How To Use CRM Software To Grow Your Business - 5 Tips to Get Started

 

A great business is built on relationships. It’s not just about who you know, it’s also about who you understand and how you understand them. Understanding and being understood are two different things altogether. We’re born into this world with no means of understanding others, which is why most of us end up in a business. But, what if there was software that would make your life so much easier? What if that software could help you grow your business while at the same time giving back to the community? That’s right, businesses have been using CRM software to run their business for a long time now and they have never been more successful than they are today. To get started on the right track with your new venture, check out these 5 tips on how to use CRM software to grow your business:

 

Define Your Business Need To Grow Your Business

            Before you begin using CRM software, it’s a good idea to get your business’s product or service requirements definition down. Your business’s need can be as simple as ‘to increase revenue by 10%’ or as detailed as ‘to better serve customers. While there is no single cause or effect between the two, clearly the first goal is going to be more successful while the second is easier to achieve.

 

Use Customer  Service As A Measure Of Success

            As your business grows, so will your customers’ need for your product or service. This is great! But, what if you didn’t have a plan for marketing your product? Your customers are the reason you’re in business. Without a successful customer base, your business could close its doors and go out of business. Marketing, at its root, is about giving your customers what they want. And, what your customers want is likely going to be different from one business to the next. What is the average customer experience (in a business setting) when they interact with your brand? What are they trying to accomplish? What are they limited in?

 

Build An MVP A Minimum Viable Product

            An MVP, in business, is essentially a proof of concept. The idea is to sell your product or service to the general public as quickly as possible, with as few investments and human resources as possible. While the goal is to showcase your product’s value, the product itself is of no use to anybody. It only becomes useful after it’s been released to the market. There is a chance that your MVP could be the very thing that grows your business. If your product is a great selling machine, word of mouth is the best form of marketing you can ask for.

 

Test And Adapt Until You Find The Sweet Spot

            Some Crm Software businesses make the mistake of testing their product or service in a lab environment where they can control every aspect of the test. They then release the product to the market and see how it sells. Not only is this testing process useless in real life, but it can also be harmful. You see, when your products or services are new and untested, you can make big mistakes that can damage your brand. An example of this is consumer behavior and what we refer to as ‘marketing mistakes’. Take the ‘free sample’ marketing mistake: when you give away free samples, you’re doing your brand a disservice. Your customers are not looking for free samples. They are looking for value. And, when they aren’t being given anything in return, they aren’t as interested in taking the time to discover what that product or service is or how it performs for them.

 

Be Part Of The Change That Builds For Growth

            One of the best things about CRM software is that it gives back to the community. This means that your software is actively helping people and businesses grow. One of the easiest ways to build your support team is to offer a free trial or free consultation. Let’s say you sell a product that helps companies increase their sales by 10%. You could offer a free sample to clients to show them the product in action and help them decide if it’s right for them. You could also offer a free email course to your current customers to help them with their questions and get them up to speed with the features of your new product. You could also give free website or mobile training to your immediate team to help them with their retention or on boarding issues.

 

Bottom line

            The bottom line is that CRM software is a valuable business tool. It’s not just for business owners – it’s for managers, employees, and anyone who wants to run their business with a clear headshot. If you are just starting, it is highly recommended that you begin with entry-level software before moving up in complexity. It will allow you to see how your business runs and help you identify problems and potential areas of success, as well as identify what needs improvement. As your business evolves, you may want to move up in complexity and begin using more advanced software. CRM software comes in all forms and isn’t right for every business. It’s a tool that is meant to be used and understood by a wide range of individuals, including managers, stakeholders, and executives.