What is the #1 new lazy-person activity that is on everyone’s mind after a long day at the office? Netflix and Chill….duh! It puts a smile on my face Monday thru Thursday whenever I think about it, and this week’s version of Netflix and Chill didn’t disappoint. This week, I felt the need to start the Netflix show about Marie Kondo, who is literally the talk of Dallas Fort Worth and every thrift shop in town. Marie Kondo’s name was popular well before Netflix got a hold of her as she is most-known for her book The Life Changing Art of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. While I walked away with that fiery Marie Kondo energy and decluttered my summer wardrobe, I couldn’t help but relate her beliefs and ideologies to what we do at Altruas day in and day out for our clients on the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) side. Through CRM, every business can Kondo-up their technology to help run their business more efficiently.
Here are my Top Three Marie Kondo approaches that YOU can and should apply to your CRM:
1) Concentrate on What Brings You Daily Joy!
The guiding principle of Marie Kondo’s ‘Konmari method’ is that we should keep only that possessions that “spark joy.” For your business, it’s important to have the same level of focus; but instead of keeping the things that spark joy, you keep the things (or opportunities) that drive the best results for your business. Don’t over clutter your CRM with junk or filler information; focus on the crucial elements of each opportunity that drive your revenue and growth. Every minute counts when you are in sales, and time is money, so spend your time removing the clutter from your CRM system. Eliminating these unnecessary tasks will ‘spark joy’ in your role and allow you to hone in on what will help you and your company be successful.
2) Organize Like a Boss!
One takeaway I have applied to my tank tops and t-shirts is Marie Kondo’s way she folds shirts. There is an art to it and she makes everything look like you are walking into Neiman Marcus. This same organizing technique can be applied to CRM! Being this tidy with your leads and opportunities in CRM is crucial for any sales organization well for businesses too. It’s easy for an Account Manager or Sales Associate to get bogged down and overwhelmed by tasks, whether it’s literal paperwork, pending, customer contacts. One of the beauties of a CRM is that they allow an individual to manage ALL customer information on one platform. Another organizational trick via CRM is that you can categorize each client by a Key, Target, Prospect, etc. These organizational tricks are what make or break a sales team and determine success moving forward.
3) Streamline to Stay in Line!
Do I need six black tank tops or do only wear two and should toss the others? The Kondo answer is yes, ditch those four tanks you haven’t worn since junior year in college. Just like a CRM, Kondo believes the best way to find out what we REALLY need is to get rid of what we don’t need to function in our daily life. This lesson of ‘out with the old in with the new’ is a great one to apply to your CRM at least once a week, if not daily. Are there contacts in your CRM that you don’t want to let go of? A lead that will always be a lead? A pending number that has been pending for six months? CRM’s streamline your pipeline and business to help it run more efficiently, identify areas that need improvement, and set up your business for growth. The more clutter you have in your CRM to try and look busy will just hinder your efforts in the long run.
We hope this blog sparks joy in your life and lights a fire of questions pertaining to CRM in your mind! Should you have any CRM-related questions, concerns, or remarks you need addressed, email us TODAY at info@altruas.com. Not only can your closet be more organized, but your CRM can too!
