For years, sales consultants have had three primary options for presenting their technology to potential clients: a demo unit, a keypad and a digital demonstration via laptop. While there are still moments when touching and feeling equipment is important, the emergence of the iPad and other tablets has allowed companies to arm their sales teams with powerful new digital demonstration tools that allow consultants to showcase their services and technologies like never before. I’ve presented the case for getting consultants tablets in a previous post, but for those of you who’ve already made the leap or intend to soon, I’d like to focus on the next step: how to get the most out of those tablets to maximize your company’s ROI.

1. PLEASE don’t show PDFs

Every time I’m with a consultant who whips out a fancy, powerful new tablet and presents a PDF that looks 15 years old, I have to stifle a groan (and so does the prospective client). Tablets are amazing tools with significant computing powers, but they can only help your sales team “wow” clients if your company takes the time to compliment step one—purchasing the tablets—with step two—assembling and developing useful resources your consultants can utilize on them. Spend time researching available apps, talk to industry colleagues and check with your manufacturing and monitoring partners to get insights on what tools are available.

Getting Started: Best Tablet Apps for Business

2. Customize the conversation

Consultants are taught to listen to the client’s needs and customize their conversations and recommendations based on that input—make sure they aren’t throwing those principles out now that they can show things off on the tablet! Your company’s digital resources need to be versatile and customizable so consultants can quickly locate the information most relevant to the client. Utilize presentations with built-in navigation elements and tablet “launchers” that allow consultants to quickly access programs and files.

Getting Started: iPad Presentations with Custom Navigation

3. Don’t forget the story

Once they’ve got the manufacturer’s new keypad simulation and the monitoring center’s automation software demo loaded on the tablet, it’s easy for consultants to fall into the classic trap of overemphasizing the technology while failing to explain the benefits and ROI to potential clients. The good news is that tablets can also be great ways to exhibit your company’s success stories and customer endorsements—so make sure consultants are balancing their technology conversations with photos and videos of your company helping its clients achieve their goals.

4. Be self-reliant

A significant advantage tablets have over demo units and laptops is their lack of requirements to function: no need to plug into the client’s outlets, access their internet or run wires all over their conference room. Design your tablet sales processes with these same principles in mind—ensuring your tools and applications are accessible and functional even without cell or WiFi signal. While live demos certainly carry impact and should be an optional part of the sales presentation, it’s important your team can utilize their tablets anywhere they need to give their elevator pitch…including in an actual elevator!

5. Adjust to the audience

Tablets are fantastic for one-on-one meetings in ways that bulky, slow laptops never could be, but don’t forget that many tablets have video-out options that also allow for presenting to large groups on a projector or HDTV. For a relatively small expense, you can provide your team with compatible VGA / HDMI cables and potentially even a Bluetooth remote for click-by-click capabilities. These simple additions give the tablet additional versatility and could even allow your company to skip that next round of laptop upgrades.

To see examples of our work, check out our portfolio page!