SalesPod MAKES SURE YOUR TECHNOLOGY IS WORKING FOR YOU, NOT AGAINST YOU.
Do you REALLY need a CRM? Here’s how to know
This week, I was asked why a small business would need a CRM. My take on it is that they might… but they might not, too! As an independent advisor, I have nothing to gain by selling someone a product they don’t need. I’d rather say that a CRM is the wrong choice for you right now than sell you a product you don’t need. Which businesses do not need a CRM system at [...]
It’s Amazing What Your CRM Can Tell You!
I spend a lot of time writing about different types of CRMs and what they do. If you're using your CRM correctly, it should not only support your team's customer engagement but also automate much of it, enabling personalised outreach at scale. But that’s just the beginning. Your CRM holds a treasure trove of insights that can transform your approach to customers, sales, and business growth. The next level of value comes in using [...]
A Guide to Succeeding with eCommerce CRM
It is time for a deep dive into another type of CRM. This time, we are looking at CRM for eCommerce. This is an extremely specific need where you are selling online, generally with higher volumes and often with a bigger range of products. CRMs for eCommerce often overlap with other types of CRM and operational systems. It is extremely important to consider what you want your CRM to cover and what you will [...]
Stop Wasting Time: How to Get Rid of Manual Data Entry
Are you drowning in a sea of manual data entry, spending hours each week copying information from one system to another? You get an order online, and copy the details over to your shipping system? Or you get an email request from a customer and put it into your request tracker spreadsheet? I have worked with businesses where the staff are spending up to 25% of their time just moving information around, and it [...]
Who To Trust and Who To Avoid: Making Smart Business Software Choices
Who do you take advice from, particularly as a small business owner? I have a great network and often seek their input. But a wise mentor once reminded me to be careful about who I take advice from. The internet is a fabulous place to learn and seek information – but my friend who had “crowdsourced” a diagnosis of bowel cancer was terribly relieved when an expert confirmed he just had haemorrhoids. This stark [...]
A Guide to Succeeding with Service CRMs
It is time for another deep dive into different types of CRM. This time, we are looking at the specifics of Service CRMs. Most businesses have some service processes, but a Service CRM is meant for organisations with specific needs. Service CRMs are usually much more about supporting customers after they have bought from you. However, they can be used by organisations with many inbound sales enquiries as well. Whether you are trying to [...]
The mystical powers of the CRM guru
Recently it seems like the world is looking for a CRM guru. It’s all very well if you want to start a cult (I don’t) or want clients reliant on you forever (no way). But with CRM, as with most real investments, none of them work if you don’t do the work. In this case, I’m talking mostly to a small business owner, but the lessons apply in many other situations too. Surely I [...]
CRM Price Increase: Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
I’ve been humming this song by The Clash for a couple of weeks now, thinking of so many clients and colleagues whose budgets have been shattered by their CRM vendor's repeated massive price increases. Can they do that? Sadly, yes. While the Software as a Service (SaaS) revolution, where you buy software that you access online, via a monthly or yearly subscription, has made great software accessible to so many people, the subscription model [...]
Unmasking Free CRMs: The True Price You Pay
There are a lot of small business owners that are careful with every cent, especially with subscription software like CRM. Rightfully so – a brand-new small business lives or dies on cash flow. But sometimes relying on “free stuff” is a false economy. Remember the saying, “If something seems too good to be true…”? Why are they even giving you a freebie? I am a massive fan of the free trial. Downloading some software [...]
CRM Data Mastery: Ensuring Your System Is Fueled with the Right Information
So, you have bought a CRM (or are thinking of buying one). What information do you need to make the most of it? It sounds so easy and obvious, but you need to use your CRM to get value. And while part of that use is habit that you need to build into your daily business activities, those habits and connections do not arrive magically with purchase. They must be built over time, prioritising [...]