December 12, 2024
Let’s be honest. Logging meetings into your CRM? It’s… not fun.
You’d probably rather do just about anything else.
In fact, most investment sales pros have a love-hate relationship with their CRM. It’s clunky. It’s another thing on the list. And honestly, didn’t that notepad or Excel sheet work just fine?
Well, here’s the problem: three months from now, when you’re trying to remember the name of the analyst in Cincinnati who seemed interested in your strategy, you’ll be scrolling through emails, squinting at scribbled notes, and wishing you’d just logged the details in your CRM.
And that’s not even the worst part. Without proper tracking, it’s all too easy to miss critical follow-up windows or let promising leads fade into the background.
The good news? Your CRM can do this with one click. It’s actually the key to keeping every client engagement alive and well.
In this article, we’re going to explain the importance of utilizing past activity reports. By the end, you’ll have a better understanding of how this one-click strategy can take you from CRM skeptic to CRM savant – and keep you closing deals and building relationships like a pro.
We get it; inputting every meeting feels tedious. But in investment sales, each follow-up, every tiny detail, and even those brief calls can shape your future interactions. Logging all these touch points into your CRM builds a robust record, giving you the inside track to engage with clients meaningfully and systematically. It’s not just about filing away names and dates, it’s about setting yourself up to re-engage, consistently, with real insights at your fingertips.
Now, here’s where it gets good. Once your meetings and calls are logged, you can run past activity reports – essentially one of your CRM’s greatest superpower. These reports offer quick, at-a-glance snapshots of your client interactions over time, typically in thirty-day, sixty-day, and ninety-day windows. Each timeframe gives you an organized view of recent activities, making it easy to spot who needs a follow-up, when, and why.
Say you’re looking at your thirty-day report. You’ll immediately see who’s fresh off a meeting and ready for a re-connect. That sixty-day report? It’s perfect for keeping folks on your radar. And the ninety-day view helps you revive any cold leads before they go completely dark.
Think of these reports as “who-to-contact” guides that make follow-up feel like second nature. You’ll thank yourself when you realize it only takes one click.
Running regular past activity reports is more than a CRM routine; it’s a way to trigger the next step in your client relationships. Every report you generate isn’t just a static list, it’s a clear call to action. Here’s what these reports set in motion:
Quick Follow-Ups: Just finished a promising call? The thirty-day report will remind you it’s time to reach out, keeping momentum strong.
Keeping Conversations Fresh: The sixty-day report helps you stay in touch without letting things go stale.
Reviving the Cold Leads: If a prospect hasn’t heard from you in three months, the ninety-day report reminds you it’s time to spark the conversation back up.
These sales triggers eliminate guesswork, making follow-up a natural extension of your routine rather than a haphazard task on your to-do list.
Consistency is key in investment sales, and by making past activity reports a habit, you turn follow-up into a reliable, systematic part of your workflow. Plus, the one-click simplicity of generating these reports saves you from wading through endless notes or trying to remember “that guy from the last meeting.”
With regular reviews, you create a steady rhythm in your sales pipeline, ensuring that no client or prospect slips through the cracks. It’s proactive sales management without all the hassle.
Picture this: you’re convinced that you last met with a prospect in Cincinnati just last month. But one look at your ninety-day report, and surprise - it’s been three months since you’ve connected. Time flies, and these reports keep you in check, giving you a nudge before important relationships fade away. In an industry where timing is critical, these reports are your insurance against missed opportunities.
The real value of past activity reports lies in how they transform your CRM data into powerful, actionable insights. By regularly reviewing and acting on these reports, you turn your CRM from a data graveyard into a thriving source of opportunity. Here’s how to make the most of it:
Set a Review Schedule: Commit to weekly or monthly reviews of your thirty-day, sixty-day, and ninety-day reports. This routine keeps you consistently engaged with your client base.
Use Triggers Regularly: Each report should drive specific follow-up actions. A thirty-day report might prompt a friendly “just checking in” email, while the ninety-day one cues up a more strategic conversation.
Track and Refine Your Approach: Over time, patterns will emerge. You’ll learn which follow-ups yield the best results, allowing you to fine-tune your outreach for maximum impact.
With a single click, these reports give you instant access to a complete view of your client interactions, making follow-up a seamless, strategic part of your routine.
By making past activity reports a habit, you’ll keep your CRM organized, your sales pipeline active, and your relationships moving forward. Over time, this straightforward practice becomes a powerful tool for sustained growth and client engagement.
So, yes - your CRM might feel like a chore today. But with past activity reports, it’s your roadmap to success. Embrace these one-click insights, and watch as your client relationships deepen, your follow-up becomes second nature, and your investment sales strategy hits new heights.
Morgan Holycross is a Marketing Manager at Dakota.
