I did not think that a CRM would help me to execute my business plan! But it did! Top Tip No 4- 2/7/2020

Oh yes, a CRM is great for many things.

If like me you have recently revised your business plan, then a CRM is invaluable!

In my plan I have lovingly brainstormed the ‘pains’ of my potential clients and what solutions I could offer them. You know, like all good plans should!

Also, in my plan, is a list of potential key referral partners. You know, partners where we would help each another and cross refer potential clients between us.

So, if you can picture my plan, I have a list of possible key referrers by sector, for example, business coaches, accountants, HR consultants, marketing consultants…and so on.

Now to the CRM bit

As a busy networker, I had already met some key people within these sectors but perhaps hadn’t realised they were potential partners. Some of these people I knew well, some not so well.

If you have been following my articles, you would know that previously when I had met someone at a network I would pop their business card in a draw under my desk and there it stayed until April 2020!

However, during lockdown, I spent time putting all my business cards onto my CRM so I could easy locate the contact details of the people I had met.

This came in so handy when it came to identifying exactly who my key referral partners were (or potentially) were.

So, I set about tagging relevant contacts as ‘referrers’ in my CRM so at any time I can filter off all contacts labelled with this tag.

This has enabled me to make contact and stay in touch with my key referral partners during lockdown and hold regular chats so we can get to know each other better and start cross referring! I also update the notes in their record on my CRM so I can keep track of what we talk about.

Amazing!

The conversations with my key referrers have taken me on an amazing journey and I have loved getting to know them, what they do and how I can help them. The genuine people I have met has been fabulous. It has even led to an amazing new project working in collaboration with one of my key partner.

Why don’t you do the same; it makes things a whole lot more organised and who knows where it may go!