Ask RJ ALL the things - RJ Lewis

RJ Lewis – Planning Out Loud Show

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The Objectives + Opportunities + Challenges Presented.

Today is THE day, we're working through some great listener questions:

1. How to set up a CRM for your service-based business.
2. I'd love to hear your favorite tech stack for a sales funnel.
3. I'd love to hear some best practices to delegate to an assistant/operations' support.
4. What do you recommend to do to learn about new software or technology without getting quickly overwhelmed?

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How to set up a CRM for your service-based business.
Based on our learning from Episode 9, choose the right CRM, we understand that CRM is NOT software, it's the methods that work best for you to create predictable ways to source the information we need and to:

• keep track of your interactions with all customers,
• understand the impact of your sales and marketing efforts,
• maintain strong relationships with existing customers,
• sell more products and services,
• improve the flow of information between members of your team,
• find and keep new customers.

SO setting up this system for high performance means you need to start with KNOWING the information that you're trying to keep track of.

We're going to explore 2 scenarios here:

1. A productized service such as custom teas, and
2. A coaching funnel

I'd love to hear your favorite tech stack for a sales funnel.
Let's review the actions IN your sales funnel and break down tech that matches those activities!

1. Broadcast your content such as the message for your initial offer via social media, or online or in-person networking, or mostly referrals to attract new leads to your presence.
   
   At this stage, it's less about integration and more about making good choices with the information that you have such as reviewing analytical data and comparing that with your leading content and sales figures.
   
   
2. Encourage people to opt-in
   
   (webinar, or some type of deliverable, or consulting call, etc.)
   
   
3. Follow-up with people who've opted-in and shown interest via [insert what's working here]
   
   
4. Invite those same folx to work with you by [insert your most successful strategy here]

I'd love to hear some best practices to delegate to an assistant/operations' support.

This one is super dependent on your strengths as a leader and the role that you are cultivating within your company for this support.

You have options. You don't have to decide that people are supporting you in an administrative capacity. Every business has operational levels and different challenges within those roles. So decide first where YOU sit in that hierarchy:

• Executive
  
• Managerial
  
• Front-lines
  Many people think of this as the entry-level and a "low" level position, but in a business built on strength then you want people to OWN task-based administration, basic customer service, and whatever else. And I challenge you to consider this the front-lines. What does it look like when people in these roles are treated as the highly skilled and competent customer advocates that you need to thrive.

What do you recommend to do to learn about new software or technology without getting quickly overwhelmed?

Step 1. Create a strategy for learning.

I have talked a few times on this show about creating a research plan. So inside of your business, one thing you can do is to standardize HOW you investigate a new technology.

Things to consider:

1. I recommend that you tie any investigation to a specific process in your business. This will help you avoid shiny object syndrome and overwhelm to recognize that this product while fresh and hip, might not actually be an improvement over the way things are being done currently. This litmus test might have you putting the exploration on the back burner.
   
   
   
2. Identify a clear timeline - suggest 14 days - for product evaluation
   
   
   
3. Create phases in the plan that conform to a clear testing outcome and REQUIRE in-phase review to help remain centered...objective - To help take your head out of yourself and into the process of it.
   
   In the example below, keep in mind these don't have to be consecutive days, they're just predetermined time that you're going to spend in this space.
   
   ex.
   
   • Day 1 - sign up for the software and go through the onboarding process and whatever demos are available. Keep your document on hand and write down what you like and don't like about this and then do nothing else.
   • Day 2 - identify all of the features that you want to test and configure - DO NOT actually do so, just make a list of what they are and how they will aid you.
   • Day 3 - go feature for feature and set them up. Keep your document on hand and write down your observations about this.
   • ...and so on

KEY TAKEAWAY:
The purpose of ALL of these phases and ideas is to create criteria for elimination. You want to identify places where there are deal-breakers, or where this technology becomes unnecessary and stop.
Other idea(s):

Seek help. If you've done this a few times and realized that this is NOT your wheelhouse, find someone in or out of your organization that can take your desired outcomes and run with it and bring you back the findings.

Resources.

1. How to choose the right CRM – Season 4 Episode 9 🔗 Listen now | Read the show notes
2. IBGR Community – Agilean Operations Group

Shows.
← Previous show : Business Operating System Strategy: Season 4 Recap

• It's time to work through how to use season 4 to build YOUR BOSS [business operating system strategy]. It's been a blast these past 11 weeks. Join me live and let's review the highlights!

🔗 Listen now | Read the show notes

Written by Rahgna J. Lewis
An Army wife and mother of 3 living in the Richmond area of Virginia, USA, RJ is a digital experience strategist.

RJ Lewis Digital is a consultancy that is helping CEOs like you simplify and streamline their business operating system strategy by peeking at the digital systems you use to deliver your programs, communicate with teams, organize workflow, onboard staff and convert lurkers to clients. This agency's specialty is to ALIGN ALL THESE SYSTEMS so you and your company can flourish.

Videos and social media posts are all fun and sexy, but WHAT'S HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES IS GONNA MAKE (or break) your company BANK.

Visit justrjlewis.com to learn more about designing a business operating system strategy – an audience-focused digital ecosystem for your business.

Instagram: @talk2rj | Facebook: @RJLewisDigital | LinkedIn: @talk2rj

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