Is your inbox a sprawling mess of emails? Have you allowed leads to go cold? If you haven’t paid attention to your business database lately, it could be going to waste…
It’s not what you know, it’s who you know, so the saying goes. In business this is especially true; building a network of prospects, customers and suppliers takes time, a valuable commodity in itself. As your database grows, it’s natural that keeping on top of enquiries and relationships can be difficult, but this shouldn’t put you off trying.
Maintain a master list
You might have an inbox full of promising contacts, but unless they’re on ‘the list’ they risk being missed off any newsletters or email marketing campaigns you undertake. Transferring these to a master list at least once a month is an essential step towards a dynamic, catch-all database.
Some customer relationship management (CRM) systems ‘grab’ email addresses from new contacts automatically, saving you the manual task and helping you segment your database straight away. However, if you’re a while away from software, our virtual assistants can take care of this for you, getting your records organised and ensuring they stay that way!
Keep in touch…
Your diligent database management will be fruitless, however, unless you make the effort to keep in touch. Whether it’s setting aside some time to touch base with individual contacts, sending a monthly newsletter to everyone, or something more sophisticated, you can’t afford to be forgotten about in the fast-paced commercial world.
Extending your business database with status fields and dates will give you a holistic view of each contact, so that you don’t forget to follow up with an enquiry or arrange a catch up with a key client. Taking the initiative will show your contacts how much you value their ongoing support.
Segment your market
Your business database is a goldmine, if you know how to tap into it. To take your marketing strategy one step further, it can be valuable to break your master list down into several smaller, more focused lists that will allow you to target your market more effectively.
Could you break down your contacts by sector or business size? Or filter your database into prospects, current clients and old customers that you’ve remained on good terms with? By labelling your database in this way, you can channel your efforts into an approach that is most likely to achieve growth.
Communication is the key to success, and your database is the gateway. To open new doors with your marketing efforts, it’s vital to stay on top of your contacts. Our virtual assistants can take charge of your business database, whether you need a helping hand with your admin, ad hoc marketing support, or a complete package geared towards growth.
Sound like a plan? To book your free discovery call with Virtual Hand, contact our team today.
Busy business owners and successful trainers all struggle from time to time to get everything done in the working day. That’s why we put together our list of favourite tips, tricks, and real life examples that you can use to start doing more with the time you have. Download your free copy here.
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