Sales is one of the oldest jobs in the world, and many believe it’s an industry that needs no innovation. Door-to-door sales have lasted this long, so it might seem as if no more improvements can be made. But in this new, technological world, sales is no more exempt from change than any other industry. Technology can help even the most old-fashioned sales team improve their efficiency, and these apps will give them the tools they need to get there. You’ll soon discover that there’s an app for every problem a salesman could encounter on the job and help transform or create small business.
1. Door-To-Door and Canvassing
Canvassing for door-to-door sales is one of the most time consuming aspects of being a field salesperson. Shouldn’t a salesperson’s time be taken up by interactions with clients and customers? Using a canvassing app can free up a lot of that valuable time for more important work, handling everything from territory management to controlling the appointments in your calendar. If you’re the type of salesperson with sticky notes and scribbles on napkins all over your desk, this kind of app can help you become more organized and will make your work more streamlined.
In addition to handling canvassing, these apps can make it easier for your team to communicate and track one another’s sales. It’ll be easier to see, at a glance, which members of the sales team should be distributed where, and allows the team to handle unforeseen issues on the go. It’s never been so simple to have a communicative and close-knit sales team.
2. Social Media
If you haven’t already heard, social media is the new frontier in sales. You might wish it weren’t true, but any successful sales team will inevitably have to use social media for a bulk of their networking. Apps such as LinkedIn can help salespeople make new connections with the click of a button, and make it easy to see who in the industry might be worth sending an invitation to chat privately. Through platforms like Twitter, it’s possible to develop your reputation as a knowledgeable salesperson, and you can further develop your following by sharing links to relevant articles, or even live-tweeting from industry conferences. If you’re trying to become a bigger player in your field, social media is by far the easiest and most readily available way to do it.
3. Note Taking
A big part of being in sales is the constant flow of information that the salesperson is responsible for collecting and recording for later use. A lot of salespeople struggle with this aspect, not knowing how to integrate notes taken on their phone with the ones they jotted down in a notebook during a meeting. Thankfully, there are countless apps to help you with this, for everything from voice memos to handwritten notes that can be scanned and uploaded to the cloud.
Cool new gadgets like RocketBook can handle all of your notes, lists, and screenshots by tucking them neatly into the cloud, ready to be emailed, sent over Slack, or whatever you want to do with them. Plus, an app can more easily be fit into your pocket than your notebook or planner. Freeing up space in your briefcase will help you feel more put-together and streamlined, and you may even have a new conversation starter.
4. Presentations
Some salespeople like presenting more than others, but regardless of your inclinations, it’s likely you could use some assistance with preparing slides, pitch decks, or whatever you need to show at the next meeting. If you struggle with the aesthetic aspects of presentations, apps like Keynote can help you make something visually appealing with little to no effort. Plus, presentation apps make it possible for your team to collaborate more easily across platforms, meaning your teammates can add last minute details from their iPhone. For a sales team full of busy schedules, ease of communication without having to meet in person is crucial.
5. Goal Setting
A major factor in productivity is your ability to set attainable goals during the workday. Perhaps you only have an hour between meetings to get work done. You could use any of the countless apps for the Pomodoro technique, which enforces work for 25 minute stretches, followed by a five minute break. Or maybe you’re someone who can’t stop adding items to the to-do list, making it impossible to make priorities and crush goals. Search for apps that will let you set deadlines for bigger goals, or one that will make you pick one goal to prioritize every day. For bad work habits that are tough to break, these apps can be incredibly helpful in setting boundaries and becoming more productive.
Don’t be afraid to harness the power of technology in becoming a better salesperson. Try some of these apps today, and discover a whole new world of productive salesmanship.
