It It is amazing to me how far sales automation has come today.
As hard as this is to admit, I started my sales career before they ever developed the following sales tools that we now take for granted:
- laptops or commercially viable computers
- Web-x, Go to Meeting (collaboration? What’s that)
- PDA’s
- Websites, Webcasts, Web anything…
- Audio Conference bridges
- GPS
- PowerPoint (what’s an application again?)
- Video conferencing
- Commercial grade Internet
- Cell phones
- Email
- And yes… Fax machines!
No I’m not kidding, yes we did have cars back then, and no I’m not 90 years old.
I have fond memories of the first day in the office of my new job at Lanier, where I was given a little green box, a stack of index cards, a desk to share, and a telephone (yes they had phones back then).
My Sales Manager, enthusiastically, spent the entire first day on the job showing me all the tricks to organizing my hot leads, courtesy calls, cold leads and yes my "tickler file". I mastered that little green box over time and before I knew it, that thing became my reason for living!
Once a week, or whenever my Sales Manager got a wild hair, he would call me into his office and of course would demand that I bring in the "box". We would spend 30-45 minutes going through the contents and he would critique me on my quantity of cards and the overall organization of my CRM tool (okay my box). Occasionally, he would pull out a random card and quiz me on my notes, just to keep me honest.
It is almost unimaginable to think back to those days now, especially when you think about all of the sales automation that we have at our disposal today. In fact, it is almost a necessity to utilize the latest devices, services and sales tools in the market, just to stay competitive!
Here is a cartoon that I used in my "Sight Seller" when I started with Lanier. The Sight Seller was a flip chart portfolio that I carried with me and it was second in line of importance to my CRM Box!
When I sold for Lanier, we were selling the concept of using the latest technology to get business done faster and more efficiently. I would show this cartoon to businesses and suggest that there was a better way to do their work than the old fashion way of using pencil and paper. More on the Lanier Messenger in future posts!
In this blog section, I am going to discuss and review new sales automation products, presentation technology, collaboration tools and sales tools that I have used, or been introduced to. My hope is that you can use these sales technologies to compete and dominate in your market.
Invest in your success and invest in your sales tools and it will pay big dividends. In this highly competitive global sales world we live in today, do you really have a choice?
Yesterday, I had an opportunity to see a demonstration of a new technology that is a must have for any sales team. Cynocast, is a Presentation Technology that is like no other product in the market. If you are currently using Web-X, or GoToMeeting or anything similar… stop now and visit their site at Cynocast.Com
This product, service, collaboration tool, presentation technology platform or whatever you want to call it, blew me away! The ability to push live web pages, to an unlimited sized audience, and then directing and coaching them where you want them to go is truly brilliant.
The potential of having thousands, or millions, of people connected to a site that can push credit applications and order forms that viewers can fill out LIVE and submit in real time is amazing!
Sales conversions are increased by double digits and the sales cycle is shortened dramatically!
Another application is for call center / support desks where user manuals, live demonstrations, direction to relevant forums, downloadable documents, and other resources could potentially save thousands of dollars in time savings and reduced overhead!
Here is a great article comparing Cynocast with Web-X, written by Robert Hayes, founder of Cynocast. This is a must read if you are a Web-X user. I shared with Robert yesterday my frustrations as a heavy Web-x user and he assured me that I am not alone here! (connection issues, firewall issues, outdated Java issues and of course $$$).
Read this article if you too are a Web-x user. Web-x Can’t Do That!
If you would like to contact me for a reference, send your requests to me John Morey
Contact Robert if you would like to see an in-depth demonstration of Cynocast and then take this product to the battle field. Your competitors will wonder what happened to their pipeline!
Visit the Cynocast Website Today for More Details
Now Go Sell Something And Make Some Money!!
John M.
