We have officially entered the era of data-backed decisions and online solutions! Yes, gone are the days of endless file cabinets and office trinkets most millennials wouldn’t be able to identify (we’ll let you use your imagination on that one).
It’s 2022– you probably wouldn’t be where you are without a solid website or some kind of SaAS running behind your operations. What tactics and strategies have you added to your business that has helped with sustainable growth and continued success?
If your answer doesn’t include a CRM, but you have seriously contemplated utilizing a CRM, you’re in the right place! We definitely encourage business owners to give CRMs a try, and we imagine managing your customer relationships (along with just about everything else), all from one place is pretty tempting!
The right CRM solution is going to be different for every business. So, for the indecisive entrepreneurs or the biz owners that just can’t commit, we have done a quick comparison between 2 top CRMs: Zoho and Hubspot!
One main similarity between Zoho and Hubspot? Both CRMs are popular and help people effectively run their businesses every day! Now for some more technical similarities:
User-friendly- When considering customer feedback, both seem to be very user-friendly. New to the CRM world? No problem! Both are known to have interfaces that are decently simplified and easy to figure out. According to our research, Hubspot seems to be slightly easier to use overall, but Zoho has tons of accessible resources if you can’t figure something out.
Preferred by certain industries- If you ask other professionals within your business niche, they may very well have the CRM that’s worked best for them. Keep in mind that business owners have probably not tried multiple CRMs to give a fully fair comparison! With that said, Zoho CRM is a pretty clear front runner in the real estate industry, while Hubspot seems to be favored by the insurance industry. With a quick Google search, you may find some useful insight about the best CRM for your industry!
Plenty of options- Both Hubspot and Zoho have multiple plan options, giving you the ability to choose what best suits your business. They also both offer free trials so you can see if it’s even worth your time in the first place!
One thing we often talk about on our blog is customization. We love a good customization situation! The one-size-fits-all mentality is just not for us; we’d rather be able to pick a good fit versus overpaying for features we’ll never use or items we can’t tailor to our needs.
With that said, Zoho CRM seems to be immensely better on the customization front. Sure, you can customize things on Hubspot, but Zoho allows you to customize buttons, user experiences, record designs, and even sales stages. An added benefit? Sandbox- a testing environment that allows you to test out changes without immediately causing all kinds of disruption (hey, you may change your mind).
And remember when we mentioned data-backed decisions? This kind of data gets to you and your team through reports, and Zoho allows you to access customized reports no matter the plan! With Hubspot you can only do this with the Professional and Enterprise plans.
Zoho has an entire product devoted to social media: Zoho Social. This product comes integrated with Zoho CRM and easily connects all social accounts, including your Google profile. Unfortunately, Hubspot lacks most social media analysis and integrations.
Both Zoho and Hubspot come with a whirlwind of third-party integration options. However, you have to seriously consider what applications and software you already use (or plan to use) before making a CRM choice. This is because each CRM has a lengthy list of integrations, but that list might not include what you need. For instance, Hubspot does not integrate with Google Analytics or PayPal (and that could be problematic).
Fact: Automating processes saves you time and money. Therefore, you’d expect your CRM to be decently helpful in this area, right? Good news: both Zoho and Hubspot allow you to automate many things, from lead scoring to de-duplicating contact data. However, a lot of these features are only accessible with Hubspot’s top plans, whereas you can access with Zoho for far less money.
Zoho also uses AI to do all sorts of things, including identifying patterns, analyzing data, and making workflow suggestions. Although Hubspot gives the ability to automate items like email alerts and triggers, it lacks AI and its tremendous contribution to automating tasks.
If you take a look at pricing for Zoho vs Hubspot, you’ll initially be shocked at the difference, However, you have to take into consideration that Zoho CRM is priced per user and Hubspot is not.
Zoho’s free CRM plan allows up to 3 users, while Hubspot is seemingly unlimited. But even with unlimited users, you will be much more limited on Hubspot's free and starter plans. Zoho gives access to a lot more features at a much lower price point, making it great for smaller businesses on a limited budget.
Zoho’s pricing plan also allows better scalability, given that growing businesses could quickly be priced out of Hubspot. Not to mention, a lack of automation options can make smooth scalability even more difficult.
It’s no mystery that both CRMs are solid options. Whether you go with Zoho or Hubspot, just make sure it suits your business needs and gets the most out of your hard-earned money!
And as always, let us know what you think of your experience with either CRM– we’re always curious!
Want to find out how we can help you?
Let’s chat.
Sales orders may be something you never thought you would voluntarily read a blog post about, but boy are we ready to rock your world!
Okay, let’s be honest here: There’s no surefire way to make the topic of sales orders exciting, but there are definitely some undeniable reasons for why you should be using them in your product-based business!
Is it hard to imagine incorporating more forms and steps? Does it seem overwhelming to alter/add to your current process? These concerns are all understandable! We totally get it, and we’re here to show why a little extra virtual paperwork might not be such a bad thing for your biz!
All the terms within a sales process can get repetitive and confusing. So what is the difference between these terms you hear all the time? Well, let’s start with the first part of most sales processes: the quote.
A quote is the estimate a potential buyer/customer would request from a seller. In return, the seller creates a quote consisting of prices and other pertinent details about a potential purchase.
Next, you would have a purchase order (if the customer decides to make the purchase based on the quote). A purchase order is an official document and details what the customer plans to buy from the vendor.
Following the customer’s intent to buy, a sales order comes into play. A sales order will accept conditions laid out in the purchase order and reflect other details about the transaction. A sales order will contain items like delivery information, timelines, and payment method. It also includes prices and quantities.
To sum up the whole process, an invoice is sent. Invoices reflect information confirmed in the sales order, but focus more on collecting payment from the buyer.
For starters, sales orders are the only piece mentioned above that reflect the interests of both parties involved. A quote is controlled by the seller. A purchase order is controlled by the buyer. The invoice is for the seller’s benefit (gotta get that cash!).
A sales order, however, represents what both the buyer and seller need from a purchase; it reflects both sides of a sale.
Does the sales order accurately line up with the purchase order? Does the seller have the inventory needed to ship immediately? A sales order keeps both parties in the loop and ensures a successful transaction.
Sales orders can give you some extra beneficial data for reference down the road. No one wants to be audited– but it’s just a part of being a business owner. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a few extra bits of information for peace of mind and an easier process? Wouldn’t it be convenient to have a better trail with less likelihood of getting lost combing through years of sales? Sales orders give you more precise documentation that can really help with compliance and save you major hassles.
Back to the less scary stuff: this extra data can even help your business grow and succeed! Yes, you read that right, a simple sales order is better for your business!
Sales orders can help you better track inventory and make helpful projections about future needs.
For instance, if you have a frequent customer that keeps making multiple purchases within a short time frame, you can use sales order data to optimize and properly manage your inventory process. Know when to order items and know when to hold them for customers. Not to mention, you can create multiple sales orders for this customer and only send out one invoice! Save yourself some time and effort, while continuing to collect useful information.
Aw, did that sentiment give you the warm fuzzies? Well, we aren’t lying: you have the support you need to run a successful business! So if you are overwhelmed about dealing with this sales order stuff alone, have no fear- Zoho Books is here!
No, but seriously, Zoho Books can truly guide you through a potentially confusing process. Not sure how to even create a sales order? Zoho has templates. Have multiple brands that are getting hard to juggle? Zoho Books can juggle them for you! You can personalize your sales order and create a separate style for each of your brands.
Zoho Books also makes it super simple to convert a quote into sales order all in one place. Then once it’s time to collect payment, easily convert it to an invoice! All it takes is one click from a drop down menu.
Only have the inventory for part of the order? Zoho Books can help you send a partial invoice so you can go ahead and send the stock you have! Make the customer feel appreciated and build a trusting relationship by not making them wait forever for their order!
Zoho Books even lets you switch sales orders to purchase orders so you can buy that inventory you’re missing! And like with all things Zoho, you get valuable insights and information as you go. Plus, you can easily communicate anything you want to your sales teams and coworkers.
Now that you understand why sales orders are important, we hope you feel better about incorporating them into your business! Make that sale and keep those customers coming back by continually improving your sales processes!
Zoho Books is a great way to manage this crucial aspect of your business, and we can’t wait to hear how some simple changes will benefit your biz!
Want to find out how we can help you? Book a FREE consultation!
If you have missed the email campaign train (excuse the rhyme), then you have missed a major marketing opportunity. Businesses of all types are building their email lists and utilizing this method to communicate updates, sales and so much more!
Are recipients guaranteed to open every email? Nope, but they are on that list for a reason- whether they already made a purchase or expressed some sort of interest in your company!
So, what is your business missing out on by not catering to a well-established group of subscribers? Good news: it’s not too late to jump back on that email campaign train! And with some additional clarification on different types of content and campaigns, you’ll be an expert in no time!
Did you know over 4 billion people use email on a daily basis? And by 2023, that number is only expected to grow. A majority of email users check their inboxes more than once a day and it’s how they find/receive the most coupons and promotions.
Businesses of all sizes and niches utilize email campaigns, so don’t worry about your business not being a “great fit” or not being “big enough”. It’s all about testing out what works the best for your specific situation and catering your content for optimized results.
Speaking of content, that leads us to our next pertinent topic: types of email campaigns and the content they include!
In case you’re wondering if you accidentally clicked the wrong link, this isn’t an article about trees. However, it just so happens that the term is named after evergreen trees, considering they don’t lose their leaves and remain consistent no matter the season!
When we refer to evergreen content, we are talking about content that remains relevant and relatable for a long period of time. Ideally, you can use evergreen content for years without it becoming outdated or irrelevant.
Evergreen content is great because of its ‘one and done’ vibe, which ends up saving you a lot of time and effort. Create some evergreen content once and use it over and over again. It’s great for editing a bit and repurposing down the line (with minimal work required).
If you take this concept and apply it to email, you have (drumroll, please): an evergreen email campaign! It’s consistent and does a great job with helping you build a relationship with subscribers.
Let’s look at some things that would fall into this category:
What to avoid:
× Anything seasonal
× News articles
× Anything considered trendy
Broadcast campaigns are quite the opposite of evergreen campaigns, and (in our opinion) much easier to understand and create.
Broadcast campaigns are your standard time-sensitive emails where in a month or even a few days they can have a totally different meaning. This is probably the bulk of what appears in your inbox, especially from stores and restaurants.
Although broadcast campaigns aren’t going to be part of the “one and done” mindset like evergreen campaigns, they are good ways to get attention quickly.
Some examples from this category would be:
With broadcast campaigns, you don’t really need to worry about what to avoid. Honestly, the options are endless with this one! They are a great way to attract attention and create a quick uptick in revenue.
So, all this information is great, right? But what about how to proceed? Which type of campaign is working better? How will you know what to change or what to add? How will you know if this email stuff is worth it??
That’s where Zoho Campaigns comes in! You don’t have to be alone in this email maze, paying for multiple services recommended by multiple blog posts. Zoho Campaigns is a one-stop shop for your email marketing needs!
Not only will it automate processes for you and cultivate a growing subscriber list, but Zoho Campaigns allows you to conduct A/B testing and determine what’s actually working the best!
Test out types of content (ahem, like evergreen vs broadcast) while tailoring your intended audience.
Zoho Campaigns will track who is opening your emails and all kinds of other helpful subscriber stats that will move your email marketing right along. You no longer have to fear that you’re wasting time on something that isn’t working– Zoho has your back!
Email marketing can be super effective and doesn’t have to be a headache. Hopefully we have convinced you it’s not that hard to get started on your email campaign journey, and that there’s always resources ready to guide you out of a conundrum!
As always, we’d love to hear about what works for you and what you can do without– after all, we care about your success! Until next time, Email Explorers…
Want to find out how we can help you? Let’s chat.
We all have a bit of DIY-ness coursing through our veins, pushing us to take the “cheaper” route. Why consult an expert when we can YouTube it, right? After all, so much information is right at our fingertips! But what about when it comes to accounting?
This DIY attitude may work in some circumstances, like with minor home repairs or starting a business, but let’s face it– we’ve all gotten halfway through a project and wished we had just hired someone to help.
We’re not saying you shouldn’t take it upon yourself to carve out ‘cat doors’ throughout the house you are selling (ahem, we may have witnessed this)--but we are saying it could be beneficial to consult an expert first.
Small business owners like you are extremely busy people! It may seem wiser to go a cheaper route and do as much as possible on your own, but you could waste quite a bit of time (and money) in the long run.
Perhaps it’s time to look into some of the many great options out there, like Zoho Books and SurePayroll– they’re ready and waiting to make your small business routine and accounting a little easier!
If you visit our blog often, you are no stranger to the wonders of Zoho! Zoho Books is just another great Zoho product to add to your list of small biz must-haves. Accounting can be a messy venture, and “mathing” may not be your strong suit, but have no fear: that’s where Zoho Books comes in!
Invoicing, tax calculations reports– you name it, Zoho Books can help. For a very fair rate, you can automate all your business’ financial processes with this handy online accounting software.
And just like all other Zoho products, Zoho Books’ integration game is on point! Seamlessly integrate with services like Avalara, Shopify, PayPal, and Slack. And while we’re on the topic, that leads us to the most important Zoho Books integration of all: SurePayroll!
SurePayroll is a game-changing payroll service for small businesses like yours. Specializing in companies with less than ten employees, SurePayroll may be just what you need when you aren’t interested in committing to a much more complex service.
We get it; you aren’t a massive corporation and don’t have a huge budget! SurePayroll is excellent for small businesses- they offer many advantages at an accessible price point. Not to mention, the amount of time it can save you (especially when partnering with Zoho) will make a huge difference!
Let’s circle back to our ability to DIY all the accounting and payroll processes: it’s doable, but it can be risky!
Here are a few reasons why skipping a full-service solution like SurePayroll may be unideal for your business:
Increased risk of errors: You are human, so mistakes are practically inevitable, especially as your business grows and you gain more and more employees. With the labor market being so competitive, the last thing you want is to mess up someone’s paycheck. Let SurePayroll handle the nitty-gritty!
Ever-changing laws: Do you read all about tax and labor laws on a daily basis? You are not alone! Tax and labor laws are complex, and it’s hard to stay compliant on your own!SurePayroll keeps track of pertinent laws for you!
No additional help/resources: SurePayroll comes with live support and HR solutions. It takes care of tax filing mistakes! If you get lost in the payroll process, someone has your back. If you don’t utilize a payroll service, you could have costly and time-consuming issues to handle on your own.
Now that we’ve sufficiently scared you, let’s talk about the benefits that go along with a payroll service like SurePayroll:
Live Support: We have to mention this again because it’s important! US-based support is at your fingertips, even during the evening and on weekends. Vital resources are only an email, phone call, or live chat away!
Time-saving: Your time as a small business owner is an extremely valuable asset. Imagine the time you could be saving by only accessing payroll when you have to make changes or double-check something. SurePayroll could save you hours to spend on something more important!
Convenient Access: Access SurePayroll on your phone or any other device with one click or tap.
Skip the Calculator: SurePayroll can calculate overtime rates, bonuses, mileage, PTO, and just about anything else you can think of! Making a minor mistake on these calculations could cost you some major moolah, so why not leave it to the experts?
Handy Reports: Easily access and download customized reports. Simple, yet essential!
Sorry to rain on your DIY parade, but we are just fans of consulting the experts! Hopefully, we’ve given you some great reasons to make your life a little bit easier with accounting software like Zoho Books and SurePayroll!
And you know what? If we haven’t entirely convinced you, here’s a great deal so you can personally see what all the fuss is about!
Contact us if you have any questions!
Brand integrity: phew, what a complex and layered topic! We don’t blame you if a million things come to mind when you hear the word “brand”-- the same thing happens to us!
When it comes to developing a brand, there’s certainly some information overload. What does it mean? What should be focused on first? What are the rules?
There’s no official handbook, but a kazillion blogs are trying to tell you the best approach. That’s why we aren’t here with a step-by-step how-to guide– we decided it would be much better to just let you know why brand integrity is so important.
After all, you won’t be motivated to do the best you can if you don’t understand why you are doing it!
Don’t worry, we aren’t giving you a boring textbook definition! In our opinion, brand integrity is something that happens when you stick with your values and authenticity– no matter the situation. It’s the basis of your reputation and the impression you leave initially (and going forward).
Brand integrity shows up through how you face adversity. It shows within your reaction when your business doesn’t live up to expectations or promises. No business is perfect, and there’s no way every single customer will be pleased. However, it’s how you handle these bumps in the road that maintain your brand integrity.
In developing brand integrity, a business hones in on the target audience and sticks with a consistent message. If you lose track of your brand integrity, you risk losing a customer (or two).
Let’s break down a few ways brand integrity impacts your business in the long run:
Even if customers are newly exposed to your brand, a lack of brand integrity will be obvious.
Brand integrity will show up through a mission-focused, value-based approach. You will be able to easily relate to customers new and old. With a solid brand, it will be clear that you have identified what problems you can solve and what pain points you can address.
Consistency is always going to be key. You won’t have to explain your brand or show your integrity– customers will easily be able to see it for themselves.
Brand integrity will make it a lot easier to differentiate yourself from others in your niche. It will naturally demonstrate your experience and what you’ve learned throughout your time in the business.
It won’t always be the perfect picture, but imperfections display the strength of your brand integrity and how well you overcome challenges.
Your unique story will also contribute to the strength of your brand integrity and seamlessly weave in and out of what your customers see. This will set you apart from other businesses that haven’t taken the time to establish a brand or emphasize their story. It will set you apart from those who don’t have a clear focus or consistently try to relate to their audience.
Clearly, customer acquisition is important, as companies spend tons of money each year on this very thing. However, retention is just as important. It’s a lot cheaper and easier to keep customers coming back versus only focusing on new ones!
Your product/service will accomplish the main goal (hopefully), but ultimately the brand integrity is what creates the relationship with your customers. This relationship is what keeps them coming back and recommending you to their friends and family. The relationship built through your brand integrity is what cultivates trust and expectations.
If you don’t focus on your brand and its integrity, you can lose out on many valuable relationships—which could lead to a loss of business!
We’ve talked about what it is and why it’s important, but let's discuss the basics behind brand integrity:
Authenticity- Be upfront and honest. Show that your business sticks to its values and the commitment to its customers. Show the ups and the downs in running a business. Let your audience see the full picture and truly relate. Make it obvious that you aren’t hiding anything behind a facade.
Confidence- Be transparent about limitations, but show confidence in your abilities and experience. Don’t hide adversities- put them on full display and show your audience how you handle issues. Persuade your audience that you know their pain points and are confident you can help.
Customer-centered approach- You have to show that your business looks at the big picture and fixes the entire problem. You're not just out there to present a quick fix and make some cash. Your focus is on the customer experience and the promises you have made.
We hope this leaves you with a better understanding of brand integrity and why it’s so important to the success of your business. It’s a different type of long-term investment that you might not have considered much before– an investment in your reputation and your customer relationships.
Spend the time and effort learning how to strengthen your brand integrity now and the outcomes will be more than worth it!
Want to find out how we can help you? Let’s chat.
You didn’t quit your 9-5 to start a business that is “just fine”. Let’s face it, you started up a business to serve a mission. To follow your passions, to make an impact, to set impressive goals and attain those goals.
There’s a bit of fantasy behind every entrepreneurial venture, and the last thing we want to think about are the challenges and hard work between us and that dream.
But what if we took a different look at the process? The pathway to success? What if instead of getting discouraged because we aren't seeing instant success or profit, we reanalyze the factors that got us here?
The Aggregation of Marginal Gains concept is not only a great concept to apply to our business mindsets, but also a great addition to our personal mindsets. It emphasizes the journey more than the end result.
Time to take a deeper dive into this inspiring notion!
This may come as a surprise, but the Aggregation of Marginal Gains concept did not come from an entrepreneur, inventor, or economist. It did not come from an author or a professor. Nope– it came from a man named Dave Brailsford, the Performance Director/Cycling Coach for British cycling!
After years of discouraging losses, David Brailsford stepped up for the British cycling team and started to dissect all the elements that may affect performance. Diets, bed pillows, van cleanliness– you name it, he analyzed it!
Brailsford then improved every one of these elements by 1%. His theory was that every small change can compound into long-term improvements and that incremental change would slowly lead to significant outcomes.
Even though this may seem a bit meticulous, his theory proved valid: The team went on to win 7 Tours de France within 8 years and won 16 Olympic gold medals. (Pretty noteworthy results if you ask us!)
Basically, the Aggregation of Marginal Gains means it pays to focus on the smaller picture versus the big picture/end goal. Sometimes we can get distracted by the big picture and multiple ideas. Not only can this mentality be overwhelming, but it can be a huge time-waster.
It makes sense to implement small, gradual changes instead of huge, quick changes. Continuous process improvement will pay off in the long run! This mindset is a lot more likely to keep you on track and headed toward an important achievement.
We have now seen this concept in a cycling example, but what about an example that pertains to more people? Don’t worry– there are a lot of ways marginal gains can be incorporated in your life, both personally and professionally!
Physical exercise is a great application of this concept, since a few minutes a day over a long period of time can bring great results. Another application is journaling daily to improve mindfulness or listening to an educational podcast a few times a week. In terms of your business, you could try to automate an additional process each month or slowly change the structure of sales conversations or marketing approaches. The options are endless!
In our research on this topic, there seemed to be a few additional points that deserve mentioning. After all, no concept can be blindly applied to absolutely every situation!
Be practical- The idea behind the Aggregation of Marginal Gains is the buildup of change over time. But guess what? If you run into obstacles or lose motivation, it can destroy any progress and delay the ultimate goal.
It’s important to be able to stick with elements that you change or adapt. If you commit to running 5 miles a day when you don’t currently run, you are likely to lose momentum early on. If you set a more realistic goal, like running/walking for 30 minutes every other day, you are much more likely to see success.
Consider marginal losses- Although this may sound negative, it really doesn’t have to be. Incorporating marginal losses means gradually cutting out habits that detract from your goals. For instance, eat out less or eliminate one unnecessary business expense each week. By losing one habit, you can gain momentum in a positive direction!
Define your focus- The Brailsford story makes it seem like you have to slowly improve everything, but that’s not exactly the case. If you try to focus on everything, it may end up being counterproductive! It’s totally okay to define factors that have a heavier impact and concentrate your focus on those things.
Sure, the initial focus may have been on those gold medals, but what else can the Aggregation of Marginal Gains concept bring us (and our businesses)?
You may see a better team dynamic. Sometimes troubleshooting and working together on continuous improvements can be motivating for a team!
You may see less of a focus on an end goal and more of a focus on the process. Attention may shift towards the impact of individual changes and valuable lessons learned along the way.
You may discover a new definition of success. Rather than instant gratification or quick results, you achieved something that took long-term motivation and refining details/skill sets.
Small changes, major impacts! The Aggregation of Marginal Gains concept may initially serve a direct purpose, but it can also indirectly affect a myriad of other things. Where do you see this concept fitting into your life and business?
Contact us for a consultation!
Imposter syndrome is easy to catch, especially with information thrown at us from all angles. Business owners are constantly in a state of comparison, worrying about the competition and how to stay relevant. They have to worry about the next steps and how not to get overwhelmed.
Today, we remind you of something important: no business is too small to invest in the right tools.
Yes, you heard us correctly– nurture and invest in your business! If you don’t invest in it now, how will it ever become the Allstar you know it can be? We also happen to know of a great place to start: CRMs.
There’s the imposter syndrome kicking in! We can hear it already! Well, shut it down because your business is fully ready to add a CRM to its toolbox. If you find the right CRM that fits your business needs, it will propel your business forward.
CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management, and the concept is pretty straightforward: CRMs take care of your customer relations from start to finish. They collect valuable info from customers, determine potential leads, and manage the relationship going forward.
Depending on the CRM, it honestly can do anything to help with your business needs, from finances and sales reports to customer support.
By 2027, the CRM market is expected to skyrocket to 113.46 billion dollars! Businesses of all sizes and niches use CRMs and get some major bang for their bucks. Now let’s take a look at some more reasons why a CRM would be great for your small business!
All businesses start from somewhere, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay there. If your business is doing well and you know it’s getting bigger and harder to manage, invest in tools to aid scalability. Growing pains will happen– CRMs can be a major help with those pains.
Take on more customers and profit without hiring tons of extra team members. Let the CRM do the mundane, time-consuming tasks. Let it organize the information and create reports. You’re going to outgrow those spreadsheets, so let the CRM take over!
Don’t get bogged down by a growing number of to-dos; pay a monthly fee and let the CRM perform its magic.
Concerned about finding the CRM that aligns with your business growth goals? Zapier did an excellent report on the best CRMs for different needs. Are you worried about the price? Need help with scaling? You’ll find something that suits you on this list.
Listen, the middleman gets a bad reputation– sometimes it's not all that bad of a concept!
You don’t have to worry about human error with a CRM because it will communicate pertinent changes and news. A CRM will consistently update information and make necessary phone calls. It will know when to follow up (and actually follow up), so you don’t have to hire another person to handle that.
We’re all about giving people jobs, but sometimes more hands in the pot can make a real mess. Forget about the human go-betweens and add in a CRM– we’re confident you won’t regret it.
After the CRM frees up some valuable time for team members, they can focus on more pertinent tasks. What's even better? Those weary tasks won’t result in lost information or reports. Input something into the CRM one time, and it will be available for all to see.
With a CRM, team members don’t have to worry about communicating spreadsheets and new information with each other— it’s all easily accessible in one place. Less paperwork and side emails make a much more manageable group project.
CRMs gather contact information from customers and potential customers, but they do much more than that! They can determine leads, generate reports, help with invoices, and track website activity.
CRMs will even assist with customer service and support, tackling the items that you won’t necessarily be able to keep up with by yourself. A growing business means more customers, but that comes with complaints and an increasing focus on customer satisfaction. Let the CRM keep your customer relationships strong and help with returning sales.
If you are paying for other services and are worried about juggling those on top of a CRM, don't worry– many CRMs can seamlessly integrate with other applications.
For example, Zoho can integrate with many popular applications, like Slack, Shopify, MailChimp, and Quickbooks. They even team up with RingCentral, a phone system designed for small businesses. And (don’t worry, we won’t list them) we heard Zoho can integrate with RingCentral in 192 different ways!
Don’t sell yourself short simply because your business is small. Start investing in the right tools, and it will jump up to the big leagues before you know it. Woggle will help you find the right CRM fit for your business, and we can guarantee you won’t regret it!
As a business owner, many decisions have to be made–not just any old decisions but also informed decisions.
How do you know what the best decision is from limited information? What if you choose something that negatively impacts your business? You are not alone in these entrepreneurial conundrums!
This overwhelm, and self-consciousness is part of what drives us here at Woggle– we want to provide the information that helps guide you toward a business solution that fits your business.
As part of our desire to share the best tips and information, we are highlighting a Zoho product today. We love Zoho for many reasons, and we often mention Zoho One and the 40 (plus) applications it has to offer, but today we are taking a deeper dive into Zoho Projects and what it can do for your team!
Ah, what an excellent place to start! Zoho Projects is a cloud-based project management software ready to take on all your team project challenges! (Even though we kind of made it sound like a superhero, we can’t promise you that it will be quite that exciting.)
It may not save people from space creatures and collapsing buildings, but it can improve productivity, increase profitability, and keep things transparent with clients. Not to mention, in this world of growing amounts of remote work, Zoho Projects enables your team to work from anywhere with an internet connection efficiently. There are even applications available for IOS and Android if you need to work from your mobile device!
The word ‘customize’ may mean something different for everyone, but it highlights a key aspect: catering a solution to fit our individual business needs. There’s really not a one size fits all option out there (no matter what other services want you to believe).
Not only can you control the theme/colors and layout, but this project management software allows you to create templates that work for your tasks. It also lets you create tags and customized statuses to help organize your project even further!
We don’t deny that several software options are available that enable collaboration efforts. However, Zoho Projects kicks collaboration up several notches.
Like other options, they offer ways to share documents; team members have access to files when and wherever they need them. Additionally, Zoho Projects provides a chat function and a shared feed where contributors can comment, make announcements and step up team communication.
One other incredibly convenient feature is the ability to control items from your email. Yes, everyone can create tasks, report issues, and even upload a document– all from the comfort of their email.
When you purchase a Zoho product, it rarely limits you to just a particular set of applications. Zoho Projects is no different! You can utilize Projects along with Zoho Books, Invoice, People, and so much more.
No one puts Zoho in the corner– it’s fully willing to play with others! Don’t worry if you can’t accomplish everything within Zoho Projects because it easily integrates with software like Dropbox, Slack, and Microsoft 365. Even better, it easily integrates with Zapier and the 2000 automation applications it has to offer!
There are virtually endless resources with every Zoho product to help you get through the speedbumps. Zoho Projects has a Tips and Tricks section that comes in handy. It also has videos, webinars, and forums to help your business take advantage of the software. If you hate buying a product or service, Zoho may be an excellent fit for you!
You pay 5 dollars a month for their premium subscription per user. You can also pay for client users, which will help keep transparency with your clients at a level they will certainly appreciate!
So, Zoho Projects is one of the most cost-effective options. For 15 team members, it will cost you around $307 dollars monthly to use Asana. It will cost you around $900 dollars annually to utilize Monday.com for ten users.
Check out the price comparisons for yourself, but Zoho is winning this battle so far!
If we haven’t converted you into a full-blown Zoho fan, we hope this spotlight at least presents a few key factors to consider.
It is worth putting in the time and effort to make the best purchases for your business. Got more questions? Schedule a free consult with us today to get them answered!
Sure, it’s easier to focus on customers we have already acquired. We have them hooked; now, how do we keep them loyal and continuously coming back for more?
However, customer retention is just one piece of the puzzle, and it’s beneficial to keep an eye on the whole process. Where did these customers come from? What piqued their interest in the first place?
If companies don’t have any interest in leads and where they come from, they’re missing out on a whole wealth of information and opportunities. Not to mention, a company without a lead focus is severely squandering marketing potential!
So what are some more specific reasons you should be placing a more significant emphasis on leads? Well, it’s your lucky day– We have conveniently compiled some goodies for you!
Companies have to define who is interested in their product or service and then tailor their approach to cater to these people effectively. These people are considered leads and are then classified as potential customers.
Leads are a way to hone in on what will most likely bring you business while allowing you to use resources more strategically. Sure, conversion is arguably the most crucial part of any business, but we can’t forget the beginning stages of lead generation!
If you’re looking for some more information, we happen to have a handy-dandy blog post all about leads right here!
Once a lead converts into a sale, it integrates with the sales team and their process. A conversion will then hopefully become a consistent customer, and that is, of course, the main goal for a company!
However, what came before the conversion? The many efforts from the marketing team! Every company invests in a certain level of marketing, and how do you know if it’s money and time well spent if there’s no analysis of this process?
Applications like Zoho’s Page Sense can measure website metrics, better understand site visitors, and create a more personalized experience for these visitors. It takes a look at CTA clicks, heatmaps, and overall engagement on the website. From these metrics, companies can get a better handle on leads and understand where conversions are originating.
Page Sense also integrates with other applications that analyze site performance, like Google Analytics. This way, companies have an even more thorough perspective on website metrics!
The bottom line? An application like Page Sense can help your company analyze its lead process and areas that need more focus. With this comes a better understanding of marketing ROI– and it may even highlight areas where marketing budgets can save some cash!
Again, there’s a lot of lead-up to a sales conversion. (See what we did there?) Marketing approaches like email, social media, and landing pages are all elements that prompt a potential customer to engage and seek more information.
A leading player in the lead generation process is, of course, your landing page. An excellent landing page provides direction for a potential customer and hopefully entices them to sign-up for something/volunteer information. Zoho’s LandingPage feature is a great way to optimize your landing page by taking a look at page and visitor statistics and allowing you to A/B test different content.
Zoho also has other marketing applications that can help optimize your email and social media campaigns. What better way to generate leads than consistently showing up in inboxes and on social feeds? Zoho can help you be just persistent enough to intrigue potential leads without making them want to chuck their phones at you.
A great way to save time and money in our marketing ventures? Automating what can be automated. Zoho’s Marketing Automation option does just that, giving you a 360 view of your marketing process. Take a step back and analyze aspects like the planning stage and marketing ROI, along with every detail in between.
Marketing Automation emphasizes complete lead management and the best way to approach it. It analyzes lead nurturing paths, allowing companies to tailor different lead process elements.
Upfront, it will take some time and energy to get it right. Once you gain some momentum, however, applications like this will be saving you a reasonable amount of time and money. Spending some extra time on leads and process automation now can mean more time to spend on everything else later!
Have we convinced you yet? Leads are not precisely something a successful company can skip!
The good news is that if you are overwhelmed by lead generation and where exactly to start, there are many resources out there to help make the process a little easier. Not to mention, Woggle is always here to help get you started with Zoho and the applications that will suit your specific needs!
The “6P Rule” has been defined and applied in many different ways, always circling back to the main message: the importance of planning. What is the” 6P Rule”, exactly? 6P stands for Prior Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. The exact origin of the rule is unknown, but the emphasis on effective planning is a message we can all relate to.
Think of all the ways a lack of appropriate planning could impact your business. Is there something you could change that would have a positive impact? And more importantly, is it worth it?
Without some consistent structure for everyday tasks and events, we lack a realistic path toward business success. With proper planning, businesses can:
Establish clear project objectives - Clear objectives mean a clear timeline and an ability to plan out each workday to suit this timeline. This creates the opportunity for checkpoints, delegation, and other steps to lead to a better outcome.
Prepare better for the unexpected- We can’t predict every little detail, but we can plan for a better rebound from unforeseen issues. Thorough planning can allow for a more adaptable budget and backup options. You can also learn from previous problems and plan out how you would better handle them if they happen again.
Track progress- Planning well in advance can allow tracking developments and show where you fall behind. A well-thought-out plan can also be great to review down the road, emphasizing what can be adjusted or included next time.
Realistically, no one is a perfect planner, and there’s always room for improvement. Identifying our planning strengths and weaknesses can significantly impact overall business performance. Let’s take a look at a few ways to optimize your planning skills:
Don’t just make a list for the week; think of the best way to schedule tasks. Make sure you place the more challenging tasks first and get them out of the way. If you work better in the morning, reserve the more difficult tasks and place more manageable tasks in the afternoon. Procrastinating on more complicated tasks will only increase your chances of failing.
You also don’t want a ton of long-term goals on your to-do list. Break down long-term goals into short-term tasks. Not only is it more motivating to accomplish multiple short-term goals as you go, but it is more likely that you will complete the big goal on time.
What’s a part of every workday, even if we don’t consider them as “tasks”? Breaks. Plan out your days in a realistic way; schedule your lunch and any other breaks you should be taking. Don’t schedule a huge chunk of time working with no breaks. Be practical about what you require to keep motivated and concentrated.
This may sound trivial, but also attempt to schedule specific times for things like checking emails and updating your calendar. We are all familiar with the category tasks like these fall under unexpected time-suckers that tend to send us down random rabbit holes. Once you get distracted, it may be an hour before you get back on track!
Also, do not oversimplify your to-do list. If you have to complete a blog post, is it just one task that you can do in an hour? Of course not! Time goes into planning, research, and then eventually writing! Schedule out times for all the steps; don’t just make a generic “Write Blog Post” task. The same goes for things like client meetings and Zoom presentations.
There’s plenty of software out there that can make your life a little easier. One great way to optimize planning with some added benefits? Use a calendar application. A visual calendar may not seem overly complex on the day-to-day, but down the road, you can use it to identify patterns and weaknesses in your plan.
Another great way to utilize technology within your business planning? Team collaboration through options like Google Workspace or Zoho Projects. These applications are great for sharing plans, delegating tasks, and increasing overall productivity. And like the calendar applications, these tools can also make it easier for process duplication and improvement easier down the line.
In conclusion, no one wants to violate the 6P Rule, right? We wouldn’t dare! Don’t let a lack of proper planning negatively affect your business– there are easy and risk-free ways to make it less of a problem. And like always, there’s never a better time to start than now!
Need help planning a better plan? Woggle is ready to lend some suggestions!
