Managing multiple contacts in the same company

When prospecting, it's common to engage with large companies, raising the question of how to effectively manage multiple contacts within the organization. Contact management is a fundamental aspect of any sales process. Traditional CRM systems typically use a company object to store contacts, which may seem simple and intuitive. However, in reality, it often leads to excessive administrative work without necessarily improving deal closure efficiency. In contrast, noCRM, as its name suggests, is not just another CRM; it focuses on the lead itself. So, how should multiple contacts be managed within a lead-focused system?

The initial consideration is whether these contacts are involved in the same sale or if you intend to pursue separate deals with them.

In a lead management system, the golden rule is:

1 potential sale in real life = 1 Lead created in the software.

This principle ensures clarity and streamlines the management process. Each potential sale corresponds to an individual lead within the software. By adhering to this approach, you can maintain a clear overview of each opportunity and take specific actions tailored to the unique needs of each lead.

Additionally, within each lead, you have the flexibility to manage multiple contacts who play a role in the sales process. This allows you to maintain essential information and engage with the right individuals at the right time.

Big sales case

If you're involved in selling large aircraft like the Boeing 777 or Airbus A380, it's important to manage multiple contacts within a single lead. You have the flexibility to add new contacts to a lead description at any time. To streamline your workflow, it's recommended to prioritize the most important contact by keeping them at the top of the list. This ensures easy access to their contact information whenever needed.

For those frequently engaged in closing complex deals with multiple contacts, it's advisable to define default fields for leads with multiple contacts. These default fields can be customized to suit your specific requirements and may include:

• Main contact name:
• Main contact email:
• Main contact phone:
• Contact 2 name:
• Contact 2 Job Title:
• Contact 2 email:
• Contact 2 phone:
• Contact 3 name:

Numerous smaller sales

When dealing with numerous smaller sales, such as selling training to different teams within the same company, it's beneficial to group related leads together in a Client Folder. Each lead should be associated with the specific decision-maker for that particular sale, and it's important not to include contacts unrelated to that specific transaction, even if they are from the same company.

By consolidating these leads within the same client folder, you gain valuable context and easy access to references from previous deals. This knowledge can be instrumental in successfully concluding your current sales with the most effective actions, as outlined in our guide on implementing an activity-based sales strategy.

Accessing leads is conveniently done through the main page of the client folder, and vice versa, client folders can be accessed through their respective leads.

Organizing your leads in this manner not only enhances your understanding of each lead's background but also streamlines your workflow, ensuring efficient management of sales opportunities within the same company.

Specific cases when there is a buyer between you and the final customer

Specific cases when there is an intermediary buyer between you and the final customer require thoughtful consideration. For instance, in the advertising business, when selling ads to a customer like Coca-Cola, the typical scenario involves selling to their media agency, such as MediaCom or Carat, rather than directly to Coca-Cola. In such cases, the selling process becomes more intricate as the final customer is not directly involved.

To address this, it is essential to maintain only one contact in each lead, representing the relevant decision-maker. However, determining the appropriate client folder can be a nuanced decision. Should the leads be grouped under Coca-Cola or under Carat?

While there is no fixed rule, it is advisable to draw from your own experience. If the number of buyers, or media agencies in this case, is limited, we recommend grouping the leads under the Coca-Cola client folder and adding a Carat tag to each lead. This approach offers flexibility and benefits in managing your sales process effectively. By employing this method, you can easily filter and access all leads associated with a specific media agency by using the appropriate tag. Furthermore, if Coca-Cola transitions to another media agency or decides to purchase directly from you, you retain access to the complete history of your deals.

Remember, your experience and specific circumstances should guide your decision-making process in this regard. Feel free to tailor these recommendations to align with your unique requirements and adapt them as necessary.

Upsells and renewal

When it comes to reselling the same product or service to the same customer, utilizing the duplicate function of the lead is an effective approach. This way, you can retain all the necessary contact information and seamlessly proceed with the upsell or renewal process. To gain further insights into managing upsells, renewals, and effectively handling customers from an operational standpoint once the lead is won, we invite you to explore our detailed post available here.

This resource will provide you with valuable guidance on maximizing opportunities for upselling, ensuring successful renewals, and implementing robust customer management strategies.