What's In Your Sales Go Bag?

Happy Monday. As we have shared before, lack of preparation is the number one concern that buyers have about sellers in any profession. This has been the case for many years, and it's surprising, because it's such a simple thing to fix.

Visit a master mechanic's shop, and she will have stacks of toolboxes with drawers filled with tools. A plumber has his truck loaded with all of his supplies. The FBI has a protocol called a go bag — it's the bag agents always have with them in the event they are called away for an extended period of time. And of course, there are the supplies you have at your home; nonperishable food, medical supplies, toilet paper, cleaning supplies and all the things you would need during an emergency — or in recent times — a pandemic. Whether it's the toolbox, the truck, the go bag or your home supplies, the thing they all have in common is having the appropriate tools and resources available to you if and when you need them.

As sales and marketing professionals, what do you have in your sales go bag? Today's Radio Sales Today is focused on many of the tools and resources available from RAB, so for this tip we will only put them on the list of suggested sales go bag supplies. In talking with thousands of sellers, here is the list of the top items they feel are important to have at their ready:

RAB resources (as listed above)

Pens, pencils, and notepads

Blank contracts/C.N.A. forms

Tech items including: Cellphone, laptop/tablet, back-up power supplies (batteries, chargers, a personal WiFi-enabled cellular device if your cell phone can't be used as a hot-spot)

Station information to include media kits, format descriptions and talent profiles

Articles about marketing and advertising that apply to any business to share

Your success journal — a list of your client and sales victories to share or inspire you

A current book about marketing/advertising (Or a Kindle filled with such books)

Business cards — either physical ones or the new electronic ones

The written list of your personal and professional goals

The successful mechanic, plumber or FBI agent, not only has the right tool for the task at hand but knows when to use it. You wouldn't use a wrench as a hammer. (Okay, maybe we've all done that a time or two.) Needing a tool and not having it available can stop your progress. Whether it's RAB tools or others listed above, using only the tools you need for your current situation gives you a greater chance of successfully completing the task.

This is just a partial list of potential tools you might need. We'd love to have you share the items in your sales go bag. Email me at Jeff.Schmidt@RAB.com.

Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development. You can reach him at Jeff.Schmidt@RAB.com. You can also connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn.