“A system is a network of interdependent components that work together to try to accomplish the aim of the system. A system must have an aim. Without the aim, there is no system.” – W. Edwards Deming
Over the last two weeks I invited our entire community to test drive for free the Infusionsoft CRM and email marketing system. Many of you decided to take me up on this offer. For those of you who didn’t, don’t wait another minute. Click here to learn how Infusionsoft has helped many companies double their sales.
W. Edwards Deming was a brilliant man. So when I came across his quote regarding systems and network, I had to plug it into my story about Infusionsoft. When I meet business owners and ask them what they want, they almost always tell me they want more business. So their aim is typically finding more business. And in order to get more business we all need a system to better manage relationships, communications, follow up, sales, reporting, and more.
In the old days, like back in 1991, I created a contact management system using 3×5 cards. That’s right. Index cards. And every morning when I came into the office, there was my special, low-cost system for managing my network thereby allowing me to grow my business. You see, every time I walked into the office I had this system waiting for me to just plug into. It was a simple system that worked very well for it’s time. I’d just sit down, open the box, pull out the index cards for that day of the week, pick up the phone, dial it, and grow my business. (How the heck did we live without email and search engines?)
Eventually I made a serious upgrade to the system so that I could better integrate and leverage new technology. But the goal was still the same. My aim for this system was to have a discipline in place every day that would help me grow my business. The progress was gradual and driven by the growth of my business. I graduated to a DOS-based system to manage my network. Then I upgraded to ACT for Windows. It was a love hate relationship to learn a new system. But the software did things for me that the index cards couldn’t. So I kept getting better and learned how to manage the software. And my business kept growing. Then I sold it. Built it. Sold it. Built it. Sold it. All because of a simple system.
About a year ago I was tired of struggling with ACT and Outlook. So I went searching for a new solution. And I found a web-based system by the name of Infusionsoft. I soon learned that the creator of ACT, Pat Sullivan, was an early investor in Infusionsoft. I also learned that people like Michael Gerber, Dan Kennedy and many other business gurus were using Infusionsoft. So I decided that if it was good enough for the big boys, I would take the plunge.
Looking back over the last 18 months or so, I can tell you that moving my business to Infusionsoft was one of the best decisions I ever made. Our entire business runs on Infusionsoft and it’s an incredible system to leverage. It’s a single system that integrates our relationship management (communications), email, follow up, reporting, shopping cart, and more. It’s web-based so we don’t have to worry about servers, hardware, synchronization and the other headaches associated with traditional software.
When I work with clients one of the first things we evaluate is their CRM system for managing their network of contacts and communications. I believe that our net worth is directly proportionate to how well we manage and grow our network. But most people I meet don’t have much of a system for doing so. Which is sad. Because when you don’t have a solid system for managing your network, you hold yourself and your business back. It’s that simple. If you’re not using a sound system to manage relationships and communicate with your network, you’re limiting the growth of your business and income.
Software like Infusionsoft can make life so much easier. And you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure this stuff out. You just need a system to follow every day. Ideally one that integrates your calendar, calls, appointments, relationships, email, reporting, pipleline, sales team, etc. You also need a system that enables you to get support when you get stuck. Which is another reason I love Infusionsoft. They offer killer support by phone and online. Have you tried calling Microsoft for support lately? Ouch.
If you don’t have a system for managing your network, what could that be costing you? Your system should support the goals of your business. The system should integrate all aspects of your customer/contact relationship management. It should be affordable. It should be simple to learn and use. And you should have access to the proper training and support to ensure you get the highest return on your investment.
Having a system counts a lot. If you have a system you like and it’s working well for you, congratulations. If you’re thinking about upgrading your system, by all means sign up for the free trial at Infusionsoft. Just click here and you’re on your way to making a serious upgrade for yourself and your business. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. We are licensed to help you integrate and leverage Infusionsoft so we are here to help you get the most from this incredible system.
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