Tim scowled and said, “I
concede that a CRM system has better recall than I do and it can make up for my
inefficiency in that department but what can it really do to help me build my
business?”
Tim, like a lot of folks has
the “Yeah buts”—an affliction that can only be remedied by seeing a bigger
picture of what Contact Relationship Management can do.
I told him there are at
least 7 things he probably had not considered:
- 1. You can more easily network yourself with other
companies in your industry. That way you can find partners to handle a portion
of the business you can’t either locally, regionally or nationally. You can use
your contact manager to keep you top of mind with them and to sort out which
partners are the best to work with.
2. It will help you stay top of mind with the customers
you want to keep. Make sure they’re contacted every four weeks at a minimum.
3. Use the data you generate to find a more profitable
niche. Take a long look at your client base and the industries in the area to
focus on a specific market that will allow you to dodge some of the intense
competition by finding a profitable niche you can command with your expertise
or selection or even your location.
4. You will have more time to be creative. Good contact management
software saves bundles of time. Put it to good use by being creative in how you
pursue additional business.
5. With it you can get every member of the organization
involved in maintaining and building business. Network your contact management
system. Encourage employees to add to it.
6. You can double your new business “hit rate.” When you finish any action with a client or
prospect record what happened and then:
- Decide what your
next action will be.
- Determine when
you should take it.
- Note it in your
scheduler.
- And when it
comes up, do it.
7. You will be able to build and track a network of
other product and service providers that you can trust. Pick individuals and
companies that provide what your prospects and clients want and need that you
can’t provide. The more trusted you are by your customers the more often they
will turn to you for this kind of advice.
Tim grinned in that sheepish
way he has and said, “Okay, you win, I’ll sign up for a CRM system…but only if
you agree to help me learn how to put it to good use.”
“Read the articles on my blog like Checklist for Networking to New Business,” I said. “And let me know what questions you
have.”
Here’s a link to the best Solopreneur and small business CRM I’ve found. Learn more about Jerry Fletcher:
Speaking: www.NetworkingNinja.com
Consulting: www.JerryFletcher.com