B
Bill Sanders
I use a mailing list to mail out about 100 direct mail pieces a week. This
is an ongoing task. One week after each mailing the sales cycle begins with
a follow-up phone call asking for an appointment. When the phone call is
made:
1. Some prospects will agree to an appointment
2. Many are "too busy" at the time and ask for me to call back or mail
information
3. Many are simply not interested and I will not call them back. However, I
do want to retain their records for a possible future mailing
4. Some are "undeliverable" by the post office and can be deleted
Now I have 2 groups that need to be tracked after deleting the
"undeliverables" and storing the "not interesteds" for a future mailing.
To non-salespeople this may seem simple but it becomes very complex when
sending the additional 100 direct mail pieces each week. The appointments
(1.) will then break into categories; appointments postponed and
rescheduled; appointments with "changed minds" and now "not interested";
appointments kept but not able to make a decision, therefore delayed and
wanting a future call back; and appointments that become customers and need
a definite "start time" for an additional appointment by a different
department in my company. Once this last appointment is finished in the
sales cycle, my responsibility ends.
The "too busys" (2.) seem to stay that way for a long time even though I
have been invited to call back. With some, I will call back numerous times
over many months and at some point either make an appointment or move them
to the "not interesteds".
Generally speaking, all of the "appointments" and "too busys" can be grouped
into a category that could be called "prospects". These prospects, now in
the 1000's, are in different geographical areas of the same city and need to
be tracked and followed-up, either by phone (too busys) or in person
(appointments).
My hours are 8am to 5pm M-F and I write proposals, attend meetings, etc. on
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8am to 10am. I do stick to a schedule and
group my call backs for Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to 1pm. (Only
rarely am I required to call a prospect outside of those hours.) The rest of
the time I am driving to/from or in an appointment, the office or am at a
present customer's office.
My company is very small and won't buy a sophisticated CRM program so I have
to work with either Outlook 2003, BCM or both. I doubt that either is
perfect for my needs but please give me your best recommendations...and
thank you!
is an ongoing task. One week after each mailing the sales cycle begins with
a follow-up phone call asking for an appointment. When the phone call is
made:
1. Some prospects will agree to an appointment
2. Many are "too busy" at the time and ask for me to call back or mail
information
3. Many are simply not interested and I will not call them back. However, I
do want to retain their records for a possible future mailing
4. Some are "undeliverable" by the post office and can be deleted
Now I have 2 groups that need to be tracked after deleting the
"undeliverables" and storing the "not interesteds" for a future mailing.
To non-salespeople this may seem simple but it becomes very complex when
sending the additional 100 direct mail pieces each week. The appointments
(1.) will then break into categories; appointments postponed and
rescheduled; appointments with "changed minds" and now "not interested";
appointments kept but not able to make a decision, therefore delayed and
wanting a future call back; and appointments that become customers and need
a definite "start time" for an additional appointment by a different
department in my company. Once this last appointment is finished in the
sales cycle, my responsibility ends.
The "too busys" (2.) seem to stay that way for a long time even though I
have been invited to call back. With some, I will call back numerous times
over many months and at some point either make an appointment or move them
to the "not interesteds".
Generally speaking, all of the "appointments" and "too busys" can be grouped
into a category that could be called "prospects". These prospects, now in
the 1000's, are in different geographical areas of the same city and need to
be tracked and followed-up, either by phone (too busys) or in person
(appointments).
My hours are 8am to 5pm M-F and I write proposals, attend meetings, etc. on
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8am to 10am. I do stick to a schedule and
group my call backs for Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to 1pm. (Only
rarely am I required to call a prospect outside of those hours.) The rest of
the time I am driving to/from or in an appointment, the office or am at a
present customer's office.
My company is very small and won't buy a sophisticated CRM program so I have
to work with either Outlook 2003, BCM or both. I doubt that either is
perfect for my needs but please give me your best recommendations...and
thank you!