So, What Can Sports Teach Us About CRM?
Whether or not you're a sports fan, you probably weren't aware that sports could teach us about CRM (Customer Relationship Management). Many principles that apply to a competitive sport can be applied to CRM.
Many sporting analogies will help teach us about CRM. These should help the individuals within your organisation to understand the concept more effectively.
Selecting the right customers
Imagine running a football team: You need to select the best possible player for each position. Similarly, it would be best if you determined which customers can help you achieve your sales goal in business.
You might find that you have different ideal customers for different aspects of your business. So, instead of identifying the ideal footballer for the competition, you must select the ideal customer for your sales objectives. You might scout that player and even meet them to ensure they're a good fit.
Imagine you've found the ideal player, but other teams are interested in the same player. You need to attract them with various benefits, including an attractive salary, a great stadium, a great set of teammates, bonuses etc.
The same principle applies in business. To attract the ideal customer, you need to offer them benefits that the competition can't replicate.
This analogy works well to teach us about CRM.
Building Relationships
You've found the ideal player for your football team, and you've managed to sign them up.
But what now? How do you ensure that your player performs to the best of their ability and gives everything to the team?
As their coach or manager, you must establish a rapport with that player. But this takes time, and it needs to come from a place of sincerity.
The same principle of relationship building applies to CRM. You won't get the best out of your customers (persuading them to buy from you and remain loyal) if you can't develop a meaningful relationship. Like a footballer, a customer may not immediately buy into your actions.
You need to cultivate trust and respect. Simply pressuring your customer into buying from you won't work. Your customer needs to trust that you have their best interests at heart. After putting in time and effort, you should manage to develop a relationship of trust and respect with one of your star players.
Remember that football is a team sport, and you have to do this with all of your players. This requires time management, organisation and delegation. Managing customers is very similar to managing the players in a football team. You must juggle a great deal of information about your customer's preferences, demands and requirements.
You must also remember key dates, such as birthdays and wedding anniversaries. Nothing instils trust and respect like a genuine relationship that transcends the workplace. Think of your customers as your football team. You need them as a team to win trophies, but they must all be treated as individuals if you want them to perform to the best of their ability.
Let's Recap On What Sports Can Teach Us About CRM
- Choose the best customers for your business
- Attract customers with competitive offers
- Build relationships with your customers
- Treat your customers individually and reap the benefits of a large, loyal customer base.
If you need help choosing and implementing a CRM system for your business, we can help. Speak to us today to find out what we can do for you.