A website with an integrated CRM (customer relationship management) may be the tool to drive increased sales, since it allows you to focus on your top prospects!
Ideally, you want to achieve increased sales and better customer service with minimal effort. A CRM tool allows you to manage customer information in one location and provides valuable insights into your customer’s preferences.
There are many third-party CRM platforms that can be used independently or patched onto your site. However, the ideal would be a website built natively around an integrated CRM. In addition, the CRM should seamlessly integrate with a series of the business development services offered on the site.
Consider Marketing Automation. Marketing Automation is a subset of CRM that is designed to allow more effective marketing and user engagement on multiple channels such as email, social media, websites, etc. Marketing Automation streamlines sales, marketing and management efforts by reducing or eliminating repetitive manual processes.
Areas where this could be employed include:
- Website promotion strategies
- Email marketing
- Content marketing
- Managing user-generated content
- Social media management
- Tracking publicity placements
The use of CRM/marketing automation allows more time to analyze results and make strategic business decisions. Of course, the key to managing this automation effort is a CRM capable of managing the following areas:
Marketing Intelligence monitors interests from your campaigns to gain a measure of intent. A good CRM can record links clicked in an email marketing campaign (by individual) and, specifically, actions visitors took while on your website. Link analysis can then track customer interest, allowing you to focus future efforts on high-potential prospects.
Marketing Automation attempts to provide increased conversions. Prospects are nurtured from their first interest through to the conversation (sale, registration, form completion, sign-up, etc.). Marketing Automation often involves a blend of email marketing technology and a defined sales process.
Automated Workflows involves automation of company marketing processes. Typically, these systems include rules to trigger specific actions: auto responses, custom letters, and inclusion in future targeted email campaigns. Automated workflows increase the marketer’s ability to focus efforts on serious prospects.
At Cactus Creative, we design websites built around a CRM. Our “Frameworks” integrate a visual template with business software to accomplish the tasks mentioned in this article. In addition, our platform provides the ability to build applications to capture, store and display custom information relevant to your business.
To see our system in action, call (480) 414-4711 to arrange a short demo.
Jim Varner and Laurie Anderson are co-owners of Cactus Creative, offering digital and traditional marketing solutions. Anderson is an active member of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Phoenix Chapter.
