A customer relationship system (CRM) system uses technologically-driven strategies to assess customer needs and buying behavior. This allows businesses to market their products and services more effectively. The ever-increasing level of technology available to a CRM system can, however, provide an overwhelming amount of information to a company, not all of it useful. Large corporations compile enough data in their 'data warehouses' each day to occupy a team of marketing analysts for a lifetime. In fact, 'data mining,' a relatively recent term coined by marketers and data analysts, was coined from the attempts to sift sales trends and associations out of the mountainous volume of data constantly pouring into a company.
This information overload has created a need to give useful meaning to data. This is where a CRM system can be essential. A CRM system takes data mining to the next level by focusing on data that will paint the clearest customer portrait possible. If a CRM system works properly, a number of important benefits should result, including:
· Customer retention improvement
· Increase in call center sales conversion rates
· Sales agents are able to more effectively cross-sell products
· Deals close more quickly
· New customer inflow
· Increase in revenue
To get the results listed above, a CRM system must take the name, address, and other important demographic information into account. Moreover, the system must be able to gather information from a wide variety of customer 'touch points', or instances of customer contact. These can include faxes, emails, direct mails, personal sales, etc.
The most important function of any CRM system is to provide you with an accurate profile of your customer. If you can identify your customer, you know how to market, where to focus R&D funds, and what kind of potential growth road blocks you can expect.
With all the different options available to businesses wanting to pinpoint customer profiles, how do you know what to look for in a CRM system? With ever more sophisticated technology and techniques available, making this decision can be difficult. Let me share a few CRM system features that will not only help you track customer information, but also help to create new revenue.
Power Dialing CRM systems equipped with power dialing allow you to significantly increase the number of sales calls made by your outbound call center. Anyone who's worked in an outbound call center (myself included) will tell you that it's only a matter of time between two calls that end in a sale. This feature helps you shrink that time dramatically.
Voice Messaging A CRM system that includes this feature will allow our sales agents to automatically send a pre-recorded sales message to potential customers with the intent of eliciting a return call. By using voice messaging you will be able to multiply your efforts dramatically without paying for additional staff.
Customizable Fax and Email The ability to customize mass correspondence with potential clients will go a long way toward improving your sales conversion rates. Moreover, the ability to do this quickly will ensure that you don't miss out on time sensitive sales opportunities.
System Flexibility Since every business is different, the CRM should be flexible enough to accommodate your business's particular needs. Make sure that whomever you buy from is willing to work with you until the system is working properly.
With the right CRM system working for you, you can expect a significant increase in ROI.
Cameron Brown is an internet marketer specializing in ranking automation. For information on how a CRM System can boost your revenue, visit Inside Sales .
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
Don't get me wrong. I certainly don't think the majority... Read More
Have you created a marketing plan for your Website? If... Read More
Advertising on the radio can be an effective lead generation... Read More
Are you on track for hitting all your business goals... Read More
"Make money for taking surveys"," Cash for your opinion", "Make... Read More
Everything you do - or don't do sends a message... Read More
Direct Mail CampaignsDespite the proliferation of communication facilitators--mobile phones, faxes,... Read More
Sometimes the simplest data is the best. Marketing is not... Read More
Direct marketing is built on four things. The other way... Read More
What is a Joint Venture?A joint venture is an agreement... Read More
Whether it is for is a real estate listing, a... Read More
What is the single most important thing you can do... Read More
Second in a series of three articles:What if you could... Read More
The advantages of using direct mail to promote your home-based... Read More
Some people are happy with just a business card. For... Read More
"Dig your well before you're thirsty" is the title of... Read More
This past weekend I received a disturbing message from a... Read More
There are many Web sites I visit every day and... Read More
Once you have the attention of a business prospect, at... Read More
You've probably heard the slogan, "You never get a second... Read More
Available to all small businesses are business lists, which come... Read More
Little Kids Ask Until They Get What They Want.Mom, Mom,... Read More
Turning a modest $100,000 annual turnover into $1,191,817 may sound... Read More
Have you ever wondered why the phones aren't ringing the... Read More
Trade Shows are lots of work, but they can generate... Read More
So how do you effectively market your product or service... Read More
Direct marketing is advertising from a manufacturer or front-end supplier... Read More
Postcards can drive a huge amount of traffic to your... Read More
Apple Computer just announced that their earnings from the last... Read More
You know those bad habits we get. Like raiding the... Read More
Do you think you don't have enough time to market?... Read More
Time is a concern for all of us. We only... Read More
The Logo: a little historyLogotype, commonly know as a logo,... Read More
Most business people want to see improvements in sales and... Read More
Each of the following Ten Marketing Tips is based on... Read More
1) Know the company and their culture. Are they trendy... Read More
A lot of advertising and mailings promise to reveal the... Read More
If I were to ask you right now, what marketing... Read More
"Advertising doesn't work." I hear it from my clients all... Read More
If an alien civilization from Mars was planning a friendly... Read More
If you've never done a postcard mailing, you're probably wondering,... Read More
When people think about promoting their business, the first thought... Read More
Before we begin, I want you to think about how... Read More
The Building Blocks to Successful MarketingIt's More than Sales and... Read More
Marketing message x Credibility x Visibility = Marketing SuccessThese three... Read More
Looking for a great way to drive traffic to your... Read More
Have you ever chosen to pay attention to someone just... Read More
Customer endorsements are an inexpensive and easy sales tool, particularly... Read More
The small business marketing strategy you can't afford to miss... Read More
In the past, purchasing ad space was the solution to... Read More
Will postcards be an advantage for you?The latest craze these... Read More
You can use great design and copy to get a... Read More
Is Advertising Viable?At the turn of the 20th century, department... Read More
How Much Is Your Popcorn Worth?: Powerful Lessons In Marketing... Read More
I don't know about you, but I secretly love watching... Read More
Doing a current customer breakdown can help you find the... Read More
Let's face it, the name "proposal" is a great misnomer,... Read More
There are many ways to promote your website for free... Read More
If you want to get consistent results from your marketing,... Read More
Conventional wisdom says that the front of a direct mail... Read More
Each and every day those of us on the Internet... Read More
What would you do with 500, 1000 or more additional... Read More
Are you tired of living off handouts from big-name marketers,... Read More
"Both the market and the distributive channel are often more... Read More
Ann Landers, Dr. Phil and Roger Ebert take pleasure in... Read More
Telemarketing has its place in the marketing arsenal. But telespammers... Read More
Marketing |