Are your CRM notes usable? What’s the difference between a box of pictures under the bed & a photo album?
No it isn’t a joke, the difference is all in our ability to use them.
Today with CRM systems, it appears that notes get added without any thought to how you’re going to use them later. Thrown into a box and slid under the bed.
As you add your notes, think about what it would take for them to be a beautiful photo album that you’ll enjoy taking out and looking at six months from now.
Like when someone asks you about St. Maarten, wouldn’t it be great if you knew there were pictures from that trip you took in the green photo album on the top shelf?
In your sales conversations take a moment to think, enjoy learning about the person you’re speaking with, and take the time to make sure you can use the information you uncover later.
Hold on while I get on my soapbox…
I’m not talking about conversations filled with stupid salesperson questions of ‘are you the decision maker?’ or ‘what are you responsible for?”
In no way am I saying that you don’t want to KNOW that information, rather that is NOT what you ask!
Have a conversation with another human being for goodness sake and you’ll find that stuff out.
…I’m getting off now
How often are you in a conversation, part way?
Where you are going through the motions of what you know you’re SUPPOSE TO ask & say, but later if you needed to refer to the information you have no idea what was said.
Perhaps in the conversation, you’ve snapped the picture, uploaded it, maybe even shared it with your CRM system, and now forgotten it.
What good is that? It doesn’t help you build trust…. build a relationship… earn a customer.
When you take a moment to THINK & CREATE conversations – your success ratio will increase significantly! only if you know days… weeks… months… later what happened in the conversation
See every conversation as an investment you make to reach your goals. You’re finding out valuable information about prospects and customers, speaking with them AS PEOPLE – a crazy idea I know.
Plus keeping track of what you learn so you can leverage it in future conversations.