1. How to create a database and get the most out of it
Patricia van den Akker

2. What we will do in this webinar
Why is having a database important?
The 4 stages of selling
What is stopping you from database management?
Filling the pipeline: getting contacts in your database
What system(s) is best for you?
Various database systems: from simple to complex, Excel Pipeline, for Macs & The Cloud
The legal side
Staying in touch with your database
How to keep your database alive?

3. Why is having
a database so
important?

4. Why is having a database important?
A systematic approach to managing clients and contacts
You are only human: you forget names, you lose contacts
Being in ‘control’
Making the client relationship process much easier

5. Selling = building relationships
4 stages of selling:
Filling the pipeline
Following up
Presentation/meeting
Closing the deal

6. Why is following up important?
Professional people are busy (and human)
Inboxes are overflowing
Too much information
Who are you again?
Following up shows that you care
If you don’t follow up then most networking & selling events are a waste of time: orders come after a show
It’s low hanging fruit ...
People only buy from people
they know, like & trust

7. What is stopping you from following up?

8. What is stopping you from following up?
It sounds boring! Not very creative …
Too many systems? All over the place? On your phone, s, Twitter, Linked In, your invoices ...
Have you got a system in place? What do you do with your data?
How do I follow up? What do I say or do?
I am really good. Why don’t people come to me? I want to be discovered. What are you resisting? You need to be pro-active to thrive ...
What are you worried about? Success, failure, the work involved, expectations, selling out, impact on others, ...
Are you prioritising it? Is it important enough? Are other urgent & creative tasks always taking over? You need to make time for marketing and following up. When would be a good time for you to do this?

9. Filling the pipeline:
How to get good contacts into your database?

10. Creating a good database
It’s about quality, not quantity! Who are your clients? Trade or consumer?
Who needs to go into your database? Clients? Press? Referral partners? Suppliers? Partners?
What have you got already? Check past clients, your list, invoices, phone, Linked In, Mail Chimp/ Aweber, lurking business cards, Face Book, Twitter, ...
What info do you need? Name, business name, , phone, mobile, address, website, category, last contact, notes, ...
What system do you want? Simple folder to CRM to online and apps ...

11. Getting good data What details have you got already?
What is your niche? Focus your database
Do your market research: Online & (trade) press Which galleries/shops/retailers do you want to sell to? Interior designers? Art consultants? Agents? Awards? Competitions? Business support? Who are your competitors selling to?
ALWAYS have a contact book at a fair & inbox on your website
Press contacts? Look for Editor, Features Editor, stylists
Selling events are good to get consumer info
Linked In is good for ‘people with a job title’
Directories e.g. Crafts Magazine, Design Week, Craft Finder, trade fair catalogues

12. What system(s)
is best for you?

13. A system for YOU Keep it simple! Do you use computers? Online? Cloud?
Do you work by yourself or with others?
How much data? Only 100 or 10,000?
What’s the purpose? E.g.
Address book to flick through
Link to project management, briefs, quotes, ...
management & newsletters
Integration with finances
Link with your diary, reminders for appointments

14. The most simple systems
Business cards in a box/folder
Windows Contacts & Mail Live
Probably already installed on your PC
Easy to use
Microsoft Outlook
Part of MS Office
For contacts, meetings, calendar
Google contacts
Send group s
Easy to find and merge duplicate contacts
Portable and multi-user access
Sync across different platforms

15. Excel spread sheet Sorting info Easy to use Free or cheap
Easy to scroll
Mail merge & labels
Easy to mix lines up

16. update (include today's date)
Excel Sales Pipeline
update (include today's date)
Total 2012/13
Annual target
20,000
fill this turnover or income target in
Achieved to date
this will be automatically filled in
To go
Prospects total
Stage 4
Actual Sales
Description
quarter 1
quarter 2
quarter 3
quarter 4
total to date
client name here
i.e. Commission
Totals
Figures in quarter when invoiced
Stage 3
Presentation stage
Likelihood?
Value
Status
next step
what is happening?
£0.00
Stage 2
Follow up stage
Stage 1
Filling the pipeline
people who you want to contact

17. For Mac
CapsuleCRM
ElementsCRM
Daylite

18. Apps Contapps Contacts Smartr Contacts
Integrate mobile phone, , FB, twitter, texts into one automatic contact database

19. More complicated applications
FileMaker pro
MS Access
Database
£110
Sage ACT! Pro
Database: Customer contacts, s, meeting notes, to do lists
Integrates with accounts
Connects various social media tools
Backup in the clouds
£140
Sales Force Contact Manager
£45/month

20. Email management MailChimp Aweber Constant Contact
Free to use (up to 2,000 subscribers, and 12,000 s)
Aweber
Up to 500 users $19/month
Constant Contact
, surveys, social media campaigns, event management

21. Use your data well:
Follow up
without being a nuisance

22. You will never be a nuisance if you ...
Be professional
Be relevant
Be specific and keep it short
Personalise your message
Be timely
Don’t bombard them
Give first, and take later
Say ‘thank you’

23. Follow up
Always have something to invite people to: have 3 – 4 events per year and send an invite (great for your profile, even if people are unable to attend)
Identify 20 specific people: make it personal, hand written card
Follow up immediately after meeting: fresh in the mind, specific and personalised follow up, follow up after trade fairs, what’s the ‘call to action’ – an order or a meeting? Think , brochure, price list, ...
Personalised intro s/packages: do your research, keep it short, include images, send on Tuesdays, follow up by phone
Meet at a major event: arrange follow up meetings at trade shows or networking events, approach directly or use Twitter
Regular newsletters/branded s: stay in touch, tell your story and news, 10 tips for brides, link back to your blog/website, ...
Give advice & referrals: Be the expert that’s open to giving advice
I saw this and thought of you ...

24. Follow up 9. Christmas cards, ‘Thank you cards’, anniversary cards
10. Ask for referrals, images or testimonials: Get in touch again with ex-colleagues or ex-clients
11. Stay in touch with connectors and your ‘teachers’: who can refer you?
12. Join and use Linked In: stay in touch in low key way

25. E-invites don’t need to be boring

26. Newsletters don’t need to be boring

27. The legal side ALWAYS get permission to send emails
You MUST register with the Information Commissioners Office
£ 35/year
Data protection, security issues, type of information
Complaints against you

28. How will you keep your database alive?

29. How to keep your database alive?
Make it important for your business
Set regular time aside: e.g. Immediately after an event, Friday afternoons, energy low times of the day, quiet times of the year, ...
Break it down in manageable chunks: research 30min/week and add data 30min/week
Set yourself SMART goals and targets: to add 150 contacts by March, to create a retail folder with 30 retail files in it, …
Make following up part of it to see the results: Make it creative and fun, it’s about people not numbers, create interesting newsletters and invites
Reward the process, not just the end goal

30. Action plan
What do you need to work on? Identify 3 SMART goals, and include activities with a deadline
When will you make time?
What would that do for you?
How can you create accountability?