Not sure how to manage your customer data? Then this post is for you.
If you Google customer relationship management (CRM), your search will likely reveal an overwhelming number of CRMs. Along with that overwhelming number, there’s probably another staggering number…the cost of those systems/software.
You might be wondering, “What IS a CRM and why do I need it?”
Let’s take a look:
- What is a CRM?
According to Salesforce, “Customer relationship management (CRM) is a technology for managing all your company’s relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers.”
Simply put, CRM simply organizes your customer/potential customer data and provides a way to log interactions with them. It’s “one stop shopping”. These platforms unify your departments and provides a single view of each customer.
- Why do I need a CRM?
A CRM streamlines your customer data. You won’t have to rummage through emails, spreadsheets, to find the information you need. Customer data, interactions, can be easily accessed on one platform.
That all sounds fantastic, right? But if you are a new, small business owner with limited cash, what do you do? Some of the CRMs offer a free trial (be aware of their cancellation policy or you could get billed for a year of service!). Others offer basic CRM features for free.
Most CRMs also offer eCommerce links (Shopify). They offer email integrations. So, if you are using other apps and/or tools to run your business, you should investigate the services CRMs offer.
If you think a CRM platform is way more than you need right now, know this: you could also track this information in a simple Excel spreadsheet. In the future, if you wanted to use a CRM, you could easily import your client data into a CRM.
As business owners, we all wear so many hats every single day. Whether you choose to use a CRM, a spreadsheet, or another method, you really should be managing your client/potential client data. Don’t lose a client because no one followed up.
Using different tools can make your business more efficient. They can help you close more sales. But there’s also that fine line of having too many tools and managing tools rather than moving your business forward.
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