Customer expectations have never been as high as they are today. Thanks to the internet and constant connectivity, customers not only expect the best possible products and services, they also expect them faster than at any time in history.
The good news is this creates an opportunity for businesses willing to go above and beyond. That's one reason that companies that invest in customer experience outperform those that don't by a staggering 80%.
It's also a reason that customer relationship management, or CRM, solutions are gaining so much popularity. The CRM market is expected to be worth £31 billion by the end of 2020.
We're going to give you some tips on using a CRM to help you make the most of this powerful new technology.
Tips For Using a CRM
Our first tip for using a CRM comes before all of the rest. Consider it as Step 0, as it will inform everything from choosing a CRM to what benefits of using a CRM you will derive.
CRM is more of a discipline or toolset than a dedicated product. Before you begin, you should spend some time deciding what business goals you're hoping to meet with CRM. Making money with actual conversions is the final goal, of course, but there are many different types of CRM software to help you get there.
Say, for example, you want to boost your email marketing. For one, you'd want to choose a CRM solution that allows you to schedule sales messaging. You'd also want something that can measure clickthrough rates and conversions, as well.
Most of these features are fairly universal in CRM software but you have to know how to implement it. It's just an example to give you an idea of some things to think about when choosing a CRM solution.
Step 1: Add Your Sales Team
Now that you've settled on a CRM solution that meets your needs, it's time to get set up and start onboarding your team. After you've got all the software installed, if you're using local software, or have your accounts set up, if you're using SaaS, it's time to start adding your sales team.
The more of your sales team that are using the CRM software, the more complete your data will be.
This is relatively simple if you're working in the same space. Seeing as how prevalent that remote work is, especially right now, getting a distanced sales team set up and onboarded is slightly more tricky. Just make sure you leave enough time to get everybody set up and situated.
Keep a list or database of your entire sales team. That way you can keep track of everybody's that made an account with your CRM software, in case somebody misses it.
Step 2: Cusomise Your Settings
Again, no company's sales cycle is universal. There can even be major discrepancies from customer to customer.
By and large, you want your CRM software to be able to keep track of the different stages of the buyer's cycle. You need to be able to keep track of customers in the Beginner's Stage of their buyer's journey. You also need to be able to monitor verified leads and customers that are on the brink of making a purchase.
You'll need to assess your company's particular sales cycle for signs of these different stages. This way you can definitely monitor when a customer has left one stage and the beginning of another.
You'll also need more detailed information on each individual customer, as well. Like which employees are responsible for making purchasing decisions in an organisation, for instance.
You'll also want to keep track of sales data, as well. You'll want to keep an eye on how long the entire sales cycle takes, for example. These kinds of insights and granular data is one of the main points of using a CRM in the first place.
Finally, you'll want to keep track of pertinent business data, as well. You'll want to enter the global address of the different companies you're working with, for instance. This will effect everything from scheduled messages to the language that you use in your sales and marketing messaging. These can be wildly varied depending on region and culture.
Step 3: Import Your Contacts
One of the beautiful things about CRM software is, once you've configured your settings correctly, maintaining the system becomes effortless. If you configure your settings correctly, all you have to do is to import your existing contacts list and it will automatically be set up correctly in your CRM system.
This can vary somewhat depending on what CRM solution you settle on. It's not uncommon to have more than one program as part of a CRM suite. So you might send qualified leads that are ready to make a purchase to a platform specifically configured to deal with conversions. The other stages might be handled with a different CRM solution, where you might help guide them through the additional stages of the buyer's cycle until they're ready to buy.
Follow these tips and you'll be up and running with your CRM before you know it! You'll be able to generate detailed reports with your CRM software for greater detail during quarterly reports. You'll be able to prove your ROI and identify potential areas for growth to your C-suite and investors. You'll also be able to work closely with your employees to make sure that everybody has all of the tools they need to succeed.
Ready To Start Your CRM Journey?
There is no reason for guesswork or to fumble in the dark in the digital age. When you're using a CRM you'll know exactly what works and what doesn't. You'll be able to work smart as well as hard.
If you're ready to find out how using a CRM can boost your productivity and energise your sales process, contact us today to schedule a consultation.
