How to Plan for a Successful CRM Implementation

You’ve taken the first step toward success by investing in a CRM, however now it’s time to implement it. We understand that this is not always an easy feat, which is why we put together some suggestions for how to easily tackle your CRM implementation.

Melissa Beyer, GreenRope’s Onboarding Specialist, gave us the following tips for how to prepare:

1. Take your time.

We understand that you made the payment and want to get started ASAP, however CRM implementation does not happen overnight. It is a process, and one that takes some thinking. The key is to organize yourself and your team, so that you can ALL start implementing the system as a cohesive team. It does not need to be a drawn out process, but it should not be something you just jump right into without brainstorming. You must have a strategy and process in place before you begin the implementation.

2. Create a business process road map.

If you do not already have a business road map, now is the time to create one.

Some things to think about:

• Where do you get your leads from?


• What do you want your follow up and lead nurturing to consist of?


• How do you convert a prospect to a client?


• What happens when they become a client?

Establishing a business roadmap allows you to translate your process into a CRM and marketing automation platform more effectively. Just like a roadtrip, if is important to know the journey before you get lost on the roads (if you plan on staying organized and getting to your destination on time).

Hint: This directly relates to tip #1. Take your time.

3. Don’t learn everything at once.

Attempting to learn everything about your new system in one day results in you and your team being overwhelmed. With any new system, there is going to be a learning curve, and you are going to have to accept that. Tackle the system in fragments and build your strategy around which processes are most important to you. You should know where you want to end up (cough, #2), but do not try and do it all at once. Successful implementation takes baby steps, not giant leaps. You have to make sure that you set a strong foundation and build upon that if you want it to work for you and your team.

How to Plan for a Successful CRM Implementation