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Sales tools are a great way to get information about a new product or campaign into your sales people’s hands so they can begin using them with clients.
But don’t send your sales tool out without a little support. Even the best sales tool will lose its impact if busy sales people aren’t fully aware of the key messages.
Also, language used during a sales presentation can differ from person-to-person, and the tool may end up not being used as effectively as it should be.
Enter the reference guide, which can take the form of Q&As, detailed diagrams with callout boxes, or even basic microsites.
A reference guide:
1. Helps control the message
A reference guide speaks in clear voice from management, sales, product marketing, etc. about the tool’s most important messages.
Furthermore, the “internal use only” nature of reference guides provides a forum for direct and clear instruction regarding a product’s features and benefits.
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2. Serves as a reminder on “how to”
The reference guide should go through the set-up of the sales tool and explain how to navigate it properly. For example: What needs to be highlighted? What is the goal? The reference guide should contain details that the sales team needs to know when they start using it.
3. Reduces training time for employees
Although getting everyone together and discussing a new sales tool is effective, having a reference tool can cut down on training time, meetings and emails. All the details required about the tool and how to use it should be included in the guide.
A reference guide can also build confidence in new employees, as they don’t have to memorize everything and will have a resource that can act as a refresher as time goes on.