Results Qualifies for 2016 Tax Deduction
Is CRM or Business Management software part of your 2017 planning? Whether you are considering buying add-on licenses or are considering Results for your business needs, NOW may be the very best time to buy!
For many companies there is a significant tax benefit for purchasing software and equipment prior to year-end.
Because Results Software typically requires little or no customizations, our software qualifies for Section 179 . And, you may be able to take advantage of these benefits whether you finance or purchase your Results System.
Check with your tax advisor to confirm the tax benefits of purchasing Results and then contact us today to ensure you get the software installed in time to take advantage of all the Section 179 add-on deductions.
7 Bottlenecks that a CRM for QuickBooks Clears up for Good!
When it comes to running a business, not everything will go as planned. In fact, many companies find themselves repeating the same tasks over and over again, trying to track down exactly what another employee may have done; ultimately costing the company time and money that could have been avoided with the right tools. Rinse and repeat tasks as well as status updates can be automated within the organization by implementing a CRM for QuickBooks.
Bottlenecks can kill productivity within an organization. The key to unblocking bottlenecks is fixing unbalanced processes. Process bottlenecks occur when data received (input) is delivered quicker than the following step can use it to create the output. There are short-term and long-term bottlenecks and both must be identified. Short term examples are if an employee goes on vacation and there was not backup staff to perform the work while they are gone so a backlog of activity occurs. Long term bottlenecks are created when a single person or department can’t complete the required tasks in a timely fashion and the process they are holding up is a recurring task.
A CRM for QuickBooks solution can address these issues as well as help to identify them:
Bottleneck #1 Leads
Leads are the foundation of your business’ future growth. Without leads, you will never identify prospective revenue. Many organizations have “sellers” (often times the CEO or owners of the business) that meet with someone, give them a business card and then follow up once, or forget to call. With a CRM for QuickBooks solution you can easily capture leads as they come in and then assign them to other members in your team to follow-up and close.
Bottleneck #2 – Information Overload
Multi-tasking has become synonymous with the average work day. We have so much information coming at us from all different directions, it is easy to forget things we may have remembered in a previously disconnected time. With a CRM, you can easily gather all of the information in one place, scan through the information that is important to you and still have reference points to refer to when needed. You can also make quick notes regarding the prospect or client that help you connect with them upon the next encounter (their daughter was about to get married, or they were planning a trip to Hawaii). When using the right tools you can avoid information overload fairly easily and build relationships that really foster engagement.
Bottleneck #3 – Communication Chaos
It is easy to have communications with a client, prospect, partner or vendor lost when dealing with everything in email only. Some people will miss out on something important that they should have been cc’d on, and others are
buried in emails that don’t matter to them because of cc abuse. On top of the email chaos that only proliferate bottlenecks, we add communication via messengers, social platforms, in-person and phone contacts. Nobody can pick up where another left off. With a CRM for QuickBooks solution, all messages and communications are self-contained. It is the nucleus of the organization and all client records. The system can be setup for quick logging of tasks. CRM email integration helps so a manual log of the contact isn’t necessary, and notifications can be established for other individuals so status updates don’t have to be requested. If these communications are somehow overlooked, an employee can easily log into the CRM for quick access review, make notes, and mark as completed.
Bottleneck #4 – Missed Opportunities
Did you know that within the first hour of contacting a company with no response, a lead begins to lose interest? Probably already looking for alternative solutions. And within the first 24 hours of no call back, the prospect is 50% less interested than when they first inquired. With a CRM for QuickBooks solution missing opportunities is now a thing of the past. The prospect and lead is assigned to a sales rep with corresponding reminders for lead harvesting. Any overdue contacts can be seen by management to stop sales process bottlenecks in their tracks. This helps increase your sales conversions but also gives more visibility to the executive team in identifying problems before they cost the company lost revenue.
Bottleneck #5 – Employee Performance
CRM systems don’t just provide insight into bottlenecks and work-overload; they report on those employees that can take some of the weight off the overworked ones to create scalability. With a CRM we can see what jobs have been assigned and when. We can see how long it takes for jobs to be completed, and if the jobs are being held up at any stop-gaps. Employee performance is easier to gauge when there are benchmarks of peers and data to support activity.
Bottleneck #6 – Resources
A CRM for QuickBooks provides a full snapshot with dashboards of how the business is performing. You can see what products are selling, what clients are creating revenue, the projects of the day, and how sales funnels are projecting. These informed views provide resources that help us predict bottlenecks but also reassign based on future needs.
Bottleneck #7 – Transferring Data
When QuickBooks is your accounting software, it is essential that you have a CRM system that integrates with it. This not only solves the headache of manual double entry of data, but ensures human error and bottlenecks don’t leave one system outdated. When we work with a CRM for QuickBooks solution we keep data flowing smoothly and provide the data visibility needed to manage the full business relationship.
Since QuickBooks is your main invoicing and customer portal it makes perfect sense to have an award winning CRM for QuickBooks solution as your initial contact point for the business. Contact Us today for a free trial to get started.
The Basics of Email Marketing with Small Business CRM
It is often thought that email marketing is dead; this is not true though. In fact, a recent report showed that over 50% of respondents open most of their email. The problem is that small businesses don’t know how to track what works with email campaigns, and further, they don’t have their email tool integrated with their small business CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system.
Every small business needs a CRM system to track client and prospect data. A small business CRM allows the business owner to manage every aspect of the company, including email marketing. When we talk about email we are not talking about SPAM; to the contrary, we are referring to the education of individuals and organizations who have requested to hear from you through an opt-in list. So here are some basics about email marketing with a small business CRM to get you started on the engagement process:
Messaging
The first thing that you want to do is have a clear and concise message in all communications with clients whether that be via an email client (like Constant Contact) or sent directly from your small business CRM. One of the biggest mistakes companies make when trying to communicate with their prospects is information overload. Many people feel that they need to give them everything at once when in fact, in marketing – less is more. You want to give them just enough to make them want more.
Compelling Subject Lines
In order to get the receiver to open the email, you need to have a compelling subject line. The subject is the first thing that people will see when looking at your message and as such will be the
main thing that attracts them to read on. If you are sending a text based email through your small business CRM, a compelling subject line would include the word “Secrets” or “How To” in it. If you are sending a visual email, preferably HTML, via an email client then numerical numbers included in a heading that sparks interest for more is best as it is direct and implies something quick to digest (example: Top 3 Ways to…).
Ease of Navigation
The next component of your email setup is to ensure you have a well-structured message. You want to have a clear path from start to finish and mark points of interest with bullets. When creating a message, bullet points are one of the most underused and neglected aspect of a message. Try to create your message in a way that it has actionable steps and solves a specific problem. The last thing you want to do is make things difficult, complicated, or unachievable.
Image to Text Ratio
In today’s era of technology, we are lambasted with information everywhere that we look. It is hard for the eyes to digest all of the data coming at us, so in turn, we have trained our eye to skim text and find a focal image to reset. It is especially important in email messages sent via an email client that we use a good image to text ratio. The most well received emails have images inlay with the text to break up the data and aid in digesting the content. For text based emails sent from your small business CRM, usually used as a sales follow-up or drip campaign, bullets will suffice over images.
Mobile Optimized
Over 80% of all emails are read on mobile devices. That means your message needs to not only be mobile-friendly but that it should be tested on multiple different mobile devices to ensure ease of reading. You never want a reader to have to scroll in or out to be able to read the text as it didn’t format properly for their device. When creating a mobile friendly message, make sure to not over clutter your message with fancy graphics, fonts, layouts and other aspects that will draw people away from the primary message.
Integration
Using a small business CRM email integration system with your email client is imperative so that you reduce manual entry and have a single point to view client data.
And finally, take your time; do A/B tests to see how different messages work among different groups. One message may resonate better with one group than another. Send your message several times to ensure maximum exposure. Remember, it takes on average seven touches before a prospect will take action. This provides multiple opportunities to fine-tune the messaging and then create templates within your small business CRM out of those with the highest click through rates.
At Results Software , we understand how important email marketing is, which is why we partnered with Constant Contact to provide a turn-key solution. You’ll love how our award-winning small business CRM delivers effective email marketing management …give it a try for free today!
How to Fill Your QuickBooks CRM Pipeline Like a Pro
Sales prospecting is the #1 challenge for business development teams; primarily the ability to keep the sales funnel full on a consistent basis. Growing companies cannot fall to slow times, whether that be due to seasonality or lack of events to capture leads. It is vital to keep the pipeline filled with sales prospects, but keep in mind this is not something that can be attained overnight. It takes patience, practice, dedication, and hard work – but above all, it requires consistent harvesting of leads. Establishing a set of processes that can be automated within a QuickBooks CRM will be the foundation on how you will manage the sales cycle.
Here are 4 Tips on how to fill your QuickBooks CRM Pipeline like a Pro:
1) Use All Possible Modes of Communication
Create a timeline of touches that includes both phone, email, and in-person contacts. Roll out that timeline as a set of tasks in your QuickBooks CRM with designated times in between each touch. This way you have a calendar of events for each prospect and you build consistency without forgetting any of the quiet leads. Reminding them who you are every so often can warm up a cold lead that maybe had larger priorities earlier in the year.
Remember that it will, on average, take at least three connections to establish a trusting relationship. Understand that people of different generations prefer different modes of communication. If you know that your lead is a baby boomer, don’t just email. Pick up the phone! If you are dealing with a Millennial, a quick LinkedIn message or connecting with them on Slack may be a faster way to get their attention. Also, keep in mind that everyone learns in different ways. Some like to hear (phone), while others like to see (email), and a growing population demands a more interactive experience (video or demo). Adapt to their needs, not your preference in communicating.
2) Be Proactive When Asking for Referrals
Referrals can be a tremendously effective way to increase your pipeline. Don’t wait for them to come to you. Be proactive and ask happy clients for referrals. Thank them for their connections and keep them in the loop on engagements so they understand the weight of their referral. Make it easy for them too, send them business cards, remind them of any referral program you may have and if a conversion occurs, send a Starbucks gift card or other token of appreciation with more cards to keep the referrals coming. Be sure to track all lead sources in your QuickBooks CRM so that you can reference back to the original referrer.
3) People Don’t Like to Say No
The outcome of your attempts are usually not seen on the first exchange you make with a sales prospect. Converting a prospect into a new customer takes time, effort and patience. People generally don’t like to say no. So keep contacting them until they do. You never know how their needs, budget, or timeline will change. Far too often to sales reps convert a lead to dead just because they didn’t hear back on a proposal. Then it gets reopened later when the lead contacts again. What about the leads that didn’t remember you and contacted someone else? Setup your QuickBooks CRM to remind you to contact every prospect every month, or at least quarterly, just to keep you in their mind until they tell you to go away.
4) Don’t Try to Avoid the Gatekeeper
Decision makers are inundated with sales calls so the receptionist, office manager or assistant is tasked with keeping solicitors from getting to their desks. Gatekeepers screen the sales prospect so that their manager’s time is not disrupted. Rather than treat this person as a barrier and try to bypass them, befriend them! Educate them and get them on your side about why their company needs your solution. The gatekeeper has the ear of your target, and many times their calendar. It would be wise to get them on your side. Before you build a relationship with your sales prospect, try evolving with them. This tactic might help you in reaching your prospect faster.
Filling your pipeline like a pro doesn’t have to be expensive, or difficult. It just requires consistency and a good system as the backbone to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Results CRM is the award-winning QuickBooks CRM system that will integrate with your accounting software while enabling your sales team to do more, and better. Contact Us today for a live demo!
5 Ways CRM Helps Improve Customer Service
It is hard to find a company where customer service is not a primary concern. If you embrace “the best customers are the happiest customers” theory, you know that your repeat business transactions and referrals depend on those happy customers!
One the easiest ways to improve your customer’s experience is to introduce a CRM that allows your entire company to work from the same page. A CRM, like Results, will provide your team with the information and tools they need to provide better service.
The right CRM can help improve your customer service by allowing you to:
- Immediately know every customer’s situation. Anyone on your team will be able to jump in and view important emails and a complete communication history. They will know what was discussed, when it was discussed, and be able to identify key pieces of information.
- Keep your promises. A CRM should provide an easy way for you to create follow up reminders. Ensure you follow through with your promises and never miss an opportunity.
- View order and payment history. With full order and payment history at their fingertips, your team will know what products were ordered, if there is a balance due, and/or what products to recommend.
- Report on company trends. Be proactive in marketing and communications with visibility and reporting on trends and changes. Your CRM should be able to easily generate counts of sales activities, quotes, products ordered, and more.
- Standardize your processes. When you create custom processes within your CRM, you can make sure every prospect and customer gets the same high level of attention and follow-through.
CRM is typically thought of as being a tool for sales, but it can also improve your level of service and the quality of the interactions you have with your customers. Whether your organization is new to CRM software or looking for a new solution, Results CRM is your partner for success.
For more information on how you can grow your business with Results, click here for a free demo.
Top 6 Features of Best in Class Small Business CRM
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software is not only crucial for growing businesses, it becomes the nucleus of the organization once implemented. A best in class small business CRM will be the solution your team has been needing to not only scale appropriately, but foster lead nurturing for higher sales conversions. When evaluating options for your small business CRM, it is important to look for key features that will make implementation (and more importantly, adoption) successful. Here are our top 6 features of a best in class CRM system for SMB’s:
- Simplicity: There is no logic in investing in a CRM if you can’t get your team to utilize it. Adoption is crucial and simplicity is key to the user experience. The more complicated a CRM system is to use and integrate with, the more difficult it is to get staff to use it. Simplicity in the user interface as well as in completing daily routines is an important feature to look for.
- Remote Access: A CRM that can only be used in the office is no longer a viable solution in today’s mobile world. Many organizations have multiple locations or remote workers; there is also the possibility of staff needing to access the system from a trade show or customer site. Having a CRM that you can remote into at any time is essential and having mobile access is equally important. Marketing and Sales reps are more frequently working from their mobile device so solutions that can be accessed via a smartphone or tablet can be vital for field personnel who need more than just a contact phone number to close a deal. Businesses can no longer take a tactical approach to mobility.
- Integrations: The ability to integrate with key software including the accounting system, time & billing app, document management software, and email marketing solutions are essential for a small business CRM. Integrations save both time and money as staff no longer have to manually key data into multiple systems. Integrations also eliminate the risk of inaccurate data being referenced due to different systems not being updated or maintained properly. The more seamless the integrations are, the easier it will be for your team to utilize and thus maximize the investment.
- Campaign Management: A CRM solution needs to provide great campaign management functionalities, allowing workflow from the campaign idea through build, test, distribution, and measurement. Being able to launch a campaign through the CRM and then report on the effectiveness of those efforts in the same system allow marketing managers to adjust tactics while sales reps close deals. Additionally, campaign management gives visibility to the executive team on performance as well as projections.
- Customization: No two companies are identical. Having a CRM that is customizable to your individual needs is an invaluable feature for the SMB owner. Creating customizable reports as well as fields that make sense to your business are two common examples of customized options that Results CRM regularly receives. Another example of customization is different views and dashboards for each department. Having a customizable CRM with one dashboard for management, and a separate one for staff, helps streamline tasks and projects that make sense for the user while giving managers an overview of not only performance, but also bottlenecks.
- Lead Generation Tracking: Relying exclusively on a sales team to complete the sales cycle without tracking the lead generation metrics can be a dangerous approach. A CRM with lead generation tracking, both in automated customer tasks and reminders to sales people, is a vital feature for a best in class small business CRM as it is insuring that the sales team has the tools it needs to keep nurturing leads. One of the most difficult feats for a salesperson is to keep track of every touch they have ever had with a potential client; having a CRM that provides these features gives them the ability to just pull up the opportunity and pick up the conversation at any point in the sales cycle without missing a beat or throwing the prospect off. It also allows your sales manager to see how long the actual sales cycle is taking, and implement changes in the department for a quicker sales conversion process.
Whether your organization is new to CRM software or looking for a new solution, Results CRM is your partner for success. For more information on how you can grow your business with Results, click here for a free demo.
Results Qualifies for 2015 Tax Deduction
Is CRM or Business Management software part of your 2016 planning? Whether you are considering buying add-on licenses or are considering Results for your business needs, NOW may be the very best time to buy!
For many companies there is a significant tax benefit for purchasing software and equipment prior to year-end.
Because Results Software typically requires little or no customizations, our software qualifies for Section 179 . And, you may be able to take advantage of these benefits whether you finance or purchase your Results System.
Check with your tax advisor to confirm the tax benefits of purchasing Results and then contact us today to ensure you get the software installed in time to take advantage of all the Section 179 add-on deductions.
How to Get Results at QBConnect (Pt. 3)
Turning Conference Leads into Revenue
No doubt – you are going to be meet some amazing people at QBConnect! When you return, you’ll have a stack full of business cards, several new contacts on your phone, tons of new ideas sparked from conversation, and, for vendors, if you wait a few days, a spreadsheet full of names from the show administrator!
Here are a few tips for generating business out from your list of new contacts:
1. Tag your leads as you meet them. At the conference, make sure to identify your new contacts as a cold, warm or hot lead before they walk away. When you get back to the office, you will have a tons of names to sort through and you’ll want to spend your energy following up with the people that are the best fit for your company. Want a personal trick? I fold the left corner of business cards for warm leads and the right corner for hot leads. If you do better with faces, ask your new contact if you can take a picture of them holding their business card. Viola! Problem solved. I use both methods at every conference I attend. I especially like having people hold their badge and letting me take a picture. This give me an ability to always have a face with the name, which makes me feel more connected.
2. Execute “the plan”. Before you left, you should have come up with post-conference game plan where you customized workflow and follow up processes for potential partners, warm leads or hot leads. As you import your contacts into your CRM, sit back and let the system automatically trigger follow-up processes. A full-featured CRM should create a prioritized to-do list for you so that hot leads can be attended to first and that nothing falls through the cracks!
3. Give your Prospects Time to Get Settled. Everyone at the conference is getting back to the office after being away. Please don’t be the guy (or gal) that tries to get their attention in the middle of the madness! I find that waiting 6 business days to follow up is generally a good rule of thumb. Everyone is more willing to listen when they don’t have a giant Inbox or lots of catch up work staring at them!
4. A good CRM is a survival mechanism for your sales! No matter if your post conference follow up consists of phone calls, emails, meetings, Constant Contact emails, or a multi-step marketing campaigns, as your relationships with people develop, you’ll want to view the history of contact. Having contact information in a central location allows you to build better relationships and will allow you to evaluate how to improve your follow up plan for next year!
About the Author:
Richard Roppa is the Owner of Quasar Cowboy Consulting. Richard is passionate about Business Process, the entire QuickBooks Eco-Sphere, and helping businesses grow through integrated CRM. Richard has presented in a variety of accounting shows on topics including QBO for Accountants, Engagement Letters, Practice Growth Strategies, CRM, SmartVault, Sales, Practice Management Software, and Cloud Applications. He is also a published author on AccountingWEB.com and The Intuit Accountant Blog.
How to Get Results at QBConnect (Pt. 2)
Packing List for QBConnect
QBConnect is only a few weeks away! Hopefully you have already been checking items off of your Pre-Conference Checklist!
Before you know it, it will be time to pack your bags and head to San Jose. This week, I’d like to discuss what and how to pack for a successful conference besides clothes. Here are some things I take along for a smoother conference experience:
1. Devices of every kind. You can never have enough devices at a conference; make sure to bring your laptop, tablet, phone and anything else that will help you stay connected. As you walk the floor, attend events, hang out after hours, or communicate with the office, you’ll want to be connected. If I had to choose one item in addition to my iPhone, it would be my iPad. Why? I can connect to the office and answer emails, receive texts, watch a TV Show in my room, read a book, or surf the web.
2. Extra power cords and battery packs. You need power and cords and so will everyone else! With extra power cords handy, you can reach “hero” status fairly quickly by offering an extra plug to the guy next to you running on 5%. The dreaded red “low battery” icon – it happens to us all!
3. Comfy shoes. You’re going to be doing a lot of walking. And then you’ll walk some more. Make sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes and not the ones you just bought that haven’t been broken in yet. Band-Aids. No matter how comfy your shoes are, blisters happen. And if they don’t happen to you, they will happen to someone near you! Be prepared.
4. A picture of your business cards. Old-fashioned business cards are an essential. Take it one step further and have a picture of your business card stored on your phone at all times! Text the picture of your card to your new contacts and they will have your contact with them wherever they go!
5. Extra room in your suitcase. You will be coming home with a lot of “conference stuff”. Make sure to leave room for the t-shirts, brochures and giveaways that you’ll accumulate over your stay.
6. Hand sanitizer. You’ll be shaking lots of hands…..enough said!
Stay tuned for the last, but probably the most important, article in this series: how to turn your conference leads into revenue!
About the Author:
Richard Roppa is the Owner of Quasar Cowboy Consulting. Richard is passionate about Business Process, the entire QuickBooks Eco-Sphere, and helping businesses grow through integrated CRM. Richard has presented in a variety of accounting shows on topics including QBO for Accountants, Engagement Letters, Practice Growth Strategies, CRM, SmartVault, Sales, Practice Management Software, and Cloud Applications. He is also a published author on AccountingWEB.com and The Intuit Accountant Blog.
How to Get Results at QBConnect (Pt. 1)
Your Pre-Conference Checklist
On Halloween, while most of my friends will be dressing up for Halloween shenanigans, 6 friends and I will be embarking on our second #QBConnectorBust road trip to San Jose. If last year is any indication, we will have a lot of laughs, we will play Intuit sponsored road trip games, we will be posting to social media, and will have very little room to move around. One of the things that made this trip so much fun and a big success is that we planned things out – we didn’t just show up and expect it to all fall into place.
It’s not too early to start your planning strategy for a wildly successful conference!
I’ve put together my thoughts in this three-part series to help you get the most out of QB Connect (and any other conference that might be on your calendar this fall)! Just like a good sale, preparation is key for a good conference. Follow along as we discuss a pre-conference checklist, what to bring, and how to create your post-conference game plan!
Let’s start with the Pre-Conference Checklist. Here are some things you will need to do before you even arrive:
1. Download the mobile app. This app will let you know where you need to be and how to get there. It will also get you connected with vendors, sponsors, and other attendees. The app is also a useful tool for figuring out who you want to meet, whether they be vendors, speakers, or attendees.
2. Get Social! I cannot stress this enough – the more networking you do before the event, the more successful your event will be. Follow the event hashtag on Twitter, join the Facebook group, check out who is attending the show, create conversation, ask and answer discussion questions. Be a little silly. Accountants and business owners alike, LIKE a sense of humor and you will see this when you sign into the social media portion of the conference app. If you’re lucky, you might even get connected with a great ride share in the process!
3. Have a plan. Know which events and sessions you are going to and what you plan to do after hours. While building your schedule, build in time for catching up on email or communicating with the office. Leave some time in your schedule for things you didn’t plan for.” NOTE: Don’t forget to set up an out-of-office message to let mailers know that you are at a conference – and continuing your education! Be sure to give them instructions on what to do in your absence.
4. Plan your elevator pitch. Be ready with a memorable response when people ask – “So, what do you do?” Make sure your answer is concise, unique, and highlights your specialty! Can you boil it down to three words? I can.
5. Decide on your post-conference game plan. If you’re like me, when you get back to the office, you’ll be swamped! Think about how you plan on following up with your contacts and create those processes in your CRM so that once you plug in the new names, your to-do list will automatically be created for you upon your return! You’ll know who you need to call, who you need to email and when to do it all. Most important, all follow-ups are not created equal – have a system for who to call “first thing”.
Stay tuned next week as I talk about how and what and how to pack for a successful conference! I may even give people a peek at the infamous Packing Spreadsheet, if my road trip buddies have their way.
About the Author:
Richard Roppa is the Owner of Quasar Cowboy Consulting. Richard is passionate about Business Process, the entire QuickBooks Eco-Sphere, and helping businesses grow through integrated CRM. Richard has presented in a variety of accounting shows on topics including QBO for Accountants, Engagement Letters, Practice Growth Strategies, CRM, SmartVault, Sales, Practice Management Software, and Cloud Applications. He is also a published author on AccountingWEB.com and The Intuit Accountant Blog.