To help you maximize the potential of your marketing CRM on a budget, we’ve gathered nine expert insights from founders and marketing managers. From embracing automation for cost-effectiveness to repurposing and optimizing existing content, discover the best strategies these professionals recommend for leveraging your CRM without breaking the bank.
- Embrace Automation for Cost-Effectiveness
- Experiment with Various CRMs
- Focus on Customer Segmentation
- Capture and Track Engagement Data
- Prioritize Data Quality in the CRM
- Measure and Optimize Campaign Performance
- Opt for Cloud or SaaS CRM Solutions
- Leverage Referral and Word-of-Mouth Marketing
- Repurpose and Optimize Existing Content
Embrace Automation for Cost-Effectiveness
Embracing automation is a cost-effective way to maximize marketing efforts. Marketing automation streamlines processes, saves time, and boosts results without the hefty price tag of other strategies.
Email marketing campaigns benefit from automation, creating personalized sequences for lead nurturing, onboarding, and re-engagement. Social media scheduling tools maintain a consistent online presence, without constant manual updates. AI-driven customer support tools handle inquiries 24/7, enhancing customer satisfaction. When on a tight budget, optimizing CRM automation focuses resources effectively, driving superior results and ROI.
Taylor Caplan, Marketing Manager
Experiment with Various CRMs
Don’t be afraid to try multiple CRMs. The majority offer a free trial with all of their premium/enterprise features included. Pick one at a time and give it a fair chance. Look for things like ease of use, functionality, and how it aligns with your overall goals.
There are lots of major players out there, but the most value can be found in smaller, niche CRMs like Nutshell that give you some flexibility while keeping users informed and educated on best practices. Be authentic in setting your goals and search for a CRM that is built to do these exact things.
Kevin Ansems, CRO, Union.dev Software Inc.
Focus on Customer Segmentation
In a digital agency, resources are often limited, but the demand for effective marketing is ongoing. When operating on a budget, one strategy to extract maximum value from a marketing CRM system is to focus on customer segmentation. This is not merely dividing your customer base into age groups or geographical locations but also drilling down to granular behavioral patterns.
You can set up automated but highly personalized email campaigns by tagging behavioral triggers, such as specific page visits or cart abandonment. These campaigns can perform tasks ranging from nudging a prospective customer towards a purchase to encouraging a repeat transaction. This keeps the communication highly relevant and saves time and money by automating a process that could otherwise require significant manpower.
The return on investment for a well-segmented and automated email campaign often justifies the initial time spent setting it up.
Shane McEvoy, MD, LeadFly
Capture and Track Engagement Data
As an entrepreneur who has built several startups, I’ve learned how to maximize marketing CRMs, even with limited resources. My top tip is to focus your efforts on capturing email addresses and basic contact info, like name and company. Resist over-engineering complex segmentation and workflows early on. Start sending relevant, personalized emails and track engagement data.
Once you have sufficient contacts and activity volume, then strategically add automation for nurture campaigns. Also, explore free CRM tiers if available, and integrate with low-cost email marketing and survey tools. The key is collecting actionable data to inform content and offers. With smart planning, you can unlock immense value from CRMs to boost marketing without breaking the bank.
Ankit Prakash, Founder, Sprout24
Prioritize Data Quality in the CRM
Prioritize Data Quality. When starting a digital marketing agency, funds can be tight. One thing that becomes glaringly clear is the indispensable value of data quality in a CRM system. Improving ROI for clients on a budget requires actionable insights.
Cleaning up duplicate entries, outdated contacts, and inaccuracies paves the way for more targeted campaigns. Rather than chasing down every possible lead, focus on the most promising ones. This can result in higher email open rates, more meaningful client interactions, and improved ROI. This isn’t a flashy technique, but it’s foundational; and in the lean early days, it can make all the difference.
Ryan Steinolfson, Founder, Accelerate Marketing
Measure and Optimize Campaign Performance
As a marketer on a budget, one of the best strategies I would use to effectively leverage a marketing CRM is to prioritize the performance of my campaigns. This would involve taking the time to measure the results of each campaign so that I can determine which campaigns are most profitable and can be further used. This would help me reduce the overall cost of campaigns, as I would not need to run the same campaigns all the time.
Adil Advani, Digital PR and Marketing Director, AnySoftwareTools
Opt for Cloud or SaaS CRM Solutions
Opting for a cloud or SaaS CRM solution is always recommended due to its cost-effectiveness. It eliminates the need for costly hardware and software acquisition, and allows quick start-up with just an internet connection. This is beneficial for businesses of all sizes, even those operating remotely. Additionally, a team of dedicated IT experts is not required to set up and maintain the system, unlike with on-premise CRM.
Ewen Finser, Founder, The Digital Merchant
Leverage Referral and Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Use your existing client base to expand your marketing reach without raising your marketing expenses. Encourage satisfied consumers to promote friends and family by offering referral programs or incentivizing word-of-mouth marketing. A CRM can assist in tracking and managing these referral connections, ensuring that rewards or incentives are distributed effectively.
Additionally, use your CRM to collect and display consumer testimonials and reviews. These genuine endorsements can increase your credibility and naturally attract new clients. This low-cost strategy focuses on the power of your product or service and the loyalty of your customer base to drive growth.
Tom Miller, Director of Marketing, Fitness Volt
Repurpose and Optimize Existing Content
One can consider content repurposing. Begin by assessing your existing content. Identify the material that remains relevant. Use your CRM to understand your audience’s preferred channels. Then, repurpose your content to fit these platforms.
Turn your blog into social media posts or emails. Personalize the content and keep it up-to-date. Observe the performance of your repurposed content using CRM analytics. In the end, create a content series to maintain audience engagement. Optimize your content for search engines to improve discoverability.
Jessica Shee, Marketing Manager, iBoysoft
