There are so many CRM software available in the market today that help companies in various business operations like sales, marketing, customer support, etc. However, you need a good customer relationship management strategy to take full advantage of your CRM software.

Let's talk about what exactly is a CRM system and what is considered a good CRM strategy before we get into the main part of this article- steps to create good CRM strategies.

What is CRM?

A CRM (or Customer Relationship Management) system is a software application that helps businesses track and manage their customer relationships. A CRM system can be used to store customer contact information, track customer interaction, and manage customer sales and marketing activities. A CRM system can also help businesses automate their sales and marketing processes, and improve their customer service.

There are many different CRM system software applications available and as a business, one should select a CRM system that meets their specific needs.

Some factors to consider when selecting a CRM system include-

• Size of the business
• Type of business
• Number of customers
• Type of customer interaction
• Sales and marketing activities

CRM over the years has become a dynamic tool. There are features like project management, financial management, invoice and billing, etc. available in the top CRM system. Yet a CRM system is incapable of meeting the sales and marketing objectives on its own. To take full advantage of your CRM technology, you need a CRM strategy in place.

So the question is, how do we strategize our CRM for better results? 

Let's understand what exactly is a Customer relationship management (CRM) strategy first!

What is a CRM Strategy?

A CRM strategy is a plan for how a business will use CRM data to improve its customer service, track and manage its customer relationships, and automate its sales process and marketing processes.

The CRM strategy will typically include goals for customer retention, good customer experience, and customer satisfaction, as well as specific actions that need to be taken to achieve these objectives for example lead management, targeted marketing campaigns, etc.

Factors to consider when developing a CRM Strategy-

Size and nature of the business

A small business with a limited customer base will require a different CRM strategy than a large, multinational company.

Type of products or services offered by the business

A company that sells products that are frequently replaced, such as cars or phones, will need to track different information than a company that sells customized products or services, such as a law firm.

Customer Interaction

The third factor is how customers interact with the business. Customers who purchase products online will need different information tracked than customers who walk into a physical store.

Customization

Businesses should consider how they want their CRM system to work. Some businesses may want all customer data to be stored in one central location, while others may prefer to have data spread out across multiple departments.

Budget

Lastly, the budget for a CRM system needs to be considered. A business that has a limited budget may not be able to afford the same features in CRM software as a business with a larger budget.

If you need a one-stop solution for your CRM needs, contact Sunbase and book a demo session to decide for yourself if Sunbase is the right CRM for you.

More about Sunbase CRM

Sunbase CRM was initially built to fit the needs of solar companies perfectly but it has so many features and tools like lead management, project management tools, etc., in the software that it can be (and is) used by non-solar companies too!

Sunbase not only helps in sales and marketing automation but also has additional features and tools like finance management, canvassing software, etc., to help in different business processes. Additionally, it has over 20 integrations. It is the ultimate customer relationship management software for any business!

Other features of Sunbase CRM:

• Proposal Tool
• Asset Management
• Marketing and Sales Management
• Project Management
• Invoice and Quoting Tool, etc.

How can CRM strategy help a business?

Having CRM strategies in place can help businesses in many ways. It can improve customer service, track and manage customer relationships, and automate sales process and marketing processes.

Once you have a CRM strategy in place, it will make all the processes efficient for the sales teams, marketing teams, customer service teams, and management teams.

A good CRM strategy will help a business in-

1. Increasing customer acquisition and retention
2. Improving customer satisfaction
3. Determining the best sales and marketing campaigns
4. Reducing costs associated with marketing and customer service
5. Improving overall business efficiency and performance
6. Improving coordination between customer service teams, sales, and marketing teams.
7. Identify valuable leads and assign them to the sales team

5 steps in Customer Relationship Management Process

#1 Create Brand Awareness

You need to make sure that your customers know who you are and what you offer.

Ways to create brand awareness for your business can be Social media marketing, search engine marketing (SEM), paid ads, and other inbound and outbound channels should bring your business to the attention of potential clients.

#2 Gain Leads

The customer has officially entered the acquisition stage when they visit your website or call you.

If someone contacts you, for example, you'll need to answer their questions and provide additional information about their wants. Following that, you'll provide the essential items or services to meet their demands while also educating them on how to use those products or services.

#3 Gain Customers

Once you have obtained leads, the next step is to convert them into customers. This can be done through sales calls, emails, and other forms of communication.

If the prospect gathers all essential information and is satisfied with your company's user experience, they've officially committed and become a customer of yours.

#4 Provide Good Customer Experience

One of the most important steps in any CRM process is providing a good customer experience. This means ensuring that customers are happy with their interactions with your company. You can do this by providing quality products and services, customer surveys, responding to customer feedback, and offering customer support when needed.

#5 Upsell

This is a sales strategy used by businesses to persuade and retain the loyalty of their existing customer base. This includes getting customers to purchase more items or upgrades to their initial purchase. Offering warranties in addition to a device is an example of upselling.

To read more about the Customer relationship management process, read this article!

Steps to Achieve the Best CRM Strategy

Set goal for your CRM strategy

Before creating a CRM strategy, you should review your overall business strategy and high-level business goals. Create a vision for what you want the CRM system to accomplish. That way, it has a defined purpose from the start.

Before you start using a CRM system, you need to know what you want to achieve with it. Do you want to increase sales? Improve customer satisfaction? Have a defined sales process? Reduce costs?

You can set different goals for each department- sales, marketing, HR, etc. Consider how you want your CRM to contribute to the success of your company. 

Once you've defined your goals, you can choose the right CRM solution for your business.

Identify target audience 

Who are your customers? What do they need and want? What are their buying habits? When you know who your target audience is, you can design a CRM strategy that will meet their needs.

Add these methods to your approach to capturing the target market: 

• Conduct unstructured interviews.
• Consumer panels can be used to assess the consumer acceptability of your product.
• To collect feedback on your present items, use systematic marketing assessment checklists.

To maintain solid customer connections and acquire high-quality leads, you must first understand who is buying from you and why. To become a customer-centric firm, you must first determine your buyer profile. It is critical to ensure that your employees focus on your customers' genuine requirements and expectations. 

This doesn't end here. Knowing who your target audience is can also save your sales reps and marketing teams from wasting time on incompatible leads.

Create a customer journey

To completely grasp the idea of customer relationship management, you must be familiar with each stage of the customer journey. Then you must provide an exceptional client experience at each of those touchpoints.

When making up the customer journey map, make sure to ask yourself these questions: 

• What are the commonly used products?
• How often are customers having issues?
• How are these issues being addressed?
• Who is addressing these issues?

Asking these questions can only help you enhance your CRM process and customer experience and will surely result in good customer experiences and repeat business!

Choose the right CRM software

Not all CRM systems are created equal. You need to choose one that will fit your business needs and budget. Do your research and compare different systems before making a decision.

The essential elements to consider when selecting CRM software are pricing, functionality, and simplicity of use when choosing CRM software. It is also critical that your CRM interface with your existing technologies.

Implement and train employees

Once you've chosen a CRM solution, you need to implement it and train your employees on how to use it. They should know how to input data, run reports, and use the features that will help them do their jobs better.

Monitor results

You need to track the results of your CRM strategy to see if it's working. Are you achieving your goals? What changes do you need to make? By monitoring the results, you can make sure your CRM strategy is as effective as possible.

Following these steps will help you create effective CRM strategies for your business. Make sure to involve your employees in the process so that they can help you achieve your goals.

How will a CRM Strategy help the business?

Your CRM strategy's success is determined by your teams' levels of engagement and cooperation. Get your staff on board right away. Maintain constant communication with them to keep them informed, educated, and up to speed on all areas of your CRM approach.

There are several reasons why your company requires a CRM strategy. A solid CRM approach will assist you in the following ways:

• At all stages throughout the customer journey, provide a pleasurable customer experience and maintain good customer service relationships.
• Improve coordination across sales, marketing, and customer support departments.
• Identify the most valuable leads and opportunities in a clear and timely manner.
• Maintain a record of your leads and clients as they progress through the buyer funnel.
• Execute targeted marketing initiatives
• Create actual numbers and data insights to inform and steer your future company strategy.

All strategic decisions, including your CRM strategy, must be supported by statistics and data. You must be able to track its development. A successful CRM strategy will improve your client retention.

To conclude, if you follow the procedures outlined above, you will be well on your way to achieving customer relationship management success.

About Sunbase

Sunbase is all-in-one management software that helps companies save time and money with automation! If you have a business that needs to optimize operations, try the Sunbase software suite for FREE! If you have any doubts about our software, feel free to contact us!