Mobile – Pipeline

SMS for Sales Outreach: How to Use SMS in Financial Services

Andrew McDermott — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 08:00:44 +0000

A recent study found that 73% of consumers expected their financial institutions to “anticipate their needs,” but only 37% did. Clients hate high-pressure sales; it’s an immediate turn-off, and this approach creates negative outcomes and long-term relationship problems.

Could an SMS sales strategy be the answer?

Today, we’ll discuss text messaging and its integration with CRM for financial services. I’ll share important information on how to use SMS for sales outreach and maximize sales-qualified leads and deals.

Let’s dive in.

Why You Need SMS for Financial Services Sales Outreach

The death of email has been repeatedly predicted over the years. However, Statista has shown the direct opposite. “In 2022, the number of global e-mail users amounted to 4.26 billion and is set to grow to 4.73 billion in 2026.”

Source: Statista.com

If email as a platform has grown, why do we need SMS as a marketing channel? Can’t we just stick with email, such as an email drip campaign, since more people are using it and the channel is growing?

When you look at the data, email seems to be the main way clients engage with brands.

Source: eMarketer.com

Text/SMS is seventh on the list. Doesn’t this mean that SMS doesn’t perform as well as email? It’s certainly a reasonable conclusion if we look at the charts above. However, if you look closely at the data, SMS tells us a different story.

The research shows that SMS has higher levels of engagement from clients and higher click-through rates, as well as offers a two-way interaction with clients. The benefits of using SMS as a part of your sales outreach make even more sense when you realize that:

97% of Americans own a smartphone of some kind
98% of mobile users will read a branded or business-based SMS message
Text response rates are as high as 45% to 98% (email averages 2-20%)

What about your clients? What’s their preference?

Source: eMarketer.com

Your clients prefer to use apps already native to their devices—most don’t want to use an unfamiliar app. Since most of us carry our mobile phones, it’s easy to understand why the response rates are so high. So, should financial services focus on SMS for sales outreach?

It’s not an either/or situation; it’s about leveraging SMS and email unique benefits.

According to a recent report, email and SMS serve different purposes. Consumers rely on SMS for:

Incentives, offers, and deals (e.g., mortgage rates are at a 60-year low)
Personal alerts (e.g., low balance, account updates, notifications, etc.)
Personalization and staying in the loop (e.g., the IRS has just changed the rules again)
Quick access to information (e.g., consumers don’t want to visit brand website/app for information)

On the other hand, email is used to:

Indoctrinate, segment, and win back clients CRM
Educate, inform, and persuade clients with, for instance, meaningful content
Offer incentives (e.g., irresistible offers, discounts, coupons, deals, etc.)
Sell products and services
Request feedback, action, or advice

Both email and SMS can be used to send broadcast messages and autoresponder sequences, which are great for generating leads, attracting clients, and closing deals. Therefore, you can and should use both to grow your financial service business.

Pro tip: If you’re struggling to increase your email performance, you may want to check out these 13 common mistakes in email marketing.

The Rules of Using SMS Services

Before we discuss the best practices for leveraging SMS services for sales outreach, we must cover the basics.

In the United States, SMS is governed by five federal and industry watchdogs:

Federal Communication Commission (FCC): This is an agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC): The FTC is an independent agency of the United States government that enforces civil antitrust law and promotes consumer protection.

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (TCPA) spawned the National Do Not Call Registry. It was created to control mobile communications. Companies must adhere to strict solicitation rules and the rules of the Do Not Call Registry.

Mobile Marketing Association (MMA): A non-profit, globally recognized mobile trade association comprising over 800 member companies from nearly 50 countries.

CTIA — The Wireless Association: This is a trade association that represents the wireless communications industry in the United States.

If you’re going to use SMS for marketing, you’ll want to follow the rules and guidelines laid out by these organizations. Here’s a summary:

You need express, written consent to send SMS messages to prospects and clients. This means no old or rented lists.
Buying or obtaining a prospect’s phone number is not the same as requesting permission from them.
If you’re advertising (selling), you must provide full disclosure to individuals (e.g., describe your program, message frequency, terms, policies, stop/help, opt-out info, and carrier costs). One example would be opt-out mechanisms, e.g., text STOP to unsubscribe.
You can’t require an individual’s consent as a condition of purchasing anything.

These rules act as a guardrail to protect consumers from abuse or fraud. Sharing these details will make more sense once we go into the specific steps you can take to work with clients.

Now, Here’s how you can use SMS for sales outreach.

How to Use SMS Platform and CRM for Financial Services

Step 1: Earn the Opt-in

The first step in any SMS campaign is earning the coveted opt-in from clients. There are three main ways you can do this.

Clients can text a keyword or number to your SMS platform directly (e.g., keywords: REWARDS or a shortcode: 1022). This serves as proof of their opt-in.

Clients fill out a form on your landing page to opt in (remember the above rules). Depending on your SMS provider, you may be responsible for storing opt-ins on your landing pages as proof of written consent.

Clients fill out a paper document and choose to opt in. As with the landing pages, you may need to store their opt-ins as proof of consent. This may vary based on your SMS providers.

With each option, you have single, double, or soft opt-ins. Single opt-ins mean your client opts in with no confirmation. Double confirmation means you ask and then confirm that clients want to receive your messages. A soft opt-in means you offer your email list the chance to opt-in to your SMS list.

That said, with SMS for sales outreach, you’re on the clock. Your opt-ins will expire automatically after a period of inactivity.

Standard rate campaigns: These opt-ins, which don’t charge subscribers a fee outside of standard data and message rates, expire after 18 months.
Premium rate campaigns: These are campaigns your clients pay you to join, which expire after six months.

If you haven’t sent a message to your subscribers in that timeframe, your campaign is “inactive.” You’re no longer allowed to contact your subscribers or transfer them from one messaging provider to another. In some jurisdictions, there is no expiration date.

Step 2: Define Your SMS Strategy

You can take several approaches to SMS sales outreach. You can use specific tactics or mix and match these as needed.

Classic outreach: Direct messaging and conversation via text.
SMS autoresponders: Sending an automatic response to prospects.
Notify/update prospects via SMS: Sharing updates with prospects/clients about new products, services, etc.
Client updates re: changes: Keep clients in the loop about changes in laws, regulations, taxation, and compliance requirements.
Client/advisor check-ins: Sending clients updates on key milestones as they move through the sales pipeline.
Client support via SMS: Giving clients direct, 1:1 support via text when they call on you
Information gathering/requests: Request additional information and specifics from clients before, during, and after the sales process.
Request/offer feedback via SMS: Requesting testimonials, reviews, and general feedback in an intimate setting.

This defining process is essential because it shows you the content you’ll need.

Step 3: Create SMS Message Templates

So, you’ve defined your text/SMS approach. Now, it’s time to create messages that you can use to simplify your sales outreach efforts. As a general rule, there are three types of SMS campaigns: promotional, transactional, and conversational campaigns. The templates below can be used with all three.

Classic SMS Outreach Templates

[First Name], my name is [Salesperson], and I’m a [Title] at [Company]. Here’s what you can expect from me in the next # days.
You mentioned that you’re looking to accomplish [Goal]. Here’s what you can expect from me in the next # days.
We put together a plan to help you achieve [Goal] in ##% less time. Would you be available to chat?
You mentioned using [Financial Product] to achieve [Goal]. Would you like a [better/cheaper/faster] option?
A mutual friend, [Friend First Name], mentioned that you were trying to [Goal], and they recommended that I get in touch with you. How can I help?

SMS Autoresponder Templates

Thanks for reaching out to [First Name]. My name is [Salesperson], and I’m a [Title] at [Company]. I’ll get back to you as soon as I’m back at my desk.
It means a lot that you’ve decided to trust us with [Goals]. Thank you for your trust.
I just saw that you requested [Lead Magnet]. If you’re interested, I have a 30-, 60-, and 90-day plan that will supplement your download. Interested?
Thanks for reaching out. Can you answer these six questions? It’ll help us lock in your best rate.
Rate Drop Alert: You wanted us to let you know when the [Mortgage Rates] drop below [Rate] percent.

Client Updates Re: Changes SMS Templates

You mentioned wanting to try before you buy, and I’d like to help you set that up. Are you free this [Date/Time]?
Have you seen the latest [IRS guidelines]? Many of our other clients are upset about it. Here’s why it’s a good thing.
New [regulatory] changes on the horizon for [small business owners]. That means you.
Are you concerned about the [changes] updates coming this [Fall]?
We just got word that [Company] is in trouble. This may affect your [Portfolio] negatively. We’re looking into this and will keep you posted.

Client/Advisor Check-Ins SMS Templates

So [Company] is offering a new [Product] that can help you hit your milestones faster. Would you like me to send you more information about this?
Have you seen the latest [IRS guidelines]? I’d like to go over these with you. Are you free on [Date]?
Did you see the new [regulatory] changes coming this fall? If you’re interested, I’ve got a checklist that will walk you through them.
Your portfolio just suffered a hit from [Event]. I recommend these three options to help it bounce back.
We just got word that [Company] is in trouble. The worst thing you can do is make [Bad decision].

Client/Advisor Check-in SMS Templates

Hi [First Name], my name is [Salesperson], and I’m a [Title] at [Company]. I wanted to introduce myself and offer my help.
I saw that you were checking out the [Resource] on our website. I wanted to reach out and offer my help. Some details are complicated, but I’m here to help when you need me.
We put together a plan to help you achieve [Goal] in ##% less time. Would you be available to chat?
You mentioned using [Financial Product] to achieve [Goal]. Would you like a [better/cheaper/faster] option?

Templates for Client Support via SMS

[Salesperson] here with [Company]. Can we send you messages about your account? Reply ‘Yes’ if you’d like to receive updates via SMS.
[First Name], [Salesperson] here. How are things going with [Product/Service] so far?
[First Name], have you had a chance to go through the onboarding materials I mentioned?
[First Name], to help you with your questions, I’ll need to redirect your support request to [Department]. Is that okay?
Thank you for your trust. We’ve enjoyed working with you, [First Name]. Is there anything else I can help you with?

Request/Offer Feedback via SMS

[First Name], How do you feel about the direction [Compay] is headed?
So I’ve got a weird question to ask [First Name]. Did we make you happy?
[First Name], what do you think we could have/should have done better?
Other clients mentioned they want us to anticipate their needs. Do you feel we’re meeting your expectations there?
[First Name], what can we do better? I’d like to make sure we’re taking care of you.

These templates aren’t comprehensive. They’re intended to be a helpful starting point. Customize these templates or create your own—work to identify what works for your financial organization.

Step 4: Follow-up With SMS Messaging

Remember the email stats we looked at earlier? As we’ve seen, email is becoming more popular, especially with younger generations. What does this mean?

You continue to use email in your sales outreach campaigns. You focus your attention on building sales outreach campaigns that include the following five phases:

Indoctrination: In this phase, you offer introductions, set expectations, list the benefits, earn micro-commitments, and create curiosity loops.
Engagement: This phase is all about selling. You create value via education and use this to move clients toward the outcomes they’re already interested in.
Ascension: For every offer you make, a percentage of your clients would buy more. Ascension is about maximizing the upsell.
Segmentation: This phase helps you determine which offer to make to your subscribers. It is all about making the right offer to the right client at the right time.
Re-engagement: This phase is all about your messages reaching your most loyal, most engaged subscribers/clients. It involves reconnecting with those interested and removing those with little to no engagement.

This is why SMS sales outreach is so valuable. And combining your SMS and email campaigns means it’s easier for you to accomplish specific goals:

Priming subscribers, prospects, and clients to expect value.
Solving small problems for subscribers, prospects, and clients—and solving bigger and bigger problems for your clients.
Creating personalized education, service, and support specific to each client.
Bringing disengaged subscribers and clients back into the fold.

Why is it easier? We all carry our mobile devices with us. We check our phones constantly, and our response rates are much higher with mobile.

This means we can (a.) lead with value, (b.) earn their attention, and (c.) drive traffic to your emails and landing pages.

Step 5: Analyze and Improve Your SMS Sales Strategy

You’ll need an SMS and CRM platform that can track the metrics that matter most. Which SMS metrics should you focus on for your financial services firm? Here are some options.

Opt-in and opt-out rates
Open rates (individual + aggregate)
Click-through rates (CTR)
Conversion rates
Response rates

Imagine that you have a team of five to ten salespeople, each sending out 30 – 50 SMS messages daily. These are very low numbers, but they’re still a significant number of messages from which you can gather data.

If you integrate your SMS effort with a CRM solution, like Pipeline CRM, you can easily analyze the conversion and response rates of your sales outreach messages. Not only that, our lead data management system also helps you segment the customer based on specific factors, allowing you to craft effective SMS outreach campaigns.

SMS and Integrated CRM Solution: A Must-Have for Financial Services Sales Outreach

Most consumers expect their financial institutions to “anticipate their needs.” However, clients hate high-pressure sales; it’s an immediate turn-off, and this approach creates negative outcomes.

An SMS sales strategy can be the bridge. It is the missing piece you need to close more deals.

Your clients prefer to use apps already on their phones, but they’re also using email. It’s not either/or; it’s both. If you’re using a sales CRM for professional services, email, SMS, and CRM integration is an absolute must. It’s a simple way to keep the open, click-through, conversion, and response rates of your sales outreach effort high.

Check out other guides for improving sales outreach, such as follow-up email templates and cold prospecting email templates.

Best Mobile CRMs for Managing and Closing Deals On the Go

Andrew McDermott — Sun, 26 May 2024 10:32:35 +0000

Here is our list of best mobile crm apps that you can use on the go. Is a Mobile CRM for sales managers worth it? Absolutely. Most sales teams have sales pipeline management software, but how many are actually using it? When you ask reps about deal flows and their current progress, how many give you a blank stare? If your managers don’t know what your sales reps are doing, you are not alone.

Let’s look at the data.

Find more statistics at Statista

Research from Statista shows that mobile devices dominate our online time. Mobile usage grew from 27.4% in 2013 to 57.8% in 2023. That’s a 111% increase! The conclusion is pretty obvious. We spend more time on our mobile devices than on our desktops. What’s also unsurprising is the fact that this growth is expected to continue.

This tells us that a mobile CRM for sales managers and sales reps in your organization is an absolute necessity. If you want to use your CRM to close more deals, choose a CRM that’s designed for mobile and desktop applications.

How Mobile CRM Software Improves Sales Performance

The desktop plus mobile pairing comes with significant benefits.

It encourages your team to use your CRM
Your CRM enforces and supports your sales methodology
CRMs give managers performance data, showing them how to coach their sales reps
Consistent CRM usage improves your ability to predict wins (and losses)
Success is reproducible across the organization

Mobile has already surpassed desktop devices, and that number continues to grow. Sales CRM software isn’t nice to have; it’s an essential component for success, whether you’re running an inside or outside sales team.

With that in mind, here are a few of the best mobile CRMs for managing sales team performance.

Pipeline CRM: Best Mobile CRM for Closing Deals

Source: Pipeline CRM via Google Play

Why is a mobile CRM for sales managers so important?

The obvious answer is performance management. As a sales manager, you need to track deals won/lost, leads in your pipeline, sales rep performance, etc.
The hidden answer: your sales team struggles with specific steps in the sales process. Your reps are amazing presenters, but they need help transitioning from presenting to closing.

Pipeline CRM’s mobile app streamlines the sales process for both iOS and Android users. Managers and reps can easily manage contacts, access customer/deal information, and gain real-time insights to close deals efficiently. Managers can compare and contrast sales reps’ performance data, identifying gaps, bottlenecks, and training opportunities. Sales reps get the support they need to close more deals.

Is Pipeline a Worthwhile Mobile CRM for Sales Managers?

If you’re looking for a scalable, sales-driven, cloud-based CRM, Pipeline is an ideal fit.

The platform is built by salespeople, for salespeople, and it’s focused on one thing: closing deals. So, if you’re looking for an on-premise solution, Pipeline isn’t going to work. If customer support is an important detail, Pipeline offers best-in-class support. They’re available via phone or email and are willing to onboard your team. Other providers charge an arm and a leg for onboarding, and some providers don’t offer phone support at all.

Pipeline CRM Mobile Features

Very affordable
Use smart search to find contacts, companies, deals, and data
Real-time phone alerts give you updates as they happen
Mobile business card scanner instantly adds contacts to Pipeline
Talk-to-text records
Nearby geolocator to map contact location
One-click activity notes (e.g., made a phone call, sent a proposal, signed contract)
Sales-driven feature set that’s designed to help you close more deals
Use AI-driven automation to create and assign the next steps automatically
Integrates with a large list of software (e.g., Microsoft, QuickBooks, Google Apps, Zapier, Paycove, CallRail, etc.)

Pipeline CRM App Support

Support: contact, email, or call at 866-702-7303
Onboarding services: Personalized training and guidance to ensure a successful CRM implementation
Knowledge base:
Status updates: Consistent service uptime across platforms

Pipeline CRM Reviews

4.4/5 star rating on G2 (928 reviews total)
4.4/5 star rating on Capterra (623 reviews total)
9.8/10 score via TrustRadius
4.2/5 star rating via Gartner (41 reviews total)

Pipeline CRM Pricing

Start plan: $29 per user per month
Develop plan: $39 per user per month
Grow plan: $59 per user per month

Sugar CRM: Best for On-Premise or Custom Mobile App Requirements

SugarCRM has matured from an open-source freemium application to a sophisticated, AI-driven, fully mature software application. Their motto, “Let the platform do the work,” exemplifies their focus on delivering meaningful results via automation.

SugarCRM offers the customization, control, deep reporting, security, and access to data that bigger players like Microsoft or Salesforce do for a fraction of the price. If you’re looking for a comprehensive solution and you have a team that’s willing to invest in the training needed, Sugar CRM is a good fit.

Is Sugarcrm a Worthwhile Mobile CRM for Sales Managers?

If you’re looking for a highly customizable, general-purpose CRM that offers on-premise and cloud-based options for your organization, SugarCRM is a perfect fit. Their AI-driven platform is built to handle the heavy lifting that most other CRMs dump on their users. The tool also scales well, handling small, medium, and enterprise customers. So, if you’re looking for a high degree of customization and are willing to pay for additional support, it’s perfect.

Sugar CRM Mobile Features

Schedule calls, create cases, or send quotes directly from your mobile device
Streamline customer locations, routes, and planning
Access modules and account information
View KPIs at the individual and team level
View detailed account information
Work and sync offline
AI-driven platform works with mobile apps

Sugar CRM App Support

Support: contact, email, or call at 877-842-7276
Training services: training options available to SugarCRM users
Knowledge base
Status updates: Consistent service uptime across platforms

Sugar CRM Reviews

3.8/5 star rating on G2 (904 reviews total)
3.8/5 star rating on Capterra (406 reviews total)
7.9/10 score via TrustRadius (245 reviews total)
4/5 star rating via Gartner (241 reviews total)

Sugar CRM Pricing

Essentials: $49 per user per month (3 user minimum, 5 maximum, billed annually)
Advanced: $85 per user per month (3 user minimum, billed annually)
Premier: $135 per user per month (10 user minimum, billed annually)
Add-ons are extra

Monday.com: Best Mobile CRM for Project Management

Monday.com is an all-in-one platform managing—work management, sales CRM, and project management. They call themselves the “Work OS.” According to their site, the Work OS platform provides users with no-code building blocks they can use to customize their workflows. Users can change every aspect of their work by layering industry-specific products on top of the Work OS. Combine building blocks, like apps and integrations, creating the productivity platform your company wants.

Is Monday.com a Worthwhile Mobile CRM for Sales Managers?

Monday.com works best for teams oriented around project management. While Monday.com can handle sales pipelines, it really shines at managing all of your organization’s day-to-day projects. Their Work OS platform is designed to eliminate IT as a requirement. Teams, departments, and organizations can jump in and get started on their projects immediately.

Monday.com Mobile Features

Create boards, groups, projects, and tasks in a few clicks
Communicate and collaborate with your team
Search through boards, projects, and contacts
Toggle between standard and landscape views on your mobile device
Add or remove modules (e.g., time tracking) on an as-needed basis
Work across multiple workspaces and organizations via a single account
Use triggers to activate automation and integrations

Monday.com App Support

Support: live chat, email, or request a callback
Training services via a certified Monday.com partner
Knowledge base
Status updates: Consistent service uptime across platforms

Monday.com Reviews

4.7/5 star rating on G2 (10,688 reviews total)
4.6/5 star rating on Capterra (4,740 reviews total)
8.4/10 score via TrustRadius (4,647 reviews total)
4.5/5 star rating via Gartner (260 reviews total)

Monday.com CRM Pricing

- Basic: $12 per user per month (3 user minimum, 5 maximum, billed annually)
- Standard: $14 per user per month (3 user minimum, billed annually)
- Pro: $135 per user per month (10 user minimum, billed annually)

Enterprise: Contact for a quote

ClickUp CRM: Best Mobile CRM for Team Collaboration

ClickUp bills itself as “productivity software.” Their About page says it was created “first [as] an internal tool, now as a way to fulfill our vision of making the world more productive.” While Microsoft Project and Salesforce require literal college courses to learn, ClickUp is an intuitive platform teams can use to get up and running in a few hours.

ClickUp is available via iOS, Android, Apple Watch, Voice Assistants, and email add-ons. Its CRM is designed for team collaboration.

Is ClickUp a Worthwhile Mobile CRM for Sales Managers?

ClickUp is a worthwhile investment if your organization or department is looking to implement ClickUp across the organization. If you’re looking for a collaborative CRM that you can use as a single source of truth, ClickUp is exactly what you need. Good to know: if you have the expectation that ClickUp will help drive sales, this is not going to work for you.

ClickUp CRM Mobile Features

Prioritized and auto-sort to-dos
Manage all work via mobile—tasks, reminders, collaborations, statuses,
Set favorites, trending, and my work allows users to customize the app for their needs
Switch between workspaces and different accounts (e.g., accounts for different departments)
View breadcrumb and detailed account views
Add views to customize your dashboard—list, board, calendar, doc, chat
Filter notifications quickly

ClickUp CRM App Support

Support: contact (24/7 support, phone support not available)
ClickUp University: In-depth training options available to ClickUp users. Also available via training@clickup.com
Knowledge base
Status updates: ClickUp uptime/status updates

ClickUp CRM Reviews

4.7/5 star rating on G2 (9,428 reviews total)
4.7/5 star rating on Capterra (4,034 reviews total)
8.5/10 score via TrustRadius (1,194 reviews total)
4.3/5 star rating via Gartner (139 reviews total)

ClickUp CRM Pricing

Free: $0
Unlimited: $7 per user per month
Business: $12 per user per month
Enterprise: Call for a quote

VTiger CRM: Best Generalist Mobile CRM

VTiger is an all-in-one CRM designed for small businesses. It offers two options: an open-source version of its CRM platform and a paid version. The free plan on the paid tier of its platform has a limited feature set. The open-source version of its product is used by more than 300,000 businesses worldwide.

Is VTiger a Worthwhile Mobile CRM for Sales Managers?

If you’re a sales manager looking for a well-balanced, all-purpose CRM VTiger could be just what you’re looking for. VTiger is ideal for organizations that need sales, marketing, and support teams to work together. However, if you’re looking for a CRM for a specific department, VTiger may be more than you need.

VTiger CRM Mobile Features

Use Calculus AI + GPT to automate specific tasks
Manage leads and contacts
Update and manage your sales pipeline
Manage sales forecasts and quotas
Add documents and templates
Configure, price, and quote deals
View performance insights and reports

VTiger Reviews

4.3/5 star rating on G2 (409 reviews total)
4.4/5 star rating on Capterra (338 reviews total)
8.7/10 score via TrustRadius (31 reviews total)
4.2/5 star rating via Gartner (383 reviews total)

VTiger CRM Pricing

Growth: $15 per user per month
Professional: $42 per user per month
Enterprise: $58 per user per month

Mobile CRM for Sales Managers is a Must-Have

By pairing your sales methodology with a native CRM app, you can create a sales-producing weapon. Choose the right sales CRM software, and you’ll gain insights into customer behavior and consistently boost sales performance.

Find out how Pipeline CRM can help your sales teams close deals on the go—or try it free for 14 days!

Key Pipeline CRM Features for Remote Sales Teams

Andrew McDermott — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 12:02:31 +0000

Many managers feel employees are only productive if they’re putting in adequate amounts of face time.

This isn’t speculation.

Microsoft surveyed 20,000 people in 11 countries and analyzed trillions of Microsoft 365 productivity signals, along with LinkedIn labor trends and Glint People Science findings, to find the answers. They found that 85% of leaders don’t believe their workers are productive. What’s worse, 49% don’t trust their remote employees to do their best work.

But despite these feelings, studies show that remote workers are, in fact, more productive and efficient than their traditional-minded co-workers.

Here’s the data.

According to the same survey referenced above:

87% of employees report that they are productive at work; productivity signals across Microsoft 365 validate this
42% of participants multitask during meetings, during their workdays

Additionally, research shows that:

77% of employees who work remotely achieve a dramatic increase in productivity
30% of employees produce more work in less time
24% do more work in the same period of time, according to a survey by ConnectSolutions.

So, if you want your remote sales team to be more productive, you’ll need to ensure they can monitor their sales pipeline from their mobile. Here are 5 key CRM features for remote sales teams:

And that can be done with Pipeline CRM.

Let’s take a look at our mobile CRM features offered for managers.

CRM Feature 1: Smart Agendas

A smart agenda builds an intuitive to-do list for your team while they perform daily tasks. It’s a reliable way to keep your sales team focused on activities that lead to revenue versus activities that are nothing more than busy work.

Smart agendas should:

Be built around workflows
Monitor activities and track performance
Help you optimize sales team performance
Identify productivity, performance, and administrative leaks
Create a consistent action plan for your team to follow

How this boosts productivity:

Salespeople waste their time on underperforming tasks like:

Pursuing unqualified prospects
Crafting custom proposals for unqualified prospects
Searching for (or creating) custom content for prospects
Attending unnecessary internal meetings
Administrative busywork (e.g., reports, documentation, updates, etc.)

Smart agendas boost productivity and performance; they help your team to identify the tasks that lead to revenue and those that do not.
In addition, they can:

Properly define both a marketing-qualified (MQL) and sales-qualified lead (SQL), then verify that employees give their attention to prospects who meet this criterion
Prequalify prospects ahead of time; have sales reps schedule a meeting to go over the proposal with prospects before the proposal is created
Help build a team that’s responsible for creating proposals or quotes for clients. Salespeople can share the document with clients once the meeting has ended
Provide sales reps with response playbooks and a library of content they can use to share with prospects. Have marketing teams create this content ahead of time
Filter meetings and administrative busywork through smart agendas by asking a simple question: will this meeting help our sales team produce more revenue?

CRM Feature 2: Sales Forecasting

Sales forecasting uses past performance to make predictions.

When you understand past trends, you’ll be able to confidently forecast the salespeople on track to hit quota. This is something that’s treated as a nice-to-have by many sales teams. It’s an estimate, and it’s not set in stone. This kind of thinking is an unfortunate mistake.

Sales forecasting enables you to analyze sales performance over time, understanding the performance between deal owners and between different types of deals (e.g., forecast sales for individuals, teams, and your company).

How this boosts productivity:

Sales forecasting is an essential component of a successful sales team (for a variety of reasons):

You can reliably identify rainmakers, average, and under performers

Managers can quickly assess the sales reps who need retraining, redeployment, or should be let go

Teams can identify the obvious and hidden obstacles that consistently derail deals
Salespeople will be better able to identify unqualified prospects

Sales forecasting enables you to assess the internal and external factors working for and against your company.
The more accurate your sales forecasting, the easier it is to optimize your sales workflows to maximize revenue.

CRM Feature 3: Unlimited Storage

A recent survey found that employees waste almost half their work day (3.6 hours) searching for data. Several employees stated:

“The stress and hassle of locating the right information impacts employee retention. Over 31% of those surveyed said the frustration of being unable to find information made them feel burned out, and 16% said it made them want to leave their company.”

What’s the solution to this problem?

“The solution to this relevant crisis is providing the proper tools and technology to make information easily accessible. However, identifying the proper tools can be difficult as well. Many organizations have adopted new applications to support productivity, but 58% of people blamed excessive search time on having too many knowledge sources to sift through. “

Filter, sort, and share custom data views so important information is always accessible and organized across teams.

How this boosts productivity:

Your employees will get close to half of their workday back.
You provide your employees with the data, files, tools, resources, and credentials they need in a centralized hub, boosting productivity immediately. It’s a
single source your sales team can use to find the resources they need when they need them.
You’ll see sharp increases in productivity, performance, and revenue.

You should be free to store all your documents, images, and communication records without additional charges. Combined with Smart Agendas, you’ll see consistent improvements in performance over time.

CRM Feature 4: Tracking Commissions

Picture this: your remote sales rep has just landed a big contract. What’s the first thing he’s going to do?

He logs into his account to verify that he’s received credit for the sale; he’ll check to see when he’ll receive his commission check. This is why commission tracking is so important to reps.

Commission tracking is a motivator that shapes and guides your sales team’s behavior. Automating sales commissions reduces cost, increases transparency, and boosts morale for remote sales teams. Your sales reps should always be able to verify the commissions they’ve earned.

How this boosts productivity:

As a manager, your commission structure is important. It shows you the products your sales reps are more likely to promote to prospects and the products they’ll probably ignore.
As a sales rep, commission tracking shows you that your manager/company keeps its promises.
You receive the commissions you were promised at the rate you were promised. It’s a clear indicator that your company is trustworthy, and it’s a confidence booster.

CRM Feature 5: Email Tracking

Which personal emails get prospects to respond best?

Tracking open and click rates is a straightforward way to identify the content that produces the best results. With full email campaigns and tracking, you can convert your best emails into plug-and-play content for future campaigns. Track all your email messages, opens, clicks, and downloads automatically as activities in your account.

How this boosts productivity:

Email campaign and tracking decreases the time spent on creating custom content for prospects, and increases the amount of time your sales reps spend closing deals.
Microsoft Office 365 and Gmail integrations bring bi-directional contacts and calendar syncing to your account, reducing data entry and keeping your information current.

Get Started with Mobile CRM

Trust your remote employees to do their best work with the right tools. These key CRM features ensure your remote sales team produces the revenue and momentum your company needs to grow.

To learn more and see how Pipeline CRM can work for you, request a demo. Alternatively, try our 14-day free trial.

We also have a handy CRM guide to help you choose the right CRM for you.

Business Card Scanning for Salespeople

Michael Dempsey — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 21:13:11 +0000

Let’s face it, we leave meetings or tradeshows with a pocketful of business cards that never really see the light of day. Here’s the solution.

Top Mobile Business Card Scanner

Most of us are guilty of it. Those stacks of business cards over the years… You know what I mean. They end up sitting as a neat little pile on the corner of your desk… then other tasks happen. They don’t become contacts in your CRM. They simply collect dust.

That is until you manually enter them into a database or upload an app to scan them. But does that really doesn’t matter if that data isn’t uploaded to your sales enablement software or CRM — now does it?

Here’s the solution. You can take those business cards and turn them into leads that go right into PipelineDeals. No manual entry by you or anyone else. No outside apps are necessary either. All you need is your handy new business card scanner which is available on your PipelineCRM’s mobile app.

Sales Pipeline App – Go Mobile!

Besides the mobile business card scanner, PipelineDeals has a leading sales pipeline mobile app with other features to keep you productive on the road:

Nearby: Instantly access a map of a contact’s location while you’re on the road.
One-click activity notes: Add your most frequent notes instead of manually typing
Talk-to-text: Record and store all of your field sales activities while you’re out
Real-time notifications: Get phone alerts about your leads, contacts, and deals
Tasks and calendars: Update, organize, and view your calendar anytime

Keep track of your customers

Do you know what else is great about our new mobile business card scanner? You can gather multiple contacts while you’re on the go. Simply snap a photo of a business card, one after the other, and the contact info will be synced to Pipeline CRM.

Let’s summarize the highlights:

Automatically syncs to Pipeline CRM.
Create CRM contacts from business card photos you have already taken. Yep, you might have a folder of photos of old conference business cards of months or even years past that you’ve been meaning to do something about. You can upload them immediately.
Easily add multiple new contacts without leaving the app.