Special offer

Entering contacts into a CRM takes longer than paper!

By
Real Estate Technology with RE-ACT, LLC

Entering a contact into a CRM takes more time than writing it on paper. There I said it. So that means paper is better right?

This is kind of what some agents tend to think. Entering data into a CRM takes longer than writing it in your notebook or scribbling it on a piece of paper. That’s true, by a few seconds at most. But look down the road a bit. What happens when you need to reference that information? Which takes longer to find? The notebook. And if you wrote it on a post-it or a napkin or desk blotter good luck finding it at all. But accessing information faster is only the beginning. Without having to ever enter that information again, you can include them in a blast email, a direct email campaign, send them a report of your interaction, find them to do a quick personalized marketing piece, and much more. It’s the down the road benefits that people find difficult to value because it’s not nearly as readily apparent as the time it takes to enter the information in the first place.

As I’ve said many times, no one has to have a CRM. It just makes you faster, more reliable, less error prone, etc. I liken it to you being in a race to get your business where you want it both economically and organizationally. You can take a go cart to get there and it will always be slow and ugly, or you can take a Mercedes and get there much faster and in style. Which sounds better?

Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

So true. I just finished writing my weekly newsletter, which this week is about the need to keep prospecting and staying in touch with past clients.

My advice - just as soon as a transaction closes, put that person's name and other relevant details in your "past client" database. If you make it a habit you'll never get behind and need to spend hours digging for and entering information. 

Jun 10, 2015 04:11 AM
Gary David Hall
RE-ACT, LLC - Doylestown, PA
Real Estate CRM Sales, Training and Implementation

Now you're into a whole 'nuther topic with categories! One of my favorites. I wrote something on that topic here.

Jun 10, 2015 04:14 AM
Kim Johnson
Signature Realty Inc. - Coral Springs, FL
Selling South Florida

There are days that it would seem easier to just use paper, but I know it's not better in the long run. We are in the middle of changing our system, not a fun thing to do! Have a great weekend!

Jun 12, 2015 09:24 AM