I've never much liked most sales-related technology. For the most part, it's implemented for the good of the corporation, not the individual who's making the calls.
Occasionally, I come across technology that warms my heart. From the moment I see it, I know that using it will help sellers get more done - easier & faster. That's exactly how I felt when I saw Jigsaw and the iPhone.*
Last year, two technology companies really impressed me:
- InsideView - a business search and intelligence application that can notify salespeople of triggering events in their targeted accounts. As I point out in my book, Selling to Big Companies, this is the best way to shorten your sales cycle. Plus, InsideView can be set up to notify sellers of any changes in an organization - including personnel, company news releases and more.
- Landslide** - an on-beyond CRM tool that was designed for salespeople. It literally has tools built into it that help sellers advance the process, not just track sales meetings. Plus, their most recent release has customizable email prospecting tools and more.
When I heard the announcement today that Landslide was integrating SalesView from InsideView into their system, it seemed like the marriage made in heaven.
Why? Everything a seller needs is all in one place. There's no need to go searching and scouring the web for updates about the companies you want to get into. Instead, this info is all dropped on your workspace.
All you need to do then is figure out how to integrate this new info into your account entry campaign. That's selling. That's what you're good at. That's the best use of your time - not spending hours poking through google hoping to uncover a savory tidbit of insider information.
To increase your sales productivity, check out all the above resources.
* I got the iPhone as a Christmas present from my really nice husband.!
**In the spirit of full disclosure, I am on the Advisory Board for Landslide. The reason I got involved is because I liked how they built their system from a salesperson's perspective.
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