Nimble CRM for Solopreneurs

Tips for a Successful Nimble CRM Implementation

Articles, CRM

I’ve had the privilege of assisting many many companies with their Nimble CRM implementations. Some were just getting started while a large percentage of others had actually been using Nimble CRM for some time and they were finally tired of “flopping around”.

CRM installations, on the whole, have an absolutely abysmal track record when it comes to achieving a successful long-term adoption. In some cases, they were doomed before they even signed up for a system. In other cases, there were telltale signs during the implementation and the training. Most suffered from both. I don’t want to see this happen to you! 

Here are some tips for a successful implementation! These areas should be addressed prior to committing to any CRM or my services.

Define your needs – You need a clear understanding of …

  • Why do you want a CRM?
  • What needs do you expect it to solve?
  • What features will you need it to have?
  • Are you thinking about integrating your CRM with other applications? If so, what?
  • What are your overall expectations for your new CRM?
  • How will you gauge its success?
  • Are your expectations realistic?

Define your processes

  • What is your sales process?
  • How do you handle incoming leads?
  • Have you defined any other processes? If so, what?
  • Are there custom fields of data, maybe unique to your business, that you will need?

Moving your current data

Many businesses want to move their existing data from their current CRM or a source like Google or Outlook. This is generally not an issue. However, you will want to ensure that …

  • Your existing data is clean. Garbage in = Garbage out.
  • Specifically, what data do you want to move? In some cases, this may not be possible or we would need to create custom fields to accept some of this data.

Your users

  • Have you spoken to users and department heads about a new CRM? They may have needs that you are not familiar with, they may have some great ideas, or …
  • They may have concerns. Bringing a CRM system without user buy-in is one of the most common causes of a CRM initiative failure.
  • Will they commit to attending the training and using the system?

Key managers 

  • You need advocates who will promote the system.
  • You will want a hands-on administrator, and perhaps other experts, who can manage the system, support users, and hold them accountable.

Here is where I have seen folks falter during training …

  • Folks skip sessions and I seriously doubt that they have reviewed the recordings of the sessions. They are not held accountable.
  • They try to do too much too fast.
  • They don’t work on the system between training sessions or complete the tasks assigned to them prior to the next session.
  • Effective use comes with practice and experimentation. They don’t do either. With practice comes reflex.
  • They give up too easily. Change is uncomfortable.
  • They started out strong, but then they became lazy.
  • There are a ton of resources for learning, but they don’t leverage any of them.

I will be happy to discuss these guidelines, as well as any other questions that you may have, during a free 30-minute consultation with me. Please follow this link to schedule a time. Thank you!

Craig M. Jamieson

Craig M. Jamieson

Managing Member at Adaptive Business Services
Craig M. Jamieson is a lifelong B2B salesperson, manager, owner, and a networking enthusiast. Adaptive Business Services provides solutions related to the sales professional. We are a Nimble CRM Solution Partner. Craig also conducts training and workshops primarily in social selling and communication skills. Craig is also the author of "The Small Business' Guide to Social CRM", now available on Amazon!
Craig M. Jamieson

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