Marketing in the 21st century relies heavily on solid data. From email marketing to social media, your ability to reach your audience is guided by reliable, clean data. That’s why spring cleaning of your marketing strategy should include your customer relationship management (CRM) solution.
From employees that are always planning to fill in fields later, but never get around to it to data uploads with fields that didn’t quite match those in your CRM, it’s easy for your data to get a bit messy. But in order to effectively execute your marketing strategy, you need clean data. Here are the steps you should take to spruce up your CRM and prevent future messes:
Eliminate Duplicates
Duplicates in your system are frustrating for your sales reps and they inflate your understanding of potential new business. Sort your records in a way that allows you to identify duplicates and remove them, and then set up a regular date to clean up your records in the future.
Delete Dead Leads, Irrelevant Data
There’s something challenging about removing a lead that’s not making progress; you simply don’t want to give up on them. But eliminating those dead leads or irrelevant data will help you streamline your marketing efforts and spend time on leads that are likely to convert.
Use Consistent Fields and Formats
When you merge with another company, launch a campaign that introduces new data or simply morph how you collect data over time, your CRM can become clogged with irrelevant, duplicate or confusing fields. Decide what critical data you will collect every time and make those fields required. You can have additional fields for specific campaigns, but your core data should be the same over time.
De-Spamify
It’s inevitable that mixed in with your legitimate leads you’re going to have some spammy contact information. Delete it and move on.
Track Your Sources
When you’re deciding which fields are non-negotiable, make sure that your, “Where did you hear about us?” field is always one of them. Tracking where your leads are coming from helps you know where to invest your time and resources and engage with leads.
Spring cleaning your CRM can be a daunting task the first time you tackle it, but once you have it in your regular rotation it will get easier. You’ll also see your marketing strategy become more lean and limber, giving you more return on your investment.
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