Even though I have written about CRM software for decades, I was still using an Excel spreadsheet to run my membership business. It was a massive, complicated, color-coded Excel spreadsheet with 13 tabs. I hesitated to share it, even with my business partner, for fear someone would mess it up. We looked into CRM solutions in the past, but as a very small business, we felt that every system was overly complicated and too expensive. I just wanted a solution that was simple, fast, secure, and affordable. Oh, and completely customized to the way I wanted it to work. That may sound impossible, but I am happy to say that I finally found it: P2xRM from P2 Automation. This is our story…
Read moreLike me, everyone is online. As ERP and CRM resellers, some of our customers may have more time to focus on online training and user tips. And our prospects may have time to finally dig into doing research into new ERP and CRM systems. Especially the ones that are realizing they really do need a cloud based system. Here are some examples of companies that are putting out great blog content during this pandemic.
Read moreEvents and travel are being cancelled. Many people are working from home. This means that right now your online marketing strategy becomes even more important. This is a good time to focus on writing and publishing blog posts, case studies, white papers and other content. Here are a few of my tips….
Read moreEveryone says it. These days prospects are more educated and further along in the buying cycle by the time they talk to you. You need to get your name out there, and show your expertise, where those prospects are doing their research. One of the best ways to do that is with blog posts. That makes sense but how can you actually prove the value of your group blog membership in 2020? Here are 4 ways….
Read moreTen years ago our first group blog site, ERP Software Blog, was doing so well we decided that CRM partners should join in on the fun. Five months later we started our second blog site. Now, in November 2019 I am happy to celebrate the ten year anniversary of the CRM Software Blog. Here are some fun stats:
Read moreIn true “nerd princess” style I combed through the full eXtreme365 Orlando schedule and made a list of just the important parts that apply to me as a marketer. This includes the blocks of time that I need in my calendar AND just the Marketing and Sales sessions. Check it out here:
Read moreWhat if you could go to an event that is focused 100% on sessions for Microsoft Dynamics Partners but STILL have the chance to mingle with your customers and go to the full User Group Summit expo? Now you can. Fly down to Orlando Saturday night, fly home Thursday morning, and you get it all. Just take advantage of a legal loophole...the overlap days of eXtreme365 and User Group Summit 2019. Find out how….
Read moreBack in 2009 Dave Foreman and I had an idea. I am very proud that this year we can celebrate the ten year anniversary of the success of that idea. We are grateful to all the Microsoft Dynamics ERP Partners that have supported the site over the years. Our members are the real reason the site has been so successful. All of us, together, are truly “using the power of the group.” The ERP Software Blog proves that one good idea has the power to change your life! So just keeping brainstorming.
Read moreHow many referral leads has Microsoft sent to you lately? None? Are you sure? It is possible that there are leads sitting out there in your Microsoft Partner Center account and you don’t even know it. There are 3 ways you can get leads from Microsoft Partner Center. Here are the steps to make sure you receive those referrals (leads) and respond in a way that makes Microsoft happy, (so they will send you more leads.)
Read moreSocial Media is a great way to connect with others, share ideas and promote your brand during User Group Summit Phoenix. Sadly, this year I will not be attending, but I will be with you “remotely” and keeping up with all the news thanks to Twitter.
It will be a busy event for all of you “on the ground” so here are a few tips to make it easier to tweet, post and promote.
Read moreDo your referral partners feel confident that you value the leads they give you? I am not talking about giving them money. There are other ways to thank them. I feel that one of the best, and cheapest, things you can give them, to prove that you deserve their leads, is information. This is what I mean....and how I know it works.
Read moreThis tip is so simple it’s scary. But I rarely see anyone else do it. First, let me ask you this, as an ERP/CRM partner, why do you put videos on YouTube? It’s not because you hope to be the next YouTube video star. It’s because you want to drive traffic, hopefully prospects, back to your website to learn more about your company and buy your product. So the key is to make it as easy as possible for viewers to get back to your website. My simple tip is.....
Read moreEveryone in the Microsoft Dynamics channel knows MSDynamicsWorld. Since its launch in 2008 MSDynamicsWorld has grown into the world’s largest Microsoft ERP/CRM news and information resource.
But if you think this site was launched by seasoned Microsoft executives with deep channel connections and vendor funding, you couldn’t be farther from the truth. Ten years ago two young entrepreneurs, Adam Berezin and Jason Gumpert, knocked on the door of this channel with no direct relationships and no connection to Fargo or Microsoft. And they made it.
This backstory includes “the worst sales job ever”, crashing a Harvard alumni meeting, the opportune meeting of two very different people and a whole lot of cold calling.
Find out what made MSDynamicsWorld what it is today.
Read moreInfographics are fun representations of complex ideas in visual graphic form. They are eye catching and easy to promote. They are usually also VERY expensive. So what is a cash-strapped marketer to do? Recently, I found a company that is the right fit for me. I get a simple but effective infographic for a low cost and a limited amount of work on my end. Check out the details.
Read moreThe next time we are on a webinar, if tell you where I am sitting, I bet you’ll be surprised. Until recently, you could have safely guessed that I was sitting in my home office in a small town in Massachusetts. But now, even though the webinar looks the same, I am actually half way across the world. Same work, different desk.
This year my husband and I decided to finally act on an idea that we’ve been talking about for a long time. We moved to Europe. No, we are not living in a villa in Tuscany. It’s a bit rougher than that. We moved to......
Read moreIf you painted a masterpiece, would you forget to sign it? Adding a byline to your masterpiece of a blog post is just as important. You want everyone to know you wrote it. And how to contact you. It makes me sad that so many of my ERP Software Blog and CRM Software Blog members forget to add their names to their blog posts. Let me tell you two reasons this is so important.
Read more“Treat others as yourself” or “What goes around comes around.” No matter what quote you prefer, the point is the same. The way you treat people now can have an impact on you later. Either positive or negative. And I think that is especially true when you spend your career working in a software channel like ours. Recently I had a similar issue with two companies. But the outcome of each was very different. And this is what I learned.
Read moreCan you measure the ROI on that? As a marketer, how often have you heard that question? Working in the ERP software industry, many of my bosses have been “non- practicing CPAs” and other financial types. So, the question very often comes down to math. I hate math. I heard a podcast recently and had an “ah-ha moment”. Finally, someone was able to put into words why successful marketers can’t be so concerned with the math and metrics. Many times during my career as a marketer I have had to pitch an idea to the person holding the purse strings and found myself saying: “I know this might sound crazy but…. I really think it could work.”
Read moreWhen was the last time you updated your profile? I am talking about your company’s profile pages on various directories and websites. I want my company to get as much online exposure as possible, so we have listings on all kinds of websites. Most of them have you submit a profile or company description.
But do you remember to keep them all updated? Recently the company I work for started selling Acumatica. For years we have only represented Microsoft Dynamics GP. So not only did we need to update our own company website, we needed to update our company description on any other website where it appeared. Based on this exercise here are 4 suggestions to make your life easier:
Read moreYou just can’t be good at everything. Sad but true. Several years ago, I had to take a long hard look at the company I work for. I had to choose to acknowledge our weaknesses and use our strengths when developing a marketing plan. And realize that just because it works for someone else doesn’t mean it will work for us. This is my suggestion….
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