We are continuing our blog series to help you ramp up sales and close more management leads. Today we are talking about tracking tools. This blog will be a little different, because we’re going to talk about one of the tools we use ourselves at Fourandhalf. It’s called Capsule CRM. It’s a very simple and easy way to track all of your leads from inquiry, to closed and beyond. Here’s a quick look at how this works:
When you go to the Capsule CRM website, you’ll see all the details for how to log on and choose the type of services you want. What you need to know is that the free version of this system gives you all the tools you need. As you implement this system, remember the cost is zero, at least at this initial time.
Once you go through the basic setup process, you are ready to start tracking your leads. Here is a quick tour to get you oriented:
Dashboard
The Dashboard view gives you a quick review of all of your tasks and latest updates. The next section is “People & Organizations.” This is where you should classify all your leads. They will be companies or individuals and you can include any contact information you want.
Sales Pipeline View
“Sales Pipeline” gives you a good view of upcoming opportunities in a quantifiable fashion. This provides information on all your leads that have not yet closed, which leads are scheduled to close, and at which stage each of those leads falls. During my “Sales Process Review” interviews, we found that virtually no property management company is tracking revenue. Why not?
We recommend setting revenue goals and tracking your progress. This isn’t as complicated as it sounds. Set each opportunity figure at 1 year annual contract value. Once you set up your opportunity stages, the system will assign the expected revenue based on the probability of winning at each stage.
Adding Leads
It’s simple to add a lead. When someone calls in, you just need to log on and add your new lead. Then, you’ll see fields drop down where you can type in all of their information. Make sure you include their phone numbers, email address, website information, and any social media spots. It’s that simple to add and record a new lead.
You’ll have the opportunity to make notes with your sales leads. You can add a note that explains what this lead is looking for. The idea is that you can save important information about your lead so it’s available to you when you follow up, or you need to get back in touch to answer questions or provide additional information.
Adding Opportunities
At this stage, you know your lead is interested and there is an opportunity for you to do business with them. Give your opportunity a name, such as “123 Main Street.” Then, you have to enter a description. We always recommend a dollar amount in this field. Think about what this contract is worth, and put an annual value there, such as $2,000 or whatever a one-year management contract might earn for you.
Include milestones with your opportunity. You can design your own and we recommend you keep them simple. Throughout our “Sales Process” interviews we discovered that most Property Managers take their leads through the following stages:
Discovery – Presentation – Contract Out – Closed/Won
The typical opportunity will travel from the prospecting stage to “Discovery” stage, where you have that in-depth needs analysis with the prospect. Then, during the presentation stage, you actually get to meet the prospect at the property. If all goes well, your opportunity moves to a “Contract Out” stage – meaning your prospect has the contract in hand. Finally, you have a milestone that identifies when you win or close the lead, or lose the opportunity depending on what happened.
When your opportunity moves through the sales stages, the system will assign a probability, based on the stages of your sales cycle. This allows you to forecast your sales and see into the future.
The Capsule CRM system is simple, and it has a few unique advantages. It is web-based, which means you can access it from anywhere, including your phone. Also, logging your email communications takes no time at all! When you email a prospect, you can BCC a specifically assigned email address and the system will log the email against appropriate contact.
If you have any questions on this system, or tracking and closing leads in general, please contact us at Fourandhalf.
