Getting the most out of contact management software
- PDF / 186,398 Bytes
- 6 Pages / 595.25 x 763.266 pts Page_size
- 18 Downloads / 198 Views
Nigel Pleasants Nigel Pleasants is President of Increase Sales!, a division of Media Marketing Management. His company plans and executes business development activities for business-to-business companies. After an international career in the advertising agency business, Nigel specialised in developing both advertising sales and subscription retention for daily newspapers across North America, through the use of database marketing. His observation of numerous sales departments led him to the conclusion that the relationship-building skills required for sales are very different from the database-building and cold-calling skills required for business development, and that these are two separate, specialised disciplines, which should not be conducted by the same individuals.
Abstract For every business-to-business sales company operating without a database of customers, lapsed customers and prospects, there is a simple, fast, inexpensive way to get database technology in place that will make salespeople significantly more effective. The technology is contact management software (CMS) and its primary benefit in a sales company is to increase sales. This paper posits that, to get the best sales increase from using CMS, it is important to have someone, either on the staff or from outside who has a strong understanding and experience of CMS, can quickly understand the specifics of the business and has good communications skills.
INTRODUCTION ‘I was on contract to help a document management software company sell its $75,000⫹ systems to mid- and large-sized companies. The product was excellent. I was getting a positive reception from the chief financial officer of the Canadian office of a Fortune 100 company. My heart was pounding. The CFO took another look at my business card and said: ‘I recognise the name of your company. We tried to get capital approval for your technology a while ago. What is the background between our two companies?’ I had no idea!’ Nigel Pleasants President, Media Marketing Management Ltd, 58 Spruce Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 2H9, Canada. Tel: ⫹1(416) 921 0805; Fax: ⫹1 (416) 921 3027; e-mail: [email protected]
360
The above incident was experienced by the author. The company he was on contract with kept no record of contact with prospects. There was no prospect database, and no contact management
Journal of Database Marketing
Vol. 9, 4, 360–365
software. It is a true story. It happened in 2002. Surprisingly, the software company is still in business. Many companies are becoming increasingly sophisticated at providing their staff with a database of corporate knowledge with which to improve customer service, to retain and grow customers and to develop new business. These companies have the greatest opportunity for long-term growth and financial success. Other companies are falling behind, the consequences of which are extremely serious. If sales and service staff do not have at their fingertips information about a customer or prospect when making a contact, potential sales will be lost and eve
Data Loading...
