This is the ONLY CRM platform your business needs
This is the CRM software that is actually going to help your business.
It's going to make your life easier, save you time, and help you create amazing client relationships.
I get asked this question all the time: "Which CRM is right for me and my business? Which one should I get? Which one is going to be the best?" There is a very simple answer to this question. Let's get into it:
Which CRM is right for my business?
The CRM software that is right for you is the one that you are going to use consistently.
That's it. Using a platform consistently is what is really going to move your business forward, so you need to find the platform that you can stick with and make the most of.
And by consistently, I mean daily, or at least once or twice a week at minimum.
If you already have CRM software and you are not using it at least once or twice a week, it may not be the right software for you.
If you are looking for one to use, or you're considering getting one, really be honest with yourself about whether you are actually going to use it and which one appeals to you.
In terms of functionality, is there one that looks easier for you to use? Is there one that confuses the heck out of you? If there are any where you start a free trial, or you look at a demo, or you read things about it online, and it looks overwhelming to you, that is not the right one for you.
Yes, you also need to be looking for the right features for you and your business.
For example, if you need things to look a certain way because you have a very aesthetic brand, that's going to be a different type of software.
If automation is really important to your business and you want a bunch of different capabilities, you might need something else.
If online scheduling is a feature that you really want to dive into and make the most of, there are some platforms that are better at that than others.
You need to do your research in terms of features, but you also need to look at which software is going to make sense for you, your brain, and your abilities so that you actually use it.
The worst thing to happen if you get a CRM software is to never use it. Some of these platforms are not cheap. Maybe you also invest a lot of time in it getting set up.
Maybe you even invest in someone to set it up for you.
After all that, if you don't use it regularly it's a waste of time and money, and really it's not helping your business at all.
Why aren't you using your CRM regularly?
There are 4 main reasons that I tend to hear when someone has a CRM platform but they are not using it.
1. "It's too messy and I find it overwhelming." 2. "Oh, I'm not a tech person. I got overwhelmed by the tech." 3. "Well, I never really learned how to use it properly." 4. "I don't have time." All four of these relate back to two different things:
You either did not get your software set up properly according to your needs and your business, or you didn't get trained properly in how to use that setup, or both.
I would argue that if you fall into that last category, where you feel like you don't have the time for this, if you're getting these systems set up for you properly and you're getting a good walk through in how to use those systems, you do have time. You don't need to know the ins and outs of every single feature of the software. You just need to know how to use those specific systems and features that were set up for your specific business and process.
A good setup and good instruction in how to use it is going to end up saving you time, because if you're doing things manually and you're customizing everything, that's time that you could put into learning how to use these things.
What if my CRM wasn't set up properly?
if you are not using your CRM software because it is not set up properly, and you're not in a position right now where you want to completely outsource that and get someone else to do it for you, that's okay!
Here are some steps that you can take to get your software working for you without outsourcing it.
1. Familiarize yourself with the general features of the software. Figure out where things are. You do not need to know absolutely everything, but you should know where things like invoices, contracts, email templates, all those sorts of things live.
You will want to know where your lead capture forms are. These are forms that leads would fill out, typically on your website or maybe via a link on your social media, and that form automatically adds them to your software as a new contact, a new lead.
So those things are very important - contracts, invoices, templates, lead capture forms. There are more advanced features that you can learn about, but start with those.
2. If you are having trouble finding things or you want to learn more about these features, most CRM platforms offer training and orientation videos. Some of them offer orientation workshops where someone will walk you through the basic features. They have forums, they have blog posts, there's lots of YouTube videos. There are lots of places where you can learn basic information about your CRM platform and how it works.
3. Once you know the basics, the next step is to make sure that you have set up your branding, because this is going to affect how all of your documents appear to the outside world and your leads and your clients. That's something that you want to tackle early.
If you go into the settings on your platform, you will be able to add your logo, change colors to your brand colors, add in your businesses contact information, and don't forget to set up your email signature, because you want that appearing on all the emails that are being sent out by the platform on behalf of your business.
4. The next step, and this is the fun part, is to create a test client. Add yourself as a contact in your platform. Use maybe your personal email address or an email address that is not the one that you use to sign up for this platform. Set yourself up as a client and start testing things out. Send yourself a contract or an invoice, or other email templates. Fill out a lead capture form and see what happens.
This will allow you to test how things work from your end as the business sending these things out, but it'll also allow you to experience them as the client so you can make sure that things are working properly, and you can also see what they look like externally and make sure you're happy with them from an aesthetic standpoint or a functionality standpoint.
5. Then the last step is to see if your business needs some of the more advanced capabilities that these platforms have to offer. This is things like workflows and automation, online scheduling, stuff like that.
If you want to start exploring these capabilities, you will likely need either more training or outside help.
Setting your CRM up the right way
If you want and need features like workflows, automation, and online scheduling, then I would recommend either getting some additional training through the platform or hiring someone to do it for you, or hiring someone to do it with you.
One of the things that I offer as a systems expert (and there are others who offer this as well) is helping you set these things up together so that you're getting it done properly with an expert, but you're also learning how to do it yourself. I encourage you to look into that if that's an option that you are interested in.
But basically, this is the point where you need to learn more or get more help.
You really want to make sure systems, automation, and online appointments - because sometimes they can be tricky depending on the capabilities that you need - are all set up properly.
If you have automations that either don't work for you and what your business needs or have not been set up properly, they're not going to help your business. They're going to make things harder and you're just going to get frustrated and not want to use this software.
This is the time to get those things right so that they're actually supporting you and doing what they're supposed to.
You really want to make sure that you are investing your time and your resources in the right places with your CRM software so that you're actually getting the most out of it. Make sure you're actually going to use it on the daily or weekly basis and it's going to make things easier and faster, and save you time in your business, which is going to help you increase your revenue.
The right setup on the right platform is going to reduce your stress, because you are not going to have to keep every task in your business in your head at all times.
There are so many advantages of setting up this software the right way so that you actually use it.
So you're not recommending a specific platform?
I know. I didn't give you a specific platform that you should get.
I'm not going to do that.
If you want to contact me and talk to me about your individual business and the needs that you have, I would be happy to offer a personalized recommendation. But I'm not just going to give a blanket recommendation to the Internet, because there is no one-size-fits-all software.
That's why I offer setup in multiple CRM software platforms, because there is not one platform that I recommend to every business. There are a lot of systems experts out there that only specialize in one platform, and that's great.
I have personally found that not every platform works the best for every business, and that's why I have chosen to help people get set up in different ones depending on their needs, budget, and what they want to use it for. If you have questions about which platform might be right for your individual business, or you want to learn more about getting support in some of these features, please feel free to leave a comment or reach out to me.