Mobile devices have revolutionized everything from making a phone call to finding a date. It’s no surprise that they have revolutionized sales, too.
Top sales organizations know that mobile sales apps are powerful tools. In fact, high performers are 2 times more likely to use a mobile sales app than underperformers. And the use of mobile apps for salespeople will more than double in the next two years. (Source: Salesforce 2015 State of Sales report)
Smartphones, tablets and the mobile apps that turn those devices into sales power-tools are all but required for successful sales today. Especially for face-to-face sellers and field sales reps. The right app can make the difference between a lukewarm sales meeting and a hot new account.
But there are so many apps to choose from! So many devices, and so many features … it’s overwhelming.
Where is a salesperson to start?
Well, I’m going to help you with that.
I’ve put together a list of 10 ways you can use apps and mobile devices to sell more, close deals faster and maximize your face-to-face selling opportunities.
1. Instantly collect customer and prospect information.
Punching digits into your smartphone is challenging to do quickly. It’s even more challenging when a prospective customer is standing there watching you do it.
Business card scanners make the collection of customer details a snap. Try Evernote Scannable, CamCard or SamCard.
2. Have customers sign up or get their signature right on the screen.
Ditch the paperwork and – ugh – the frustrating game of “scan tag.” There are plenty of options today to gather customer account details and signatures from your mobile device. We’ve written previously about Adobe Fill & Sign which is the pick of the bunch in our humble opinion.
3. Use social media apps to connect with and learn more about your customers and buyers while on the road.
You probably keep tabs on your friends and family with Facebook, validate prospective buyers on LinkedIn, and eyeball the competition on Twitter. But social media gives you a great opportunity to learn a lot more about your customers while on the road, too.
Before that big face-to-face meeting, check out your customer on social media. Find out what they’re talking about. Keep an eye out for personal tidbits or professional wins that you can congratulate them on.
4. Use social media apps to learn more about the companies you sell to or want to sell to.
Like #3 above, you can use social media to learn more about companies you want to sell to.
What are their recent victories? What is the business’s focus and what are their goals for the year? How do they want to be perceived by their customers? You’ll get so much more insight through their company social-media accounts than you’ll find on their static websites.
And if you really want to go the extra mile, scope out their competition, too. Then you’ll be primed and ready to help your buyer stand out from the pack (using your product or service, of course).
5. Track the progress of your leads and prospects with mobile CRM and marketing automation systems.
How much easier would it be for you to enter the details of a sales conversation or add your new customer to your mailing list from your car after the meeting than to try to remember all the details when you got back to your desk?
You probably already use a customer relationship management tool (CRM) and a marketing automation system (MAS) so compliment those with the mobile app version as well.
6. Use a sales enablement tool that allows you to share brochures and spec sheets with your buyers and track their level of interest.
No doubt you use a range of sales and marketing materials in your sales meetings. If they’re printed, that means you’re hauling boxes of marketing assets with you on the road. If they’re digital, they may be hard to find from your mobile device – or you might not easily know which collateral is the most recent. And none of those things allow you to track how your customer is actually using those assets.
There’s a sales enablement tool for that. Showcase puts everything in one easy-to-use app – your brand assets, videos, presentations and marketing material. Never go searching through files on your mobile device during sales meetings again! Plus, with Showcase’s built-in analytics you’ll know exactly how your sales collateral is being used by your customers.
7. Use the telephone!
With all these great apps, it’s easy to forget that our smartphones still have telephone capability. Next time you’re looking through your list of prospects, consider who might actually appreciate a call from you rather than another email. Then ring ‘em up!
8. Text and SMS.
Admittedly, texting customers felt a bit odd to me when I first started doing it. But now I make a habit of texting customers and prospects appointment confirmations, meeting reminders or even casual hellos (depending on my relationship to them).
No one needs another email to respond to these days, and a text message is a simple, welcome relief for many people. Not sure if it’s okay for a particular customer? Ask them. Sales prospects who get text messages from sales reps convert 40% more than those who are not sent any text messages.
Pro tip: Text your customer before you head to a meeting with them, and ask what sort of hot beverage they'd like from the coffee shop!
9. Present the facts and figures.
While at first it might not feel natural to give a slideshow presentation to your buyer from your tablet, it can be a great way to build trust and reinforce your expertise. The ability to pull up and point to hard data and facts instantly is a huge credibility booster, too.
Check out how Mitsubishi Motors enhanced customer satisfaction with the ability to point directly to the facts.
10. Make a great first impression.
Does your company pride itself on being cutting-edge and forward-thinking? Using printed sales collateral will send the wrong message to buyers. Using mobile devices with apps that work anywhere reinforces your company’s modern brand with modern tools.
The Future of Sales Is All About Mobile Devices
It’s a mobile world out there. Your customers are not trapped behind desktop PCs anymore – they’re communicating on smartphones, tablets and laptops. Meet your buyers right where they are with mobile apps that enable sales and make your job a whole lot easier.