Five things you need to know about iPad sales enablement

1. 15 million iPads were sold in 2010. iPad is a global phenomenon that is already revolutionising the way people conduct business. Sales agents are able to leverage impressive information for presentations through the iPad's user interface capabilities. Compared to a normal laptop, iPad offers the potential customer both a passive and active experience, encouraging them to engage and participate in the exchange of information. iPad is also physically much easier for agents to carry around compared to a laptop or hard copy sales materials.

2. iPad enables a digital sales kit with customised application. The use of iPads as a digital sales kit has provided a fantastic way to have the information, tools and technology needed to close the deal. To develop an app, you have to start by determining your sales reps' information needs, including a clear summary of the company goals, detailed outline of the market, value proposition of the company, team information, compliance requirements and clear compensation information.

As a result, all sales staff will have access to the most up-to-date universal information, avoiding inconsistent and outdated product and brand material presented to potential clients. Real time data can be utilised for product and competition comparison tools.

3. Understand the technical details to master the tool. You should understand the integration requirements with existing systems (CRM etc). This is particularly important when you choose to capture customer interactions through the app in order to include the prospect in any future segmented communications in helping to close the sale. Make sure the key information being pushed out to your sales team is not a complicated procedure that will result in content management neglect down the line.

4. iPad enables a single source of content and consistent updates on genuine customers’ feedback. Users can upload documents and content to share throughout the company in a single document repository accessible through the app. Sales reps are able to provide feedback to the marketing department to improve the digital sales kit. iPad encourages an ongoing, ever changing application that responds to the needs of the sales teams and the customer.

5. ‘Off the shelf’ solutions can be an alternative choice. But you must make sure that you investigate the ease of customisation. A number of other considerations must be kept in mind as well. Can the application integrate with external systems? Can the vendor support that integration? Is there an option for you to export your information from their system if you choose to change vendors in the future?