CRM for Sales Automation No Substitute for Good Sales Management
As an executive you are angry and frustrated with the performance of your sales team. Sales are stagnated, leads do not end in closure and every month is a repeat of the month before. Something has to change. You start thinking that maybe you need to shake up the staff or get a CRM system so that the team can get organized and close more business. My advice. Don’t do it, at least not yet.
When it comes to the above you are not alone, but the answer is not a CRM system. Why? Because you have bigger challenges in front of you. CRM is a tool and yes in the proper environment it can help your team get organized and keep on top of new business opportunities, but that’s not why you are suffering.
CRM software is not a replacement for good sales management. If you are getting fewer leads, not closing business and have a frustrated sales team chances are you are not targeting the right prospects, have the right message or do not understand why the competition has a more compelling offer. CRM software won’t fix this, but good sales leadership and management will. If you do not have an experienced sales executive leading your team go get one, then take the time to answer the following questions.
- What customers do we serve better than anyone else?
- What are these customers competing alternatives?
- What services do we provide to this segment better than anyone else?
- How are we going to get this message out to the market?
- How are we going to turn all of this into new sales?
Once you have the answers a quality CRM product with value added services such as best practices for sales, marketing and customer service can be the right tool to take your business to the next level.
About the author
Larry Caretsky is the president of Commence Corporation, a leading provider of CRM software and best business practices for improving sales, marketing and customer service. Caretsky is considered an expert in sales automation and has written numerous articles on the subject of CRM. These may be viewed on the company’s web site at commenceaug202.wpengine.com.
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