3 Unique ways to get the most out of your CRM

The top earners (sellers) in nearly every industry work with or put to work their CRM like a “rented mule”.  You know that.  The question is why not you?  Said another way, why do you limit yourself?

It comes down to any one or some combination of three things:  Attitude, Understanding or Work Ethic (read lazy).  Okay you’re here looking to better yourself and your skills so I’m guessing lazy is out.  That leaves a combination of Attitude and Understanding.  Below are three CRM Attitudes and Understandings about CRM software and how it fits into your business.  Adopt even one, and your watch your income climb.  Take honest stock of yourself in all three areas and you’ll be the top biller in no time.

The Myth:  The CRM is Big Brother watching me.

For sellers “of a certain age”, this is by far the number one stumbling block.  It comes a few other ways too.  For example, “My business, is my business…”.  Or the idea like a duck you don’t want anyone “to see how hard you really do work.”  There’s also often laced in a fear of change. 

The Attitude that will set you free:

Fact is “Big Brother” is watching, accept it.  If you work in a any major market or big city for say 9 hours daily it’s estimated you are on some kind of camera on the order of eight of those hours (maybe more).  Talk about “watching”.  As if that wasn’t enough, you have a smartphone right?  Now the world knows where you are.  I know you’ve been “stalked” by Google.  Speaking of “the big G”, you search things occasionally, right?  All of that data is collected cumulatively.  Let that sink in.  What does “big brother” really know?  The fact is “big brother” is watching.  It’s not the CRM you need to worry about.  I say…. There are no bystanders.  If Big Brother is going to be here anyway put him/her to WORK!  There are no secrets anymore.  Play your hand open.  Everyone should know you earn more because you work harder and smarter than the rest.  The CRM is one great way to send that message up the food chain. 

Understanding: 

Good CRM skills are habits.  Like any habit good or maybe not so good for you it can take 19 to 254 days to work into a new habit.  Yes, I said 254 days don’t buy that 90 day habit BS, don’t get discouraged either.  Start with the parts that come easy to you.  Say making sure your calls are logged.  Just make sure they are.  When you feel like that has become part of your routine build on good habit with another let’s say trying to make sure you have deep contact detail, birthdays etc.  Pain Relief:  Today’s CRMs are ever more complex (read less intuitive).  Building the habits that put Big Brother/Sister to work will not come overnight.  But knowing the pay difference between the top earner and #3 is usually on the order of 25% or more.  The pain of new habits pays well.    

The Myth:  The time I spend entering into the CRM is wasted.  I could better use that time SELLING.    

The Attitude that will set you free:

Every seller that has every touched a CRM keyboard has said this at least once.  That’s all except the top 3% of earners.  They know what Abe Lincoln was talking about when he said; “Given 3 hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first two hours sharping my axe.”  Abe’s wisdom is far past country platitudes.  Abe introduces the element of time.  We all have limited TIME.  Importantly it’s not just how we use the time now that matters it’s how we leverage the time go forward.  For many this can be an upending way of thinking.  You have 25 hours a week hit your goal.  I know, you work 50 or even 60 hours, but for selling there is only really 25 hours maybe less. 

Let’s say your monthly goal is $100k.  You have about 6,500 selling minutes to make that happen (a month of minutes prime selling time).  What you want, what “Honest Abe” points out is the better you use your time being prepared, the more effective you’ll be in the minutes that matter (the close).  This is almost universally untaught.  So, don’t feel bad if you are scratching your head.  2:1 prep to close is what Abe teaches.  The time you use keeping what you’re doing up to date, knowing your next steps, making your plans.  I don’t know what the ratio is for you or in your business.  But, I do know the top earners use the CRM to keep their axe (read time skills) very sharp.

Understanding: 

How I use my time matters.  We all know that.  But do we really act like we do?  For every deal, there are parts: We canvas, qualify, find the right solution, present, close and follow up.  True not a full list but you get the idea.  What’s the time for each step?  When do you run out of minutes in the hour?  Of all the parts of the sale/deal none are more important than “the close”.  That’s where the money is.  How much time can you afford to put in setting up “the close”?  It’s the closed deal that matters.  Most sellers know the numbers.  10 calls, 3 meetings, 2 presentations, 1 DEAL.  Great do you know your hours?  The top earners do.  They know them and work them HARD.    

The Myth:  The matrix is too confusing, “the KPIs take me off selling.”

The Attitude that will set you free: 

I call BS!  The bigger question is are you good with your earnings are do you want more?  If you want more KPIs are the key.  If you’re good with what you have you’re not alone.  Most sellers reach that point where the pain of life without money equals the pain of earning more.  That’s the 60% of sellers in the office in the middle of pack.  (There is the 30% at the bottom of the pack waiting to get fired, the “also rans” in the middle and then the top 10% where the money is.). Knowing where you stand in the KPIs tells you where YOU are.  For most of the 95% of sellers this is hardest.  KPIs are cold.  KPIs don’t care.  You can’t BS the KPIs, they play no favorites.  Learn to love the KPIs… that is if you want to be in the top 3%.

Understanding:

Measurement is good.  I have no deep wisdom for you here.  The best know the only way to improve is a step at a time and the KPIs are the key to those steps.  Is growth easy, no, not usually but growth is always worth it.  Yes, it is otherwise we’d be better off back in the caves with cubs.

Top earners work their CRM.  They know it shows the team what hard work looks like.  They use its ability to manage many messages to their advantage.  They know the hours, not just the numbers and all this is guided by KPIs. 

Over the years I’ve spent a lot of time with some of the very best and most completive sellers.  I can tell you there are only two qualities they all share.  One, the best are some of the most positive people you’ll ever meet.  Two, the best are always looking to get and be better.

Here is to the best you

Bill

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