I knew about CRM systems before I connected with Creative Analysis, in past employed life I had witnessed poor CRM implementations, at the time feeling like it was something else to administrate. I had also seen it as a sales tool and in my career I had tried to avoid being labelled sales, so you could say I wasn’t exactly pro having my own CRM system.

I had heard Paula of Creative Analysis share her 60 second pitch a few times at networking before we had a 1-2-1 together. Each time I was impressed by her professionalism, the way she explained why CRM is important was simple.

I remember the day it really clicked for me was when Paula used a great visual of a really cluttered kitchen versus a sleek one with lovely drawers that you could go straight to for the things you need, in this case contacts/invoices/notes/email etc.

I realised I had a cluttered kitchen! I had been collecting business cards for over a year, I didn’t have any organisation around them, I was literally collecting cards.

 

My diary was run from a Filofax and I was also pretty poor in my follow up, my love of face to face was great but I could leave meetings with lots of notes and then never return to them.

I suddenly saw future business draining away.

My first 1-2-1 with Paula was eye opening, she works from my vision back, so where do I want to go, what are my streams of work, how do I connect with those people currently? All practical questions that helped to clarify how CRM could benefit me.

It also woke me up to the fact that as a business owner I am in the business of creating new business and customer relationship management is a core part of that.

Our 1-2-1 enlightened me as to how I could begin to own my follow up process, keep in touch with others more effectively and also gave me a vision of how my technology needs could be supported as I grow. Most importantly it revealed that I could create time, yes, magic!

We left the meeting on a mutual high and Paula went away to put a package suggestion and price together for me.

Me, I was looking forward to getting rid of my pile of cards!

 

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