 
[Setup takes 2 min]

1. Claude
2. Customize
3. Connectors
4. Toggle Apollo on

No API keys | No CSV exports | No tab switching

Here's what we did: 

1. Prospecting

Prompt: 
↳'Find CTOs at Series B Saas companies in NY, 50-200 employees'

Results: 
→Results returned in 10 seconds
→Claude translates plain English into an Apollo search
→Works for tech stack targeting, recently funded biz, hiring signals etc...

You just replaced Lusha [$3,000] and ZoomInfo [$25,000]

2. Enrichment

Prompt:
↳'Bulk enrich the following contacts and return their verified emails, phone numbers, and job titles'

Results: 
→Contact enrichment duration: Instant
→Company enrichment: Funding, tech stack, headcount, news
→Buld enrich 25 contacts: 100% accurate, written back into Apollo

You just replaced Clay [$8,500]

Apollo stays the system of record. No exporting, copy pasting or data loss

3. CRM actions

Prompt:
↳'Create a new record in Apollo for each of these results with the following details: First name, Last name, Email, Job title, Company, Phone, Location'

Results: 
→Creates a contact record directly inside Apollo
→Retrieves records with permission controls intact
→Updates an existing contact without leaving Claude

You just replaced Hubspot [$10,000]

4. Sequencing

Prompt:
↳ 'Search my Apollo sequences + find the best match for a contact who is a [Job title] at a [Industry] company in [Location] with [Employee range] employees'

Results: 
→Add contacts to sequences  in one prompt
→See all active sequences + live performance stats
→Remove contacts + check enrolment all inside Claude

You just replaced Outreach [$6k], Instantly [$5k] and Salesloft [$10k]

5. The full Outbound Loop

One Prompt:
↳'Find leads → enrich contacts → create records → add to sequence'

Results: 
→Done
→End to end
→One tab, one conversation

This workflow used to take hours across 8 tools. 

Now, it takes on prompt, in Claude, using Apollo. 

Don't believe everything you read on LinkedIn though. 

Comment 'PROMPTS' or DM me and I'll send you: 

1. My personal 21 prompt Apollo <> Claude Prompt Library
2. Full Claude MCP setup guide 

The Library includes prompts for: 

→Enrichment
→CRM actions
→Full outbound loops
→Sequence management 
→Prospecting and discovery

What used to cost $75,000 a year, now only costs $794. 

This is the future of AI in sales

Same output → One workspace

Thank you Apollo for making this possible.

BREAKING: Apollo just launched their MCP App on Claude!

I tested both Apollo's & Clay's Claude MCP so you don't have to:

Setup [2min]
→ Claude > Settings > Connectors > Apollo  > Clay

With both connectors live in the same chat, the execution test began

1: Prospecting & Discovery

Prompt: 'Find CTOs at Series B SaaS companies in NY with 50-200 employees"

Apollo:

→Claude translated the request into an Apollo People Search
↳Results returned from Apollo's database in 42 seconds

I also tested:

→Tech stack targeting
→Recently funded companies
→Decision makers at named accounts
→Companies actively hiring [Job posting signals]

Clay:

-Clay is optimized for enriching companies you already know
-It is not designed for broad discovery from scratch [without domains]

Dif:

✓ - Apollo enables discovery + search inside Claude
✗ - Clay Primarily enhances predefined lists

2: Enrichment

Prompts:

→Enrich a single contact
→Bulk enrich 25 contacts
→Enrich company [funding, tech stack, news]
→Pull job postings

Apollo:

→100% accurate enrichment on 25 leads
→Outputs were written back into Apollo
→Apollo remained the system of record

Clay:

→22/25 accurate enrichment results
→Outputs lived inside the chat session and didn't sync to Clay
→Preserving the data required exporting

Dif:

✓ - Claude pushed research, enrichment and data continuity into Apollo
✗ - Clay couldn't

3: CRM Actions

Prompts:

→Create a new contact record
→Update an existing contact
→Retrieve a contact already in CRM

Apollo: 

→Contact created directly inside Apollo
→Contact updated without leaving Claude
→Record retrieval respected user permissions

Clay:

→No CRM write functionality
→No ability to create or update Clay records

Dif:

✓ - Apollo enables real write actions inside Claude
✗ - Clay does not provide CRM execution in Claude

4: Campaigns

Prompts:

→Add a contact to a sequence
→Check which contacts are enrolled
→Remove a contact from a sequence
→Show all active sequences + performance stats

Apollo:

→Sequences returned instantly
→Performance stats visible inside Claude
→Contacts added directly to live sequences

Clay:

→Does not manage outbound sequences
→No execution layer tied to campaigns

Dif:

✓ - Apollo completes the outbound activation step
✗ - Clay stops at enrichment

5: The full outbound loop

Prompt:

→Find leads
→Enrich contacts
→Create contact records
→Add to a live sequence

Apollo:

→Completed full search
→No tab switching
→No CSV exports
→No API keys

Clay:

→Supports enrichment
→Does not execute full outbound loop end-to-end

Strategic difference:

Apollo turns Claude into a workspace | Clay is an enrichment layer

If your goal is drafting insights, both work
If your goal is running outbound, only one completes the loop

To help, I built 21 Claude-ready prompts for Apollo. It Includes:

-Prospecting
-Enrichment
-CRM actions
-Sequencing
-Outbound loops

Drop 'CLAUDE' below or DM me and I'll send you the library

Well done Apollo, this one was impressive.

PLEASE stop using 8+ platforms to automate everything. 

The 1% are switching to this tool in 2026... here's why: 

Most teams still duct-tape together: 

n8n
Make
Zapier
Albato
Workato
Integrately
Pipedream
Power Automate

And i'm not knocking them, each one is good at something. 

-Custom scripts
-Visual builders
-Quick automations
-Enterprise approvals
-Microsoft integrations

But it's not  2025 anymore. 

Together, they create: 

→Fragmented logic
→No shared standards
→Engineer bottlenecks
→Zero cross-team visibility
→Governance as an afterthought
→Workflows that break in production

So team keep adding tools, instead of fixing the system. 

What's actually scaling in 2026 is ONE platform that handles: 

→Simple automations 
→Complex branching
→Non-technical builders
→Reusable workflow logic
→Cross-ecosystem integrations
→Leadership visibility by default 

That's Activepieces. 

Not another automation tool
↳The execution layer. 

Zapier automates tasks
Make connects apps
n8n runs flows

Activepieces runs your organization. 

In 2025, you stacked tools. 
In 2026, you consolidate them. 

Ofc, this is biased, I get it. BUT, to prove my point: 

I've built 150+ automation workflows that you can plug and play. 

DM me or comment 'AI' below and i'll send them to you to test out. 

The future of AI and automation isn't 1000s tools. 
↳It's the tools that actually work.

PLEASE stop using ChatGPT for everything. 

These are the 8 tools the 1% are using: 

1. Anthropic's Claude → Writing

ChatGPT drafts, but your voice gets  diluted fast. 
Claude keeps tone tighter, and edits cleaner. 
Best when you are writing for money. 

2. Perplexity AI → Research

ChatGPT explains, but it can blur source vs opinion. 
Perplexity gives answers with citations you can check. 
Use it to validate, then write with confidence. 

3. Teal → Resumes

ChatGPT can rewrite a resume, but it is not a resume system. 
Teal builds ATS-ready versions p er role, with keyword targeting. 
One master profile, many tailored applications. 

4. Apollo → Email and Sales

ChatGPT writes copy, but copy alone does not book meetings. 
Apollo is targeting, enrichment, sequencing, tracking, replies. 
It turns messaging into revenue. 

5. Google's Gemini → Studying

ChatGPT helps, but studying needs structure and repetition
Gemini is strong for step-by-step explanations and self-testing.
Summaries, quizzes, flashcards = fast. 

6. Notion AI → Note-taking

ChatGPT is outside your workspace, that creates friction.
NotionAI works inside your notes and projects. 
Turns messy pages into summaries, tasks and docs.

7. Rows.com AI → Data interpretation

ChatGPT can interpret, but it is not where the data lives. 
Rows AI works in the spreadsheet, with tables and formulas
Analysis becomes something you can share and reuse. 

8. Activepieces → AI Agents

ChatGPT suggests automations, then you still have to build them. 
Activepieces runs real workflows across your stack. 
Triggers, actions, agents, execution. 

In 2025, we asked AI to help us. 
In 2026, AI will do the work for us. 

Try one tool a week and let me know how you get on. 

P.S. What other tools are you using that I should try?

PLEASE stop sending these messages.

This is the formula the 1% are using: 

95% of outbound fails before the first reply
Bad messaging kills deals before they start
Fix that today → Comment or DM me 'AI' for my templates :) 

These Messaging templates book us 100s of meetings a year. 

In the last week on January, I booked 27 meetings for February in under 3 days. 

I did it all  by using only Apollo, LinkedIn, Calendly, Loom & these scripts.

My Apollo AI System [Setup time: 17 minutes]:

-People search to build the list
-Persona to lock the ICP
-Verified emails only
-Buying intent set to high
-Save search + add leads to a list
-Sequences to run the 4-day campaign
-Call task on day 3 to book the meeting
-Loom video on day 4 [If needed] 

System for everything else:

LinkedIn
↳Engage in content and add value

Calendly
↳Qualifying questions to break the ice

Loom
↳Showcase social proof, workflow & testimonials

How I use the messaging templates: 

-Comment on their post first
-Connection request reference the post
-Day 1 email references the connection request
-Day 2 email is 2 sentences and pre-frames the call
-Day 3 call asks for a specific time for a 15 minute meeting
    ↳If missed, voicemail + short follow up email will be sent
-Day 4 Loom shows social proof, workflow and my testimonials
-Calendly Link is only placed strategically inside the Loom video

Why this works: 

-Every message has context
-Nothing sounds automated
-You earn attention before you ask for time
-Each step builds familiarity and trust, not pressure
-Apollo controls timing so nothing is rushed or random

This isn't volume outreach. 
↳ It's structured, intentional messaging. 

Comment or DM me 'AI' and I'll send you the full doc. 

And when you book your first meeting in 2 hours, come back and write me a testimonial lol

Please STOP using 8+ AI Sales platforms for your Outbound

We use 1 AI powered platform to book 27 meetings a week:

[Drop 'AI' below if you want my swipe file with outreach templates]

-I don't chase leads
-I don't write long copy
-I don't jump between AI tools.

For the past few years, I've been using one clean system inside Apollo

Here's the TL;DR: 

-Search for people [not companies]
-Lock your ICP once using 'Personas'
-Filter 'verified emails' only 
-Use 'lookalikes' from past customers
-Layer 'buying intent' set to high
-Enrich everything with 'AI research'
-Save search + add to 'Leads List'
-Build a simple 4 day sequence
-Create AI workflow to add net-new leads, weekly. 

Setup time: 17 minutes. 

After that, Apollo's AI runs it for you. 

If they reply → Book the meeting. 
If they ghost → Move on. 

No chasing, guessing or heavy lead gen. 

That's how I booked 27 meetings a week  [when needed]

Drop 'AI' below  if you want the exact structures I use for: 

1. Connection Requests
2. All emails [Auto + manual] 
3. Booking Meetings Script

This is how outbound actually scales in 2026. 

One platform, that does it all.

Please STOP using 8+ AI Sales platforms for your Outbound

We use 1 AI powered platform to book 117+ calls a month:

This month, we tested every major AI sales Platform - at scale.
We compared UX, pricing, features, data, AI and execution. 
Out of 9 tools and 11 categories, the winner is.... 

Apollo. 

Listen, I'm a sales trainer, I'm not here to hate on tools. 

Every platform in this comparison is good. They all have loyal users and strong products. 

But this experiment wasn't about "good". 

It was about one question: 

'Can any platform replace my entire GTM stack?' 

For context → I've closed 7 figs+ using Apollo . io
I've taught hundreds how to use the platform
I use it daily. My clients use it daily. 

So I know exactly what's required to run sales end-to-end. 

Here's what I tested across every platform: 

→Data
→Buying Intent
→AI research
→Messaging [Email + LinkedIn]
→Sequencing
→Workflows & automation
→Calls & dialling
→ Analytics across the full GTM loop

Not one-off features. 
↳End-to-end execution. 

Apollo was the only platform that checked every box in one place.

The other platforms does parts of the job well. Some are great at: 

-Enrichment
-Sequences
-Analytics
-Calling
-Data

But stitching them together means more: 

→Cost
→Tools
→Time lost
→Integrations
→Failure points

This comparison wasn't about replacing one tool. 
↳It was about replacing the entire stack. 

Sales, Lead Gen, Biz Dev, Messaging, Workflows, Analytics & AI. 

For teams that need everything working together, not duct-taped [lol]...

Apollo is the clear winner. 

That's not theory, it's lived experience. I spent at least 4-5 hours per platform doing the experiment. I've used all the platforms before, so I wasn't a novice user. 

If you're running a lean team, scaling outbound, o r supporting multiple clients, this matters. 

1 platform. 1 GTM loop. 1 Source of truth. 

No hate, no hype, just what actually works. 

To prove my point, I've recorded a 60 min tutorial on how I use the AI platform to consistently find leads and book meetings. 

Drop 'GTM' in the comments bellow and I'll DM it to you. 

P.S. - Am I wrong? Let me know. I'm curious what platform's y'all are using. 

Thanks!

PLEASE stop paying for Claude, Gemini & ChatGPT

This is how I use all of them for FREE: 

In the last 2 months, I've been running every major LLM inside one platform

No multiple subscriptions, tab switching or API connections. 

Do this: 

1. Go to Activepieces → Free sign up 
↳200 Monthly credits + a dollar for an extra 1000 credits

2. Click 'Explore' → Build a workflow
↳Choose from 200+ templates or 'Start from scratch' 

3. Add 'Ask AI' Step

→Inside the workflow builder, pick the Model 
   ↳[Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini etc]
    ↳Define structured output if needed
     ↳Write your prompt

That's it. The AIs will talk to each other and get the work done

You're now using any LLM inside an automated system

How I'm using the models: 

1. Claude → Long-form thinking

Workflow: 

A) New document uploaded 
B) Claude summarizes + restructures it
C) Generates Executive Brief
D) Sends to Slack

[Claude = Clarity + structured reasoning]

2) Gemini → Research + trend scanning

Workflow: 

A) New industry news
B) Gemini analyzes it
C) Extracts key insights
D) Drafts LinkedIn post
E) Sends for Approval 

Gemini = research assistant on autopilot

3) ChatGPT → Sales deal intelligence

Workflow: 

A) New deal created in CRM
B) GPT analyzes notes, emails + call transcripts
C) Predicts close probability & flags risks
D) Suggests next best actions

GPT = Revenue analyst

You're not replacing the models. 
You're orchestrating them inside one system

That's the difference between 'Using AI' and 'Operationalizing AI' 

Comment 'AI' below or DM me if you want my Activepieces Templates, which include workflows for: 

-HR
-Sales
-Marketing
-Operations

And every other department within your organization. 

I've implemented these templates for 50+ organizations this past month and they're all crushing. 

Huge thank you to Activepieces for making this possible. 

By far, the best AI Agent/automation platform I've ever used.

No alternative text description for this image

PLEASE stop using these platforms for everything

99% of vibe coders are switching to this tool in 2026:

Most teams duct-tape Zapier, Make and n8n together like its 2023. 

Then wonder why nothing scales. 

Here's what people think these tools do and why Activepieces replaces all of them: 

1. Zapier → For quick automations 

You connect trigger → action. It works... until logic, approvals or edge cases show up. Then it breaks

Activepieces runs the same triggers but adds branching, context, retries, and governance. So workflows survive production. 

2. Make → For visual workflows

You drag pretty blocks on a canvas. Every team builds differently. Nothing is reusable. 

Activepieces enforces shared patterns so workflows look simple but behave consistently across teams. 

3. n8n → For power users

You build complex flows. Only engineers can touch them. Everyone else waits. 

Activepieces keeps the power but lets n on-technical teams build safely. No bottlenecks. 

4. Workato → For enterprise orchestration 

You get approvals, controls and audit logs. You also get long contracts, slow rollouts and heavy overhead. 

Activepieces gives enterprise -grade orchestration without locking execution behind procurement cycles. 

5. Microsoft Power Automate → Because IT said so 

It works well inside Microsoft tools. Outside of that, customization is p ainful and rigid. 

Activepieces integrates with Microsoft without forcing your entire organization into one ecosystem. 

6. Pipedream → For custom Scripts 

You write flexible code that runs in the background. Leadership has no idea it exists. Ownership disappears. 

Activpeieces runs the same logic with visibility, Monitoring and accountability build in. 

7. Albato → For edge-case integrations 

You connect apps quickly, there's no system design. Nothing scales beyond the first use case. 

Activepieces turns one workflow into reusable logic across multiple teams. 

8. Integrately → For one-click automations. 

It promises instant setup. Until you need conditions, logic or real workflows. Then you hit the ceiling. 

Activepieces starts simple and grows into production-grade systems without rebuilding later. 

Zapier automates tasks. 
Make connects apps. 
n8n runs flows. 

Activepieces runs the organization. 

In 2025, you used 8 tools for automation. 
In 2026, you only need 1 platform. 

Try it and let me know how you get on. 

P.S. What other tools are you using that I should try?

Last week, I announced 'I use only ONE Sales Platform'...

& LinkedIn went wild. The comments were insane...

-'We're in 2026, how can you only use 1 platform?' 
-How do you handle Personalization with only 1 platform'
-'You're capping yourself by not using several data sources'
-'You're left behind not using Open claw and Claude Cowork' 

But that was just a few, the rest were surprisingly positive: 

-'We have Apollo and looking to use it more efficiently'
-'We switched our entire GTM stack to Apollo last year'
-'Apollo has the best UX I've seen on sales platforms'
-'We've saved money and time with Apollo's AI'

Some get it and some will just follow the hype. 

However, there was one common theme though: 

Because there is so much you can do on Apollo, people have many questions. 

I like answering questions and helping people win with platforms that work.

I've spent the best part of the last 5 years: 

-Mastering Apollo
-Building step by step guides
-Generating 6-7 figures a year
-Running hundreds of campaigns a month
-Training Thousands of newbies on the platform 

Therefore, I've teamed up with Apollo to answer your questions. 

Brianna Chapman & I will be hosting a Live 2 hour Q&A on Tuesday, February 24th at 10 AM EST / 8 AM PST. 

I'll be offering guidance and resources on: 

→Workflows
→Sequences
→Lead Filters
→Buying Intent
→Best sales practises
→Outreach campaigns
→And so much more...

[Invite only]

DM me or comment 'QA' below and I'll send you: 

-RSVP & Q&A access
-All of my Apollo step-by-step guides

Over 2M+ people use Apollo everyday. Come and find out why.

I booked 27 qualified meetings in 3 days

I didn't use an agency, content or Ads

Just the right platform & templates

Most people think outbound is complicated. 
It's not, it's just usually done wrong.

I don't chase leads
I don't write long copy
I don't jump between AI tools.

For the past few years, I've been using one clean system inside Apollo

Here's the TL;DR: 

-Search for people [not companies]
-Lock your ICP once using 'Personas'
-Filter 'verified emails' only 
-Use 'lookalikes' from past customers
-Layer 'buying intent' set to high
-Enrich everything with 'AI research'
-Save search + add to 'Leads List'
-Build a simple 4 day sequence
-Create AI workflow to add net-new leads, weekly. 

Setup time: 17 minutes. 

After that, Apollo's AI runs it for you. 

If they reply → Book the meeting. 
If they ghost  → Move on. 

No chasing, guessing or heavy lead gen. 

That's how I booked 27 meetings in a few hours. 

DM me 'AI' if you want the exact scripts I used for: 

1. LinkedIn Connection Requests
2. All emails [Auto + manual] 
3. Booking Meetings Script

This is how outbound actually scales in 2026. 

Trust me on this one.

taplio