What Kind of Laptop Is Best for an Outside Sales Rep?
Guest Blog by Andrew Lisa
For outside sales reps, the business machine of choice must be portable, powerful and functional. The same will be true for anyone seeking work who wishes to remain on top of new possibility for employment. A desktop is simply not an option. But the good news is, mobile technology has evolved so dramatically that laptops now come in many shapes, sizes and purposes. Consider the following.
Laptops are the computers of choice for outside sales reps – and for good reason.
Laptops
Once considered a mobile backup to the standard desktop, laptops are now the “first” computer for many mobile sales reps. If your sales and marketing training has taught you anything, it should be that power and mobility are the key to landing sales on the go. Laptops are now paper thin, ultra-light, fairly inexpensive and as powerful as desktops were until recently. Although they sadly don’t include retina display, Apple’s Macbook Air line is perhaps the smallest, sleekest and most functional laptop – a perfect foundation now which to build any sales techniques.
Tablets
While technically not laptops, the right tablet can be a sales rep’s dream. Incredible battery life, stunning displays and unrivaled mobility should make any salesperson at least consider a tablet as their sole weapon in the field. But which one? Just as their Android-based phones have done in regard to the iPhone, Samsung tablets are gobbling up huge portions of the market share away from Apple’s iPad.
Hybrids
Considered novelty toys until very recently, laptop/tablet hybrids were often written off as awkward devices that possessed neither the power and functionality of of a laptop or the true freedom and mobility of a genuine tablet. But recent innovations in removable keyboards and built-in software suites have positioned hybrids as genuine businesses machines – and they may be the perfect complement to strong sales techniques. Check out the Microsoft Surface Pro 3, which promises the best of both worlds.
Many people are choosing tablets and laptops as their “first” computer.
The world of laptops has opened up huge options in what was once a very specific niche. Entry level laptops start at around $200. They can be sleek, fast, rugged or – as in the case of hybrids – not really laptops at all. Shop around, do your research and invest in your future.
Andrew Lisa is a freelance technology writer. He covers business technology and computers.
P.S. Having the right technology in place will empower the Smooth Sale!
Read Addtional Strategies and Techniques:
Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results, Sourcebooks
HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews, Career Press
