Before any big job interview it’s smart to make sure your suit is clean, your shirt is wrinkle free and your shoes shine; it’s professional.
People notice that.

Before a game a team should make sure their warm ups are crisp and enthusiastic; it’s intimidating.
People notice that.

Before a date you should clean out your car and make sure you leave early enough to be on time; it’s polite.
People notice that.

What do you want people to notice about your sales reps?

Sure, you want them to be polite and their sales pitch to be crisp and enthusiastic, but don’t you want them to look professional as well? Just like a job interview, a sales rep isn’t going to show up for a sales call in a coffee stained worn out suit, but their clothes aren’t the only thing they’ll be judged by.  People notice what kind of materials your sales reps bring, and it can speak volumes about them as well as about your company.

A briefcase, no matter how organized, is a thing of the past.  Rifling through pamphlets and folders just doesn’t match an iPad for efficiency or professional appearance.  It only logical that sending your sales reps out with the best possible materials is going to bring back the best returns. A sales rep carrying an iPad shows customers that he/she represents a business that is progressive and more serious about selling their product than a business only willing to print off a few flyers.  Like it or not, people notice appearances and will judge your entire company by the materials your sales rep uses.

Put your best foot forward, and quit using the excuse that it’s too expensive to supply your sales reps with iPads.  Besides the obvious savings in print materials over time, the increase in sales will more than make up for the cost of the one time purchase.  Think of each sales call as an interviewer you want to impress, an imposing team you want to respect you, and a date you want to swoon.  Appearances matter, and an iPad can give your reps the appearance to achieve all those things.