As a small business or startup, you have a lot on your to-do list: increase brand awareness, convert leads into customers, and support customers after the sale. And of course the whole admin is behind the scenes.
A big part of that is contact management.
In order for your small business to grow successfully and sustainably, you need a strong contact management strategy. But what does that mean and how can you get it right?
What is contact management?
With contact management, you manage all of the contact details in your company, including contact details, communication preferences, sales history and customer interactions with your company. It gives every team in your company the information they need to stay productive and the context they need for personalized interactions.
Your contacts can be:
- Leads (or people who are in your pipeline but haven’t bought from you yet)
- Current and former customers
A contact management strategy is implemented with CRM software that stores all of your small business’s contact information in one central location.
Although contact management has traditionally been the domain of salespeople, CRM has developed rapidly in recent years. Now, many all-in-one CRM platforms offer advanced capabilities for marketing and customer service teams to store and manage their own interactions, remove information silos, and encourage collaboration with sales.
An all-in-one CRM, or a CRM that is heavily integrated with your other apps, is a particularly good solution for managing and optimizing the entire customer journey because you:
- Acquire and collect new marketing leads
- Promote these leads to be ready for sale
- Convert leads into paying customers
- Implementation of onboarding services and continuous support
- Offer upgrades and added value
Benefits of strong contact management
Contact management influences far more than sales. If you get it right, the benefits will reverberate in your small business as each role has more data and insights at its disposal. It also enriches every aspect of the customer journey.
With good contact management processes, you can:
- Enrich your customer experiences with data-driven insights and automation
- Spend less time managing and free up time for what matters most
- Maximize conversions by delivering the right messages at the right time
Contact management is something your business will always do, but most small businesses have plenty of room for improvement in order to maximize their efficiency in this area.
Read on for our tips on how to get the most out of contact management in your small business.
Six best practices for contact management
Here is our guide on using contact management strategies to fuel growth and reduce the headaches for your business, both now and later.
1. Keep your contact information clean.
Smooth contact management starts with clean data. You cannot deliver a great customer experience if you have incorrect or conflicting data about your customers, nor can you have a smooth business operation and reporting in your company.
While you can reduce the amount of bad data getting into your database by customizing your lead generation forms and establishing clear processes for your team to follow, you can’t avoid everything. For this reason, every company needs regular data cleansing. For example, you could schedule this every quarter.
As part of a data cleanse, take the time to remove:
- Duplicate contacts
- Incorrect or outdated contact information, e.g. B. Hard bounce emails
- Contacts who don’t want to hear from you anymore
Data cleansing does not have to be done entirely manually. A lot can be automated. For example, many CRMs and email marketing tools highlight duplicates so you can merge or delete them.
Your email marketing software will also help you identify hard bounced emails as well as groups of unsubscribed contacts. Once you are sure that you can clean up this data, you can delete it from the app.
2. Choose the right CRM.
As part of a strong contact management strategy, your CRM should be at the heart of your business. It’s the software where you store all of your most important contact details, as well as interactions with each customer and lead.
This makes your CRM one of the most important apps for your business. Take the time to research various CRMs and find the right solution for your industry, company size, sales and marketing strategy, and your goals.
As your company grows, so must your CRM. This can mean updating your plan, adjusting your strategy, or even switching tools as you scale.
3. Centralize your contact information.
One of the best contact management strategies is to have a centralized database that stores all of your contacts in one place. This will usually be your CRM. This is another reason why it is important to follow step 2 and choose the right one!
With a central contact database you can:
- Find all the key insights you need in one app
- Make it easy for other teams to find data without needing credentials and training on many tools they don’t need to use
- Break down information silos between departments
To start centralizing your data, identify the key apps on your stack that collect contact information. You can then synchronize this data with your CRM.
4. Automatically sync contact information between your apps.
Remember: For optimal contact management in your small business, you shouldn’t keep the contact databases in your apps isolated from each other.
Your CRM, marketing apps, sales stack, and every other tool in your business will produce the best results when connected as part of an integrated ecosystem. The best way to do this is through data synchronization.
After creating a central contact database, your next step is to synchronize relevant data from it with your individual apps.
5. Gather data that will enrich your insights.
By syncing contact information between your apps, you can automatically expand your insights.
When you collect geographic or content consumption data in your CRM, you can sync it with your email marketing platform and use it to segment subscribers into more precise mailing lists.
6. Handle your contact information well.
All large and small companies must observe data protection regulations. However, this goes beyond playing by the rules and ticking boxes.
Be a brand that your prospects and customers can trust with their data. Protect the information they give you and respect their privacy. This may not have an easily measurable ROI, but having customers who trust your brand will always make an impact.
Contact Management Best Practices for Small Businesses
Small businesses have to be scrappy and efficient with their time and resources. That means finding the best ways to do things, so that they can focus on what’s important-growing their business. Contact management is one area where many small businesses can benefit from a little bit of organization.
In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the best ways to manage your contacts, so that you can keep up with everyone you need to stay in touch with. We’ll also look at the benefits of using each method, so that you can decide which one is right for you. Stay organized and grow your business!
Email Management
Email management can be a great way to keep track of your contacts. You can create folders for each type of contact, such as customers, suppliers, and partners. This will help you quickly find the information you need when you need it. You can also create templates for common emails, such as order confirmations or invoices. This will save you time when you need to send a message to multiple people.
Another advantage of email management is that it’s easy to access from anywhere. You can check your email on your computer or phone, so you can always stay up-to-date on your contacts. And if someone responds to your email, you’ll get notified immediately.
However, email management can also be a bit of a time suck. It can be easy to get distracted by new messages and spend too much time checking your email. And if you’re not careful, you can easily end up with a cluttered inbox.
Social Media Management
Social media management can be a great way to stay in touch with your contacts. You can create lists of people who you want to follow, so you can see their updates in one place. This can be a great way to keep up with customers, suppliers, and partners. You can also join groups or circles with other businesses, so you can share information and ideas.
Another advantage of social media management is that it’s interactive. You can quickly reply to messages and comments, so you can build relationships with your contacts. And if you’re active on social media, you can also grow your network by connecting with new people.
However, social media management can also be a bit of time-consuming. You need to be active on multiple platforms, which can take up a lot of your time. And if you’re not careful, you can easily get distracted by the latest news or cat video.
Address Book Management
Address book management is a great way to keep track of your contacts’ contact information. You can create a list of all your contacts, so you can quickly find their phone number or email address when you need it. You also won’t have to worry about losing track of someone’s contact information.
Another advantage of address book management is that the information is always up-to-date. You can add new contacts and remove old ones whenever you need to. And if you change your phone number or email address, you can easily update your address book.
However, address book management can be a bit inconvenient. You need to remember to add new contacts and update your address book whenever you get new information. And if you’re not careful, you can easily lose track of someone’s information.
Which Method is Right for You?
Now that we’ve explored the benefits of each method, it’s time to decide which one is right for you. If you’re looking for a way to quickly find information when you need it, email management might be right for you. If you’re looking for a way to stay in touch with your contacts, social media management might be right for you. And if you’re looking for a way to keep track of your contacts’ contact information, address book management might be right for you.
No matter which method you choose, make sure to stay organized and keep up with your contacts. The more organized you are, the better your business will run!
Contact Management Best Practices for Small Businesses
Small businesses have to be scrappy and efficient with their time and resources. That means finding the best ways to do things, so that they can focus on what’s important-growing their business. Contact management is one area where many small businesses can benefit from a little bit of organization.
In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the best ways to manage your contacts, so that you can keep up with everyone you need to stay in touch with. We’ll also look at the benefits of using each method, so that you can decide which one is right for you. Stay organized and grow your business!
Email Management
Email management can be a great way to keep track of your contacts. You can create folders for each type of contact, such as customers, suppliers, and partners. This will help you quickly find the information you need when you need it. You can also create templates for common emails, such as order confirmations or invoices. This will save you time when you need to send a message to multiple people.
Another advantage of email management is that it’s easy to access from anywhere. You can check your email on your computer or phone, so you can always stay up-to-date on your contacts. And if someone responds to your email, you’ll get notified immediately.
However, email management can also be a bit of a time suck. It can be easy to get distracted by new messages and spend too much time checking your email. And if you’re not careful, you can easily end up with a cluttered inbox.
Social Media Management
Social media management can be a great way to stay in touch with your contacts. You can create lists of people who you want to follow, so you can see their updates in one place. This can be a great way to keep up with customers, suppliers, and partners. You can also join groups or circles with other businesses, so you can share information and ideas.
Another advantage of social media management is that it’s interactive. You can quickly reply to messages and comments, so you can build relationships with your contacts. And if you’re active on social media, you can also grow your network by connecting with new people.
However, social media management can also be a bit of time-consuming. You need to be active on multiple platforms, which can take up a lot of your time. And if you’re not careful, you can easily get distracted by the latest news or cat video.
Address Book Management
Address book management is a great way to keep track of your contacts’ contact information. You can create a list of all your contacts, so you can quickly find their phone number or email address when you need it. You also won’t have to worry about losing track of someone’s contact information.
Another advantage of address book management is that the information is always up-to-date. You can add new contacts and remove old ones whenever you need to. And if you change your phone number or email address, you can easily update your address book.
However, address book management can be a bit inconvenient. You need to remember to add new contacts and update your address book whenever you get new information. And if you’re not careful, you can easily lose track of someone’s information.
Which Method is Right for You?
Now that we’ve explored the benefits of each method, it’s time to decide which one is right for you. If you’re looking for a way to quickly find information when you need it, email management might be right for you. If you’re looking for a way to stay in touch with your contacts, social media management might be right for you. And if you’re looking for a way to keep track of your contacts’ contact information, address book management might be right for you.
No matter which method you choose, make sure to stay organized and keep up with your contacts. The more organized you are, the better your business will run!
Best Contact Management Software
Every business, small or large, needs to keep track of its contacts. It can be difficult and time-consuming to do this by hand. This is where contact management software comes in. There are many different types of software out there, but which one is right for you? We’ll explore the benefits of a few different types and help you decide which one is best for your business.
Here are some of the contact management software for small businesses followed by the best free and paid options available for any business.
Best Free Option: Google Contacts is a great option for businesses that are already using other Google tools, such as Gmail and Google Sheets. It’s easy to set up and use and allows you to keep track of your contacts’ contact information, email addresses, phone numbers, and more.
Best Paid Option: Salesforce is a popular CRM (customer relationship management) software that allows businesses to keep track of their customers’ information and interactions. It’s a bit more expensive than other options, but it offers a lot of features and can be customized to fit the needs of any business.
Other Options:
– Outlook Contact Manager: This is a great option for businesses that are already using Microsoft products, such as Outlook and Microsoft Excel. It’s easy to use and allows you to keep track of your contacts’ contact information, email addresses, phone numbers, and more.
– Zoho CRM: This is a popular CRM software that offers a lot of features and can be customized to fit the needs of any business. It’s less expensive than other options and has a free plan available.
– Contactually: This is a popular CRM software that offers a lot of features and can be customized to fit the needs of any business. It’s a bit more expensive than other options, but it offers a lot of features and can be tailored to your specific needs.
Whichever type of contact management software you choose, make sure it fits the needs of your business. It’s important to find software that is easy to use and that allows you to keep track of your contacts’ contact information, email addresses, phone numbers, and more. Having a good contact management system in place will help you keep track of your business relationships and will help you grow your business.
1. HubSpot
Price: Free forever.
Features: HubSpot has a long list of features, which can be overwhelming for small businesses. The basics include managing contacts, creating and sending emails, tracking opens and clicks, and creating custom templates.
Pros: HubSpot is free to use, which makes it a good option for small businesses on a tight budget. It also has a wide range of features, making it versatile enough for most businesses.
Cons: HubSpot can be overwhelming for beginners, and its features are not always easy to use. It can also be expensive if you need to upgrade to a paid plan.
2. Hootsuite
Price: Free up to 3 social media accounts; $9/month for up to 10 social media accounts.
Features: Hootsuite allows businesses to manage their contacts, as well as their social media accounts. It includes features for tracking clicks, posts, and followers, as well as for scheduling posts.
Pros: Hootsuite is free to use for small businesses, and it has a wide range of features that make it versatile for most businesses. It’s also easy to use, which makes it a good choice for beginners.
Cons: Hootsuite can be expensive if you need to upgrade to a paid plan, and its features are not always easy to use. It can also be overwhelming for beginners.
3. Salesforce
Price: Varies depending on the plan; $25/month per user for the Lightning plan.
Features: Salesforce is a CRM (customer relationship management) software that allows businesses to manage their contacts and sales pipelines. It includes features for contact management, lead tracking, email marketing, and more.
Pros: Salesforce is a comprehensive CRM software that offers a wide range of features. It’s also easy to use, which makes it a good choice for beginners.
Cons: Salesforce can be expensive if you need to upgrade to a paid plan, and its features are not always easy to use. It can also be overwhelming for beginners.
4. Airtable
Price: Free up to 2,000 records; $12/month for up to 5,000 records; $25/month for up to 10,000 records.
Features: Airtable is a spreadsheet-based CRM software that allows businesses to manage their contacts and sales pipelines. It includes features for contact management, lead tracking, email marketing, and more.
Pros: Airtable is a comprehensive CRM software that offers a wide range of features. It’s also easy to use, which makes it a good choice for beginners.
Cons: Airtable can be expensive if you need to upgrade to a paid plan, and its features are not always easy to use. It can also be overwhelming for beginners.
5. Redtail CRM
Price: Varies depending on the plan; $29/month per user for the Standard plan.
Features: Redtail CRM is a CRM software that allows businesses to manage their contacts and sales pipelines. It includes features for contact management, lead tracking, email marketing, and more.
Pros: Redtail CRM is a comprehensive CRM software that offers a wide range of features. It’s also easy to use, which makes it a good choice for beginners.
Cons: Redtail CRM can be expensive if you need to upgrade to a paid plan, and its features are not always easy to use. It can also be overwhelming for beginners.
6. Zoho CRM
Price: Varies depending on the plan; $12/month per user for the Standard plan.
Features: Zoho CRM is a CRM software that allows businesses to manage their contacts and sales pipelines. It includes features for contact management, lead tracking, email marketing, and more.
Pros: Zoho CRM is a comprehensive CRM software that offers a wide range of features. It’s also easy to use, which makes it a good choice for beginners.
Cons: Zoho CRM can be expensive if you need to upgrade to a paid plan, and its features are not always easy to use. It can also be overwhelming for beginners.
7. Microsoft Outlook
Price: Varies depending on the version; $6.99/month for Office 365 Personal.
Features: Microsoft Outlook is an email client that allows businesses to manage their contacts and emails. It includes features for contact management, emailing, and calendaring.
Pros: Microsoft Outlook is a comprehensive email client that offers a wide range of features. It’s also easy to use, which makes it a good choice for beginners.
Cons: Microsoft Outlook can be expensive if you need to upgrade to a paid plan, and its features are not always easy to use. It can also be overwhelming for beginners.
8. Gmail
Price: Free up to 15GB of storage; $1.99/month for 100GB of storage.
Features: Gmail is an email client that allows businesses to manage their contacts and emails. It includes features for contact management, emailing, and calendaring.
Pros: Gmail is a comprehensive email client that offers a wide range of features. It’s also easy to use, which makes it a good choice for beginners.
Cons: Gmail can be expensive if you need to upgrade to a paid plan, and its features are not always easy to use. It can also be overwhelming for beginners.
Google Docs
Google Docs is a free online word processing program offered by Google. It’s a versatile program that can be used for a variety of tasks, including creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Google Docs is also cloud-based, which means your work will be saved online and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.
Project Management
Project management is the process of managing, overseeing, and completing a project. It involves creating a plan for the project, then following that plan to completion. This article will explore some common tasks in which you may need help or assistance with your projects.
The first section will discuss time management and what it entails when working on a project. Next, we’ll talk about hiring an assistant to help with your projects as well as how to stay organized when managing multiple projects at once. Lastly, this article will cover some tips on how to create an effective timeline for your projects so they are completed more quickly and efficiently than ever before!
Follow Ups
When it comes to customer service, following up with customers is essential. It allows you to ensure that they are satisfied with their purchase or service, and it also gives you the opportunity to resolve any issues they may have had. Unfortunately, many businesses don’t follow up with their customers as often as they should. This can lead to lost sales and unhappy customers.
Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do to make following up with your customers easier and more effective. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the best practices for follow ups and provide tips on how to make them more successful. We’ll also provide examples of how to follow up via email, phone, and social media.
Project Management
Project management is the process of managing, overseeing, and completing a project. It involves creating a plan for the project, then following that plan to completion. This article will explore some common tasks in which you may need help or assistance with your projects.
The first section will discuss time management and what it entails when working on a project. Next, we’ll talk about hiring an assistant to help with your projects as well as how to stay organized when managing multiple projects at once. Lastly, this article will cover some tips on how to create an effective timeline for your projects so they are completed more quickly and efficiently than ever before!
Marketing Strategies
There are many different marketing strategies that businesses can use to promote their products or services. However, not all of these strategies will be effective for every business. In order to find the best marketing strategy for your business, you need to understand the different types of marketing and how they work.
In this article, we’ll discuss the four main types of marketing-direct response, indirect response, brand marketing, and digital marketing and explain how each type works. We’ll also provide examples of businesses that have successfully used each type of marketing.
Final Note
Contact management can be a challenge for small businesses. Today, there are many different ways to manage your contact list-email, social media, and more! But it can be hard to figure out which one is best for you and your business. We’ll explore some of the benefits of using each type and help you figure out which one is right for you by detailing pros/cons or pricing differences.
These options include Salesforce CRM Software ($12+), Airtable (free up to 5k records/$25+ per month), Redtail CRM (varies depending on plan), Zoho CRM (varies based on plan) Microsoft Outlook (various prices dependent on version) Gmail free with 15GB storage available at $1.99 per month.