If you plan to have a successful career in sales, you need to become somewhat computer savvy. Even if you’re still selling something as simple as buggy whips, you need to track your client contacts in the most efficient manner possible to maximize your sales. You also need to have access to the phenomenal volume and quality of information available on the Internet.
Not becoming familiar with the basics of computers and what they can do for you is like locking yourself outside your place of business with nothing more than a business card.
Understanding the basics of today’s technology is also crucial so you can converse with clients who are in tune with it. Nothing ruins your credibility faster than pulling out your 3-x-5-inch index cards to jot down a client’s contact information when he’s using the latest tablet or smartphone.
Take advantage of contact management software (CMS), contact relationship management software (CRM), or sales force automation (SFA), all of which allow you to maintain customer lists, prospect information, schedules, contact information, follow-up notes, and a variety of other sales-related tasks. Talk with others in your particular field to determine which software has the features you’ll benefit from the most, or see whether your company has made arrangements to use a specific program.