How a CRM can streamline your customer experience strategy
Alright, I’m sure you’re over all the marketing jargon. But this one is important - I promise!
OK, but what the hell is a CRM anyway?
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is basically like a high-tech Rolodex (how OLD am I?) It’s a system for managing your contact data and improving your relationships with prospects and customers.
It effectively tracks information and interactions between your contacts and your company.
It can also be accessed and edited by multiple people in real-time to improve the customer experience, marketing performance, automate parts of the sales cycle, and optimize communication.
Alright, but what value does it actually provide?
A whole boatload! A CRM can help:
- Optimize information organization
- Automate administrative tasks
- Improve customer satisfaction
- Reduce clutter with one accessible system
- Speed up and streamline communication
- Customize contact-level performance reports
- Informs long-term strategic planning
OK, but how do I know it’s time to invest in a CRM?
Here are some giant red flags that you need to invest in a better solution for your business:
1) You’re using an Excel spreadsheet or Google sheets to manage your database
2) You’re manually sharing your database with your team via email each time an update is made
3) You have no way of sending personalized messages to specific segments of your database
You have no way to report on the engagement level and behaviour of contacts in your database
If this sounds like you, it’s about damn time you invested in a CRM.
Fine. But how do I actually use a CRM in my marketing activities
A CRM enables you to see content that your prospects and customers are engaging with the most. It also allows you to see historical engagement data over the lifetime of a contact.
You can also create custom fields relevant to your business to segment prospects and customers.
With all that information, you can send hyper-targeted personalized messages to specific audiences within your database
You can then run reports to see which channels are driving the most qualified leads.
I see. And how can I use a CRM in my sales activities?
There are a number of ways to use a CRM for your sales activities. The most valuable is mapping the sales process for your business from lead conversion to closing a customer within your CRM. This provides a more process-driven approach to generating, nurturing and closing leads within your business.
A CRM also allows you to track your sales pipeline, deal stage and deal value as well as manage sales tasks and monitor sales performance. You can also record information about your interaction with leads, including emails, calls, meetings, documents and notes to share with your team and report on sales performance at the individual and contract level.
- Report on sales performance at the contact level
So what CRM options are available?
There are literally hundreds, but the most popular are listed below. You’ll want to find one that has the features and functionality that are best-suited to your business, industry and sales process.
Cool, cool, cool. But how do I actually integrate a CRM within my business?
The BDC has outlined the best approach for implementing a CRM for your business to help boost sales. You can see their 7-step process here.
OK but I need even MORE information
You are insatiable. Here are some more resources to help you on your CRM journey. God speed!
- HubSpot’s Free CRM
- HubSpot’s Outlook & Gmail Email Integration
- Best CRM Software for 2022
- The Ultimate List of CRM Features & Integrations for the First-Time Buyer
- CRM Selection Guide & Checklist
- The Ultimate Guide to Using a CRM
- 6 Best Free CRMs for Small Businesses
Need more help getting a CRM set up for your business? I can help. Greenlight Content is a certified HubSpot Provider and a whiz when it comes to CRM integration. Get in touch today for a free CRM consultation.
