Ways CRM maximizes EVERY sales funnel process + CRM recommendations
In one of our earlier posts, we shared the step-by-step processes for making an irresistible sales pitch. However, as we all know, the world is not perfect and these processes would take a lot of work, experience, and keeping up to date with current Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools.
You might wonder: why would the client care about what happens behind the scenes?
In an article by Salesforce, it was found that clients are expecting better customizations when technology advances when they spend more, and when they provide more data. Like all private companies in a capitalistic society, we all know, merrier customers, merrier time making money. But that’s the entire formula; rather,
Merrier employees + merrier sales closing + merrier customers = money
I’ve worked in multiple companies where the CRM just did not make sense. Rather than caring about reaching my KPI, I was struggling to get the system to start working.
CRM= CRM REDUCES MISERY
In the sales funnel, your customer relationship management tool helps you manage exactly what you need and prevents misery and feelings of getting overwhelmed. Here are some active tools people are using for their CRM.
Operational CRM: Excel, PowerPoint, Google Drive, Dropbox, mail chimp, Microsoft, canva
Collaborative CRM: Monday.com, Trello, Microsoft, docsend, pandadoc, email
Analytical CRM: mail chimp, excel
These are some examples of CRM tools, and the list goes on.
With all transparency, these tools work perfectly– but…aren’t they annoying? In my previous company, we had 3 separate collaborative and operational CRMs to update the same files. Saving them on repeated tools “will prevent data loss”. While that is true, having too many CRM tools leads to the following issues:
- Multiple files that are not kept up-to-date
- Laziness and resentment
- Lost in translation: Coworker A is looking at source A, while Coworker B is looking at source B
- Slow
- Unhappy employees
- Spending more time putting out fires and finding information that closes deals.
Although they may look like minute problems to solve at different points of your sales funnel, they might eventually snowball into a huge avalanche. At that point, numbers do not add up and your team will slowly lose momentum in the sales process. Why all the trouble?
How CRM saves you at each part of the sales funnel
Source: salesforce
Awareness
This is the stage that my Millennial-Gen Z brain calls the Tinder phase. You set your profile and decide on what kind of person you would like to meet. At this stage, your company is doing market research on who you SHOULD sell the product to.
Interest
You look at a profile and sparks fly– yes, this is the one. The company is interesting, they fit your profile and you can imagine the potential of how great your product would fit their needs.
Evaluation
However, not every client fits into the sales funnel (maybe another one, but not this one). With limited resources, you have to evaluate if serving this potential customer is what you need.
Based on the first three steps on the funnel, we are looking at finding your ICP, especially if you are a startup. Your ideal customer profile should be decided carefully, through a series of research and analysis that you can use.
Recommendations: y-combinator, LinkedIn, other social media platforms, networking events.
Automated services: dripify, evaboot
Negotiate
After lead generation, you are now here to negotiate and court your client. Depending on the format of your sales, the negotiation can be vastly different. B2Bs would usually require more thought and meetings, while B2C can usually take place through comparisons of services.
In B2B situations where it warrants the need for proposals and meetings, many companies may use free templates or edit proposals personally on word documents. However, sales analytics and the appearance of your well-thought-out proposal would also make a difference in your negotiation process.
Recommendations: Canva, PandaDoc, docsend, What The Sales
Similarly, companies would also want to track the success rates, specific information, and other forms of conversations that could potentially improve their future sales.
Recommendations: Trello, Pandadoc, Docsend, What The Sales
Closing deal
Every salesperson’s dream– the marriage. This is when you close the deal with a lead and make them a client. With COVID-19, as well as global, and remote businesses, people are now changing the medium of their deal-closing process. Instead of meeting in person for a physical signature, deals can be closed on applications or platforms that allow e-signatures or the tracking of every closed deal.
Recommendations: Pandadoc, Docsend, What The Sales
Renewal
Some of my favorite things as an Asian who loves free things (it’s specific, so as not to stereotype all Asians), are huge festive seasons where I am eligible for gifts. My insurance agents and companies would send me hampers or other gifts to maintain a more positive client-customer relationship.
Other examples of gifting for the ‘renewal of interest’, would also include free coffee from Starbucks, or free donuts from Krispy Kreme on your birthdays. Not only does it work as an amazing marketing strategy, but it also helps refresh your memory about the business. Absence does not make the heart go fonder– it simply makes you forget.
Of course, a good CRM tool would not provide the gifting, but rather an easy way to track all of your past, current, and potential customers. With all your work and duties in mind, it can be easy to lose track of who you speak to. However, analytics can help you keep track of people that can add value to your business in the future.
Recommendations: Salesflare, HubSpot, Sales Hub, Pipeliner, Freshworks, Pipedrive, Salesforce, What the Sales
Concluding statement on CRM
Omg, make it clearer that you are marketing What The Sales. Well, of course! Other than it being a product I truly believe in, I believe that everyone should benefit from amazing strategies that can make lives less miserable.
What The Sales is made to hold your hand through the sales funnel and fulfill as many of your needs as a salesperson.
Humans are the only species working for credit to survive on this planet, but contradictorily, humans are not wired to work. Unfortunately, we have mouths to feed and aspirations to fulfill, so why not make it easier for yourself?
