If you’re already using Aspire Software as your main platform for estimation, production, and invoicing, you might be surprised to learn that it can also serve as an effective Sales CRM. While Aspire may not boast every advanced feature found in some dedicated Sales CRMs, its robust functionality and seamless integration with your existing workflow make it a smart choice for managing both your operational and sales processes. Here’s how you can leverage Aspire to streamline your sales efforts and boost overall efficiency.
Why Use Aspire as Your Sales CRM?
1. Unified System for All Business Functions
Using Aspire for both operational tasks and sales tracking means you can consolidate your data in one place. No more toggling between different systems—your estimation, production, invoicing, and sales data are all under one roof. This not only reduces software costs but also minimizes the potential for miscommunication and data loss.
2. Increased Visibility and Accountability
By managing both prospect contacts (the people you want to sell to) and properties (the places where you do business) within Aspire, you gain real-time visibility into who is working on what. Assigning prospects to specific sales representatives using the Account Owner field ensures that responsibilities are clear and that multiple team members aren’t inadvertently duplicating efforts.
3. Streamlined Communication and Follow-Ups
Aspire’s built-in communication tools—whether it’s email logging or task management—help keep every interaction with prospects well documented. This means that whether you’re following up on a phone call, an in-person meeting, or even dropping off a coffee, your team can easily track past communications and plan next steps effectively.
The Recommended Sales CRM Flow in Aspire
To fully take advantage of Aspire’s capabilities as a Sales CRM, consider incorporating the following process into your business operations:
1. Log New Prospects
Once you identify a new prospect, enter their information into Aspire and assign them to a Sales Rep using the Account Owner field. This ensures that you have clear visibility on the sales activity and prevents multiple reps from working on the same prospect. Keeping all active prospects in one place helps you see exactly who is handling which lead.
2. Track and Manage Prospects
Whether your sales approach is proactive (hunting) or reactive (lead-based), maintain a list of all prospects in Aspire. As new prospects come in, add them to the list and log all communications with existing prospects. You can send emails directly from Aspire, which automatically creates a paper trail, or log non-email interactions—like phone calls, in-person meetings, or even a casual coffee drop-off—as tasks. These tasks will update the “Last Activity” column. For future interactions, simply set a due date for a follow-up (e.g., “Follow up with a phone call”), which creates a “Next Activity” column and generates a task in your “My Tasks” dial.
3. Track Bids
When a prospect is ready for a bid, create an opportunity in Aspire. At this stage, manage the prospect using a Sales Pipeline (via the opportunity module). This helps you keep track of where each prospect is in the sales process.
4. Transition to Client
After closing a sale, mark the opportunity as “Won.” At this point, it’s advisable to hold a Kick-Off Meeting with the new client to clarify the scope of work outlined in the contract. Then, change the status of the contact and property from “Prospect” to “Client,” and hand off the relationship to a dedicated Account or Client Relations Manager (AM/CRM).
This straightforward process helps ensure that every stage—from initial contact to closing the deal—is efficiently managed within Aspire.
Customizing Aspire to Fit Your Sales Process
Every business has unique needs. If you’re transitioning from another CRM platform and find that Aspire might be missing certain data points, don’t worry. Aspire offers flexibility with Custom Fields and Tags, allowing you to capture and track the additional information your business requires. This adaptability means that even if Aspire isn’t loaded with every feature out-of-the-box, you can tailor it to align perfectly with your sales process.
In Conclusion
Using Aspire Software as your Sales CRM not only maximizes your current investment but also provides a streamlined, unified approach to managing your business operations and sales activities. By logging new prospects, diligently tracking communications, managing bids through a clear sales pipeline, and transitioning smoothly to client status, you can elevate your sales process without the need for an additional, standalone CRM system.
Ready to enhance your sales tracking within Aspire?
Contact us today to schedule a consultation meeting. We’re excited to explore how we can help your business increase its utilization of Aspire Software—starting with your sales process and extending to other areas of operational excellence. Embrace the simplicity and power of a unified system, and let Aspire Software drive your business growth!