CRM = Customer's (don't) Really Matter

CRM was supposed to bring companies closer to their clients. The basic idea was to; find out what a client wants and needs, give it to them, and get them to be your client for life.

But as with all good technology, it hasn't actually brought the sales teams, marketing departments, R&D, or customer service departments any closer to the customer at all! Technology is a poor subsitute for the human voice and social interaction.

I really feel sorry for the companies that struggled with the software, spent hundreds of man hours on design and implementation plans, dumped thousands and thousands of dollars into consulting sessions, developed training manuals and trained the trainers, held the meetings and issued management memos only to find that the problem of customer loyalty was the same if not worse.

They had the right idea but they were listening to those lame marketing gurus again! The same guys who have been promoting direct mail postcards as the best choice for farming prospects at a whopping 1-3% response rate!! (Whopee! Where do I sign up?) Seeing technology as a cure all for customer service is a grave mistake.

First, there is a serious problem with the oxymoron Client Relationship Management. Intimate loving families and friends can't manage their relationships, hence a 50% divorce! How in the heck is a company that sees its clients only a few hours each year going to manage the relationship?

At best, you can sustain, grow, and cultivate the relationship. At worst, you will lose it due to changes in the client's circumstances or aging, competition, economic and political factors, changing markets or (heaven forbid) your own terrible customer service and shoddy workmanship. But you will never be able to manage your clients. As a matter of fact... it is the client who manages you. They tell you what products they want, and what your product is worth, how they want it delivered, and like green french fries and the Edsel, whether they want it at all!

Companies that have to fight for their customers usually have internal problems. I heard that the CEO of a major insurance company said, " We stopped advertising once, we lost 50% of our business that year." This is a company that has trouble with client retention!

Retaining customers should never be a major struggle, and if it is, you are doing something wrong. It usually stems from not understanding the customer. Going to a computer program to improve customer relations, or find out what the customer is thinking is, quite frankly, nuts.

Let me give you an example from my own shopping habits. There are 4 major supermarkets within a 5 mile radius of my house. One has great produce prices, the others don't. I usually shop at that market for produce only, because their other prices are too high. I have a membership card with that store. Do they know why I only shop for produce at their store? NO! Will my shopping habits change if their prices change? Yes. Do they know that? No. Can they get that information from my membership card? No. Can they get it if the guy at checkout asks me? You bet! As a matter of fact I have volunteered the information. I have told checkers in passing on several occassions I think their produce prices are the best in town...do you think that information got to the store manager? Probably not!
Am I going to seek out the manager to tell him? Probably not!
But if I do, is he going to go in the office and make note of my comment somewhere so he can serve me better? No way!

Now,do you think the other stores know why I don't buy their produce? They have no clue, even though I have a membership card with them as well, they have no idea why I never buy their produce.

In-house customer surveys and focus groups and even "Hi, how ya doin?" conversations put the client and the company on the same side of the table, working together as partners to develop better products, services, and processes, and to cement relationships.

Here's another example of CRM failings, current gas prices are driving down SUV sales. Can CRM software tell you that gas prices are going to hit an all time high in summer? Can CRM software tell you that your competition is coming out with a hybrid that will save produce 50% higher MPG. Can CRM software tell you that your customer was in an accident that will make getting into an SUV painful and difficult, and that for the next few years he is going to buy sedans? No...but a single follow-up phone call by the salesman will tell you everything you need to know if you ask the right questions.

Building layers of insulation between the company and the client; software programs, autoresponders, marketers, voice mail systems, web sites, and self serve check outs are the death of communication between a business and its clients. Most people won't try to navigate the maze to tell you they are dissatified, they will just leave...and you'll never know why because they won't leave a message on your voice mail or tape a note to the self serve register.

But if you see frustration on a clients face, you can act immediately to turn a problem into a success. Some of the most loyal customers come from a bad situation turned surprisingly good. Case in point, At a fast food restaurant near my office I was carrying the tray to my table loaded with food for 4, all adults from my workplace. Another customer turned suddenly in front of me and all the food was on the floor. Frys and drinks everywhere. The manager immediately came over, dropping what he was doing during the busy rush hour, asked for my receipt, told me not to worry about it, to go sit down, he remade the order and had it delivered to my table within 5 minutes. For months afterward we ate there everyday, partly out of a sense of obligation, partly because we now trusted this restaurant and liked the manager, and we often brought other co-workers with us or brought back food for those to busy to leave for lunch. The restaurant certainly got its money worth on that $20.00 investment. And if we had had to replace that meal ourselves it would have had a totally different outcome. CRM cannot be credited with the success of the managers handling of this problem.

Hire a customer service team made up of people who love people, are excellent listeners, and who genuinely enjoy their job! Hire a customer service team of problem solvers, people who enjoy the challenge of creatively solving problems for people, pay them what they are worth! Train them to pass on all information from the customer to management immediately. Then train management to act on that information immediately. A free service call or product is a small price for retaining customers and gaining referrals, and costs much less than CRM systems. There is no better client relationship than the one that is face to face, person to person. Your customer service employees are the front line. They are your company image, they represent your company much more than your logos or ads. It's a lot cheaper to pay your customer service people a living wage and use them to get the information you need, than to squander thousands of dollars and man hours on CRM software that cannot.

How CRM Can Build and Maintain Customer Loyalty

Is your business's shop floor taking full advantage of a customer relationship management (CRM) system? If not, you might not only be failing to earn your clients' loyalty, you might also outright be losing them. CIS Magazine found this topic so important that it recently ran a feature article titled "Top Ten Tips to Build and Keep Customer Loyalty with CRM."

Before delving into some of those strategies, let's get a better picture of CRM. Short for customer relationship management, CRM is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) module that is a key element to factory floor efficiency. A "company-wide computer software system" ERP is "used to manage and coordinate all the resources, information, and functions of a business from shared data stores," explains Wikipedia.

Shop floor managers can get the most out of ERP (and CRM) with a real-time data collection system that utilizes touch screen capabilities. That's because such a scheduling system visually improves the sequencing of production (and raw materials) through a PC-based system that is completely interfaced with most ERP and MRP systems.

Now that you know what ERP and CRM are, let's get back to their customer loyalty advantages according to the experts at CIS Magazine.

1. "One experience does not fit all." - Software switches inside a real-time data collection system allow shop floor managers to configure the product to match the way they do business.

2. "Don't wait, anticipate." - A solid factory floor management system enables managers to touch, monitor and adapt every one of their specific shop processes for real-time improvement that delivers greater profitability.

3. "Strive for 'first experience' resolution." - A high-quality management system helps factory floor managers discover and resolve problems faster. Reminders appear to inform of special instructions. Shift-to-shift information is contained on screen. An easy-to-use email system distributes messages to specific areas or persons. Automatic notification of a floor problem is displayed so action can be taken immediately.

4. "Respond fact to critical interactions." - A shop floor management system allows businesses to compete on speed. While traditional planning systems are accounting based - meaning they measure cost, but do nothing to improve performance and increase production speed - a real-time management system is based on the actual "activity" of the floor. It modifies and adjusts work in progress based on actual "real world" production events, with the goal of improved performance.

5. "Increase access to real-time information." - A shop floor management system delivers real-time, continuous improvement for greater profitability and faster delivery to customers. By blending planning technology with new, factory floor activity technology, such a system affords employees the opportunity to use touch screen computers right where they need them - on the factory floor. As a result, they can enter and retrieve data on the spot, providing their clients with new instantaneous updates. They simply touch-in current job data in a real-time environment that improves accuracy and provides a faster time to discovery of problems.

To get the competitive edge that keeps you in touch with your factory floor - and that builds customer loyalty and retention - look for a reputable enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that implements a solid customer relationship management (CRM) module.

Contact Management (CRM) For Small Business - What Works Best?

Contact management for small businesses is a big deal often having a big impact on your bottom line. After all how well you connect and stay in contact with customers (and potential customers), track and manage your sales and marketing data, and drive business to your company is crucial to your overall income numbers.

Here is a quick "Guide" with strengths and weaknesses of three CRM software packages I'm comfortable recommending:

1. Salesforce.com

PROS: Integration with dozens of 3rd party tools including marketing automation. Hands down the most powerful import functionality of all CRMs. Salesforce.com allows you the most flexibility with mapping of data ..... and gives you full control of what data gets overwritten, merged, and updated. It is also easy to use and quick to navigate.

CONS: Expensive compared to other alternatives. Little to no contractual flexibility.

2. SugarCRM

PROS: Nice interface and powerful customization, most powerful if you count the ability to edit code. Flexible contract terms. More cost effective than Salesforce.com in the OnDemand version and free if you host the Open Source version yourself.

CONS: Little support for third party applications out of the box. Import process is limited in that you can only overwrite, versus update existing data records. This can be bad if you like to regularly update your database and import tradeshow and other marketing data.

3. QuickBase

PROS: Month to month contract terms, ability to host unlimited instances or have unlimited applications. As low as $15 per user per month. Easy customization.

CONS: Tedious import process with no ability to update certain fields versus overwrite. Little to no ability to connect to 3rd party applications.

My friends use Salesforce.com for their sales and marketing. They use Quickbase for delivery of their services.

Tidbits on a few others - Act and Goldmine require more IT resources for multi-user environments, and you will have trouble with people not syncing often enough. I have yet to meet anyone who has used Microsoft CRM and liked it.

Whatever program you choose really depends on what are your priorities and needs within CRM. Is it sales driven, customer service driven, internal help desk driven, campaign management drive. There are always some niche tools that are for specific needs and still people develop custom development. Proposal Making is a separate software in the CRM space for instance.

One thing to always remember when selecting, and integrating any CRM product. Installing and running the CRM is the easy part, no matter which one you chose. The hard part is tailoring the CRM's robust feature set to the unique aspects of your business, your sales goals, and the personality of your sales team. This tailoring will cost far more, take far longer, and incite far more arguments than you could ever imagine.

If it's so hard, then why even do it? Because that IS the payoff for CRM. A lot of people spend a lot of time analyzing all the features and choosing one CRM over another, and my point is, the feature sets aren't what matter.

The real beneit of CRM software isn't the automation, it is that in automating, it forces you to have all those tough arguments, make all those tough business decisions, and have all those debates about sales philosophy.

And if you do it right, you will be richer for it, no matter which software you choose.

CRM isn't simply contact management on steroids, it is your company's opportunity to identify best practices in customer life cycle management, codify those practices into defined processes, and an automated system to help your sales force understand and follow those practices.

Financial Accounting Software & CRM Solutions

Most people find accounts tricky. They'd rather be out there finding new customers, selling things or making things to sell.

With an expanding business, your accounting needs are more sophisticated than basic bookkeeping. You need an all-in-one solution that not only takes care of your finances but also supports your business, helps you make informed decisions and lets you plan your business.

Implementing a new financial accounting software application in your business is actually one of the most important financial decisions you are likely to make. The effect of choosing the right financial accounting software system can benefit you for years to come.

Choosing the wrong financial accounting software system can mean years of hassles, high expenses, and a dead weight that your business does not need.

By choosing the correct financial accounting software package for your business is simpler than you think. It allows you to take your financial accounting out of the closed walls of your office. A global access of your financial accounts gives you greater control and thus allowing faster decision making.

But it still needs to be simple, accurate and straightforward to use.

It's all about control:

o Credit control

o VAT Payments

o VAT Returns

o Invoice Payments

o Bank Reconciliation

o Sales and Purchases

o Case Flow Management

o Budgets and Reporting

o Invoice Payments and Quotes

o Profit & Loss and Balance Sheets

o Stock Allocation and Management

You need products that can offer you simple, cost effective software that does all this hard work for you. It'll help free up some time so that you can concentrate on running your business and looking after your customers.

The next important aspect of a total business solution is to have your back office accounting systems integrate with your front office Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Success of every business depends upon how good a relationship it has with customers. This basic fact has catapulted the concept of customer relationship management to the forefront of many businesses' strategic planning. With increasing competition, companies are forced to deploy new strategies and think over the old ones.

The dimension of business has changed over the years. In earlier times, customers did not have many choices and they had to choose whatever companies use to offer. But now-a-days, the number of products has increased and there is not much difference in the quality of same category products offered by companies. Customers being the king today, it becomes quite easier for them to look for other options in case they are not satisfied with the services offered.

Customer relationship management, which is essentially directed towards maximizing profitability, by adopting customer centric strategies, helps organization to differentiate themselves amongst its peers. CRM is the sum total of all the employed methodologies encompassing all the functions of business including sales, marketing, human resource management, customer service etc. It is instrumental in coagulating consumer's loyalty, reducing overall costs, increasing revenue, improved cross-selling opportunities and streamlining inter-related business process by having a holistic approach. People, process and technology are prime constituents of customer relationship initiatives. These constituents help in identifying consumers' needs and behaviour which in turn leads to better relationship between customers and companies. Right execution and implementation of CRM gives organizations a huge competitive advantage. Even a minor shift in the consumers' perception about how companies are treating them, makes a big difference to the business' money flow.

Today, consumers want to have an experience while shopping. They are the active participants in the process of selling and buying and they prefer to return back with happy experiences. Various researches show that one satisfied customer manages to bring five new customers whereas one unsatisfied customer takes away nine existing and potential customers. This fact makes it very imperative for organizations to provide high quality pre-sales and after sales services. Another observation is that, it's easier to retain an existing customer compared to make a new one which also helps companies to devise new ways to serve customers.

CRM Demands Continue To Grow

Business and the staff of business don't want to work the way the use to. Today business recognizes the power in being organized, having things flow smoothly, and keeping things on track. In fact Customer Relationship Management is as close to automation as you can get while still having that very important human interaction.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Software can meet your highest expectations providing you with a seamless operation and plenty of room for flexibility and growth at an affordable price. Still not sure why you should choose CRM? Not sure what the others are seeing in it? Stick around and we'll show you.

Anyone involved with sales knows that getting new customers is critical to business and once you get that customer you need to be able to service them in manner that keeps them coming back because if you can't retain your customers your business simply won't grow and become stable.

That's where CRM comes into play. It can help keep track of your customers from start to finish; you can incorporate strategies with each customers file, integrates sales and service, incorporate your marketing strategies for the future and in general maximize your revenue on every customer.

But why Microsoft Dynamics CRM rather than one of the many other choices. Why that's easy! They are one of the best on the market. First generation CRM software was expensive, complex, and certainly not liked by the staff that needed to use it. In fact a larger percentage didn't even achieve the basics. Microsoft Dynamics CRM was the first to address critical issues and ensure that the software not only did what it needed to but that it did it well and for a price that most budgets could handle.

That's one reason why so many thousands of users around the world use Microsoft Dynamics CRM . With no time manpower to waste and not time or money to through out on inadequate software the professionals head for professional software. It's that simple. They seek out the most cost effective, flexible, and functional software they can and in this case it happens to be Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

CRM has the potential to benefit just about any business or any department from sales right through to human resources and anything in between. One the biggest challenges facing business is the fact that there is a culture entrenched so deep it becomes difficult to implement change without facing a great deal of scrutiny, and heel dragging related to change.

But what CRM has to offer is more like an entire makeover. After all it is a complete back to front company operation software that can incorporate the executives at the top to the sales staff at the bottom. This is technology that works and although at first staff may drag their heels in no time they are completely on board.

The key to success with CRM is a customer centered business philosophy and that philosophy much incorporate actively serving the needs of the customer. If that's your company philosophy than you shouldn't be without a CRM platform. It fits your business philosophy and can maximize your revenues in no time.

Here's a system that almost automates the entire process but it keeps the human an integral part of dealing with the customer. What it does automate is all those notes, steps, next call dates, customer likes, dislikes, potential customer buys, and just about anything else you can think of. So with all the tedious tasks taken care of you can spend your time focusing on the customer. The CPM system will be fondly referred to as the CPR system.

Is it right for you? Only you can answer that question but it has an excellent reputation for increasing customer loyalty and maximum profits. But buying in has to be the full deal right from top to bottom for you to experience the success this software can bring to you and your company.

It's got plenty of benefits such as timely customer service, targeting customers, increased per customer revenue, trimmed sales cycles, improved sales forecasting, better informed marketing decisions, and the list goes on.

The demands for CRM continue to grow as more and more people recognize the value to their bottom line.

All About The CRM Software

The Business world is actually booming with the introduction of all sorts of software products which have continued to change the way business is managed in the recent times. The CRM Software is one of such latest inventions that have really changed the business world for the better. Let's take a look at what the product stands for.

What actually is CRM Software?

The Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is a unique application that has been designed to assist many business outfits in organizing all data that has to do with their operations and customer base. These include areas that deal with sales and marketing, follow-ups, customer care supports and so on. The software builds a comprehensive profile of your clients and makes that accessible to every other member of the business empire. This helps a lot in allowing every member of the company to network more efficiently and also access their common schedules.

The software comes in a wide variety of types. However, they all could be grouped into two major types namely, the Locally Hosted and the Remotely Hosted Versions.

Locally Hosted CRM Software

The Locally Hosted Version is usually installed on your company server and also tailored to have control over other applications you're using in the organization. This version works exactly as you desire. The only problem is that it requires proper technological expertise to function well. You have the responsibility to watch over its security. You also need to upgrade it from time to time as your business grows.

Remotely Hosted CRM Software

The Remotely hosted version is run on the external CRM Company's server that provides your business with the CRM service. In this system, your CRM provider runs the application smoothly from its own server. All your company data are properly secured. Again, the CRM provider has the responsibility of solving any application problem that may occur anytime.

Features of the CRM Software

A good CRM Software normally has unique features. Before you install any kind of CRM software, you have to make sure it has quality features such as, efficient upgrade path, handheld connectivity, import and export features, proper integration with latest application such as Outlook Express and so on.

Installing the Best CRM Software

If you desire to install the best CRM, there are certain points you have to bear in mind. First of all, you need to go for the type that has sales force automation feature. This is used as a special sales tool that helps in streamlining all the phases involved in sales beginning from lead management to forecasting and sales analysis.

Again, you need to engage the services of a reliable CRM provider that is well experienced in the business. You need to compare the cost of installing such applications from various providers before you go ahead.

Finally, always make sure you install an easy-to-use CRM application through the help of a reliable company. The software when properly installed can take your company to greater heights.

CRM Software - Your Entry Point - What Initial Strategy is Right For You?

CRM Software is a key business strategy whether you are a large enterprise with thousands of customers or a small business with a select, but equally important customer base. Generally, your strategy will be the same - to keep customer information in a single place that allows you to have everything about that customer at your fingertips. This will mean that you maintain a link between your sales, marketing, customer and even your finance information. The goal however is to increase opportunities and sales and maximise the productivity of your staff.

The type of system you choose will be determined by your needs now and in the future. Do you build and configure your CRM software solution based around a specific product or do you use a web based CRM software solution to suit today's needs with a view to growth? Either way, your CRM system will be a function of budget and requirements.

Configuring a CRM system may cost the same whether you have 20 users or 100 users so economies of scale do exist. The return on your investment is better the more users you have as a customised system could have theoretically the same amount of consultancy time if the roles were the same.

Your decision point for an in-house configured system is made for you if you need to integrate into your own systems. For example, do you need to integrate into your accounting system, your distribution ERP system or your warehouse? This solution will also require specialist consultancy support and is not a normal function of a "off the shelf" stock standard systems.

Web based CRM software, using software as a service provides a substantially lower entry cost into CRM than an in house configured system. For many small to medium enterprises, paying monthly fees based on the number of users yields a more cost effective initial price point. If your needs are based around CRM software traditional applications such as contact management, marketing & lead management and activity management such as calendars, phone calls, then a web based approach will probably be right for you.

Web based CRM software however may not be as flexible as you want and have limitations on how you can customize your CRM because they are multi tenancy. This means that you have many people using the system and so parts of these systems must be standard. Therefore, you can't make the changes you need for own situation. It may well be that web based CRM is a good fit for you if you want a stock standard CRM system for marketing, sales and customer service teams.

Your decision point is therefore whether you need to integrate into your other business systems or not.

A typical CRM strategy is to begin with a web based CRM. Small, but growing companies might deploy their CRM in a hosted environment initially with a view to migrating into an in-house system when financially appropriate. The initial cost of ownership does not justify an in-house system and budgetary constraints may prevent owning a system. Today, such options exist. For example, Microsoft Dynamic CRM can be deployed in a web based CRM software environment but later the configurations and data can be redeployed into an in-house solution. This is incredibly flexible and totally seamless.

Planning CRM strategies is therefore a key element of your business strategy. Having a three year cost of ownership analysis, together with understanding your integration requirements into other systems will determine whether an in-house CRM is suitable or initially you will be better placed with a web based CRM software solution.

Antony Dutton is Managing Director and co-founder of Aaromba - CRM software & service management software

Building Your Business With Web Based CRM Software

The soul purpose of CRM software, otherwise known as Customer Relationship Management Software, is to aid business owners in building and maintaining important relationships between customers and the business itself, often times reducing overhead and driving more repeat customers as a result. Many businesses that are just using a CRM software for the first time tend to find themselves a little overwhelmed with the power that many of these solutions provide not to mention the depth of features and sometimes extensive learning curve.

While often times the features of a CRM will vary from software to software, the reality is that they generally have very similar functions, covering everything from business automation, task specific, to storing customer information and analyzing customer data such as purchases, time of visit and so on. CRM software truly is a very powerful tool for building a successful business both online and offline.

Wikipedia describes CRM as: "Customer relationship management (CRM) is a multifaceted process, mediated by a set of information technologies, that focuses on creating two-way exchanges with customers so that firms have an intimate knowledge of their needs, wants, and buying patterns. In this way, CRM helps companies understand, as well as anticipate, the needs of current and potential customers. Functions that support this business purpose include sales, marketing, customer service, training, professional development, performance management, human resource development, and compensation. Many CRM initiatives have failed because implementation was limited to software installation without alignment to a customer-centric strategy."

Now you may have already figured out that CRM software is a must have for any growing business, but did you know that it can be affordable too. The secret is in the type of CRM that you choose. For instance, web based crm software is often times much more affordable than other types of CRM, but still has the important features that you will come to rely on as your business continues to grow. Web based CRM software can also drastically cut down on increasing advertising costs by allowing you to keep track of current and past customers and enticing them to possibly buy again.

Choosing the Best Web Based CRM Software:

If you have been searching for a web based CRM software, you will soon find that you have some choices to make. Now it is virtually impossible for me or anyone for that matter to tell you which web based CRM software is the best choice for you or your business. Why? Simple, because as I briefly mentioned above, all of the different services offer different features to go along with them. For example, while one CRM software might focus more on analyzing customer data another one probably has a more concentrated focus on effectively storing customer information.

Choosing the right CRM Software, especially when it comes to web based CRM software, really depends on your companies specific needs that's very important to remember, its crucial that you figure out what exactly your business needs out of the software and then work towards finding a software that caters to those needs. Now that you know what CRM software is, you understand the benefits of using web based CRM software and you know what to look for, you are ready to move forward and reap the rewards that CRM has to offer.

CRM Applications Are Necessary For Online Business Management Success

CRM applications for your lead management system are a must if you want your online business to skyrocket. There are four basic things you need to realize in order to achieve success.

1. You have to be at the right place

2. Deliver at the right time

3. Provide with the right message

4. Offer the right product or service

Obviously these basic concepts have been known facts forever; there is more to the story. However, missing any of the components from this formula, your leads management strategy could spell failure.

With all the competition, price wars and other challenges you are faced with, you also have to learn how to become a master marketer.

There are a variety of ways to attain these sometimes monumental goals of your lead generation service. Marketing is a bit different than selling, because it is based on developing relationships and staying in front of your customer, providing continuous quality information and support through a variety of email marketing strategies.

A business owner who has good marketing knowhow, is one who is developing their business for the long haul, and not building a hit and run gig.

Most often this will include direct response marketing methods, which offer free stuff through writing compelling copy. You also must know how to write a message that matches what your target market is interested in.

What most business owners do not do, which is the most important of all ...and that is to simply "follow up". It has been proven that following up with consistent email deliverability, maximizes sales. Bottom line is you need a computerized, automated system or emailing software that does not waste a lot of man hours.

Now we all know there are different types of leads, great- hot, ok-warm and bad -cold. Heck we all want the hot leads, but what do we do with the others?

We pick through these leads and do minimal, tedious, follow-up, grunt work. The warm leads get cold and the cold ones die, so really, no one is really tracking leads. This is costly and a big waste of money. So the brilliant idea would be to create a system to follow up for you. Perhaps it is time to think about a CRM for small business program.

Would it be great to close more deals at the end of the month from one set of leads? I have heard all too often that when you hear "no" it is really meant to be "not right now". This could be true, because people will most often buy when they are ready. The question then becomes are you going to be there when they are ready to buy or will your competitor?

So if you have a plan and an email marketing system that will follow up often that provides quality information when you do, then your sales are likely to increase. We all know staying in front of your prospect is the single most and greatest challenges a business owner faces.

Follow-up is a gut-wrenching, time-consuming, wearisome and labor-intensive task that is nearly impossible for the human mind to maintain. If you can tackle this, you will realize BIG profits.

To be honest, efficient, effective email marketing campaigns are a critical component to the success of any online business. They say, doing this correctly shortens the sales cycle, increases your capacity to handle more deals/sales and increases your closing ratio because you spend more time communicating with highly qualified, informed prospects with a proper sales management system.

I was taught that you have to be a harvester. You have to nurture relationships and warm the leads as you move forward. Learn to close the gap between getting the lead and closing the deal.

So here are five tips to cultivate your contacts.

1. Send initially disinclined prospects relevant, valuable information on a scheduled, frequent basis through an email marketing system.

2. Stay in touch with your prospects efficiently, aside from the normal, time-consuming, one-on-one method.

3. Record all communications involving your office and the prospect in an organized manner.

4. Arm yourself and your sales reps with a battery of detailed, value packed information that can be sent off to prospects upon request.

5. Track the progress of each lead through the sales funnel with CRM software, so you always know where every one of your leads stands.

Developing these relationships overtime will provide amazing results. This could also prove to be an enjoyable process while Building and developing your customer base that is the backbone of your business. Keep in mind that you must actively, systematically and methodically build your customer bases and keep it living and breathing at the same time. When done correctly, your prospects who will always buy when they are ready, will know exactly where to go... To YOU!

Flexibility is a factor when sorting through your database. When you combine a solid customer database with the power of sequential, targeted, timely, value added, direct email marketing follow-up campaigns, you have the capability to land lots of new business in a short period of time.