Your CRM is a tool. That’s all. And, like most tools, you have to us it correctly if want get the most out of it.
Learning to Use Tools Correctly
Have you ever seen a little kid use a hammer for the first time? They bang away at the nail, if you’re lucky it’s not a vase, your iPhone or the remote control, using the broad side of the hammer. If you think about it, it makes sense to a child to use the broadside, it has more surface area, it’s easier to swing and you can hit more stuff faster. But, if they have to actually be successful driving the nail. It’s gonna be awhile, so you may want to get a drink. They aren’t using the hammer correctly.
Using a CRM Correctly Matters
A CRM is just like a hammer. It can be used in a lot of different ways, but that doesn’t mean you are using it right. Too many salespeople and sales managers use their CRM like they are swinging a hammer broad side down and they look silly as hell doing it. Too much time is wasted and too many deals are lost or delayed because the CRM is being used in the wrong way.
14 Common CRM Mistakes
When you’re using the CRM like your using the broadside of a hammer;
- Data entry is treated as optional
- Data isn’t entered in a timely manner
- Tasks and activities aren’t accurately captured for each deal
- Only the main contact is included, not all the stakeholders
- Pieces of the deal strategy aren’t captured
- At least one open task, objective, or next yes is missing
- Sales stages aren’t being properly updated
- Close dates are inaccurate
- Notes lack details and context
- Challenges or objections are left out
- Notes about the competition haven’t been included
- There’s nothing about the client’s decision criteria
- Each rep doesn’t have a personal reporting dashboard
- Someone who knows nothing about the deal can’t get caught up using just the notes
Recognize the CRM’s Potential
Using the CRM like a little kid uses a hammers is all too common. What’s worse, is most salespeople don’t recognize it and continue smashing away, wondering why the CRM isn’t working for them and getting
frustrated that their boss is constantly nagging them to update it. However, when the CRM is used like it’s supposed to be, it becomes an efficient tool that helps salespeople close more deals, avoid losses due to missteps, accurately forecast the probability of hitting their number, become more responsive to clients and customers, see trends, avoid wasting time on deals that won’t close, engage others internally, find competitive weaknesses, and more.
A CRM is a tool, just like a hammer. In this case, it’s a data tool and a data tool needs good data. It requires lots of data, timely data. If you’re haphazardly putting in shitty data or incomplete data, then ya, no shit it’s a pain in the ass. Hello?
The CRM is Your Friend
It doesn’t matter what CRM you use, if you use it correctly, it will help you sell. It will help you mange your pipeline, your relationships, your opportunities, what’s critical to winning, and most importantly your quota attainment.
When salespeople view their CRM as a tool for them to sell better, they stop swinging it the wrong way and amazingly the nail seems to always go right in.
Stop using the CRM like the broadside of a hammer. Someone is going to get hurt.
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