“So many fail because they don’t get started — they don’t go. They don’t overcome inertia. They don’t begin.” — W. Clement Stone

It is time for a new beginning — in many ways. This marks the end of an era for many. This country has elected a new President with a new vision and a different way of doing business. And in my opinion, this is a great time to begin anew.

So, here are some business tools and tech tips to help propel you forward.

Contact Management Systems (CMS)

This is the most important element for any sales-oriented entrepreneur. You need to have a system that collects and processes names. Your success in life will largely be determined by the number of people who know you in a favorable way. A living, vibrant system that reminds you of important details for each contact — their wants, their desires, their personal or family information (birthday, anniversaries, loved ones, etc.) — is vital.

There are many good systems available, including ACT!, Outlook, Entourage and Goldmine, just to name a few. Many CMS users favor online approaches so that they can access the data from anywhere, get regular updates without installing anything on their computer and have a technical support team backing them up. I use a combination of Google Docs and Gmail to maintain a good system of interactivity. Zoho and Salesforce.com and a host of others are also available.

Start by carefully analyzing what you need in your unique situation. How do you want to be of service to your customers? And, how do you want to go about attracting new customers? Then examine what is available and match those needs. Once you’ve made a decision, be sure to nurture that system and tend to it daily to achieve the maximum benefit from your investment.

Communications Tools

This ties in closely with your CMS. Once you have the name, address, phone, email, and other vital information about contacts, you need to connect with them. Find easy, fluid ways to connect, and be sure to use more than one method or tool; you want to have a variety of ways to interact. Cell phones (and Smartphones) allow you to connect through voice, email, text, and even audio and video. Communication preferences change through the years — find the preferred communication method of your customers and prospects and embrace that. And don’t be afraid to lead the way in showing them how to connect.

Audio and video are big today and getting bigger in the marketplace. You want to have proficient knowledge of these and how to use them to your benefit. Of the three, audio and video have a more human touch than does text; they give you the ability to connect in a more interpersonal way.

Learn how to use audio (it really is easy) and video (with the right equipment it is very easy) to connect with people. In many cases you’ll be the first to send that video email or audio email. Make it as easy as sending an email. Remember, long ago you didn’t know how to send an email, and now it is very easy for you. Make creating and sending audio and video just as easy — get the knowledge of how to do it, practice with it a couple of times, and you’ll move your connection to a new level.

Office Efficiency and Productivity

One you have your CMS and your connection preferences established, it is important to make sure that your back office is running smoothly — think of a well-oiled machine. Have the tools in place for processing information to serve your customers easily (for you) and quickly (for them). The quickest responder to provide the correct answer is often the winner.

The Japanese phrase “Youi-Shuutou” means to be very careful and thoroughly prepared. This is what you want in your office. Think through likely scenarios that may occur. Have systems in place for your achievement. This takes some serious thinking coupled with hard work, but when you are able to effortlessly implement practical, positive solutions for your customers and prospects, it will be well worth it.

There are some good office tools that can help improve office productivity as well. I like using a scanner for improved efficiency (I’m using two, the NeatReceipts sheet-fed scanner and a desktop scanner from HP for more automated scanning). This allows me to turn paper into useful information by having it available (on my computer) when needed. I also use the Mophie for my iPhone to add a boost to battery power (about eight extra hours). A digital voice recorder gives me the ability to grab thoughts and ideas quickly as well as to capture phrases from the languages I’m studying. There are many other useful tools that will help generate more sales and productivity. Drop me an email for updates and additional information.

The bottom line is, it is important to leverage your tools to help people. Always focus on how you can help prospects become customers and help customers become raving fans. Make the commitment to acquire the necessary knowledge and resources that will help you achieve your goals. Make this the year for your success — regardless of what the outside world is doing.