The most important tool in your sales arsenal!

Without the right tools, you can never get a job done on time, let alone productively and efficiently. Most companies choose the wrong tools for what they need to accomplish, especially when it comes to CRM. Many companies buy tools without really understanding or vetting the capabilities they need to achieve their digital transformation. We are currently experiencing the greatest change in society, and it's becoming increasingly clear that the speed at which a company is forced to drive digital processes internally will be brutal and devastating if you don't follow what's required.

In his book Fanatical Prospecting , Jeb Blount emphasizes that prospecting is the most expensive thing you can do in sales, especially if you spend your time with the wrong prospects. It's not just about spending time with the wrong prospects, it's also about not having the right sales weapons or tools to do what you need to do. Today, CRM is not just a database; it's about having the right contacts and following up effectively. It can all be done very differently today with the help of real weapons that make your daily work super effective. You want to focus on what's important; you want to spend your time effectively with the right people and be relaxed about everything else, so you have time to build strong relationships. Unfortunately, over the past few years, most salespeople have not had enough time for this because they have been too focused on internal tasks and administration instead of spending enough time with real people, as statistics show

So, CRM is the most important tool in your sales arsenal because it allows you to manage the details and tasks that you need to do. Keep in mind, however, that in addition to organizing and managing your pipeline and deal flow, you also need to consider what we call your “pipeline creation rate”. This refers to how much opportunity value you are creating and putting into the pipeline per week, per day, or per month. In addition, it is important to consider how quickly that value is moving through the pipeline. This is a separate topic that I will cover in a separate article.

Today, CRM is not just a necessary tool - it is essential. It's like trying to move to another country without flying or driving; you just can't do it. In the same way, a company today cannot survive without a telephone or the Internet. The same goes for any sales organization without the right CRM tool - they will go the way of the dinosaurs.

Therefore, it is crucial to make the right decision when choosing a CRM tool. The question is, how do you make that decision? I emphasized this point in my eBook (link provided), but the key takeaway is that it's important to understand that not having a good CRM system can be extremely costly - not only because salespeople don't like using multiple systems, but also because of mindset issues.

This decision needs to be carefully considered and should not be based on brand or other superficial factors. It needs to fit your specific industry and sales process. Ultimately, your company will never see the desired results unless management takes responsibility for implementing and executing the CRM system correctly.

Fortunately, technology has made life easier for salespeople by automating tasks such as note-taking during meetings through speech-to-text technology. This allows them to focus on their interactions with customers rather than spending time taking notes.

Here's the truth about CRM, according to Jeff Blunt. If you don't own it, you'll never reach your true revenue potential. I agree with him 100% because it's a top-down decision, execution and implementation.

It starts with you as a leader - as a sales leader or at any level - adopting any digital system, especially when it comes to workflow, repetitive tasks, and organizing information. CRM is not only important for prospecting - but you also cannot prospect without technology today. It's also critical for account management to know which customers bring in the most revenue.

Typically, 80% of your best customers generate 20% of new customers and convert prospects into revenue streams. Without a system, it becomes difficult to keep track of your daily tasks and responsibilities. There are too many issues and tasks to manage without it. That's why working with CRM is essential.

Here are some examples: Most salespeople still have a negative attitude towards CRM instead of seeing it as the best tool they can have. Imagine being able to create a summary after a call without having to type anything - you can talk to the computer and use AI to correct the text and automatically create bullet points and tasks based on the call notes. There's no need to manually update or track your notes; Pipeliner CRM does it all for you. Who wouldn't want that?

So, you need to focus on your own goals and what you want to achieve; management helps coach salespeople to reach their full potential with the tools they are given. We have moved away from the formal use of CM; now, at the end of the day, prospecting is all about using CRM effectively.