HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF A CRM TOOL

CRM is an abbreviation for Customer Relationship Management which is a bit of a misnomer. A CRM software tool is really a means to capture all of the interactions that you may have between your own company personnel and people that have a relationship with your company. This could include prospects, Universities, distributors, and existing or past customers. There are dozens of such software platforms available to help with managing these different interactions

IT’S (MOSTLY) ABOUT THE SALES

Despite the flexibility of handling different types of relationships, most CRMs have a primary focus on building a sales pipeline. After all, the purpose of managing these relationships is to hopefully take a product inquiry and nurture that individual or company to result in a sale. The important thing to remember in this process is that ultimately people want to do business with companies they like and trust and the CRM is there to facilitate, not replace, that relationship.

EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME

The beauty of CRM software is that it replaces physical file folders, notebooks, or even sticky notes with a digital record of every interaction type that a person has had with your company. So the number one way to ensure the effectiveness of any CRM is to make sure to take advantage of the CRM tools to set up the initial configuration. The key here is to connect any interaction point back to the CRM, usually through email addresses. This means that there will need to be tracking codes associated with everything that goes out in the Internet. Tracking codes on your web site, ad campaigns, white papers, case studies associated with third parties, product announcements, etc. These tracking codes ensure that anyone who visits a particular page will create a record of where they have been and some of their registration information, usually an email address a company name and their name will be sent to the CRM tool.

TURN YOUR DATA INTO INFORMATION

Through the CRM tool you can put together a picture of a person’s movement and engagement with your company. These are a series of static snapshots in time, but it’s up to you to weave that data into a story that brings life to the prospect’s journey. Articles have been written about how many "touches", or encounters a person must have with your company before they are ready to engage directly with you. That number runs from 7 to 13 depending on the study. The point is that you need to "read the intent" of the prospect before arbitrarily assuming they are heading down the sales funnel. Most CRMs will have some analysis tools to help you create the story, but the human factor is key. Usually as someone get’s closer to an actual sale, they are looking for more specific information. Specific information might be browsing the product or services pages on your web site, or review of a case study, especially if it is in the same field as the prospect. Generic information would be things like eBooks, white papers or a quick visit to your home page.

BRING IT HOME

With the variety of CRM tools available, it pays to shop around and test drive a few. The most successful implementations involve the entire sales team and provide scheduled training and discipline so the team stays fresh. Most CRMs are useful only if the data is kept up to date and regularly reviewed. CRM’s give us unprecedented access to a person’s digital footprint, but that is just the beginning. The real success is taking that information and making a connection that lasts for years.