For many small business owners, CRM for small business is a term they’ve not heard of, and it’s costing them money. It’s a fantastic marketing tool that every business owner needs to know about. In short, it’s an automated, computerized system for keeping in touch with your customer base.
You know, those people who give you money.
CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management & CRM for small business is crucial to its success. In my experience, it’s overlooked by the majority of business owners, possibly due to tight budgets but I would imagine more so through lack of awareness.
It goes without saying that nurturing relationships with your customers and your prospects, regardless of the size of your business, should be an absolute top priority.
CRM basically encompasses ongoing communication with your customer base and your prospects so they feel warm, fuzzy & valued. It can include strategies, policies, procedures, and information about customers and prospects that are known throughout the company and supported by every aspect of the company and the employees that are in contact with the customer base.
CRM FOR SMALL BUSINESS IS ITS COMMUNICATION LIFELINE
CRM software is by far the most efficient & cost effective option for managing quality relationships. With the cost of some software being somewhat prohibitive, some small businesses will struggle with the decision whether or not to make the purchase.
However, there are a number of applications available that won’t give your accountant heartburn.
If CRM software is totally out of reach, you can do it the old way, by manually recording customer information on index cards, or you can develop your own computerized system by using Word or XL.
The primary objective is for all employees that have contact with customers & prospects to have access to information so that if the person of contact is not in the office, anyone can ‘pickup the thread’ and bring themselves up to speed by simply accessing the notes.
Nothing impresses the person on the other end of the phone more than knowing who they are & what they’re about.
CRM FOR SMALL BUSINESS KEEPS EVERYONE IN THE LOOP.
In business, there is nothing more embarrassing than when someone calls responding to an ad featured by your company, and the person who answers the phone doesn’t know anything about it.
Your employees need to know what’s going on. They need to be aware of every advertising campaign and every special deal. From the caller’s point of view, whoever answers the phone needs to be able to deal with their inquiry.
And it’s not an individual answering the phone, it’s your company.
IT’S A WELL RESPECTED COMPANY THAT COMMUNICATES WELL.
If you are a service focused business, customers generally become attached to ‘their contact’ within your business and if that person decides to leave, you may very well lose that customer. However, if you’re using CRM software, you are helping to protect your customer base through relationships built with the company rather than with the individual.
Above all, quality ongoing communication is the strength of small business, it’s the very thing that makes you better than big business. It’s your point of difference.
So, don’t discard CRM for small business just because your company has a tight budget, strong communication & personal relationships is why your customers chose you.
Author & small business owner Peter Kirkham has written a terrific collection of small business ideas & proven, low cost marketing strategies that shows the small business owner how to increase profits & create a steady flow of new customers into his business… FOREVER. They are all available in his
FREE Customer Attraction Kit.