Before you can decide which CRM system you should use, you need to know what a CRM is and how it is applicable. The following video is an excellent introduction to what is a CRM:
As a political consultant or a general consultant, you will, without a doubt, have many contacts. These contacts will probably number into the thousands if not hundreds of thousands. You will undoubtedly have contacts that fall into different categories and that are also in different stages. The question is: how do you keep all of these contacts organized?
Gone are the days of the Rolodex, the whiteboard, and the index cards pinned on a cork-board. In today's modern technologically advanced society, if you want to compete, you need to have the latest technology to assist you. Today, to keep your contacts, your campaigns, your marketing, and your fundraising organized, you must have a CRM system as part of your workflow. It is as important as your website, and it will not only save you time and money, but it will help you to make more money.
As a political consultant or a general consultant, you will have all kinds of contacts. You will have contacts for fundraising, media contacts, grassroots supporters, staff, clients, target contacts, and more. Within each of your contact groupings, there will be subsets of contacts that will be in similar stages on the buyer's journey. Each of these contact groups will have different strategies and plans to communicate with them and to market to them depending on where on the buyer's journey they are at that point in time. You need a system in place that can manage all of this and more.
Here are 5 CRM systems that can help you to keep your database organized:
1. HubSpot
HubSpot is probably the best overall CRM system on the market today. It is applicable to every facet of your database from sales to marketing to service. For the political consultant or general consultant, it allows you to segregate your contacts into different groups or categories and to create content that is specific and applicable to each particular group or category. In other words, you can create email blasts, social media posts, and other content that is specifically relevant to each category of contacts in your database.
For contacts that are specific to your fundraising efforts, you would create content that is applicable to and that will only reach them. For volunteers or prospective voters or supporters of your campaign or issue, you can create specific content that is relative to them.
HubSpot offers a full stack of software for marketing, sales, and customer service, with a completely free CRM at its core. They’re powerful alone — but even better when used together. HubSpot provides you with the tools that you need to organize, track, and build better relationships with leads, supporters, fundraisers, and more.
Key Features:
Don't just take our word for it. Here is a video produced by a HubSpot user explaining the 10 reasons he loves the HubSpot CRM:
For more information about HubSpot and all of the different features and benefits of the CRM system, click on this link:
https://www.hubspot.com/
2. Pipedrive
Pipedrive is primarily a sales based CRM; however, it can be adapted and customized to meet the needs of a political consultant or general consultant. In addition to the standard tabs and information that is included in the contacts or deals, you are able to customize and add the specific items that you want to include.
Pipedrive provides you with the tools so that you can do the following:
Whenever you complete an activity, Pipedrive reminds you to schedule your next one. You can even automate this process so follow-ups are created for you.
Pipedrive's visual sales pipeline prompts you to take action, remain organized and stay in control of the complex sales process.
Pipedrive lets you easily find all the information you need before a meeting or call. Our software is also packed with automations, integrations and innovations.
Use Pipedrive's reporting to understand where you're losing deals, identify opportunities for improvement and forecast results.
Here a video that provides an overview of the features of Pipedrive:
But don't take our word for it. Here is a video with an independent review of Pipedrive:
For more information, check out the Pipedrive website:
3. Salesforce
Salesforce CRM is an extensive sales and marketing solution. Salesforce has separate systems for: Analytics, Marketing, Service, and Community Cloud. Using automation, as a political consultant or general consultant, you can maximize CRM data to highlight top leads and determine the separation between deals lost and won.
As a CRM, the software helps you to track all customer information and interactions in one location to follow more leads. The Lead Management, Marketing Automation, Sales Data, and Partner Management apps let you follow these leads until they are ready for conversion.
Salesforce also offers a mobile app so that you can access the data that you need when away from the office as well as create new contacts as you meet and interact with new persons that are potential donors, supporters, volunteers, etc. The mobile app is made for Android and iOS devices and features real-time data from dashboards and custom reports, plus a Feed First feature that lets you see the most important information based on your settings at a glance. Likewise, you can add more functions and tools from a long list of apps in the AppExchange.
Salesforce Sales Cloud also allows you to get insights from varied, real-time customer data. Creating critical reports, sales forecasts, and territory models are accomplished with ease in the platform.
To give you more flexibility, Salesforce Sales Cloud integrates with external business solutions, such as: Desk.com, TeamSupport, LeadExec, FinancialForce ERP, Ambassador, Zuora, Zendesk, and other major CRM, sales, and accounting solutions.
Key Features:
Benefits that Salesforce offers:
To help you decide if Salesforce is the CRM for you, here is an independent review of it:
In order to make a better and more informed decision about how Salesforce compares to HubSpot, here is a video:
For more information about the Saleforce CRM, here is a link to the website:
https://www.salesforce.com/eu/?ir=1
4. Zoho CRM
The Zoho CRM is a lead and contact management software, but Zoho also is a sales pipeline management and purchase control. Zoho offers an easy-to-use interface.
The home screen includes 10 different components, with the main module navigation panel placed on top for easier searching. Zoho also offers the user the ability to customize so that it is more to the needs of the user and can be modified to more reflect the user's business or service.
The Zoho CRM offers automation so that it can be set to automate daily business activities, track sales, and engage customers in different platforms. Zoho also offers the user the ability to take the software and use it on the go through itsmobile platform. The mobile platform lets you take the CRM on location so you can get updates fast and real-time, and close more deals even when on the go.
The Zoho CRM can also be integrated with popular applications, including main Zoho productivity products, but also: Microsoft Outlook, MailChimp, QuickBooks, ConstantConnect and Google Apps; as well as with cloud-based connectors like OneSaas and CloudWork.
Key Features:
Benefits of Using Zoho CRM:
But don't just take out word for it. Here is a video with an independent review of the Zoho CRM:
For more information about the Zoho CRM, here is a link to the Zoho website:
5. NetSuite
NetSuite CRM is a robust and powerful customer relationship management solution that provides a complete 360-degree view of their customers, leads, and prospects in real-time.
Users enjoy a continuous stream of information from all points and throughout the buyer persona lifecycle. With NetSuite CRM, you are able to deliver exceptional customer experience from the early stages of lead management all the way to decision including the ability to follow up and keep in front of your target audience to convert them to partners and advocates by providing them with relative content.
One great feature is knowledge management. Through here, you can publish and organize content, making it easier for anyone who needs to find access and find content.
The platform offers users more than just traditional features most CRM systems provide. On top of the usual capabilities, NetSuite CRM comes with powerful and advanced functionalities like marketing automation, sales force automation, and customer service management.
NetSuite is the only cloud solution that gives you a true 360 degree view of your contacts in your database. This will allow you to close more deals and provide better service by having all of your data in one easily accessible place.
See all interactions and transactions
Manage upsell oportunities, cross sell oportunities, and renewals of existing persons in your database
Know what information your target audience wants and how much each supporter contributed
View service issues, pledges, overdue invoices
Key Features:
Benefits to using Netsuite CRM:
NetSuite CRM is a complete customer relationship management platform that incorporates traditional and advanced capabilities to help businesses drive revenue and growth.
It comes with a robust set of features that include automated tools for partner relationship and marketing, and even conventional CRM functionalities like customer service management and SFA.
But don't take our word for it. Here is a video of an independent review:
For more information about NetSuite CRM, click on the link below:
https://www.netsuite.com/portal/products/crm.shtml