Want to improve your customer acquisition rate? Then a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system is a must—whether you’re a freelancer or running a large organization.

Why? Because a CRM system helps you replace all those post-its, emails, DMs, and half-remembered conversations from three weeks ago (you know the ones). In this article, you’ll discover how to use your CRM tool to attract more customers.

Table of contents

What is a CRM system?

A CRM system, as we mean it, is software that allows you to manage your customer relationships. We have developed FlowQi CRM for this purpose: a user-friendly tool for freelancers, small and large organizations, non-profits, and government agencies.

With FlowQi CRM, you can, among other things:

  • store customer data and notes in a clear manner
  • create workflows for different purposes
  • collaborate better with teams and external parties
  • get a quick overview of your projects, tasks, and contacts

So, it’s much more than just an address book; it’s a tool that streamlines, automates, and personalizes your business processes and communication.

Want to see what FlowQi CRM can do for your organization? Try FlowQi for free to try it out for free—plus all our other tools!

Why a CRM tool is important for customer acquisition

Finding new customers takes energy, time, and money. It would be a shame to put in all that effort (creating content, networking, advertising) and then lose touch because you don’t have a system for following up on leads.

A CRM tool makes it a lot easier for you. It gives you a central place to keep track of things, such as:

  • Who has ever shown interest in your organization/products/services
  • Who might want to collaborate
  • Who clicked on that one newsletter but hasn’t bought anything yet
  • What you last sent to that customer

Oh, and you can easily share all that information with your team members, colleagues, or external partners. How efficient!

How a CRM tool helps to acquire more customers

How exactly does a CRM tool help you acquire more customers? We’ll tell you now.

1. You’ll never forget who to follow up with again

You meet someone at an event, or someone downloads your free e-book via Instagram. Oh right, I need to follow up on that soon, you think. But of course, it doesn’t happen—you forget, or something else gets in the way.

If you use a CRM tool, you can immediately add them to your CRM with a reminder. You can even link automatic follow-up actions to it. At least then you don’t have to think about it anymore.

2. You can clearly see what someone is interested in

Your CRM tool keeps track of what someone clicks on, which pages visitors view, and which emails they respond to. At least, if you set it up that way. You can do all kinds of things with your CRM software.

This allows you to communicate in a much more targeted way. Is there someone who has viewed your offer three times but hasn’t bought anything yet? Maybe it’s time for a personal DM or a temporary, irresistible promotion.

3. You create segments (and therefore better content)

Instead of sending everyone the same content, you can use your CRM tool to create segments such as: potential customers, warm leads, people who have bought something in the past, loyal fans.

You can then create content for each group that really matches their interests, needs, and stage in the customer journey. Firstly, this is more personal, and secondly, it works much better than general email campaigns.

4. You automate your first contact moments

Suppose someone signs up for your lead magnet. Your CRM automatically sends a nice series of emails in which you introduce yourself, share value, and subtly introduce your offer. Meanwhile, you can just sit in the sun or do other important things.

5. You can see where your marketing really works

Okay, now you link your CRM tool to your social media, newsletter, or website. And what do you see? That post about your new program has brought you five warm leads! Or that one newsletter did much better than the previous one. Hey, that’s good to know.

How to get existing customers to buy more with CRM

Acquiring new customers is fun, but it’s much easier (and cheaper) to sell something to an old or existing customer.

A CRM tool makes it easier to nurture existing relationships. Not by spamming them, of course, but by giving them personalized attention. You can do this in the following ways:

1. Send a personal message (at exactly the right moment)

One month after their purchase or just before their subscription expires, your CRM software automatically sends a friendly reminder. This is, of course, a personalized email, because personalization is crucial for building trust and a relationship with your customers—and that sells more than a generic message.

2. Offer an exclusive promotion to loyal customers

Your CRM tool shows you who your most engaged customers are. You can surprise them every now and then with an early bird discount, a VIP offer, or a gift. Small gestures like these also lead to stronger customer loyalty.

3. Ask for feedback and involve your customers

After a purchase or transaction, send an automated email asking what someone thinks of your service or product. Or ask them what products or services they would like to see in the future. This makes your customers feel valued and heard, and you get valuable feedback.

4. Celebrate birthdays or milestones

Birthdays, anniversaries, 1 year on your mailing list… you can get as creative as you like. With a CRM tool full of data, you can offer fun, surprising promotions to your customers. This encourages repeat purchases and also strengthens customer loyalty.

Yes, it’s high time for a CRM tool

A CRM tool makes your communication more targeted, more personal, and easier. This strengthens the bond with new and existing customers and increases your customer acquisition rate. Not using CRM yet? Now is the right time to dive in!