Early user involvement in any new system dramatically increases the overall success, none more so than with CRM.  Get key user feedback early on in the process by involving them in some of the requirements meetings and turning a few of them into power users who support the main role out.  Picking on the most successful sales people usually does the trick.  For one thing, they like the idea of having a system that easily shows others how well they are doing.  Furthermore, making them one of the people other sales people go to when have questions about the new system provides added stardom and recognition to management.

Another easy thing to do is provide a button on your CRM solution that allows for easy feedback of bugs, and enhancement ideas.  People want to be part of creating something new for their company.  Find a way to let them.

Tags: CRM Basics

When tackling lead generation you want to make sure you go after companies that have similar traits to companies you are already doing successful business.  These would be some of the lower hanging fruit to go after.  The best way to identify these companies is first take a closer, methodical look at your existing customers.

Start by ranking your current customers using three criteria: gross revenue, profitability and “fit.”

The fitness ranking is more subjective than the gross revenue or the profitability ranking. It identifies the companies you know well, those whose business you are familiar with, those that are fun to work with, those you understand best, and those with which you have—or could have—a great working relationship:

What customers come up near the top of all three rankings?  Evaluate the other characteristics of the companies on this list. How large are they? Where are they located geographically? What are the titles or job functions of their decision makers? Analyze your answers to identify common traits, and use that information to find companies with similar traits.

Tags: Marketing, Sales methodology, Sales Techniques