7 Functions Event Professionals Need in a CRM

By Ryan O'Neil

When it comes to CRM Tools, there are a lot of options.

Whether it automates your emails or it keeps up with client’s specific floral or food allergy, understanding your client is just as important as knowing how to communicate with them.

To help sift through some of those options, we put together a list of the 7 functions you need when looking for a CRM.

Forms that can turn client information into proposals

Your website is sometimes the first place your new client finds you and having an inquiry form on your website is essential! While having an inquiry form is great, it should also tie directly into your CRM system. This is critical because your customer’s information can feed directly into your platform, and save you a ton of time with contact information and customer inspiration photos.


A separation of contact- and event-based information

It is important that all your contacts are logged in your system, and it’s even more important to have information assigned to them. The great news is there are CRM solutions that will keep information specific to your contact and those that are specific to your event. Plus, sometimes you have repeat customers for different events, and it is important to ensure that all of those little details are curated.

Pipeline management tools

From the beginning of the inquiry until their magical event, there are a lot of steps and pieces that need to be completed to ensure the customer has the best experience possible with your company. Your relationship with your new customer is essential, and nurturing and ensuring that every customer feels you understand their needs is critical to the success of your customer.

Immediate prospect responses

Studies show that if you reach out to your potential customer within the first five minutes of their inquiry, you are more likely to actually book that client! And the same is true on the opposite end. If you are delayed in reaching out to your prospective customer, they may have decreased interest in your services, or potentially already secured a meeting with a different business. Automating this process is huge, and responding immediately could be the difference between getting and losing the client.

Automated workflow capabilities

Whether it’s an email or a payment reminder, automating your workflows are critical. This not only saves you time, but it also ensures that no steps are missed when handling your processes. When you are able to save time, and you add that to always hitting every perfect step, it almost guarantees success!

Email templates to clients directly from the platform

Emails to customers are crucial, and having a system where you can directly reach out to a customer from that platform saves you a lot of time. In addition to saving time, it’s important to find a system that can save some time with pre-populated email templates that can be sent to the customer right away.

Ability to see when proposals to clients are delivered and opened

This. Is. HUGE! In the busy world we live in, reaching out to your potential client at the perfect time can land the client in record time. Plus, if you know that the customer has already opened the proposal you have sent, you can have the perfect conversation around their thoughts and next steps.

Final Thoughts

With so many options out there, it is important to find the best solution for your business to ensure that you are incredibly successful and organized. If you have any questions about Curate and how our CRM is saving small businesses time and money, learn more about us here!

 

 

Tags: Marketing, catering, florists, operations

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