Creating a CRM Playbook 'Our Top 9 Tips

Creating a CRM Playbook
‘Our Top 9 Tips’
©Marketing Answers and Solutions Limited 2016

Introduction
The purpose of the eBook is to give you some indicators in how to
create and what to include within your CRM Playbook.
The key point to remember is that is it not a replacement for a
traditional User Manual.
But a CRM Playbook can be a more colourful and visual aid to
walking people through the Process Flow of using the CRM system
together with in my view useful screenshots.
So, here are our top 9 Tips…. , but first, lets remind ourselves of
what a playbook is….
©Marketing Answers and Solutions Limited 2016- “Creating a CRM Playbook Top 10 tips” –Issue 1 May

Before you look at any CRM Playbook, we
need to first consider what a Playbook is..
The best definition I have come across so far
is…
“Playbooks can be formal documents… but
they are also business process workflows,
standard operating procedures and cultural
values that shape a consistent response – the
play. A playbook reflects a plan; an approach
or strategy defining predetermined responses
worked out ahead of time.”
What is a Playbook
This is taken from an article from Accenture blog series.
Now we can look to see what we need to include within our stricter definition of a CRM Playbook.
Remember, this is not a definitive list and your own playbook may differ, but they key to a CRM Playbook is that
it should complement the CRM system training manuals which are focussed on the operation aspects of using
the system such as creating records, navigating, attaching documents and the day to day usage.

Understanding Key CRM Concepts
Tip 1

What is the "CRM Triangle"?
Simply put, for any CRM or contact management system used
by sales and marketing there are three core interlinking
components:-
• Company or Accounts
• Contacts or Persons
• Opportunities
At the heart of these three corners lie the Day to Day Activities
such as calls, emails, meetings and any other activities, such as
Next Actions, To-Do’s.
All of these activities can be linked to a Company, Contact and
also if need be an Opportunity.
These interactions lie at the core of any Customer Relationship
Management software system.
Make Sure Staff Understand – The CRM Triangle
Understanding the concept here, just means that as a User, you are better able to understand how each
application you review can best meet these interactions for your own requirements.
It helps to explain why we at MAS able to offer multiple CRM products since the fundamentals remain the same,
the design, layout and customisation process between software applications may be different, but the overall
output remains similar for core functions with a different 'look and feel' for each software application.

Understand the CRM Journey
Tip 2

The CRM Journey is our description of the journey through
your CRM system and encompasses all the various end-to-
end touch points involved with the use of the software,
highlighting the key processes involved with any Sales
methodology., effectively moving from Lead to Prospect to
Customer
Often you start by creating a Lead, who you know very little
about. Beginning to qualify them into a Suspect, where you
still only partially know their business but have enough of an
understanding to see they have the potential one day to
become your customer.
Understand the Typical “CRM Journey”
As you nurture that relationship they become a Prospect (with an associated opportunity) where you can
attribute a Sales Value to this Opportunity…here they are a core component of your CRM system. The question is
usually how you treat Leads within CRM system which is covered in a separate Blog.
However, from a Prospect, your goal is to convert them into a fully fledged Customer!
This is what makes CRM such an invaluable tool to businesses who want to develop a better understanding of
their Sales Process – allowing them to track and monitor the end-to-end.

Explain your Sales Process
Tip 3

The focus here is outline your own Sales Process is to
help Users to understand where CRM fits in.
Here as in the example graphic, it is worthwhile taking
them through the importance of Leads and understanding
some of the key metrics.
For example, here we are looking at Website only as the
main Source of Leads, although of course there will be
many sources from “customer referrals” to “website” to
“exhibitions” etc.
But taking this example, for every 1000 Visitors this
company gets a 10% trial of their product.
This drops down to just 10 Leads with only a 1 in 10 chance
of closing.
Explain your Sales Process
The key here is also understanding why CRM is being implemented since it often help to identify and track
changes in this Lead a s well as establishing and building a better understanding of the profile of a likely
converted Leads.
Ultimately, this means that of the 100 Trials ion this example, the new CRM system over time maybe able to
highlight that 20 of them fit the ideal profile, so Sales in future can focus on these first and not waste time.

Create a Strong visual design Playbook
Tip 4

You want something that is strongly visually and having
invested in the CRM concept, an extra £10 for printing a
colour visual aid is a small investment.
But this does highlight the important and seriousness of
the investment.
With PowerPoint templates, you have a wealth of designs
or even use a Graphic Designer to create a new
PowerPoint template.
Once you have the copy, then the Images are just a short
Google search away*
Remember, this is the first draft, so you can always add to
it and refine it.
Make sure it has the draft and date in the footer as below.
* although remember to credit the image provider if need
be.
Create a visual design template for your Playbook
Unsure where to start?
If you are looking for extra PowerPoint
template or more interesting templates, why
not try:-
www.slideteam.net
They have loads of free presentations to get
you started.

Keep it short
Tip 5

The first draft needs to be available as soon as your
system is ready to go, so you need to work with a short
version or create a series of Playbooks for the key Stages,
so typically these could be:-
• Lead Contact.
• Prospect development and engagement
• Closing the Sales and what needs to be done
to on-board the client
• Post Sales engagement and Customer Service
activities
Keep it Short …to start with.
Each of these mini-process areas could be assigned to someone to create in a template PowerPoint design, just like
this one with say a target of max. 5 slides on each.
Wham, you now have a simple 20 or so page playbook for the launch of your CRM. In my view, this should then
continue to be managed and controlled by the System Administrators.
Note: This is a free CRM powerpoint via www.Slideteam.net

Get Feedback and Update it Quick
Tip 6

Your CRM system playbook will be both
printed and available to refer to on your
network, ideally attached as a key
reference document within your CRM
system.
However, in the first few weeks after
launch of your system and whilst your
User Team are still going through the
adoption process, it is important that
when you get feedback, you update this
quickly.
Get Feedback and Update it Quick
Ensure that your first edition is available as part of your UAT (User Acceptance Testing) so that you also get
feedback on the Playbook.
The key In our view is to both keep it simple and short, but also to ensure it is visual and packed with the all
important screenshots and graphics, even if these are all generated from PowerPoint images.

Have a 90 day Plan for your CRM On-
Boarding Process
Tip 8

As mentioned in previous blogs, once you look to
deploy, our view is that the first 90 days are critical
and here the objective is for a smooth and simple
transitions. The key is not to :
• Get over ambitious with changes
• Adding too many new processes
• Creating complex customisations*
• Try not to introduce too much new
functionality too early*
*unless these save time and effort
90 Day Plan and Review
You want your Users to seamlessly move to the new system, which is bound to have a different “look and feel”
to their previous system. Once the system is up and running ensure your Project Team meet on a weekly basis,
but try not to make too many changes each week, otherwise the system will gain the reputation of “never
being finished”. Let your Users know ‘break points’ between rounds of change and after first month, try not to
do any more changes for at least 60days to embed the system.
Make sure ALL your Users know there will be changes at set times as the system evolves and that you do have
a 90 Day Plan to Review the system again if justifiable make further changes or introduce new functionality as
the system has then ‘bedded down’.

Get Help to Implement and Plan your
CRM On-Boarding Process
Tip 9

MAS have spent many years managing many CRM
implementations and have gained a wealth of
experience and ideas to support our processes.
The introduction of new CRM system or indeed
migrating to new Cloud based CRM system is
something we have been doing for over 10
Years, so….
Why not call us and find out how
we support and help you with your
new CRM Adoption Process.
Getting Help to Plan More Questions?
If you are looking into how a CRM system can be used more effectively or you are looking at how you can
improve your existing CRM functionality and User adoption, then speak to a MAS consultant to see how we can
help.
Call us on 01905 380920 or visit our Website to learn more about our approach
Feedback on this ebook? Please email

Creating a CRM Playbook 'Our Top 9 Tips

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