In this modern age and time, employment and all that comes with it; traditional office setup and a day to day routine are becoming monotonous. People are slowly turning to freelance. Taking control of one’s work schedule and increasing flexibility of your work while maximizing your income are but some of the benefits of freelancing.
However, as your career as a freelance writer picks up, you are bound to face challenges. This is because, as a freelancer, you lack a proper work schedule or even a personal assistant to keep your calendar up to date and organized. You juggle contacts, emails, replies to emails, and questions as well as touchpoint emails you send to prospective customers who couldn’t work with you in the beginning.
Now, this is where a CRM (customer relationship management) tool comes in. It manages customers, hundreds of potential leads, and requests. Freelancers, just like other companies and cooperate businesses have relationships with their clients and potential clients too.
Choosing a CRM
There exist different kinds of CRMs in the market, from simple to complex. All tailored to cater for your needs, depending on what you require for your freelance writing business.
“Choosing the right CRM software for your business is crucial in the development of your business and customer satisfaction. Consider the cost of the CRM, as well as the normal functions or the needs of your business.” – says Marie Fincher, an editor at TrustMyPaper and a writer at Studicus.
For a start-up enterprise, you will probably need a simple and basic CRM. These are known as entry-level CRMS. They perform simple tasks like keeping your emails and contacts organized. They are also cheaper since some free ones exist. As a beginner freelance writer, you want to try these out first.
As your freelance writing business grows and you get acquitted with the current CRM, the need to upgrade kicks in. It would be best if you now had a CRM that adapts to your needs and does even more like managing your data and usage as well as assist you to make better yet crucial decisions concerning your customers and prospects. At this point, you now need an intermediate-level CRM that is more advanced enough to suit your ever-growing needs as a freelance writer.
Here are some of the great benefits of CRMs to you as a freelance copywriter:
- Improves Client and Prospect Relationship
CRM keeps a timeline of your previous interactions, thereby giving you the information you need at the moment instantly. It reduces your chances of rehashing conversations with your clients or prospects, thus boring them with information on something you had already talked about before. Whenever you are busy and have to push some of your prospects or clients to the burner because of their scope. You plan on getting back to them later; your CRM will always have your back.
- Standardizes Your Processes
CRMS standardizes your sales processes thereby letting you see the whole lifecycle at ones. Processes are great tools, whether it is just a way to handle your marketing tasks or process new clients, a process is crucial. Choose a CRM with better processes that best suits your writing business needs.
- Redirects Your Time and Energy To Better Things
With a CRM in place, you have all the time to focus on marketing your business or working on client projects. Doing your CRM manually is a total waste of precious time that can you can use to bring in profits, plus you are not getting paid to do it!
- Automated Reminders
Reminders set by your CRM enhances accountability. You need not check your calendar manually now and then to see whom to get back to anymore. Your CRM got you, you need not worry anymore about check-ups and replies.
- Better Visibility Into Your Pipeline
To understand how your sales process is, you will need better visibility. With a CRM tool in place, this is not a big deal anymore. You will know your win/loss rates and even conversion rates. “The critical data you need for your business to stay up is visible to you. The performance of your business is bound to improve since transparency is enhanced by this feature,”-says Melanie Sovann, a writer for GrabMyEssay.
- Connects With Your Business Email
CRMs help you log onto and act on your business mails and conversations with clients and prospective clients. Integrate your CRM with your email, and depending on whatever integrations you have made, your CRM should be able to; automatically log conversations with prospects, track email conversations with your customers, and implement customizable email templates like pitches.
- Cost-Saving
Now, who doesn’t like to cut on the cost of something and save a few bucks?
A CRM tool helps you keep a central client database rather than everyone having separate spreadsheets on their computers. Even though software procurement can be expensive, the long-term benefits outweigh the initial cost of the tool.
- Improved Cross-Selling Abilities
Understanding your clients’ needs helps you provide the exact solution they need. A CRM tool makes this possible.
- Maximized Business Performance
With a CRM tool in place, you can improve your sales since you are better placed. You know the needs of your clients’ thanks to the cross-selling feature. Now get to upscale your profits by always providing the right solution to your clients.
In conclusion, a CRM tool is a crucial part of any freelance copywriter out there seeking to impress their clients, get new clients, and even ease their work. Remember to have a marketing plan while choosing a CRM tool. It makes things easier for you.
CRM makes your work more comfortable than if you could have done everything on your own, it lets you focus on more pressing matters like customer satisfaction and general profit accumulation. So, If you thought you could handle your work by yourself, then you are mistaken. Prepare for a gruesome experience.
