May 09, 2024
In the dynamic world of sales, success hinges on more than just ambition and persistence; it requires creating a repeatable sales process. We understand the intricacies of this challenging field - marked by emotional ups and downs, extended sales cycles, and frequent rejections.
At Dakota, we’ve created this repeatable process for our investment sales team. Our four core principles have led us to success, and provided 20 years of results.
We review these principles monthly in our Rainmaker sessions with Gui Costin. This is a class for any investment sales professional as it lays out the blueprint for a winning sales strategy. No matter the experience level - wanting to touch up, wanting to learn tips and tricks, or new to fundraising - Rainmaker is a sales training program with proven results.
In this article we are diving into principle four to creating a repeatable sales process: having a killer follow-up system. By the end of this, you’ll have a better understanding of how to leverage your CRM to 10x productivity, as well as taking actionable steps to help reach your fundraising goals.
To learn more about our four principles to sales, check out an upcoming Rainmaker Live! session with Gui Costin.
In the world of investment management and sales, your ability to follow up effectively can be a game-changer. Building a robust follow-up system ensures that you're not only efficient but also that you don't miss out on valuable opportunities. In this article, we will delve into the importance of maintaining detailed meeting notes, activity reports, and well-managed pipeline reports to boost your success in the industry.
A CRM system can be a salesperson's best friend. Despite complaints about their complexity and data quality, a well-used CRM can significantly enhance efficiency and effectiveness. The key is to ensure that all past meetings are entered into the CRM. The details of each meeting become valuable pieces of information that can trigger future actions and help you stay on top of your follow-up game. Let’s get into three ways to leverage your CRM.
After your meeting concludes, the critical next step is logging the details into your CRM system. While it may seem like a tedious task, it is indispensable for ensuring effective follow-up. By entering your meeting notes into the CRM, you pave the way for a streamlined follow-up process.
This practice leverages your CRM’s capabilities to significantly enhance your efficiency, allowing for follow-ups with just one click. Not only does this approach 10x your productivity, but it also keeps you exceptionally organized.
With all relevant information stored and easily accessible within your CRM, you can quickly initiate follow-up communications, ensuring no opportunities are missed. This systematic tracking of interactions via your CRM is key to maintaining ongoing engagement and driving business success.
Creating past activity reports in your CRM is akin to accumulating bars of gold. Every meeting you've had represents a bar of gold that can be leveraged in the future. These reports are essential for reviewing your sales activities and ensuring that you're sticking to your sales plan. They enable you to track your progress, manage your expectations, and stay on top of your follow-up responsibilities.
Pipeline reports are your guiding compass through the sales journey. They keep you on course and help you navigate the opportunities ahead. With a structured pipeline report, you can clearly see the status of each opportunity, the expected close date, the client's contact details, and the current status and next steps. These reports not only help you manage your leads efficiently but also serve as reminders to take action, ensuring no opportunity falls through the cracks.
Regular check-ins are game-changers when it comes to maintaining effective follow-up. These check-ins are a means to tap into the collective knowledge of your team. The process of sharing insights, client conversations, and good news helps ensure that everyone is on the same page. They also enable you to build a strong support system within your team, ultimately leading to more productive follow-up activities.
In the highly competitive world of investment management and sales, a robust follow-up system is essential. Building this system requires maintaining detailed meeting notes, generating past activity reports, and effectively managing pipeline reports. These tools, when used correctly, will not only enhance your efficiency but also improve your effectiveness, ultimately leading to greater success in your endeavors.
In conclusion, the fourth principle of the Rainmaker sales training emphasizes the effective use of a CRM system. Sales professionals can not only streamline their follow-up activities but also enhance overall productivity by a significant margin. Logging detailed meeting notes, creating comprehensive activity and pipeline reports, and conducting regular structured check-ins are not just administrative tasks - they are strategic steps that form the backbone of a successful sales strategy.
This principle, along with the three others taught in the Rainmaker sessions, provides a clear and effective blueprint for any investment sales professional looking to excel in this dynamic industry. By embracing these practices, sales teams can ensure they never miss an opportunity and always stay ahead in the competitive world of investment sales.
To watch one of our Rainmaker Live! sessions, see in Dakota Marketplace.
Morgan Holycross is a Marketing Manager at Dakota.
