CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software utilises a broad range of different applications to help manage customer (and potential customer) data and interaction.
As technology evolves, most CRM platforms now sync with other apps and some offer more advanced workflow and project management functionality.
CRM software will also help to automate marketing and sales tasks including email marketing. Some platforms offer ‘built in’ email marketing functionality, most will sync with popular email marketing software providers.
For very small and start up businesses, CRM might not be appropriate. Managing a small amount of customers, leads and interactions can probably be handled using more standard software.
Recent research suggests that growing businesses who are effective at converting leads to enquiries use CRM software.
So if you have aspirations to grow your business and expand your team, it’s a good idea to choose and start using CRM software as soon as possible.
Here’s how using CRM software can help your business to grow –
All of your client and contact data is securely stored in one place.
You’re less likely to loose leads and for whatever reason not follow up every opportunity.
CRM helps to manage the steps and the process of converting leads into sales.
It will help you to focus on upselling, cross selling and better client retention.
CRM will save you valuable time and increase the productivity or your sales team.
Reporting tools give you the ability to view historic data around the conversations and interactions involved in converting new customers.
Viewing historic data can also help you to make informed decisions of which type of customer or sectors to target.
In summary –
As your business grows, CRM software can help you to develop an efficient and effective sales process. Research suggests that business who use a sales process experience 30% higher profit than business with no defined sales process.
Which CRM should you use?
Most platforms offer some kind of free package – usually with basic functionality or a limit to the number of active users or stored contacts.
Popular options include – Agile, Insightly, Pipedrive and Salesforce. Hubspot CRM is free forever.
If it’s an option, I advise taking a free trial. It’s important to establish that your preferred option syncs with other apps that you’re using, including your email marketing software.
If integration with your email marketing software isn’t smooth, then it might be worth looking at an app called Zapier.
It’s also important to make sure that the software meets your own requirements and can easily handle the tasks and operations that you will carry out most.
Let me know how using CRM software has helped with your email marketing. What platform do you use? What advice would you give to someone who is new to CRM software?