Because every industry, organization, sales process, sales person and even sales technique is so vastly different, no sales tools can be created equal. We’ve seen time and time again that the templatizing and generalizing of sales tools leads nowhere, except perhaps to sitting in a dusty binder on a shelf or filed in the back of an overstuffed filing cabinet. In order to create sales tools that truly work, we believe that each one needs to be completely customized for the client. We also realize that companies aren’t cookie-cutter versions of one another; therefore some sales tools that make a big difference in one company’s culture will not be meaningful in another’s.

We take great pride in becoming a core part of our client’s company infrastructure, and becoming their go-to person for sales tools and techniques. In order to do this effectively, sales tools need to be accessible, customized and meaningful. They need to become a core part of the sales person’s daily life on the job, and this means that sales management and teams need to be involved in the creation of their tools to provide the crucial feedback necessary to make lasting deliverables. Although this takes much more time and work than creating carbon copies of sales tools for each of our clients, we can sleep at night knowing that our clients have sales toolboxes that are able to create quantifiable and sustainable results.

Supply Chain Faux Pas

While there are stricter controls on child labour than there used to be, for many industries it’s difficult to track exactly how workers are treated in their manufacturing plants. When information does surface that employees are mistreated, companies have a few options in how to respond. If your company depends on overseas manufacturing, you should be keenly aware of this process. Western markets tend to be very sensitive to news that their products are the result of child labour. Responding correctly may involve volunteering for independent investigations, internal reporting, and other measures taken to insure workers aren’t being exploited. Sales management training can give you a lead in this area.

Daily Operations Management

After you’ve assured that your supply chain is clean, there are some things to be done about guaranteeing that supplies make it to your store on time. The general rule of thumb is to order things before you run out – and before you’re in much danger of running out – so that you always have products and supplies when you need them. For retail stores, there’s a careful balance to be determined; product that can be moved is more valuable than products that need to be return to make room for newer offerings. Sales management training can help you figure out how much volume moves into and out of your store at different intervals. Gathering this information leads to informed decisions about what needs to be ordered when.

Plan for Late, Not Early

In a perfect world, every shipment would arrive on time. In the real world, that doesn’t happen. Some shipping services offer guaranteed delivery dates, but they can be expensive. The best way to avoid overpaying for shipping is to buy often and early. If you plan on every shipment being a little bit late, be it office supplies or product to be shelved, you’ll be prepared for the times when shipments don’t arrive when they’re supposed to. By planning for this contingency in advance, you avoid the frantic moments that ensue when something doesn’t arrive on time.

Sales management training can help you avoid public relations nightmares, both by keeping product on your shelves and being sure that your product has a clean track from manufacturer to shelf. As a business owner, some of these things may seem out of your control – they’re not. Customers pay attention to the details. If you’re interested in finding out more about sales management training, call for a free consultation.

Convenience and Immediacy

When it comes to making purchases, many online vendors know that you have only a few seconds to convert a page view into a sale. The same thing is true in the physical world – convenience and immediate purchasability make a huge difference. The biggest advantage physical stores can have is that they offer immediate availability – once someone is inside the door, the ability to walk out with a product in-hand, without the hassle of shipping, is quite profound. A sales consulting company can help you present your products in a way that encourages people to make purchases because of their convenience. This includes advertising, but also the way your store is laid out.

Exclusive Products

Many stores are working on deals with suppliers to receive exclusive products. This is a great way to get people coming through the door. If products simply aren’t available on the internet, then the people who really want them will need to come in. This can be seen in action in any number of television-exclusive product offerings – those companies stay in business because they offer things that may not be available otherwise. Once the customer is in the door, it’s up to your sales team, the layout of the store, and the overall customer experience to push the products out the door.

Large Scale Items and Comparisons

Finally, one of the biggest benefits for brick and mortar stores is the ability to display items. Product demonstrations and displays give customers the ability to assess quality before buying. On the one hand, this means that physical stores are expected to have higher quality items. However, the security of knowing what something will look and, more importantly, feel like, before buying, is something that simply can’t be accomplished over the internet. A good sales consulting company will help you use this fact to your advantage. Likewise, a sales floor is great for setting products up side by side. Online retailers frequently have some sort of comparison system, but it doesn’t meet the experience of looking at one product next to another.

If you’re the owner of a small business that depends on foot traffic to meet sales numbers, you may want to think about hiring a sales consulting company. Not only will they help you improve advertising and customer volume, they’ll help you align your store to make the most of the customers who enter.

Hardware Vendors

The hardware manufacturers are in a bit of a bind right now. With record setting flooding in Thailand, the price of hard disk drives has doubled and shows no signs of slowing. The increased cost for new hardware combined with an economic recession is putting vendors in difficult positions. Some of the larger companies have chosen to escape desktop manufacturing altogether – focusing instead on mobile and tablet markets. Those that remain are in good position to gain leverage on the market if they can survive the coming onslaught. Their sales teams are currently operating in overdrive to maintain customer support.

Handheld Devices and Smartphones

There’s a marketing war happening between handheld device makers. Everyone is vying for the coveted top spot, and the market isn’t all speaking the same language. Consumers are offered several competing mobile options, and no solid winner has emerged. This is the prime time for sales consulting. Any edge in this environment could be the determining factor. To market these sorts of devices, you need a concrete knowledge of three things – what your product is and how it differs from other offerings, who your target market is, and how you’re selling to them. The phone ecosystem isn’t going to go away – the other devices may prove less successful. Given the right sales strategies, though, it’s likely at least some of them will succeed.

A Time of Revolution

The high tech market is susceptible to high rates of change. Right now, a handheld device has ten times the computational power of a high end desktop from only a few years ago. The major markets have changed their approach to this somewhat. The offering of LTE – long term evolution – devices is meant to curb the need to continually market and re-market devices. They’re meant to grow along with the demands of customers, specced for something slightly beyond present demand and able to adapt in ways as yet unpredicted.

This is an incredible time for sales consultation. There are innumerable viable markets and niche audiences all begging for products to fill them. If you have one such product, we can help you firmly wedge it into place. If you have any questions about our high tech sales strategies, please don’t hesitate to contact us.