 | THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL | | | | |   | Remember details and build relationships ... | Posted by Pam Mannell on 19/03/2013 |
The Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings by Gregory Y. Titelman shows this phrase as a variation of ''God is in the details - Whatever one does should be done thoroughly"; details are important, aren't they?
 remembering the details allows you to correctly segment and target your customers
One of the great things about the Customer Relationship Management solutions available from CRM Essentials is the ability to customise them to meet the specific needs of each individual client. Whatever your market place, there will be some industry specific information you need to record about your prospects and customers.
For example:
Accountants - lots of tax return dates, reference numbers and so on, Services to schools - may need number of teachers, type of school etc, Selling to hospitals - number of wards or beds might be important, along with relationships between hospitals and trusts etc, Business to consumer - you may want more personal information such as date of birth, date they last moved house, etc Equipment details - make, model, serial number, warranty dates and technical specifications.
Take a look at that list again. The majority is about the organisation you are dealing with. But you are selling to people! You need to build up a profile of your contacts so you can better understand them and build lasting relationships.
Many years ago, I worked for a large computer company who often arranged corporate events (golf challenges, tickets for rugby - that sort of thing). There was no CRM database as such and it was down to each salesperson to try and remember this information as and when it was needed. Today there is no excuse for not knowing and recording information as soon as you find it out - you never know when those little details will be important.
It's now easy to research new contacts; you can find them on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Rather than sales people having to try and remember details, using social media for research - and a CRM to record the findings - this information can be at your fingertips when you need it.
Depending on your need for the information, you may want to enter it into the CRM in a structured way so you are able to easily get a list of 'everyone interested in golf' for example. Alternatively, many CRM solutions today offer direct links to social media sites so you can see the last few tweets, posts or status updates. Great to get an up to the minute view of your contact before a meeting or phone call. Be in a position to congratulate them on something, or hope they have/had a good holiday.
Successful selling today is not just about winning deals, it is about understanding your clients, what problems they are trying to solve, and building long lasting relationships. Details are important, but unless you have a photographic memory these details need to be recorded and for your company to really benefit they need to be shared.
I've said before that your Customer Relationship Management system is your "Company memory" - give it something to remember, then make sure you use it!
If you need help setting up a CRM database, or need changes making to an existing one, then you may feel it would be a great idea to call CRM Essentials on +4 (0) 845 862 2150 or click here to ping over an email and let's see how we can help you.
Until next time ... 
PAM MANNELL
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 | CRM ESSENTIALS LIMITED Pam has been involved in the implementation of CRM solutions since 1997 and is accredited in many different CRM packages including Achiever, ACT!, GoldMine and QuoteWerks. Her role has always involved a large element of training - both classroom based and one-to-one consultancy.
Her mix of technical, end-user and project management skills enable her to see a project through from beginning to end and be able to deal with users at all levels from Director to end users.
Prior to joining a CRM consultancy in Milton Keynes, Pam worked for MDIS (now NorthgateArinso) for 18 years. During this time she was involved in many different areas including training, pre-sales, post-sales, technical support and project management. For many of those years she specialised in public sector and police customers so has a good background in dealing with organisations of all sizes and types. Pam was heavily involved in setting up the first PC applications training within the company, and managed the process of obtaining BS 5750 (ISO 9001) for the Training Department.
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Call Pam Mannell on 0845 862 2150, or click here to send an email, and find out how we can help you with your CRM Consultancy, Training or eMarketing needs.
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