If you want to automate sales so that profits in your company are second nature, you might want to turn to one of the newest lead management applications for businesses. These programs offer you everything from lead generation help to seamless follow-up to lead sharing capabilities and other nifty management tools. However, with so many titles out there, picking the right tool can be tricky, especially with every vendor trying to convince you that his or her product is the best.

Compare Lead Features

One obvious place to begin is by comparing features of lead management programs. Most systems have some form of lead storage, for example. However, you might want to compare how many leads a system can store. Opt for the programs that allow you to store as many leads as you can and allows you to retrieve them easily. Additionally, you may want to look for programs that offer custom filters that allow you to organize your leads in ways that make the most sense for your business.

Some programs even offer email templates, salesperson scripts, and lead forms. If writing is not your forte, these handy features can save you much time and frustration and allow you to jump right into selling "out of the box."

If you are working with others in your business, be on the lookout for programs that offer pipeline, integration features and distribution engines. These tools can allow you to exchange information with other members of your team so that no lead is overlooked.

If you work in a specific business, look for industry-specific features. For example, if you are a real estate broker, you may want lead management software that works with your mobile device or offers Fannie Mae integration or mortgage calculators.

No matter what your business, though, you will want an application that offers custom reporting features that allow you to see the progress of all your leads in an at-a-glance report. Also, look for programs that offer prompts and lead returns, which will prompt you to call back leads at specific times.

Finally, seek out programs that allow you to import information from your favorite programs without endless re-typing. It can be a great timesaving feature if you can import information into your program from your favorite formats, including CSV, POINT, TXT, HTML, Excel, FMN, XML and others.

Compare Lead Management Vendors

Comparing vendors is as important as comparing applications. That's because even the best program is unlikely to be much use to you if the vendor of the program offers little support and help.

Always check vendors' references and past customers - how happy are others with the program? Also, do some snooping into what individual vendors are willing to offer customers. Features such as unlimited phone and email support, remote training and a good warranty can help make your system far easier to learn and use. Look at the live support hours for your vendor - can you easily reach someone when you need help?

How much a vendor is willing to support a product sometimes speaks volumes about how confident a vendor is about a program. When comparing vendors, look for clear pricing policies as well.

You can pay for many lead management programs monthly or annually, while others are an outright purchase. The point is, though, that you should know exactly how much you will be paying and what you are paying for. Be careful of any vendor that gives you the run-around on pricing or anything else.