business development

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When Should I Fill Out the CRM Info?

Posted on by Jason Kanigan

When should I fill out the CRM info for a prospect?

This common question needs a clear answer—and sales managers, you'll appreciate this post as a place to point your people to for the solid answer.

Over the years as a consultant to sales departments large and small I've seen two different answers to this question in action.

when should i fill out the crm info confused salesperson question business development staff woman raised hands struggling

Photo by Yan Krukov from Pexels

The first has the business development or sales person putting the data entry off until later.

The second features the bizdev or sales executive getting that data into the CRM right now.

Having worked with countless organizations and seen the difference in effectiveness of these two approaches, I can tell you this:

Put the info in the CRM as you go.

Hazards of Not Entering the CRM Data Immediately

Don't chicken scratch it on a pad and then think you'll go back later and dump it into the program. You won't. Do it now and get it done and out of your mind. You'll thank yourself for developing this habit.

Those who leave the data entry until later run the risk of constant low level, nagging worry. The job is out there, still needing to be done. And what if your boss needs that info? If it's not in the system, it doesn't exist. Remember that. No matter how deep or powerful the information you discover about a prospect is, if no one else can access that data, you may as well have never uncovered it.

So get it into the CRM, now.

An Alternative Answer to "When Should I Fill Out the CRM Info?"

This is for salespeople, especially outside salespeople: if you are an awesome closer, and hate doing this "paperwork stuff", consider asking your boss to hire you an assistant. No kidding—it could save you and them a ton of expensive time and frantic worry. That data HAS to be in there so your manager can quickly see progress and status, and know when to ask questions and offer help. If your time really is better spent talking to prospects, then it should be a no-brainer for your boss to get you an inexpensive assistant to help with the data entry.

If you're an independent hired gun, consider hiring a VA for yourself. You'll probably be shocked at the time and energy they recover for you, doing tasks you believe are dull but they find rewarding.

>> Need help with your business development, sales or CRM process? Book a problem-solving consultation with Jason by clicking here <<

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How To Be a Local Startup Agent

Posted on by Jason Kanigan

local startup agentAn expert platform member asked how to be a local startup agent for an out-of-country parent company they would like to represent.

Whether the parent company is out of town or out of country, the essence of your goal is the same.

Show them how you will bring them customers.

A specific estimate of customers. People who are identifiable: they have demographic and psychographic characteristics.

Get your plan written down. Present it to them.

Have this ready in slide and PDF form.

Approach this seriously, like a business plan. Get specifics. Numbers. Facts.

What the Home Company Is Looking for In A Local Startup Agent

What the parent company is looking for is this:

Do you have a plan? Are you credible? Can you be trusted to represent and manage their brand and long term interests, and do as good or better a job at it than they could themselves in your area?

So many people are dreamers. You'll stand out merely by having your plan written down, and taking the action of getting in front of them. Obviously this is effective positioning.

Think about it from their perspective. What would they like in a local rep? What level of sales would they expect? How would they like to see you reach the marketplace?

If a physical product is involved, how will you transport, store and deliver it? Are their border issues? Tariffs? Quarantine? How will you overcome these if so?

How To Demonstrate Your Ability to Be A Local Startup Agent

Show, not tell, what you're going to do in pictures, graphs, charts.

Make sure you have an Executive Summary up front, which is an overview of the most important information.

Every decision maker has room for a person who has a definite plan. Don't be worried about size. If you are a small organization, look at how you can partner with larger ones for infrastructure and expertise.

Business development in a startup is different from that of a mature organization. The founders and leaders of the parent company may be in the mature mindset: keep this in mind as you prepare your presentation for them. You may have to bridge that gap. Scott Pollack has an excellent article on the two points of view regarding business development that you can use in your understanding of how to be a local startup agent.

Your job, more than anything, is to demonstrate to these decision makers that you are trustworthy, reliable and can handle the long term interests of their brand in your playground.

>> Would you like help with your local startup agent plan? Find out if we're a fit. <<