Email Data Base Tools

[yourdj]

Hello,

can anyone reccomend a decent data base tool for storing and utilizing email data? Well all contact data useful but email most important.

I currently use a powerbook (apple) and use entourage, but it limits the amount sent and is really only geared up for personal and one email a time use.

i would like a system that i can basically manage three businesses (handbags, printing & djing) and when i get a contact i can simply copy and paste the information into a relevant folder and make use of it at another time. less time possible and to be used little and often.

even better i could right click and send the email or address to the right place :confused:

I would then like to send newsletters and promotions at certain times and select a whole sub folder (such as wedding client) and bulk email them. As simple as possible again but effective.

No problems paying for a decent system.

Thanks in advance :D

[Marc J]

For mailing list software you can do it yourself using something like Dada Mail (http://dadamailproject.com/) or PHP List (http://www.phplist.com/), or alternatively use an online service such as MailChimp (http://www.mailchimp.com/) or MadMimi (http://madmimi.com/).

[yourdj]

thanks for that. I assume they are good as your a web guru.

will have a look tomorrow. got a seminar thing on marketing tonight so i may ask then as well.

cheers

[WWDJ]

Hello,

can anyone reccomend a decent data base tool for storing and utilizing email data? Well all contact data useful but email most important.

I currently use a powerbook (apple) and use entourage, but it limits the amount sent and is really only geared up for personal and one email a time use.

i would like a system that i can basically manage three businesses (handbags, printing & djing) and when i get a contact i can simply copy and paste the information into a relevant folder and make use of it at another time. less time possible and to be used little and often.

even better i could right click and send the email or address to the right place :confused:

I would then like to send newsletters and promotions at certain times and select a whole sub folder (such as wedding client) and bulk email them. As simple as possible again but effective.

No problems paying for a decent system.

Thanks in advance :D

Do you need an emailing system or do you need a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system for profiling and segmenting your customers and sending them some mail, some letters and schedule actions, tasks and events for those contacts ?

[Happy Jack]

Do you need an emailing system or do you need a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system...
Spot on, it sounds like.

Still in the process of putting together our site, based on the Joomla platform. This CRM bridge stood out -

http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/bridges/crm-bridges/6023

Demo here -

http://demo.sugarcrm.com/sugarcrm/index.php?action=Login&module=Users

Username - will
Password - will

It isn't free. Some of the best aren't.

[WWDJ]

if you have webspace that is PHP capable, then Sugar CRM Community Edition is Free. Support is not included however until you get to a paid model. This is a actually pretty good for a free product and it covers the core CRM elements in a web based tool.

http://www.sugarcrm.com/crm/products/editions.html

In terms of paid CRM systems, there is of course SugarCRM Pro and a number of others including ACT, Goldmine, Microsoft CRM, Salesforce.com

I would recommend choosing a web based tool if you are out and about a lot or you need collaboration from different offices as it removes any infrastructure challenges.

EDIT : Day job is a Microsoft CRM consultant so I am happy to answer questions on this or on CRM principles ... (to a point .. time is money ;-)

[Marc J]

I've come across SugarCRM and others before, and didn't recommend them because in my experience 99% of the time people who aren't aware of the term CRM don't need one.

[WWDJ]

I've come across SugarCRM and others before, and didn't recommend them because in my experience 99% of the time people who aren't aware of the term CRM don't need one.

I have to disagree ...

It would be unusual for any business that needs to record details about
- prospects and customers,
- communication (emails, phone calls, letters),
- forthcoming business opportunities (when, how likely and probability)
- marketing activities
- feedback (complaints, queries)

... to not need CRM

Most businesses need to do this even if they do not recognise it in a "systemised" way. Often too, Excel, Outlook, Word and Access provide you with the tools to do this, but in a disjointed and non collaborative way.
For a small one man business this may often be enough because you operate personally with your customers. The problems arise when you get bigger and this information needs to be shared and collaborated to.

So my belief is, even if they do not know the term CRM, they are already doing it but it just needs structuring / standardising / process mapping.

[Happy Jack]

So my belief is, even if they do not know the term CRM, they are already doing it but it just needs structuring / standardising / process mapping.
Would have to agree with all of that really. Great response, absolutely spot on, but probably expected given your 9 - 5!

[WWDJ]

Would have to agree with all of that really. Great response, absolutely spot on, but probably expected given your 9 - 5!

LOL, yes we all have our crosses to bear! :D :D
Anyhow i'll leave the thread alone now so that Toby can make us his own mind, but if anyone has questions relating CRM then I will be pleased to help.

[Happy Jack]

...in my experience 99% of the time people who aren't aware of the term CRM cannot justify the expense of having the system installed, or cannot be arsed to learn.
Fixed?

[Marc J]

I have to disagree ...
You can't disagree! I said "in my experience" ;)


Fixed?

:lol: Maybe :D

I just don't bother recommending such a system when I know for sure they can't justify the expenditure on the software and / or the time to learn it.

[WWDJ]

Originally Posted by Marc J
...in my experience 99% of the time people who aren't aware of the term CRM cannot justify the expense of having the system installed, or cannot be arsed to learn.

Fixed?

Yes and No, and a completely highjacked thread but hopefully gives Toby and other some food for thought, not just DJ's, but those who are working in bigger organisations as their day job.


cannot justify the expense of having the system installed

This holds true because some of the benefits are not measurable in ££s. For sure you can measure reduced reporting time for sales pipeline so that people spend more time selling than producing / merging spreadsheets, but other elements such as Win / Loss rates, Customer satisfaction and how much time Marketing spend segmenting / priming data before they can send mailings are not so easily measured.

Often these systems being visibility and depending on who you are, that is not always a good thing.


cannot be arsed to learn.

Common causes of failure
- Failure to set objectives / scope
- Failure to set business processes around the system and lack of training
- Failure to realise that everyone is responsible for making sure the data is correct
- Lack of sponsorship at high level
- Realisation that the 'system' isn't there to fix everything or to blame. It's a facilitator for better information and if you put rubbish in ....

... enough now.... work was supposed to finish at 5:30 :D

[WWDJ]

You can't disagree! I said "in my experience" ;)

:lol: Maybe :D

I just don't bother recommending such a system when I know for sure they can't justify the expenditure on the software and / or the time to learn it.

As I'm not allowed to disagree ;) re: budget . I know what you mean and as I said, there are ways within existing software to do some of what is required paticularly if you are au fait with Access. We come across so many of these systems and even when they are home brew, when you look inside they bear a strange resemblance to the CRM system you trying to implement.

Regarding time to learn, as I say, most companies are already doing this dont already know it because it is not structured and joined up. you just have to think about it differently.

One of the common drivers for CRM systems is a Salesman who has just been kicked up the backside whilst trying to generate new business because he didn't know that a major complaint had been logged with Customer Services. Highly embarrassing and potentially damaging.