A carpenter has his saw and hammer. A writer has his pen and ink. A doctor has her medical instruments. An accountant has his calculator. A mechanic has his wrenches. What of the salesperson? What are the available tools for salespeople?

Salespersons exist in almost every industry, for without the sales channel, there is no reason to manufacture or produce anything. We salespeople produce the results that drive every other function in every company. Although the function of each salesperson is the same, that is to match customer needs to products and services and close each sale, the manner in which we operate varies depending upon the industry we serve. Realtors, bankers, industrial reps, retailers and others have a variety of practices that they have found to be effective. There are sales tools commonly available to all of them to utilize.

Superior salespeople are always interested in maximizing their time and effectiveness in front of the customer. Superior salespersons will develop tools and systems that will aid them in their time management and sales effectiveness. Average salespersons tend to meander, wandering to the next call without any real purpose. They appear busy, but their inconsistent results leave a great deal to be desired. They are often disorganized, keeping poor records and avoid using tools to their advantage.

What are some of the tools and systems of effective, superior salespeople? We will discuss a few tools of the trade that are used successfully by me and others with great success.