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Selling has been around for thousands of years as people plied their wares and developed trading lines. Civilizations were discovered and established based on opening up sales channels for goods and products. And sales developments starting in the mid 20th century based in sales training, selling techniques, and the growth of the telemarketing and inside sales profession have led to the success of more and more salespeople. And in the last 10 years, the internet has changed the face of the selling game by offering lead generation and drip marketing programs and the ability for buyers to obtain information about a product before buying. But ultimately it's still a people game. Without people to buy, nothing would be sold.
The Origins of CRM Software
And so the development of Customer Relationship Management principles and software over the last few decades has given those in the sales, marketing, and customer service professions a new terminology and methodology for improving the way they do their job. In short, CRM as it’s called, is the process of initiating, maintaining, and improving the relationships an individual and company has with prospects that lead them to become customers, and repeat buyers. The software industry took notice of this new concept years ago and developed software for every type of salesperson - whether
it be ACT and Goldmine for individuals and small businesses, SalesForce, SalesLogix, and Microsoft CRM for medium businesses, and Siebel, Oracle, Peoplesoft, and SAP for large multi-national enterprises.
The Principles of Customer Relationship Management
And while the functionality of the software varies, the principles remain the same. Find prospects who are potential buyers of your product. Provide value by discovering whether the problem they have or the one they haven't yet discovered can be removed or reduced through a product. Or on the positive side, the solution, result, or feeling they're seeking. Then demonstrate how your product or service is positioned in the marketplace and why it's the right solution for them. And once they purchase what you have to offer, continue the relationship with them through offering training, support, service, and upgrades to future products - ultimately leading to ongoing product purchases and the sustenance of your business ad income. Whether or not you're currently using a sales system based on Customer Relationship Management principles, you will find that this methodology is used by every successful salesperson. The commitment as a salesperson to improving your sales process and performance can pay great dividends to your bottom line. CRM software is designed to help you get there.
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