How to Tell if Your CRM Database is Leveraging or Thwarting Your Investments in Sales Growth

When I first got into sales, a common refrain was that a salesperson is only as valuable as the names in their Rolodex (here's a picture of a Rolodex for those readers under age 40). As the world entered the information age, the conversation quickly transformed to the importance of a company's database.

Despite the number of people who talk about the importance of their database, I've learned (and have to admit that until a few years ago was guilty of this) that most of the conversation is merely lip service. Well, that may not be fair. It may not be lip service so much as it is a poor focus.

Too often people define the value of their database of the quantity of names they have. (Can I call this database envy?) While the size of your database is certainly important, it's nowhere near the most important.

In this edition of The Demand Creator Minute, I focus on the crucial role of your database, the most overlooked (and dangerous) aspects of database management and three keys to ensuring you're using your database effectively.