How I use CRM

In today’s world your business is only as strong as your database.

I get asked frequently which CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) tools to use and how to implement them. Answering those questions was my job at one time. I helped several companies develop CRM processes, evaluate tools, and integrate solutions.

How I use CRM today (I use Batchbook because they rock!) is different. One reason for this is a change in needs. Another is how social media channels have allowed better connectivity to customers, prospects, competitors, and coworkers.

My approach is simple. I use CRM in three core ways.

• Collection and Segmentation
• Relationship Thermometer
• Communications Archive

Collection and Segmentation: No magic here. I need a place to collect and house my contacts. Once they are inside I use filters to segment them into groups. One group may be prospects for business. Another group may be people I know in Winchestertonfieldville. This makes it easier to find people or a selection of people for future correspondence.

Relationship Thermometer: CRM software, especially if they integrate with social media platforms, helps me monitor the temperature of my relationships. This includes sales pipeline, customers, prospects, and friends. I set reminders and track interactions with my contacts so that I can keep my relationships warm.

Communication Archive: I love knowing that I have an archive of my communications on a daily basis. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used things I have said or received to educate myself, solve problems, establish report, and handle current situations. You should have a place for storing conversations, and CRM tools let you catalog them accordingly.

Remember that your database is a goldmine of intelligence and opportunity for your business. It is also made of people. People need to be nurtured and feel important. A CRM tool helps you marry and manage the tangible data and intangibles, like relationships, of your business.

How do you use CRM?

photo credit: batchbook