"Which technology should I use for my database?" is a great second question, says my buddy Jerry Gitchel, founder of Make Technology Work, which provides technology coaching for entrepreneurs and professionals.
Every small business, my own included, struggles with its database. Some of it is in MS Outlook, another part is on the ConstantContact email program, and another chunk resides on LinkedIn. What is the best database program to handle it all?
Not so fast. Below are the questions Gitchel says a small business should consider asking before trying to solve the database stumper.
- What are you trying to accomplish?
- Who is it for?
- What do they need?
- What do you need from them?
What can CRM do for me?
This is really a contact relationship management (CRM) question. Alas, there is no magic database program that can do it all, says Gitchel, one that can easily (that is the key word) handle all of the following:
- Address Book - Provides storage and retrieval of all your contact details.
- Event Scheduling - Provides you with one or more calendars to schedule, promote and remind you and your team of events. Additional benefits would include public/private calendars, automated invitations and RSVPs.
- Messaging - More that email, messaging now includes Tweets, IM, Text and social messaging. A system that embraces multiple channels is ideal. Contact preference is the focus. A contact in Asia may prefer Facebook Messenger over email or text.
- To-Do Task-List - An email inbox is a poor place to keep track of tasks. The ability to create an unscheduled task then move it to your calendar by adding a date is an important feature.
- Document Activities - Moving contact relationships forward requires not only knowing what's next but what just happened. The ability to review prior interactions is vital prep for future conversations.
“Your focus should include segments, patterns and connections,” says Gitchel. “Strong contact relationships rely on embracing complexity in the lives of your contact. Using multiple tags to segment your database increases the value of each and every contact.”
What a CRM is Not
Both CRM and email marketing platforms allow us to send email messages. That's where the similarity ends. Here's how they differ:
“Email marketing platforms are used to send the same personal addressed message to multiple recipients,” explains Gitchel. “CRM messages are personal messages to a single contact. Email marketing includes Auto Responder functionality to generate a series of personally addressed messages to a single contact, on-demand. Highest function of an AR is to create a drip campaign with the goal of lead nurturing. Email marketing is automated, CRM is hands on.”
The Best of Both Worlds
“In most cases, organizations need both CRM and Email Marketing,” says Gitchel. Here are some best practices from Gitchel for defining, acquiring and operating an online communications connection platform.
- Define your world - Lots of folks, same message? Email marketing 1-on-1 over time = CRM. An investment in defining your needs delivers big dividends during the acquire and operate phase.
- Acquire systems tailored to your needs - LinkedIn/Nimble.com are a perfect fit. Website based white paper lead nurturing programs work well with the Auto Responders within Zoho CRM.
- Efficient Daily Operations - Contact profiles are organic. The ability to smoothly capture changes, conversations and connections each day is the most valuable element of CRM.
Additional Considerations
- Device Independence - Cloud driven device independence is vital for mobile professionals
- Collaboration - The ability for real-time team interaction builds first-responder competitive advantage into your operation.
- Plays Well With Others - The key to connecting all your digital dots is the ability of your systems to share information beyond re-typing or cut/paste. Technically known as APIs, the capability to share Nimble contacts with MailChimp allows you to use your CRM to build relationships, then deliver marketing campaigns to a market segment and track your results.
Bottom Line
“You already have all the technology you need,” says Gitchel. For that elusive perfection, start by understanding how you really need to communicate. Then put together an efficient system that works for you.
