What do you do if your Outside Sales performance needs a boost with technology and digital tools?

As an outside sales professional, you know how important it is to stay on top of your leads, prospects, and customers. You also know how challenging it can be to manage your time, territory, and tasks efficiently and effectively. That's why you need to leverage technology and digital tools to boost your outside sales performance and achieve your goals. In this article, you'll learn some tips and best practices for using technology and digital tools to enhance your outside sales skills and results.

1 Choose the right tools

Technology and digital tools can be a great asset for outside sales, as long as you use them wisely. You should choose the right tools that fit your needs, are easy to use, and don't replace the human touch with your prospects and customers. Essential tools for outside sales include a CRM system to track contacts, activities, opportunities, and deals, a sales automation tool to streamline tasks, a sales intelligence tool for research and qualification of prospects, a sales enablement tool for sharing content with prospects and customers, and a sales analytics tool to measure and optimize performance.

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Marcos Monterroso Godinho

CEO at Tikedo Spain | Global Executive | Managing Director | Board Member | International Expansion | Change & Transformation | Leadership | Industry | Retail | FMCG | Packaging
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Comienza por identificar las Ã¡reas especÃficas donde podrÃas beneficiarte de estas herramientas, como la gestiÃ³n de clientes, el anÃ¡lisis de datos o la automatizaciÃ³n de tareas. Luego, investiga y familiarÃzate con las herramientas disponibles en el mercado que se alineen con tus necesidades y objetivos comerciales. Aprovecha los recursos de formaciÃ³n y capacitaciÃ³n disponibles para dominar estas tecnologÃas y asegÃºrate de integrarlas de manera efectiva en tu proceso de ventas. No dudes en buscar asesoramiento o apoyo tÃ©cnico si es necesario. La combinaciÃ³n de habilidades humanas con herramientas digitales puede potenciar significativamente tu rendimiento en ventas externas y abrir nuevas oportunidades de crecimiento y Ã©xito profesional.

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2 Use the tools effectively

Having the right tools is essential, but it's not enough if you don't use them effectively. You should integrate your tools with each other and your existing systems and processes to avoid duplication, inconsistency, and confusion. Furthermore, make sure to update your tools regularly and follow the best practices and guidelines. To use your tools effectively, set up your CRM system to reflect your sales cycle, stages, and criteria. Utilize your sales automation tool to create personalized emails and automate repetitive tasks. Use your sales intelligence tool to research and segment prospects based on their industry, size, location, needs, and interests. Additionally, employ your sales enablement tool to create custom sales collateral that can be shared via email, text, or video. Finally, use your sales analytics tool to track sales metrics such as leads generated, appointments booked, proposals sent, deals closed, and revenue earned. This will help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.

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3 Leverage the tools to enhance your skills

Technology and digital tools can be a great asset to outside sales, but they cannot replace the necessary skills such as communication, negotiation, presentation, and closing. Soft skills like empathy, rapport, trust, and relationship-building are also essential. You can use your tools to improve your skills in various ways. For example, review and prepare for calls, meetings, and presentations with your CRM system; save time and energy with a sales automation tool; gain insights from a sales intelligence tool; showcase value proposition with a sales enablement tool; and evaluate and improve your sales skills with a sales analytics tool. By selecting the right tools and using them strategically to enhance your skills, you can increase your outside sales performance.

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4 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that donâ€™t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Mark Evans

Purpose Lead, Performance Driven, Transformational Sales Leader- Director of Sales, Plumbing and HVAC- Western Canada Wolseley Canada Inc
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When looking to sales enablement technology to improve sales efficiency, build use-cases based on your existing workflows and the circumstances under which the work happens. Buy a platform that fits your business and your customers (internal AND external) and focus on creating an effective implementation plan. Donâ€™t buy a platform full of features that donâ€™t fit your business, and that you will never use and donâ€™t expect your use-cases to change just because youâ€™ve purchased this technology. The more time you spend analyzing and planning the more likely you are to have a successful implementation and get a return on your investment. The technology is not a panacea for a poorly organized and executed workflow.

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Todd Garstad

Sales Operations Manager Southern Alberta
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Embracing change with due research and well planned responses will help with gaining valuable experience and learning. The ability to be out in front as much as possible is invaluable, use your suppliers and your customers as much as you can to stay relevant and top of mind with your base. Change is coming and constants moves with that in mind will be a priority

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What do you do if your Outside Sales performance needs a boost with technology and digital tools?

1

2

3

4

1 Choose the right tools

2 Use the tools effectively

3 Leverage the tools to enhance your skills

4 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

Outside Sales

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Directory

What do you do if your Outside Sales performance needs a boost with technology and digital tools?

1

2

3

4

1 Choose the right tools

2 Use the tools effectively

3 Leverage the tools to enhance your skills

4 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

Outside Sales

Rate this article

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