The average sales person uses between 20 and 40% of the selling tools available to them. This shows in any selling professionals ability to create and keep profitable customers. Why is sales tool adoption so low?
Sales people are measured on selling, not how well they use selling tools.
Sales tools aren't oriented to closing the sale, but more creatively focused.
Designers of such tools didn't consult with sales people before selection.
Tool doesn't specifically reduce selling work load, and often takes more time.
Management demands use of tool like magic bullet that will improve performance, rather than resource to help sales people.
Most sales tools take away from metrics necessary for selling success.
Sales people in the field with customer can't access tools in meaningful way.
Selling tools don't improve customer service, or provide fulfillment information customers may request.
Sales tools fail to assist the selling process or specific selling situations.
Data put into selling tools is not used for lead cultivation or advancing the sale.
Creators of the tools are unaware of selling processes and often get in the way.
Because of these failures, most customer relationship management (CRM), sales force automation (SFA), and order management tools are ignored by busy sales people. This can be forgiven if the sales person performs, but a huge frustration if they don't.
Remember, as a sales person you are paid on selling, not updating some hard to use system. The key is to use the system in a way to improve selling, as a means of automating follow up, and to your best advantage.
Often top sales performers don't use their selling tools more, they just use them better. This is the difference between average selling results and extraordinary. Learn to use the tools given to you, or get someone who can use them for you.
Justin Hitt helps individual business-to-business selling professionals close more sales with greater customer retention. For unique strategies visit https://www.justinhitt.com/
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