CRM + Marketing Automation = Success

Abe Dearmer

Nov 15, 2016

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7 min read

CRM

Do you remember a time before computers and the internet became an integral part of our everyday working lives? How we thought technological advances would make our lives so stress-free?

Though we're now living in a world with a lot more convenience, the increased reliance on data and speed - especially in our business lives - can be rather overwhelming. We rely on access to data now, not "after I've flicked through my rolodex," not "after I've looked through this lever arch file," we need it now. And let's be honest - customers feel that way too!

In our fast-paced convenience culture, it's important to keep all possible information about customers and contacts immediately at our fingertips. This is where customer relationship management (CRM) software comes in; to store all contact data in a central place, and to effectively "keep a file" on every prospect.

If you're trying to keep a lid on all of this data using a spreadsheet - or worse, a paper system - bringing sales in at the same time can be a real chore. But to those using an integrated CRM like FIVE CRM, that's where marketing automation comes in.

But let's look at how life without an integrated CRM with marketing automation functionality and how it can be inconvenient:

Total Data Chaos

Not having a system that properly integrates with your ways of working or that doesn't have the flexibility to adapt if your needs change can lead to your data becoming a total mess. If you have a system that only adheres to some of your requirements, or only records a certain group within your prospects, your team ends up having to keep notes elsewhere to bridge the gap. This can result in some team members knowing more than others, and any report or activity that requires both "on system" and "off system" information quickly becomes an administrative nightmare; with various team members scrambling to amass the required data from sticky notes, notepads, paper systems and devices.

Using a system that records all data and interaction between you and your contacts not only helps streamline the day-to-day chaos in a situation like this, but also provides a clear vision on where each prospect is within your sales funnel, and therefore how close they are to a sale. You have a real-time snapshot of each and every contact, their history with your company, and what action is required next, if any. TrackVia report that using an integrated CRM can help improve your revenue by 41% per sales person, and Nucleus Research reported that companies earned a whopping return of $8.71 for every $1 spent on CRM systems in 2014.

When you do start using a CRM system, the one thing you have to ask of your team is to keep the system updated with all developments and pertinent information they know about each customer. If anyone is withholding anything from the system, they're effectively withholding it from the team. There is no longer a need to keep a separate paper system or to have a set member of staff that deals with a certain type of contact or query. All of the information is available to all team members, and they're ready to serve your contacts like never before.

When you choose a system that can also automate important customer interactions like follow-up emails and reminders, you can scale up your marketing efforts automatically without added manpower.

Wasted Time

We've all heard the old adage "time is money," so surely it is also true that "wasted time is wasted money," and no business wants to waste money. If you currently don't use a CRM system with marketing automation functions, you may find that a lot of time gets wasted manually sending the same emails over and over again to different customers once they fulfil certain criteria; for example, this could be an introductory email, a follow-up or an appointment reminder.

When you use a system that can automatically pick up certain criteria and send an email to each contact that fits that bill, it saves one of your team from painstakingly rummaging through your existing data, picking out the right contacts, and manually sending an email template to each one in turn. If all of your team are doing something like this multiple times a week, think of the time you could save them that could otherwise be spent speaking to prospects!

If your CRM also integrates with your phone system (like FIVE CRM can), you can also fire off an automated email to a contact the moment you finish a call with them.

Just because you use emails that are automated doesn't mean they have to be boring and formulaic. You can personalise any automated mail with the recipient's name, where you met, when you last spoke, and any next steps depending on your data.

FIVE CRM's intuitive automation platform allows you to track automated emails, so you can see who has opened the emails, clicked on links within them, or responded to an email; so you can also monitor the success of your automation systems.

It's time to stop wasting time on menial tasks and automate them. Trust us - your team will thank you!

For more information, take a look at our guide to email marketing automation.

The Solution?

If keeping track of customer interactions and sending email templates manually leaves you feeling rushed off your feet; if lunch breaks are just things that happen to other people; and if your sales don't match up with the amount of effort you're putting in - it sounds like you need some help from a CRM solution with marketing automation. That's where FIVE CRM comes in.

But before you take the plunge and invest in a new system, you need to take a step back to find out exactly where your problems lie. Take some time to reflect on the organisational problems you have with your data and customer communications. Have a heart-to-heart with your customer-facing teams to find out where they feel your current systems are letting people down. Reflect on how much time is taken to perform tasks that could easily be automated. By efficiently managing your contacts and workflows through a CRM, and automating your sales and marketing communications, there's potential to see benefits very quickly.

Check out what these happy customers had to say about FIVE CRM:

Been using CallPro CRM (or FIVE CRM as it is now called) for about a year, and I cannot fault their service and support. The CRM does everything and more; and the support team is always there to help you get the most from the system.

5-Star TrustPilot review from Darren, 28th October 2016

Really impressed with how flexible and customisable the CRM is for me which makes it so easy to use. It's nice to of finally find a CRM where me and my team can make changes ourselves without constantly having to pay a large setup and ongoing fees.

5-Star TrustPilot review from Hannah, 4th August 2016

I've been using CallPro CRM now for just over 6 months and it's completely transformed our company. It really is the perfect software for growing businesses. It's crammed with features - the CRM, website tracking with results feeding directly back into it, calling functionality for our telesales team... the list goes on!

5-Star TrustPilot review from Wayne, 21st June 2016

A world without order is a scary thought, so why should your business be any different? With software like FIVE CRM in place, you can focus on what matters most to you; whether that's developing your business, tackling new ventures, or simply spending more time with those you love.

Discover FIVE CRM today.

Michael King says...

"I can’t think of a time where a client has requested something that we weren’t able to do with FiveCRM. Unlike most systems, it has a lot of flexibility."

Managing Director, Senior Response

JANE HUSBANDS SAYS...

“Each client, and each of their campaigns, has its own unique specifications. We essentially needed to set up mini CRMs on one platform to meet those requirements.”