I’m a fairly young sales person. None-the-less, I can still remember a time when I started utilizing sales tools in my sales career. The closest thing I had to field tools was a Blackberry with a stylus and my bulky laptop. Those were the days! I could check email and respond to email requests while on the road or in my car (not driving). I could be more effective in my sales role to the company! Now we are here in the year 2012. In the last decade we’ve seen so much change as sales professionals and managers that it’s almost unfathomable. Ashley came to me with this article and I told her I would gladly post this to our readers to get their attention! More sales individuals can utilize tools such as “smart devices” like the pads and other things to improve on their sales techniques, sales process, and opportunity close ratios. This advantage could be tremendous if used in a way that empowers them and their device to work smarter to gain attraction and close more sales business with their customer! I do hope you enjoy this read. I know I did! — Matt G.

So You Bought iPads for Sales – Now What? – By Ashley Furness

(Connect with Ashley – Facebook – Twitter – LinkedIN)

Published on April 24th, 2012 @ Software Advice —

Two telecom sales reps recently stopped by my office to pitch executives on their latest solution. Both toted iPads, which I assume were loaded with dazzling interactive presentations and other tools for elevating the pitch. But neither rep turned on their device.

This got me wondering, did they plan for how they were going to use their iPads? And if they did, what did that plan look like?

“We talk to companies all the time where they literally purchased iPads for their team with no idea of what they were going to be doing with them,” said Matthew Suggs, vice president of enterprise sales at Mediafly Inc., a company that develops iPad sales tools.

Apparently this was not an isolated incident. One recent study reported that while 78 percent of employers plan to deploy tablets across their organization (83 percent of which will opt for the iPad), more than half haven’t articulated a clear adoption strategy.

With this in mind, I wanted to offer a helping hand to readers wanting a ride on the iPad-for-sales bandwagon. I asked some mobile strategists what tips they would offer sales managers looking to maximize their iPad investment.

Read More…

I remember my first professional position at age 16. It was a Customer Service position for a newer public company at the time, now a Fortune 500. I spent the first 2 years of my career focusing on customer service. I worked 9AM – 6PM, I took part in active training sessions, I did After Business Hours Customer Service, I kept learning, speaking fluently about my position, seeking help. I was taking 50 calls or more a day. It was truly an earned paycheck at $7.25 hour. I learned as much as I could about what good customer service meant to a customer and what happened when they had a bad experience vs a good one. As a customer service representative it was my JOB, not “just a job” and it was my responsibility to do everything in the allowed processes and within my power to address any issue and make the customer feel like they were the only customer I would ever have – Speaking from experience, it takes a true talent, to turn an irate customer into a laughing customer. To this day, I bring my experience in Customer Service and Technical Training Skills to the table and the detailed customer service experience and process models I was taught with to The Sales Corner, and as well as my other professional positions. I’ve never let myself sway away from excelling at awesome Customer Service because it should be the forefront of any company brand, and should compliment the name and additional services as well as people that are put in front of the customers eyes and ears. After all, it’s the customers that keep all of our lights on in the end. Without customers, we would all suffer job loss, and loss of business revenue. – Matt Geier

Branding With Customer Service – By Drew Stevens
Published on March 14, 2012 @ Stevens Consulting Group Blog

When it comes to sales and marketing many do not believe customer service is part. This is untrue. Customer Service is a vital part. – Drew Stevens and a post on his thoughts about Customer Service and how it portrays your company brand!
Read More…

More Articles with “Customer Service” topics that you may find value in:

In Business to make money? Don’t forget about Value Add
Good Customer Service, Talent Makes a HUGE Difference
Look in the Mirror
The Importance of Caring for Customers

Business Trust Relationship

Relationships need to constantly be growing stronger and deeper every minute of every day. In this economy, this fact remains stressed every day in your profession. With layoff, unemployment at record lows, you need to build solid relationships with trust more now, than ever before. It’s a fact in sales and small business in general, that people want to work with people they know and most of all, those whom they know they can trust.

The capacity to build a trusting relationship is what every business needs and should make it a set requirement if the business goals are set to win and survive the long haul. Without trust – in something – or – someone – how is any ones business going to survive, or more-so, be expected to sustain in a downturn without trust?

Read more in this guest post by Matt Geier on the Increase Sales Blog….. and decide how you will start to build your Business Trust Relationship now!

The Sales Corner LLC Facebook Group

We have recently opened up The Sales Corner LLC group to the Public! Those who wish to join are welcome! We are also going to be releasing our exclusive Members Only Content as well! It’s coming soon! Stay Tuned!
 

The Sales Corner LLC Facebook Group “Link”

Kathy Hanson has mentored, coached and worked with entrepreneurs all over the country to take their businesses to the next level. Armed with an MBA, years of experience working in and with Fortune 100 companies and then happily and with all her might venturing out on her own successfully to launch Backpocket Strategy. She brings passion and real world practicality to her clients. As a marketing and business strategy project manager with first tier companies she specialized in developing strategies that create real value and establishing systems for sustainable success. Focused and efficient, she works with clients to raise profitability, set timelines and build businesses that are sustainable. A valuable and successful asset for any serious team!

Jeb Blount is the author of “PowerPrinciples” and “People Buy You: The New Psychology of Selling”. With over 20 years experience in sales and marketing he is considered one of the leading experts in sales and sales leadership. Most recently, as Vice President of Sales for an $11 billion, Fortune 500 company, he created a rich tradition of performance excellence. Jeb also became the only Sales and Marketing leader in the history of the organization to win the coveted President’s Award. At his core, Jeb lives with a philosophy that in every endeavor there are a handful of key principles, the basics, which, if focused on intently, will drive peak performance and achievement. He is a sought after seminar leader and keynote speaker known for his ability to inspire his audiences to action.

Larry Reeves – COO
EVP Sales

With over 30 years sales and marketing experience, Larry Reeves brings a multidimensional perspective to any executive team he participates with. He has managed virtually every aspect of the inside sales industry, from building high performing sales organizations to the strategic development of outsourcing and channel partnerships. Additionally, Larry has application development and sales experience with custom solutions, and also has a record as a front line sales manager. An exceptional team builder and motivator, Larry has certainly developed a well-earned reputation for his operational expertise and ability to improve efficiency and productivity. He is a recognized authority in performance tracking and management, CRM tools and data management, and sales and marketing programs.
 

 

Bob Perkins

Bob Perkins brings over 20 years of inside sales experience. He is a nationally-recognized inside sales innovator. He has extensive executive experience building and leading highly successful inside sales organizations. During his career he has created unique inside sales systems and structures, including team selling models, compensation plans, rewards and recognition programs, performance management tools, and sales campaigns which have been adopted by many of the nation’s largest companies such as Unisys, Silicon Graphics, and United Health Group. Bob is the CEO and Founder of the American Association of Inside Sales Professionals. His experience lends him the opportunity to be a sought-after sales consultant sales leader within the inside sales authorities in the United States.

 

Todd Schnick

Since 2003 Todd has started six companies including The Intrepid Group, LLC, The High Velocity Organization, and Dreamland Interactive. They have been comprised of marketing firms serving various markets and industry sectors. Todd’s messaging, strategy, and social media integrations with his business, and his clients, fall squarely within his key areas of the Marketing Business expertise that he continues to share and grow in his follower base.
Todd launched his career in politics serving as aide to a U.S. congressman. He later served as political director of the Florida GOP during the 2000. This is one way to understand the leadership and influence that Todd and his company can bring to the table in a world of such dynamic change with Business.

 

Doyle Slayton

Doyle Slayton is an internationally recognized Sales and Leadership Strategist, Speaker, and Blogger. He is the founder of SalesBlogcast.com, the online community where business professionals network, share best-practices, and make each other better!
Some of Doyle’s most popular writings include, Four Disciplines of Extraordinary Leaders, 10 Things I Love About Cold Calling, Trust and Credibility, Social Web Your Career to the Next Level, and many more! Throughout his career, Doyle has consistently achieved the #1 ranking among all producers in the company. He has a track record of coaching his managers and his staff to consistently rank among the top teams in the country.