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November 2017
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How to Ensure CRM Meets Your Needs ADOPTION GAP
W hen an
already happened and typically only discuss what was not done. Their teams don’t buy in because they see it as a punitive, reactive measure based on untested assumptions. Developers, on the other hand, use software to improve practices and systems going forward, by using them as a tool to learn and confirmwhat’s happening This forward thinking comes from a clearly defined purpose. It puts everyone on the same page and lets them know why behind what they are doing. Knowing some results you want to achieve through CRM is a good starting point, but it’s more important to understand your purpose. If you don’t want to suffer from the adoption gap, you need to bring more to the table than an abstract goal. You need to understand how the software will help you investigate the inner workings of your company. Use it to prove theories and gain perspective on questions you cannot answer today. Most importantly, do not make assumptions. If you“think”you know, you likely do not actually know what is happening. The majority of system implementation failures are due to relying on assumptions. If you do not discover new things you were not aware of while implementing a system you are likely missing on the biggest benefit. – Gordon Hilleque
Over the course of the coming months, beginning with this issue, we’ll be diving into each of these goals in more detail inside the newsletter. We’ll discuss how Handle can help address these issues with specific functionality, and how to make sure you’re getting the most out of CRM toward your desired ends. In this space, though, I want to talk something we call the“adoption gap.”The seven items listed above are all desired results, but they are not the same thing as a plan of action. While all of these results are achievable, none of them can be accomplished without one critical thing: a clearly defined purpose. Think of your purpose as the“why”for targeting specific results. Youmay want to“Minimize Risk,”but answering why truly explains what it will do. Inmany cases this may seem like an obvious answer. However, we find the more obvious it seems to you, the more likely it isn’t clear to your teammembers. Everyone has different roles and perspectives in a company. Don’t assume everyone else knows what you do. The adoption gap also arises when companies focus too much on the past. CRM should be about finding holes in your process, targeting these areas for improvement, and creating a stronger future for your organization. You often hear us talk about the difference between companies that are“trackers”and those that are“developers.”Trackers adopt CRMwith an eye toward measuring what
organization adopts CRM,
they usually do so with an outcome in mind. How they’re going to use the software to get that outcome, though, is usually a lot murkier. Over the years, we’ve talked to company after company, and some of the same desired results pop up regularly. As we’ve mentioned before, you need to approach CRM adoption with a clearly defined purpose if you want to be successful. With that in mind, we wanted to address the seven most common outcomes we hear about from companies. 1. Easy Access —Having relevant information available at your fingertips. 2. Market Coverage — Ensuring that you’re reaching all possible customers in your market. 3. Repeatable Processes —Consistent processes across the organization. 4. Customer Loyalty —Building long-term relationships with dedicated follow-up and support. 5. Minimized Risk —Making strategic educated decisions to maximize profits. 6. Shortened Salescycle —Minimizing time between first contact and a sale. 7. Continuous Growth —Growing your business at a sustainable, steady rate.
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THE IMPORTANCE OF of Following Up on Leads
If you’re a business owner seeking to climb your way to the next level of success, there are three questions youmust ask yourself. The answers will determine whether your company grows dramatically over the next few years— resulting in a pool of hundred-dollar bills —or whether you’ll still be sitting in a dinky office, wondering why the phone isn’t ringing. Consider these questions as if they were a bridge troll standing between you and the glories of success. First, howmany prospects did your business generate last month? Second, howmany of these prospects made a purchase, converting them from a prospect to a customer? Third, howmany times did you contact the prospects that didn’t buy?
That means that 85 percent of the future value of all your leads is at least 90 days out. When it comes to nurturing leads, you need to follow up relentlessly. That doesn’t mean badgering your prospects to the point of insanity, but it does mean following up regularly. Your first call shouldn’t be the be-all and end-all contact. Just because a lead isn’t ready to buy now doesn’t mean they won’t be later. Instead, it should be an assessment call, for segmenting them into different branches and timelines for future selling. There may be no exact way to predict when a customer will make the decision to purchase, but the more motivated they are to buy, the more frequent and personal the communication will become.
the concept of single entry, the concept of a single screen for information entry, ideally using a single screen to input information. With this approach, you cut down on the team’s back-and-forth communication. You also allow for a central place to not only bring data in and get it to where it needs to go. Identifying the information teammembers need in and out of the office should be one of the first steps in implementing any CRM. To do that, you need to understand what they actually do throughout the day. And you can’t just take your team’s word on what they do or the information they need; you need to see it firsthand by spending time with your people in the field. Once you understand what information is needed, there are four functions that exist to provide you this easy access. We’ve also included an example of how these features can improve your process. 1. Searching —Quickly and easily search for anything that you need. For example, salesperson searches the customers assigned to them. This last query is the key. If you answered No. 3 with“only once or twice,”then it’s into the no- money pit with you. In fact, when confronted with this question, almost every business owner would fail the test. According to a study conducted by SiriusDecisions, the average salespersonmakes only two attempts to contact a prospect. After that, they hang themout to dry. Like all CEOs, you spend a lot on new leads. The thought of a salesperson giving up so easily shouldmake you more than a little frustrated. Moen Faucets conducts“Did you Buy?”surveys every month, collecting data on their customers and presenting it for their peers. Via those surveys, they’ve discovered that, on average, only 15 percent of customers who request information from the company make a purchase inside the faucet category—not necessarily with Moen— within the first 90 days of requesting information.
Don’t throw away old leads as if they were spoiled fruit. Keep in contact and watch the money start flowing in. HOW TO ACHIEVE EASY ACCESS Getting Information to Your People
2. Pinning — Save your searches and pull them back up for a single click. For example, the salesperson saves and pins that list based on territory, creating an easily accessible page. 3. Filtering — Hone down your saved/pinned list without performing additional searches. For example, the employee sees relevant customers quickly, without having to search again. 4. Automating —The delivery of critical information and alerts. For example, you receive a list of overdue customers every week. It’s crucial that you identify the information your team needs, and set up fast, easy ways to access it. Additionally, being able to filter it is key, because you cannot come up with every list or scenario a team member might need. Narrowing large amounts of data down to smaller lists that can be filtered save time. Additionally, sorting out what team members need each week makes their job more efficient. All of these goals can be accomplished with Handle.
CRMprovides a centralized location for information that’s easily accessible by members of your organization. Companies often overlook how advantageous a repository the information your team needs can be without any other functionality. With the proper integration of information from other systems into a CRM, you lay the foundation for later successes. The goal is to provide the information your team needs no matter where they are at, and make it extremely fast to access. The wrong way to approach integration of your customer data into a CRM is to create multiple systems that put the same data in more than one place. Complication is the opposite of what you should seek to achieve. Instead, create a sensible workflow, to quickly access what is needed with minimal searches and clicks. Later we will discuss
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How to KnowWhen It’sTime toHire Financial Help
Speaking to Inc.com, Barker imparted the following insight: “Whatever it is, find a way to outsource it, especially if it’s not a lot of cost. Because time is such a factor, and if it isn’t driving success, it’s not worth your time.” You might ask, “Isn’t hiring someone to help with finances costly?” Short term, hiring a bookkeeper comes with its fair share of costs, whether you hire someone to work in-house or a freelancer. However, when your finances are in control and under the guidance of a financial pro, there is a good chance your hire will end up paying for themselves, and then some — as long as you clearly communicate your business’s financial goals.
owner, are spending toomuch time on the finances, it’s time to call for help.
There’s a reality among small business owners and entrepreneurs. They want to do everything. Whether they are in the process of building a new business or it’s long been established, small- business owners tend to struggle with delegation. This includes the financial side of the business. Another reality: There are times when you need to hand over the financial reins to someone else, someone who is more capable and has the expertise to ensure your business has the financial foundation it needs tomove forward and, hopefully, prosper.
When you want to grow your business, time is one of your most precious resources. You have to manage it wisely. For many businesses, managing finances is a full-time job, but it isn’t always treated as one. If you are starting to wonder if it’s time to delegate this task, that means bringing in help is probably long overdue. The biggest sign you are spending toomuch time looking at your numbers is when you find your company is not reaching growth or production goals. As one small-business owner, Kelly Barker, learned, focusing toomuch time on bookkeeping meant she sacrificed the success of her company, Prep Cosmetics, in key areas.
How do you knowwhen it’s time to call in someone tomanage your books?
The answer won’t surprise you. It comes down to one primary factor: time. When you, as a business
ON US! HAVE A LAUGH
SAUSAGE AND BARLEY SOUP
It’s a great time of year to warm up with a cup of soup, and this comforting, guilt-free dish comes together in a flash.
Ingredients
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1/4 cup uncooked quick- cooking barley 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach
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2 cups water
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Cooking spray
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1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped
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6 ounces turkey breakfast sausage 2 1/2 cups frozen bell pepper stir-fry
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Directions
1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat. 2. While sausage cooks, place stir-fry and 2 cups water in a blender; process until smooth. 3. Add stir-fry puree, tomatoes, and barley to sausage in pan. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts. Recipe courtesy of CookingLight.com.
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INSIDE
this issue
1 2 3 4
The Adoption Gap
The Importance of Following Up on Leads
How to Achieve Easy Access
Should You Hire Financial Help?
Sausage and Barley Soup
Insight Into Nike’s Success
SHOE DOG’ GIVES INSIGHT IntoNike’s Success
“We wanted Nike to be the world’s best sports and fitness company. Once you say that, you have a focus. You don’t end up making wing tips or sponsoring the next Rolling Stones world tour.” –Phil Knight
That’s not to say that Knight isn’t a visionary in many ways. In the early days of Nike, Knight hustled to an extreme degree. Even when he was selling track shoes out of his trunk, his belief never wavered. Signing Michael Jordan
If there’s one word that best describes“Shoe Dog,”it’s“candid.”Knight gives equal space to his successes, failings, and insecurities. He also isn’t afraid to admit when luck was the deciding factor. Take the story of famous Nike swoosh, for
in 1984 revolutionized not just the athletic shoe industry, but celebrity sponsorship in general. He surrounded himself with smart, capable people, expanded sensibly, and never lost sight of his vision. If you want a book that gives you simple, cliché takeaways about how to become massively successful, “Shoe Dog”is not the book for you. If, instead, you crave what Bill Gates
When an entrepreneur or company becomes massively successful, it’s easy to construct a narrative that makes that success seem like destiny. They look back on the past with rose-colored glasses, interpreting every decision as a stepping stone on their way to eventual victory. Of course, real
calls an“honest reminder of what the path to business success really looks like,”then you should check it out. With a personal perspective, suspense, andmore than a fewwild anecdotes, “Shoe Dog”soars in a way few business books manage to. But, then again, that’s what Knight’s shoes have always promised to help athletes do.
example. These days, it’s universally regarded as one of the greatest logos ever conceived. Knight could easily claim that he saw its brilliance from the get-go, but that’s not what happened. When an art student came up with the design— for the meager price of $35—Knight’s response was,“It’ll have to do.”
success stories are never this linear. Honest accounts of what it takes to dominate an industry are hard to come by, whichmakes Nike CEO Phil Knight’s“Shoe Dog”a refreshing change of pace from the standard business memoir.
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