February 23, 2012 – Burlingame, Calif. – The bottom line: Which ads worked? Chevrolet included a big Social Media component, did it work? CarWoo!’s infographic of the effects of 2012 Super Bowl ads demonstrated that some automakers’ commercials resulted in more immediate attention. All of the data was based on new car configurations in the CarWoo! MarketPlace in the days and weeks preceding and following the Big Game.

How did Chevrolet integrate its Social Media strategy into it’s TV commercials? Driving people to take interest in their Game Time App and their various models. Did it work? Was it worth the 3.5 million per spot?

In the downloadable infographic, found at www.CarWoo.com (see Direct Link to Infographic Above), presents the Super Bowl Commercial Winners and Losers. These advertisers saw more searches during and after the Super Bowl, compared to the industry average for that time:

61%   Chevrolet
26%   Chrysler
25%   Toyota
20%   Kia
9%    Hyundai
6%    Cadillac

Methodology Note:

“Since CarWoo! is currently a U.S.-only service, and our buyers are typically within four days of committing to a car, our marketplace is the perfect spot to test immediate consumer reactions,” said CarWoo! CEO, Tommy McClung. “Some makes, and even some specific models, saw huge jumps in buyer interest right away. Other ads may have more long-term affects, but it’s clear which manufacturers won the interest of current buyers.” Data was mined from The CarWoo! MarketPlace, tracking at in-market consumer interest in automakers who didn’t advertise during the Super Bowl, as a control against which they measured the interest in automakers who did advertise. Tens of thousands of in-market buyer choices were analyzed.

Chevrolet Takes the Prize With 61% Increase: Volt is the Exception

Among the makes who saw a greater lift in interest than the control were Chevrolet, with a 61% lift, followed by Chrysler, Toyota, Kia, Hyundai and Cadillac. The Chevrolet Sonic is an example of one car that made out well after the Super Bowl. Buyer interest in the Sonic increased by 292% after the Super Bowl, compared with non-advertised Chevrolet models. Its commercial featured a montage of Sonic “firsts,” such as “first skydive,” “first kickflip,” and “first music video.” Chevrolet included more social media components than others and seem to have been rewarded for their strategy.

Other advertised Chevrolets saw some lift, including the Camaro at 163% and the Silverado at 76%. The Volt’s Alien commercial failed to scare up enough interest in the sales-declining, plug-in hybrid, and the model saw no increase at all.

Honda, CR-V and Matthew Broderick Didn’t Show Up to Class

Other models didn’t see anything close to the Sonic’s 292% surge in interest. Not only did the Honda brand not have an increase in interest after the Super Bowl, but the CR-V, featured with Matthew Broderick in Honda’s Ferris Beuller Reprisal spot, didn’t see a rise in interest compared with other Honda models.

Clint Eastwood’s Patriotic Coup? Kinda?

With all the heavy watercooler buzz, Clint Eastwood’s “Half Time in America” spot gave Chrysler a second place position after Chevrolet, in terms of generating consumer interest. Presented as a quasi-Public Service Announcement, the spot was more nostalgic, patriotic and just plain feel-good. Chrysler ranked #2 after Chevrolet, with 26% increase in interest in the automaker.

Ford Catches a Free Pass; Competitor’s Ad Sends Customers to F-Series Interest

In a Chevrolet backfire, Ford was bashed in the Silverado’s “Apocalypse” ad, but the Ford F-series saw a 37% lift in interest after the Super Bowl. “In this case, it seems that the competitor’s jab slightly improved F-Series sales,” McClung said. “Ford should be ecstatic. They spent no money and saw an increase; some of their competitors spent millions on ads and celebrities and saw no immediate returns.”

Summary: Hits, Misses and Backfires

With these hits and misses, it’s not always clear that 3.5 million dollars in Super Bowl ad money will translate into mass consumer interest. We’ve also seen that not all Celebrities can move the needle for automakers and that Celebrity Endorsement by no means insures success on the world’s biggest advertising stage. At the end of the day, Seinfeld just didn’t succeed in reminding us of the better financial times of the 1980-1990s. It’s also true that pop culture references can fall flat: The Ferris Beuller 1980s nostalgia spot didn’t move the needle. Patriotism proved to have an emotional effect with Clint Eastwood’s call to national pride. And, finally, sometimes, your competitor’s commercials may actually lift your own sales. With Super Bowl ad rates creeping up next year, automakers should keep some of these lessons in mind.

About CarWoo!

CarWoo! provides the online MarketPlace where buyers get great deals with no games and dealers are able sell cars online using their own unique approaches with a full understanding of the buyers through the CarWoo! transparent MarketPlace.  Buyers remain anonymous, get great market prices, save a ton of time and dealers are ensured buyers who purchase within 3.5 days 80% of the time.  As seen on The Today Show, CNN Money and other leading national media outlets, CarWoo! is the only true online MarketPlace for car buyers and sellers.  CarWoo! was founded in 2008 by serial entrepreneurs, Tommy McClung, Erik Landerholm and Michael Young.  With early funding by Y Combinator, CarWoo! is based in Burlingame, CA and is now funded by Blumberg Capital, Comcast Ventures and InterWest Partners, and others.  Find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/carwoo and on Twitter at twitter.com/carwoo.

http://carwoo.com/blog/lima-and-eastwood-appearances-score-touchdowns-for-manufacturers-broderick-and-seinfeld-fumble-infographic/

###

MEDIA CONTACT:

Darren Shuster

Phone: (818) 744-1851

darren@popculturepr.com

www.CarWoo.com

Myril Shaw

Phone: (678) 935-7312

myril@carwoo.com

www.carwoo.com———————————————————————–

The key to being top on search engines is to have content that provide copious amounts of information to users. To be successful it is a must to share knowledge with others and this act also has tremendous benefit.

As case in point, a dentist’s website should hold information that relates to tooth aches and remedies as well as tooth, dental and oral care. This then satisfies the intent of the internet which is to be a medium of sharing information. As an example when searching for any information, the page that usually comes out on top is something from Wikipedia. Wikipedia is the very embodiment of what the internet was meant to accomplish; the sharing of information. Wikipedia is designed to share knowledge by people who have it to people who are in search of it. Every website, especially a dentist’s, should take this cue form Wikipedia.

Knowledge Base

When a concept for any site is drawn up, especially a professional site like a dental practice, it should be noted that volumes of information pertaining to all things oral and dental should be planned in a way that is easily categorizable and searchable.

A person who has a symptom would first like to understand what it is so searching for symptoms should be directed to the information page. Once a rudimentary understanding of the symptom is accomplished, a person begins to have faith in the site and recommendations for dental practices in the area to alleviate the symptom or eliminate the root of the problem can be suggested.

Recommendations

Remember that when you understand and utilize the spreading of useful information you are participating in basic premise and foundation of the internet. It is indeed why the internet has attracted literally billions of people to it.

As life grows increasingly complex there will only be greater need for relevant and useful information. When people search for and are  in need of the information about what you offer you will stand a greater chance to get their attention and gain their trust when you can provide the best possible information you are capable of developing.

Your author is Elliot Pearson, he enjoys writing and editing Dentist Identity, who provides dental website services and dental seo marketing for dentists worldwide.

People have been seeking out the advice and counsel of psychics for generations. These individuals have been given the gift of clairvoyance and extraordinary insight, and those who seek them out definitely benefit from those gifts.

Feeling more inspired and positive about life
One of the core principles that psychics operate under is the belief that people are still in tuned with energies from their past lives. With that said, these individuals provide others with information about their previous lives, and help those individuals to learn from those past experiences. This new-found knowledge can help people to feel more in tuned with the parts of themselves that they do not understand. This knowledge is also encouraging to the listener, as it informs him or her of the ability of the soul to persist. Individuals will feel encouraged in knowing that their souls will eventually be able to triumph over life‘s obstacles.

Learning how to cope with grief and anxiety
As clairvoyant individuals are able to see beyond their human senses, medium readings will help individuals by helping them to see the bigger picture. When people grieve the loss of loved ones or situations in their lives, psychics are able to show them that everything in life has a purpose. Psychics are able to get people thinking and allow for them to see things from a different perspective. These individuals are even able to help clients figure out what the purpose behind certain events might be; this allows for that person to lay to rest whatever is troubling them, and allows them to focus on moving forward in life.

Psychics help to improve karma Karma is the belief that thoughts and actions that are produces will have either a negative or positive consequence as a result. Psychics are able to pick up on the energy that a person puts into the atmosphere and explain the potential consequences of that energy. While bad karma can bring about a return of negative energy, psychics are able to instruct people in ways to neutralize that energy; they can also explain ways in which bad karma can be reversed. Psychics are also able to encourage different ways in which an individual can continue to release positive energy into the universe; thus, maintaining the existing good karma that person already has.

Learning what your dreams are saying
All people have dreams, but they are not always understandable. Psychics are able to interpret those dreams for the individual, and explain how those dreams are representations of current situations in life. If these dreams are warning signs from the unconscious, psychics are able to inform someone and suggest ways in which an issue can be resolved. Psychics will provide insight into the dreamer’s mind and allow for them to use these dreams as tools to improve his or her life.

Receiving messages from beyond the grave
Mediums are able to get in contact with spirits that have passed away from the world of the living. These spirits may be able to give the individual peace of mind, or even provide answers to those questions that went unanswered while they were alive. These last chance communications

Jane, psychic from England and tarot reading expert.

Time

Fitting the right amount of time to the issue being dealt with is probably the most frequent challenge any manager confronts. It’s the Goldilocks strategy – just right. Here are some strategies that may help cut the time to fit.

A big issue deserves its own meeting. Rather than slotting a big issue into a regularly-scheduled organizational meeting, give it its own space. Jamming the regular meeting means presenting your big issue to people already wearied or distracted by the rest of the agenda. Use a shorter time frame to enhance concentration on a single issue. If the issue’s going to produce lots of backdraft, schedule a questions/feedback meeting at the same time. Issue Tuesday at 9:00; feedback Thursday at 10:00. People who know they’ll be heard are usually better listeners.

Weed out the dead wood this way: put on your angry face and snarl “This could have been handled with a memo!” Keep it short and to the point; provide good contact info for readers with questions or other feedback. Didn’t see the memo? People who go to fewer meetings have more time to read their memos.

Just a reminder from your Latin teacher. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are good communication days. On Monday, people are getting over the weekend; on Friday, they’re planning the next one. And if you have to take a lunch-hour, know what your people like to eat.

No more meetings! Rachel Emma Silverman in “No More Angling for the Best Seat” (Wall St. Journal, Feb. 2, 2012) reports on the newest meeting strategy: standups. Especially popular in tech companies, standups are held first thing every day, absence is not an option and run from 5 to 15 minutes. This advocates the point that many large-meeting issues develop just because of refusal to deal with small problems as they emerge. Small meetings=small problems.

People

If you schedule regular meetings, they probably involve the same people. Occasionally, it’s worth reviewing that list to see whether you have the right people coming to the right meeting. Right means the right number. The first thing nearly all attendees do is check their concern’s place on the agenda. Till they’re up to bat, they’re likely to refill coffee, check email and play Angry Birds.

The right people are also people whose contributions or reactions are critical to the matter at hand. Everyone has conflicts occasionally, but after you’ve told everyone that Dave is out again for the third time, you need to be talking to Dave. Anyone chronically missing meetings is probably missing other responsibilities as well.

Meetings and Work

One of the most frequent excuses for missing meetings is that they conflict with other, productive work. Technology lets lots of other things happen while you stay at your desk.  Perhaps on Monday, department heads get notified that quarterly sales analysis will be on video Tuesday at 3 and on tape till Friday morning. A feedback conference call is Friday at 10 am. Let tech tools run a meeting without reserving the conference room one more time.

Written by Tom Tolladay, Event Organiser for Chillisauce who specialise in Team Building Activities and Corporate Events

You need it

Sales businesses, particularly retailers, are reliant on POS programs to enable transactions to be processed quickly and effectively.  Modern POS programs go further than this by enabling businesses to develop reports to quickly analyse and pro-actively act on customer trends in order to maximise productivity of their business.  Really effective POS programs even allow managers to analyse individual performance of their employees.  The best modern POS solutions are web based POS programs, which enable managers to actively view up to the minute facts and figures and can drive revenues quicker through a business.

Added value

The positive impacts made by installing a web based POS to your business could potentially be limitless.  Take sales figures reporting as a simple example of the impact web based POS can have.  During a busy period of specific sales focus, such as Christmas, an area manager may require, for upper management or for himself, you to report sales figures to him at various points throughout the day.  So your boss wants to know how many pink fluffy bears have been sold every hour throughout the day one week before Christmas.  Reporting this involves you initially checking and confirming how many units you’ve sold, before leaving a busy sales floor during peak trade to send an email.  Each one of those is a completely unproductive task which is ultimately time wasted which could have been better spent on something else.

If that business employed a web based POS system, none of this would be necessary.  The area manager could simply log on to the cloud, analyse the sales report and follow up with the best and worst performing stores.  Sales reporting is now an entirely painless task and one which has benefits for businesses at all levels.

Take that and multiply those benefits across numerous aspects of your business.  Imagine the time savings and productivity improvements your business will make using web based POS for dealing with aspects other than sales.  Inventory Control, Employee Attendance and Task Management are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the possibilities of web based POS.

Why not?                                                            

Testing out web based POS is simple, and you’re sure to not be disappointed.  Most suppliers offer potential users an initial trial so they can experience the fantastic benefits on offer before taking the plunge for real.  Once a web based POS is installed, businesses will wonder why they spent so long working with other products.

Posterita is a new web based pos program which lets chain stores and single stores to manage every aspect of their operations via an easy-to-use web-based platform.

Richard Branson VS Donald Trump; reality show diverseness

Sir Richard Branson, Virgin King and Donald Trump, powerhouse of hotels, are actually incredibly different. Donald Trump, the big haired, loud talking American has his successful entrepreneurship show, Donald Trump; The Apprentice, where the mogul hires and fires people wanting to get a foot into the door to his empire. On the other side of the coin in a seemingly diverse program that has a to do with business but more to do with the persons courage and physical drive, Richard Branson’s biography may state that he has somewhat of a death wish, The Rebel Billionaire; Branson’s Quest for the Best, reflects this with contestants having to complete both business related and physically grueling challenges. The humble and relaxed billionaire will evaluate who will have the honor to take over as president of Virgin Worldwide. In the Apprentice, Donald Trump sits in his air conditioned castle delegating tasks to his minions while staying as far as possible from human contact, if possible he does not even shake hands with the contestants. Richard Branson on the other hand will be right there in the action. Encompassing an excited child, he will be present for all of the tasks and right there next to the contestants.

Richard Branson VS Donald Trump; diverse as men and in business ideals

Apart from being totally diverse in their reality shows, these two men are polarized opposites in character and business practices. Sir Richard Branson with his shaggy hairstyle, casual dress code and happy go lucky demeanor expresses his fun and daring exploits in The Richard Branson autobiography. Donald Trump on the other hand reflects a true Manhattan ‘fat cat’ in his tailored suites and his affluent apartment decked out in purely decadent designer attire. Apart from the diverseness in obvious appearances, Donald Trump and Richard Branson have business approaches as diverse as their appearances and characters. To simplify their business ideals, Donald Trump moves vertically in business ventures not straying from his main focus, real estate and his most important brand, himself. Richard Branson and his companies differ considerably. He moves horizontally and has managed to extend his Virgin Brand into many different market offerings and spheres.

Although it is a prerequisite for both of these business kings to have considerable egos, they differ in their projections of it. Richard Branson says that the person he most admires is friend Nelson Mandela, Donald Trump on the other hand, well let’s just say the person he most admires may be closer to home. Both of these men have created empires that will withstand the test of time and possibly another economic crisis, it is interesting to see that they are as diverse as any other two differing men and their different style created business empires tailored to them.

Jemma Scott is an avid writer of business figures from ones in London offices all the way to serviced offices Edinburgh.

A diverse and fair workplace is something that should be commonplace in 2012. As an employer, it is important that you adhere to the regulations, but encourage your employees to follow suit. If your struggling to get your staff on board with diversity training, remind them why it’s so vital in 21st century business.

What Diversity Training Programmes Really Mean

It is important your employees understand what diversity training actually involves. While it is important to have a diverse workplace in terms of gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation; there is much more to workplace quality.

Remind your staff that they benefit from fair wages, holidays and working hours because of equality and diversity legislation. If you didn’t adhere to such legislation, they could find themselves working 7 days a week, with no holiday, for very little wage.

It is also important to remind your staff that these training programmes are for their benefit. Should they feel they are being discriminated against at work, it is this sort of training that will help them out. Many employees forget that such legislation is in place to protect them, not make a business ‘look better’.

Why Your Business Can Benefit

If you or your employees are still struggling to get on board with diversity training, remind them of the benefits that such practices have for your business. Adecco’s research showed that 70% of employers felt that companies with diverse workforces are best place to succeed.

People from all walks of life have a different set of skills and expert knowledge that can help transform your business. Graduates for example, will have young and fresh ideas to help grow your business. With 22% of employees saying a diverse workforce won’t provide these skills, it is important you address the balance.

Diversity has a vital role to play in the workplace. Not only does it avoid discrimination, it makes your company a much more attractive place to work. 44% of workers agreed in the research, saying they were more attracted to a company that promoted workplace diversity.

It is important for staff at all levels to take part in diversity training. The legislation is in place to protect everyone and it is vital that your workers know their rights. Diversity programmes can help eradicate workplace discrimination at all levels – whether it be sexist or racist jokes in the office, to not hiring someone because of the colour of their skin.

Such training also ensures that all employees receive fair pay, holiday and working hours. Something which all workers are undoubtedly grateful for.

If your business could benefit from equality and diversity training, contact 360 Diversity today. The expert company can create a bespoke training package for you and your employees.

When I started blogging, I didn’t know anything about making money. But I did know a little bit about a few different topics and I decided that I would start writing about things that I liked.  My opinion was that if I could be passionate about something and write about it, then eventually somebody would read it and eventually I would be successful.  I think that this is the best approach to picking a topic to blog about. Don’t try and write articles about insurance just because you think you’re going to get rich. If you have a passion for golf, write about golf. If you have a passion for hot rods or purses, write about the things that you want to write about.  If you have a passion for something, you are going to probably stick with it much longer and not quit.

The other essential tool that you need is faith. (This doesn’t mean religious faith, but they are closely linked.)  If you didn’t think that the seed would grow, you wouldn’t take the time to plant it. You wouldn’t water it, and you wouldn’t weed around the seed. Anyone who has done gardening knows that a seed doesn’t come out of the ground right away. In fact, it takes sometimes as long as a week or two before you even see the seed grow into a sprout. Websites generally take three or four months before they start to sprout. (Anyone who says otherwise, is probably trying to sell you something you don’t really need!)  Once the seed starts to grow, you don’t get fruit right away.  A sprout doesn’t get very much sunlight and it is not mature enough to produce fruit. Likewise, a new website that is only a few months old, is not going to be making money right away.  What you need to do is keep watering, fertilizing, and weeding so that your plant can grow larger. You only see the fruits of your labor once the plant is mature enough to bear fruit. If you only take care of the plant for two months or three months, and it doesn’t produce any fruit, and then you stop taking care of it, your plant will die and all of your work will be in vain.  Some plants, like walnuts take four or five years to bear fruit. Others like peas, will bear fruit in a matter of 3 to 4 months.  When you start your site, decide what kind of plant it is, is it going to be a great walnut tree, or a tiny pea plant.

The last thing you need to do is to pick specific words you’re going to be targeting. Make sure that the posts that you write target your keywords specifically.  And you need to decide whether you are going to get all of your links naturally, or you are going to need to build links to your site so that other people can find you online. Once your site can be found through links, then Google is more likely to send it organic traffic. Once you start getting ranked for organic traffic, you’re going to start making money.

By reading this article, you probably guessed that I have a passion for gardening. As a matter fact I do. If you want to learn more about my gardening tips and advice, please feel free to visit and browse around my website.

Having been in the landscaping business for eight years, Spencer has helped a lot of people by blogging about his experiences on lawn care, and writing reviews about gardening tools and products. You can find a lot of valuable gardening tips on Lawn Care and Lawn Repair  if you are interested!

Downsize the Problem

Whatever you’re going through as a business owner and whatever the business itself is facing, no matter how big the problem, don’t reflect it to the employees. They’ll know that something is off, but try to downplay the issue a bit. Don’t say things like, “I don’t know how this will ever get better.” Instead, choose things like, “Things are tough right now but we’re pulling ourselves out,” or “Things have to get worse before they can get better.”

Don’t keep employees in the dark when you’re having an issue, but try to stay positive about whatever is going on. Send a message of hopefulness and encouragement to your employees instead of panicked freak outs that things will never improve.

Show Simple Gratitude

If an employee does something particularly well, acknowledge it. It doesn’t have to be some big, grandiose gesture, but it can be something as small as sending an encouraging email or leaving a note at their desk saying you appreciate what they’ve done.

Even if budgets are tight, try to treat an employee or group of employees to lunch or breakfast once in a while to acknowledge the positive work that they’ve done. Keeping the morale high starts with you, the business owner, and one of the easiest things you can do is send a simple thank you to your employees.

Radiate Happiness

Even if you’re struggling as a business owner as your business itself struggles, keep a look of happiness on your face. Don’t go moaning and groaning around the office. Stay positive, and keep a smile on. It will spread to your employees.

Watch your body language and appearance, as well. Don’t let them reflect what you’re actually feeling in a slump (chances are, you’re feeling pretty crappy, but you don’t want to let that show). You’re the captain of your ship, always dress and act as if nothing is wrong.

Celebrate Holidays

Even if you can’t afford to offer paid time off for the moment, make sure you make it a point to celebrate holidays at the office. Offer up simple gestures to your employees that will break up the mundane tasks of their daily work. Maybe bring in lunch for your staff, or make it a casual day, or have them bring something in to mark the holiday.

Try to avoid having employees work on major national holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas, as this will only further decrease the morale. Major holidays should always be celebrated with time off, but for the smaller ones that pop up throughout the year, celebrate them in the office. Even look up more lesser-known holidays and celebrate those – National Pancake Day is February 28th, so bring in the fixins for pancakes and have a brunch at the office on that day! Ballpoint Pen Day is June 10th, so bring in an obscene amount of ballpoint pens for the whole office to use. It’s as easy as that!

Keep the Lines of Communication Open

Don’t lock yourself in your office alone to mope around during hard times and shut yourself off from the rest of the world. In fact, do just the opposite. Make sure your employees know that you are available for communication and are willing to talk about anything that is going on. The last thing you want to turn into is the boss that everyone is afraid to talk to.

To take it one step further, even schedule weekly meetings to keep employees up to date with what is going on with the company. Map out a timeline, explain where you are now, and set goals for where you want to be in the future. Do so in a positive way. Treat whatever setback you are facing as just a minor storm that will pass.

Create Monthly Awards

Have a little friendly office competition each month for who is doing the best work of all of your employees. Create an “employee of the month” or even “employee of the week” award, design a certificate that can be printed, and start an employee wall, where you frame and hang each employees’ honor.

Not only will this help motivate each and every employee in your company, but it is a cheap and quick way for you to acknowledge the work that they are doing, only furthering the morale levels. Offer other small incentives that go along with the honors, like maybe your employee of the month gets the closest parking space in your parking lot for that entire lot, or maybe you take them out to lunch on the day you name them the recipient.

Conduct Employee Surveys

Formulate a survey to send around to employees once a month or once every two months or so, and have them fill out questions about how happy they are working for your company. Have them fill it out anonymously for the most honest and accurate results.

Leave a space on the survey for open employee feedback – a place where each person can offer up their advice on how to improve employee morale and what you, the business owner, can do to help that. Try to send the surveys electronically, have the employee fill it out on the computer, then print and return to you – that way they don’t have to worry about things like their handwriting being recognized or anything that might stop them from being 100% honest on their surveys.

Keep a happy working environment is the responsibility of the business owner and operator, and is critically important during tough slumps in business. With these simple ideas, you can improve and maintain your employee morale, which will in turn help your business pull through whatever it is that’s setting you back.

Sara Stevens is a freelance writer who works closely with Maintenance Partner, a company that offers specialized facility management software, and she knows the importance of maintaining a positive environment in any small business.

Yet, if there was ever one thing that is certain in life or in business, it is the inevitability of change. Companies must change and adapt to their ever changing environment, otherwise they will be left irrelevant as technologies, and business practices continue to improve and move forward in an ever more frightening pace.

One of the changes that most companies are undertaking is the implementation of a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) program. While other companies can immediately appreciate its importance in relation to their way of doing business and most particularly to their bottom line, other companies are slow to act especially since they don’t see the practical financial returns of implementing a company-wide CRM program compared to the cost of introducing such a game-changing tool for their company.

Prior to starting any CRM initiatives, companies must review their present business models and think about the specific things that they want to achieve and their corresponding expected benefits for their business. These should be documented and regularly revisited so as to examine the progress of each and if they are still in line with the initial plans and programs in relation to their overall objectives. Any deviation or unseen deficiencies in the plan should immediately be addressed in order to make sure that you will achieve that goal that you have set out to achieve from the very beginning.

Return on Investment (ROI) from implementing a CRM program can come in two ways: first is through increased efficiency which leads to cost reduction, and second is through enhancements in the company’s revenues through additional revenue channels which would otherwise have been inaccessible without the introduction of a centralized CRM system.

Examples of cost reduction through improved efficiency are as follows:

• When a CRM software program will enable the company’s sales team to deliver the same, or sometimes even better results, through lesser manpower or resources.
• When sales agents are able to do more actual field calls rather than spend most of their time manually inputting data into slow, disjointed and outdated systems.
• when access to customer history and other data enables customer service representatives to resolve and attend to inbound calls more quickly, in which savings can certainly add up to a very significant amount over time

On the other hand, revenue enhancements can also be achieved in many forms, such as:

• Sales teams can push for the right offer at the right time to customers if they have access to their sales and service histories. This will also be appreciated by the customers as it shows that the company is really on top of his situation and have made the effort to know and anticipate his needs.
• Access to timely and relevant information increases sales opportunities, reduces the cycle time, improves closure rates, and allows the sales team to focus on valuable customers rather than going out there with a shotgun approach to selling.
• When provided with accurate data, sales teams can effectively push for cross-selling or up selling of the company’s other products thereby maximizing the sales revenue on a per customer basis.

Jacob Jackson works for one of the leading developers of online CRM - WebCRM. He also blogs a lot about this topic at the official WebCRM Blog.