CRM 1080

Organizations have a variety of methodologies to track and report on sales related activities…  from the formal to the informal.   Some work and some don’t.   Check out the poll below and see where you stand on sales management compared to other companies:

CRM Solutions today offer many features and functionalities.  But core CRM feature are still the main reason for selecting a CRM system that can help you retain your customers while acquiring new ones.

So…. take the poll below and learn how the general public is using the system compared to how you use it.

If you have been using CRM for sales, this is your chance to compare your return on investment to the averages.  Simply answer the poll below and see where you stand.

Hello there Marketing Enthusiast,      

By now, you must have heard about email marketing… and if you have not, there is a good chance that you have received mail from an email marketing campaign. eMail marketing is one of the fastest growing marketing strategies right now.     

Email Marketing — CRM 1080

  E-mail’s ROI in 2008 was $45.06 for every dollar spent on it, according to the Direct Marketing Association’s Power of Direct economic impact study. This compares to $48.34 in 2007, and a projected $43.52 for every dollar spent in 2009.   

 So, its about time that your business realized its full revenue potential using email marketing campaigns.  Still not sure why it may be right for you?    Here you go…. my Top 10 Reasons why Email Marketing may be the right for your Business:   

1.  Cost Less than Traditional Marketing.   Let’s face it, mailers and other forms of advertising can put a real dent in your pocket.  With email marketing, you reach thousands of prospects at minimal costs.   

2.  One Marketing Campaign Does NOT fit all. Consumers tend to respond to communication that they can relate to.  With email marketing, you can do just that — Target and Personalize your communication with your audience.   

3.  Schedule your Delivery. Unlike traditional advertising, with email marketing you can make sure that prospects get the message when you want them to get it.   

4.  Ability to Get Consumers to Act. One of the unique power of email marketing campaign is that you can provide a link or a button that allows your consumer to act immediately.  We all know how we have bought things on an impulse.  The right solution with the right incentive and easy means to purchase always works for the business.   

5.  Know the Truth Immediately. Because email marketing is as Real Time as it gets, you will be able to see results within hours and sometime even minutes of sending email.  The truth sometime hurts, but there is even some good news even if your campaign is failing — you can quickly change it (message, time-sensitive discounts, target, etc.)   

6.  Provide Opt-In/Opt-Out Options. Today’s consumers want to control when and how they want to communicate with you.  By providing personalized opt-in and opt-out options, consumers are more likely to engage in receiving marketing content because they are in control of what they want to receive and when they want to receive.  And with Online solutions, the entire management of who gets what is managed by your audience — so you don’t have to worry about it.   

7.  Easily create Drip Marketing.   If you have been in business long enough, you know that it takes at least 6 touches before consumers are comfortable with a particular product line.   

8.  Know which Marketing Campaign works! By that I mean, brings the best ROI.  So, that you can continually improve your delivery for the campaigns that don’t work as well.   

9.  It’s more than just a Sales & Marketing Tool. eMail marketing is fast becoming the method of choice for both business and consumers to communicate… whether it is Upcoming Events, Tips & Tricks, Business Update, Guides and more!   

10.  It’s Integrated with your Customer Database.  An Online CRM Solution (there are plenty of them out there) that supports email marketing with easy to use templates will manage not just your email marketing activities but also all your other communications including sales and customer service tracking.   So, one great solution that integrates all key components for success.   

Now, it’s time for you to act — start using an email marketing solution that is part of a broader CRM solution to help you achieve all your marketing needs.  In just a few steps and a few days, you can reap the many benefits thousands of companies are already experiencing…  Btw, here is a video on YouTube that may provide further clarity on the subject:      

Email Marketing Overview.       

On your side,
Zeynep

Why CRM, Why Now? CRM1080

What almost seemed like a fad in the mid 90s is now a way of life… or is it?   If you read some of the recent pundit analysis on CRM usage, you will find that most companies have not completely adopted CRM — and those that have, not all of them have done it successfully (which is a whole different subject for another time).   

So, for those on the sidelines, why CRM and Why Now?  Here is the simple answer:   

Why CRM?  CRM technology, when combined with Strategic Execution has proven to increase Sales/Revenue, Reduce Customer Service Costs, Increase Efficiencies, Improve Customer Loyalty, Increase Retention, Standardize processes and the list goes on and on…   

Why Now? Now… this is an interesting question…   My first thought was, if you have been educated about the value of CRM, then why not now?   It’s like saying,  “I am going to wait because I don’t need all that CRM offers.” So, that in itself should be enough.  But just incase you are not convinced, let’s add a few more reasons:   

• The Current State:  Heck why not?  Everyone is talking about how the economy and its negative impact on their business.  So, why would you not invest in changing the state of your business for the better? Small price to pay and perhaps…. just perhaps the key to keep your business alive!
   
• Affordability:  The common excuse: I simply can’t afford it.  Well my friend, you can.  CRM is no longer for the big boys – the playing field is now level — you too can utilize automation to provide the best value for your customers.  Credible CRM software are available for as low as $40 per user per month.   Like the old saying goes — you pay for what you get.  So remember not to be sucked into Free solutions or Fire-sales!
   
• Reach:  I remember doing business with companies within 50 miles of my business.   With the Internet, the entire world is within 50 miles of my business.  The proof is in the pudding — just sold to a company in Estonia, Saudi Arabia, Ireland and in talks with a company in Madagascar.   Wow!  Madagascar — never thought that the movie I so much enjoy watching with my kids would actually be a place that could use my products and services!  
   
• Easy Deployment: I want to do it but I don’t have the technical know-how.   Okay, we have heard that one too…   So, do you use Gmail or Hotmail or Yahoo Mail?  In many ways, you can start using CRM — like opening up a new Gmail account.   (I am just talking about opening the account — don’t forget the strategy side of things).   With Online CRM, securely hosted somewhere else in the Internet Cloud, you can start using CRM today without hiring a full-time IT person or consultant.  Just find the solution that is right for you (another topic for another day), and get cranking!  Hey the best part about online CRM is that you won’t have to worry about Software purchase, installation, maintenance, upgrades and backups because all reputable online vendors include these features as part of the monthly cost.  

As Winston Churchill put it so well, If you mean to profit, learn to please.   Learning to please in today’s world requires the right tools.   So, what are you waiting for? Search for “Small Business CRM” or “Online CRM” or “CRM Software” and start looking at the many solutions available to help take your business to the next level.     

Regards,
The CEO