If your sales effort is growing, and you need a better way to track and share sales contacts, leads and information, a sales force automation tool may be what you need.

Sure, sales people have different methods of securing a sale. But moving to automation can benefit your sales team without making them behave like robots.

An individual's personal selling style can remain the same, but their tasks will be streamlined and consistent with the entire sales force.

Benefits of sales force automation (SFA) include:

1. Streamlined sales practices
2. Easy way to manage individual accounts and territories
3. A central database of contacts with follow-up history and results
4. The ability to easily track sales activity and forecast results
5. Enhanced ability for sales people to share and collaborate
6. Easier reporting and oversight of sales force
7. More time to close deals, less time spent on paperwork

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Take the path of least resistance: An online, on-demand SFA solution

Need an SFA solution right now? SalesForce.com offers a top-of-the-line Web based SFA system that easily puts a small company into the sales automation fast lane.

I recommend: Visit SalesForce.com for details on different SFA versions available, and a free demo.

Choose the right software for your own in-house system

There are several flavors of sales force automation SFA software are on the market. To find the right one for you, compare ease of use, features, price, integration, reliability and levels of customer support and training, among other things.

I recommend: Find out what to look for in SFA software at BuyerZone.com. ACT! is a package tailored for small business. Other popular programs include Goldmine, Sant Suite, NetSuite and Siebel.

Train your sales force to use SFA systems efficiently

Upgrading your sales automation system will only work if your sales force is trained properly. Most SFA software vendors will provide some initial training as part of the sale. Outside training companies that specialize in SFA may be the best option after your training program with the vendor has expired.

I recommend: Find out what kind of SFA training you can expect from your vendor. Trainer Quest provides training in several popular SFA software platforms. Training-classes.com offers training kits in a box with phone support.

Communicate

An essential key to successful sales automation is for everyone on the sales team to communicate failures and successes, share information and support each other.

I recommend: If your sales force isn't located in one facility or location, the next best thing to meeting is web conferencing. Microsoft's Live Meeting Software and Web Conferencing Central allows your sales team to meet no matter where they are in the world using Internet access.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider rolling out software to one portion of the sales team first. By letting them familiarize themselves with it, you can work out any kinks before it is rolled out company-wide and you can partner those experienced team members with others when you roll it out company-wide.
• •  Bring your IT expert into the process early. This person can not only help you decide on the software, but they will also be the person who will take 'help-desk' calls from your sales force.