That’s Not a CRM!

Narrator 0:00
You’re listening to the all systems go podcast, the show that teaches you everything you need to know to put your business on autopilot. Learn how to deploy automated marketing and sell systems in your business the right way with your host, the professor of automation himself and founder of automation bridge, Chris Davis.

Chris Davis 0:31
Welcome to another episode of The all systems go podcast, where we invite startup founders, digital marketers, and myself to discuss strategies and software used to build automated marketing and sales systems that scale. I’m your host, Chris Al Davis, founder of automation bridge. And in this episode, can I start off by saying Happy New Year, if I haven’t had the opportunity to tell you this, or hear or you hear it from my voice? At the time of recording, this is the very first podcast of the year 2022. And if you’re listening to this, you should be grateful because that means you made it through 2021. Not in a Oh, what was me, but in a victorious triumphant thing, that there were so many things that take place in a day times that by 365. Right? It is, I’m learning in my older not old, but older age, how to appreciate time in life, given in value time, and life spent, where who doing what, these are all important they make up life and the quality of life. So Happy New Year to you, you made it through 2021, let’s make 2022 even greater. And in that vein, I want to set the tone for the year. And one would say Chris, well, I thought you’re already doing this. But what I want to do is set a tone of an adulterated truth. Okay. That may sting a bit. But again, many of you who have been listening to the podcast may say, Well, Chris, look, you rarely hold back punches anyway. So let’s say this, I’m not gonna hold back punches, maybe the punches I throw will be a little harder. And it’s not to hurt you. Remember, I’m really punching at the false gurus, the false narratives, and the terrible teaching out there that’s leading you astray as an entrepreneur, small business owner, and startup founder. The primary reason is I’m just tired of seeing people be led astray when it comes to digital marketing and automation, in overall running your business successfully in a leveraged manner. It is it’s like a epidemic of in the digital space, it goes beyond just you know, the US, it’s all over. It’s all over. And I want to stop it, I want to I want to help but be the cure. And I know I’m only one voice. But hopefully you all will band behind me as you’ve you’ve been doing, and get this message out and start to help people. And I recently heard a quote that resonated so strongly with me that I was like, You know what, that’s going to be one of my life themes. I’m taking it. And I am is one of my mantras, and it was a psychologist and or physiologist, I don’t know, therapists. How about that. And this is the the statement that she made people do better with the truth than without it. And she was referring to how people hold back, thinking you’re helping the other person in some way, by saving them from this unbearable reality. When in actuality, when you don’t give people the truth, you are doing the very thing that you’re trying to prevent, you’re not helping them, you are holding them back. You are preventing them from being able to learn how to take the truth and do with it properly, which is usually change their ways. So people do better with the truth than without it. So why would I refuse? Why? Or why would I agree? To not give you the truth, right? And I’m going to give it to you again, unadulterated and the truth of the day. The truth of this episode is that’s just not a CRM. It’s not stopped calling it it. Stop calling it that. Go to Episode 12. With all systems go podcast if you need to know what a CRM is. But this podcast is inspired by two major events, two major events that have been taking place. Last year one was there. There was a huge amount of young startups, just founders that I talked to, that were really struggling getting a true CRM in place. And it was cringe worthy to see some of the alternatives they leaned on. Okay, that’s one and then two was experts

Chris Davis 4:55
giving terrible guidance on what CRM platform forms that you should use, okay. And the former has been an awareness of mine for a while. But it wasn’t until the latter happened that I found myself triggered a bit. Okay, I was scrolling through my friendly Facebook feed where somebody who I trust shared a post of someone they trust, okay. And you know what, I’m actually gonna pull it up and read it to you. And it was it was something like of of the sorts of business owners this January. And if you haven’t already in it goes down this list of things to do, right, refresh your LinkedIn, chart your supply chain and product roadmap and write out your business plan. And then it hit me. So keep yourself accountable by using a CRM tool, like Monday, Asana or Trello. Shots fired, shots fired shots of ignorance fire. And at that point, I say, you know, what? If I didn’t care about my phone, I would have thrown it, right. It’s just like, Why do what is wrong? What is going on with these people? Because it wasn’t just that statement, everybody. It was the amount of comments and lies that was like, Oh, yes, I need to get Monday. Oh, Trello is a CRM, and you just see the blind leading the blind, just all the way off the path. Right. So this, this was something that I just couldn’t let slide and and listen, let me be the first to say I get it. We repurpose and multi purpose technology all the time taking one tool that was meant to do a and b, and then also making it do C, D and E for us, is actually part of like the allure of digital marketing building systems and as an automation service provider, you know, in depth of what these tools can do what they should be doing. So you know, when you’re breaking the boundaries, you know, when you’re stretching it, you know, when you’re using it outside of its intended purpose, but to do so you have to be fully aware that you are taking the tool out of its original use not redefining the purpose of the tool. In general due to your ignorance, you cannot not know what it’s supposed to do and then just start using it in a repurpose or multi purposed capacity. Right. Use it for what it’s for, then add to it for more. Right but you can’t add more if you don’t know what it’s for. That was very Dr. Seuss’s the right, I can’t say it again. So you’re gonna have to rewind it if you want to hear that. But you have to know what a tool is supposed to do. Before you can make it do be on that. Okay. And when it comes to a CRM, this can be extremely detrimental detrimental beyond measure. And again, if you want to know Okay, Chris, should I be using the CRM? What is the CRM, the history of a CRM, I recorded all of that already. Go listen to episode 12. It’s there for you right now just pause this, go scroll up, go to listen to episode 12 Episode 12 and come right back down to this episode. And as I’m as I’m on my rant, I want to I want to do an analogy before I just really bring it home and give you my its not a CRM hitlist. And here, here’s the analogy that I want to use for you. I want I want you to think about your cell phone. Okay? Apple, Android, who cares, right, your cell phone, your smartphone, I’m sorry, smartphone, and think of the Contacts app. And that app was built to manage your context. And and therefore all of the features are created to support such purpose, right? Adding an organization email, multiple phone numbers, notes, things, things of that nature. It’s all built for that now. Now watch this. Imagine instead of using your contacts app for all of your contact management, you use your messaging app. Just think about that. You even when I said that you just cringed it was like why would you do that? That’s for text messaging. Like that’s, that’s ignorant. What about your notes app syncs to the cloud. You can use it on multiple devices, just put all your contacts in your notes app and keep track of everybody’s name number emails, organizations, blah, blah, blah all in your notes that nicely organized, right?

Chris Davis 9:51
Or maybe the most parallel with the example that this quote unquote expert use with Monday Trello and all that is what about a to do list app Right, like one of those apps that keep you on track of what you need to be doing, maybe you just create lists, like, these are my friends. And then in the friends and in the little checkmarks are their names and numbers and why not, it works, or maybe the email app, right, just put all of your contacts in your email app, and use that to manage everything. Now, all of which will give you the ability to add context information, however you like, and refer to it for later usage when necessary, every single thing that I mentioned, but some of those were a little more far stretched than the others. And if you just monitor your response, some of these were just like, that’s just stupid, why would I use a to do list for my context, right? In in actuality, this, these, you would never, you would never in, let me say a intelligent mind would never do such you would never do such, not just because you understand, those apps aren’t supposed to you like you’re not supposed to put contacts into those apps for your primary means of management, which, which let me say this is not to be overlooked, because business owners don’t know that the contact app equivalent in business is a CRM. So I want to acknowledge that like there is just an ignorance around a CRM, whereas in this contacts app, everybody with the smartphone knows you put your contacts in the Contacts app. So I get it, I’m not going to overlook the fact that business owners don’t know that they’re supposed to put their contacts in a CRM, but just follow the parallel here, follow the analogy. So once you know the purpose of the Contacts app, you would never use something as a replacement for it, that was not purpose to do that exact thing. And here’s where it gets interesting. The main thing is the entire ecosystem of your smartphone revolves around functions more smoothly, when you use the contact. When your contacts are in the appropriate app. Think about it. When you go type a text message and you start to type the name. Where is it pulling that information from your contacts? When you go to make a call? Where is it pulling that information from your contacts at the contact database, even some social media apps, when you sign in on your phone, one of the first things it will do is look through your contact app, looking at through your contact database, and say, Hey, would you like us to just add all of these friends? Where is it not looking everybody, it’s not looking at your notes app, it’s not looking at your to do list not looking at your messaging app, it’s not looking in your email app. It’s not. So when we start to understand the whole ecosystem operates smooth more smoothly, when we put contacts where contacts are supposed to go. It is the way that a CRM integrates, and the information it passes. That makes it a CRM, and all the other platforms not one. When you use a CRM appropriately, and you have it integrated, it’s easy to receive and pass information because that’s what the CRM was meant to do. It stores information in a way that can easily be accessed throughout its ecosystem or third party integration. And when you start using these other apps, as a CRM, and it comes time to start performing actions, like sending information, or messaging out, this is where things get tricky. And you start to see the limitation. So that being said, what are those other platforms? Here’s my super short but super important. It’s not a CRM hitless. What does this mean? If I catch you in the wild, okay, using one of these apps, just know, you have put yourself on my hitlist. What does the hitless mean? I don’t know. It doesn’t mean that, you know, I’m gonna take you out or anything like that. Maybe it’s a loss of respect. Maybe it’s a deep saddening of the heart. Maybe I just look at you differently. I don’t know. But just know everybody else that I’m training and teaching this to they’re going to have a hit list and you’ll be on that hit list too. So stay off the hit list.

Chris Davis 14:43
Here’s the super short super important CRM hitless and let me just say, I will talk about you I in my community, we we make we make fun of this, okay. It’s it’s, it’s, it brings joy to us, not in a way where it’s like You dummy. But it’s just like, Look, if you don’t want to be talked about just don’t do these things. So I’m, I’m saving you. I really am because you don’t know how you’re representing yourself incorrectly just by the apps that you’re using for your CRM. Can I help you can can I cannot throw Can I hurt you then help you? Right? Can it sting? And then let me help help you move to a direction where you never have to deal with that sting again. So anyways, super short, super important. hitless notion. You know what even I shouldn’t even have to say this. Have you ever felt like that? Maybe you’re in a relationship, you’re just like I’ve told you so many times, I shouldn’t have to keep telling you. notion is not a CRM, just ask notion. You know what, ask these platforms, just go type in to the, to the Hey, notion, are you a CRM? Now granted, you can’t trust what they say maybe some of them be like, Sure, you can use us as a CRM, but you have to do blah, blah, blah. Just know they’re not matter of fact, don’t ask them I don’t want them to even have the opportunity to lie listen to me notion is not a seer. Google Sheets or Excel, not a CRM, any project management software, Asana, Trello, click up Monday, teamwork, etc. You name it. If it’s created to manage a project, it is not a CRM, period. I’m not leaning on this everybody Help Desk software like Zendesk fresh desks in all of the likes, you better not listen to you, you better not call it a CRM airtable As much as I love it, it’s probably the most arguably, like borderline, wait a minute, it could be used as a CRM. It’s not a CRM is just not right when you start to integrate it when you airtable using as CRM trying to send an email to send an email to a contact once they’ve once you’ve collected a certain amount of information. Just try it. It’s a limitation not a CRM everybody is their technical work around Absolutely. Not a CRM maybe could start as a very light one when you just need to, like manage them. No, I’m not. I’m not bending. It’s not you see that? Even me even me? The ignorance is so strong, it will try to make you bend I’m not bending. No, it’s not just no email marketing, email marketing platforms. MailChimp, Constant Contact ConvertKit mailer light excetera throw it in their email marketing platforms. No, it’s not a CRM. It’s not. stop it. It’s not get it out of your head. You’re straight. Some of you are really wrestling with this. And I can feel it you are you are you feeling a certain way because Google Sheets has been working so well for you as a CRM well get over it because a CRM can do everything it can do and more nobody’s talking about how great your air table database is and how how stupid you are now because you’re using it know to make take all that greatness and just migrated into CRM, and watch it be greater. But I found this way to use clickup We love clickup, by the way, and automation bridge we love clickup. I found this way to use click up that it could be a CRM because you can link records and you could do this. Nope, no, no. Just Just Just stop it. Okay? Just stop is not a CRM. That’s my hitless okay? Don’t be on my hitless everybody. If you’re on my hit list, this means that you’re doing detrimental marketing, your operations are detrimental to themselves. Okay. Now, these platforms can be multi purpose to provide some type of CRM functionality. That’s why you even see me trying to lean but I would never recommend using them. Using them as one due to there are three primary reasons. I’m gonna help you out here. I’m gonna talk bad about you, then I’m gonna help you out. Okay. One is the lack of information to store. Okay, CRMs are built to store in, like, so much information that’s usable. Which brings me to my next point that’s usable, some of you believe but I can store all kinds of information in a Google sheet or air table and this is that I get it. But watch this. Watch this. If we go down to the second one, the ability to natively send that information to other platforms.

Chris Davis 19:45
Try sending that information out of Google Sheets notion, air table, whatever, you’re going to need Zapier at a minimum you need that. But depending on the complexity, and then and then if we get down to it, the configuration of these zaps or whatever you’re using gets real complicated. Because now was like, Okay, I do I need a zap for every column every time something is updated in a column. What about a row? How do I look for all of these? How do I all of these actions that can take place all my information, you would have hundreds of zaps hundreds that’s unmanageable. So you want it to be native one CRM, like keep by Infusionsoft by keep, almost said Ontraport, HubSpot or Salesforce Active Campaign, they natively receive in send actions out and in that allow you to manage the contact more appropriately. That’s what they’re for. Which brings me to the third point, the difficulty in adding the ability to send messaging from within the platform, you’ve got to you can’t be using a CRM that doesn’t allow you to send messages. I’ve migrated people off Pipedrive to Active Campaign for that very reason. They’re like, look, whenever we want to send an email, we got to use a zap. And then it does this, this and that. You need we’re to that day and age where you need a CRM that allows you to send emails, texts would be the next step. At a minimum, I would say at least those two, right? And just because a platform has custom fields, and allows you to store information about your contacts does not make it a CRM, what we’re really talking about connect, can I help you out here? You’re really just talking about a database? That’s it? Yes, you can use a database to store information. And can it store contact information? Yes, it’s not a CRM. So just stop calling it that. And, and stop letting other people misuse the term and the software associated with it. Friends, don’t let friends use any of the tools I mentioned, as a CRM. And that’s just the truth, everybody, so it’s a new year, let’s take a new approach. Let’s do better. When it comes to technology. How about this, this year, I’m going to be recording more podcasts around the specific software that I’m using, to give you insight, why you should be using what you’re using. Why don’t not saying you have to follow what I’m doing. But just to give you more education, and help you pick technology more accurately, to save you money, pain, embarrassment, frustration, all of that. So do me a favor with this episode. I need you to share this with your the groups that you’re in on Facebook or wherever groups you’re in, share this in those groups. And and and let the debate ensue. Hey, he said so and so’s not a CRM listen to this call me crazy. Let them listen to it. Nothing can stand up from the truth. The whatever arguments they have will be short lived. If they’re long lived, that just means they’re living in ignorance. This is what CRMs are meant to do. And no other tool was meant to do that. Again, can you get some of the functionality? Yes, but you’ll never get all of it. And you need all of it. You’re gonna get to a point in business where your business needs a true CRM. It’s just inevitable. Okay? So don’t settle for these cheap alternatives. Call it what it is, is not a CRM. Alright. So share this with that digital marketer who’s responsible for making the recommendations. share those with the operations manager that’s responsible for operating the business. Share this with the founder, the CEO, that’s just not as tech savvy and doesn’t understand. Hey, isn’t it all the same? Share it and help them out. And let’s, let’s change let’s change what we can for the new year. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of The all systems go podcast. If you enjoyed it, make sure that you’re subscribed at the time of recording the all systems go podcast is free to subscribe to end it can be found in Apple podcast, Google podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts new episodes are released every Thursday. So make sure you’re subscribed so that you don’t miss out and while you’re at it, please leave us a five star rating and review to show some love but also to help future listeners more easily find the podcast so they can experience the value of goodness as well.

Chris Davis 24:38
We’ve compiled all resources mentioned on the podcast, as well as other resources that are extremely valuable and effective at helping you grow your marketing automation skills quickly. And you can access them all at allsystemsgopodcast.com Thanks again for listening. And until next time, I see you all Online Automate responsibly my friends

Narrator 0:00
You’re listening to the all systems go podcast, the show that teaches you everything you need to know to put your business on autopilot. Learn how to deploy automated marketing and sell systems in your business the right way with your host, the professor of automation himself and founder of automation bridge, Chris Davis.

Chris Davis 0:31
Welcome to another episode of The all systems go podcast, where we invite startup founders, digital marketers, and myself to discuss strategies and software used to build automated marketing and sales systems that scale. I’m your host, Chris Al Davis, founder of automation bridge. And in this episode, can I start off by saying Happy New Year, if I haven’t had the opportunity to tell you this, or hear or you hear it from my voice? At the time of recording, this is the very first podcast of the year 2022. And if you’re listening to this, you should be grateful because that means you made it through 2021. Not in a Oh, what was me, but in a victorious triumphant thing, that there were so many things that take place in a day times that by 365. Right? It is, I’m learning in my older not old, but older age, how to appreciate time in life, given in value time, and life spent, where who doing what, these are all important they make up life and the quality of life. So Happy New Year to you, you made it through 2021, let’s make 2022 even greater. And in that vein, I want to set the tone for the year. And one would say Chris, well, I thought you’re already doing this. But what I want to do is set a tone of an adulterated truth. Okay. That may sting a bit. But again, many of you who have been listening to the podcast may say, Well, Chris, look, you rarely hold back punches anyway. So let’s say this, I’m not gonna hold back punches, maybe the punches I throw will be a little harder. And it’s not to hurt you. Remember, I’m really punching at the false gurus, the false narratives, and the terrible teaching out there that’s leading you astray as an entrepreneur, small business owner, and startup founder. The primary reason is I’m just tired of seeing people be led astray when it comes to digital marketing and automation, in overall running your business successfully in a leveraged manner. It is it’s like a epidemic of in the digital space, it goes beyond just you know, the US, it’s all over. It’s all over. And I want to stop it, I want to I want to help but be the cure. And I know I’m only one voice. But hopefully you all will band behind me as you’ve you’ve been doing, and get this message out and start to help people. And I recently heard a quote that resonated so strongly with me that I was like, You know what, that’s going to be one of my life themes. I’m taking it. And I am is one of my mantras, and it was a psychologist and or physiologist, I don’t know, therapists. How about that. And this is the the statement that she made people do better with the truth than without it. And she was referring to how people hold back, thinking you’re helping the other person in some way, by saving them from this unbearable reality. When in actuality, when you don’t give people the truth, you are doing the very thing that you’re trying to prevent, you’re not helping them, you are holding them back. You are preventing them from being able to learn how to take the truth and do with it properly, which is usually change their ways. So people do better with the truth than without it. So why would I refuse? Why? Or why would I agree? To not give you the truth, right? And I’m going to give it to you again, unadulterated and the truth of the day. The truth of this episode is that’s just not a CRM. It’s not stopped calling it it. Stop calling it that. Go to Episode 12. With all systems go podcast if you need to know what a CRM is. But this podcast is inspired by two major events, two major events that have been taking place. Last year one was there. There was a huge amount of young startups, just founders that I talked to, that were really struggling getting a true CRM in place. And it was cringe worthy to see some of the alternatives they leaned on. Okay, that’s one and then two was experts

Chris Davis 4:55
giving terrible guidance on what CRM platform forms that you should use, okay. And the former has been an awareness of mine for a while. But it wasn’t until the latter happened that I found myself triggered a bit. Okay, I was scrolling through my friendly Facebook feed where somebody who I trust shared a post of someone they trust, okay. And you know what, I’m actually gonna pull it up and read it to you. And it was it was something like of of the sorts of business owners this January. And if you haven’t already in it goes down this list of things to do, right, refresh your LinkedIn, chart your supply chain and product roadmap and write out your business plan. And then it hit me. So keep yourself accountable by using a CRM tool, like Monday, Asana or Trello. Shots fired, shots fired shots of ignorance fire. And at that point, I say, you know, what? If I didn’t care about my phone, I would have thrown it, right. It’s just like, Why do what is wrong? What is going on with these people? Because it wasn’t just that statement, everybody. It was the amount of comments and lies that was like, Oh, yes, I need to get Monday. Oh, Trello is a CRM, and you just see the blind leading the blind, just all the way off the path. Right. So this, this was something that I just couldn’t let slide and and listen, let me be the first to say I get it. We repurpose and multi purpose technology all the time taking one tool that was meant to do a and b, and then also making it do C, D and E for us, is actually part of like the allure of digital marketing building systems and as an automation service provider, you know, in depth of what these tools can do what they should be doing. So you know, when you’re breaking the boundaries, you know, when you’re stretching it, you know, when you’re using it outside of its intended purpose, but to do so you have to be fully aware that you are taking the tool out of its original use not redefining the purpose of the tool. In general due to your ignorance, you cannot not know what it’s supposed to do and then just start using it in a repurpose or multi purposed capacity. Right. Use it for what it’s for, then add to it for more. Right but you can’t add more if you don’t know what it’s for. That was very Dr. Seuss’s the right, I can’t say it again. So you’re gonna have to rewind it if you want to hear that. But you have to know what a tool is supposed to do. Before you can make it do be on that. Okay. And when it comes to a CRM, this can be extremely detrimental detrimental beyond measure. And again, if you want to know Okay, Chris, should I be using the CRM? What is the CRM, the history of a CRM, I recorded all of that already. Go listen to episode 12. It’s there for you right now just pause this, go scroll up, go to listen to episode 12 Episode 12 and come right back down to this episode. And as I’m as I’m on my rant, I want to I want to do an analogy before I just really bring it home and give you my its not a CRM hitlist. And here, here’s the analogy that I want to use for you. I want I want you to think about your cell phone. Okay? Apple, Android, who cares, right, your cell phone, your smartphone, I’m sorry, smartphone, and think of the Contacts app. And that app was built to manage your context. And and therefore all of the features are created to support such purpose, right? Adding an organization email, multiple phone numbers, notes, things, things of that nature. It’s all built for that now. Now watch this. Imagine instead of using your contacts app for all of your contact management, you use your messaging app. Just think about that. You even when I said that you just cringed it was like why would you do that? That’s for text messaging. Like that’s, that’s ignorant. What about your notes app syncs to the cloud. You can use it on multiple devices, just put all your contacts in your notes app and keep track of everybody’s name number emails, organizations, blah, blah, blah all in your notes that nicely organized, right?

Chris Davis 9:51
Or maybe the most parallel with the example that this quote unquote expert use with Monday Trello and all that is what about a to do list app Right, like one of those apps that keep you on track of what you need to be doing, maybe you just create lists, like, these are my friends. And then in the friends and in the little checkmarks are their names and numbers and why not, it works, or maybe the email app, right, just put all of your contacts in your email app, and use that to manage everything. Now, all of which will give you the ability to add context information, however you like, and refer to it for later usage when necessary, every single thing that I mentioned, but some of those were a little more far stretched than the others. And if you just monitor your response, some of these were just like, that’s just stupid, why would I use a to do list for my context, right? In in actuality, this, these, you would never, you would never in, let me say a intelligent mind would never do such you would never do such, not just because you understand, those apps aren’t supposed to you like you’re not supposed to put contacts into those apps for your primary means of management, which, which let me say this is not to be overlooked, because business owners don’t know that the contact app equivalent in business is a CRM. So I want to acknowledge that like there is just an ignorance around a CRM, whereas in this contacts app, everybody with the smartphone knows you put your contacts in the Contacts app. So I get it, I’m not going to overlook the fact that business owners don’t know that they’re supposed to put their contacts in a CRM, but just follow the parallel here, follow the analogy. So once you know the purpose of the Contacts app, you would never use something as a replacement for it, that was not purpose to do that exact thing. And here’s where it gets interesting. The main thing is the entire ecosystem of your smartphone revolves around functions more smoothly, when you use the contact. When your contacts are in the appropriate app. Think about it. When you go type a text message and you start to type the name. Where is it pulling that information from your contacts? When you go to make a call? Where is it pulling that information from your contacts at the contact database, even some social media apps, when you sign in on your phone, one of the first things it will do is look through your contact app, looking at through your contact database, and say, Hey, would you like us to just add all of these friends? Where is it not looking everybody, it’s not looking at your notes app, it’s not looking at your to do list not looking at your messaging app, it’s not looking in your email app. It’s not. So when we start to understand the whole ecosystem operates smooth more smoothly, when we put contacts where contacts are supposed to go. It is the way that a CRM integrates, and the information it passes. That makes it a CRM, and all the other platforms not one. When you use a CRM appropriately, and you have it integrated, it’s easy to receive and pass information because that’s what the CRM was meant to do. It stores information in a way that can easily be accessed throughout its ecosystem or third party integration. And when you start using these other apps, as a CRM, and it comes time to start performing actions, like sending information, or messaging out, this is where things get tricky. And you start to see the limitation. So that being said, what are those other platforms? Here’s my super short but super important. It’s not a CRM hitless. What does this mean? If I catch you in the wild, okay, using one of these apps, just know, you have put yourself on my hitlist. What does the hitless mean? I don’t know. It doesn’t mean that, you know, I’m gonna take you out or anything like that. Maybe it’s a loss of respect. Maybe it’s a deep saddening of the heart. Maybe I just look at you differently. I don’t know. But just know everybody else that I’m training and teaching this to they’re going to have a hit list and you’ll be on that hit list too. So stay off the hit list.

Chris Davis 14:43
Here’s the super short super important CRM hitless and let me just say, I will talk about you I in my community, we we make we make fun of this, okay. It’s it’s, it’s, it brings joy to us, not in a way where it’s like You dummy. But it’s just like, Look, if you don’t want to be talked about just don’t do these things. So I’m, I’m saving you. I really am because you don’t know how you’re representing yourself incorrectly just by the apps that you’re using for your CRM. Can I help you can can I cannot throw Can I hurt you then help you? Right? Can it sting? And then let me help help you move to a direction where you never have to deal with that sting again. So anyways, super short, super important. hitless notion. You know what even I shouldn’t even have to say this. Have you ever felt like that? Maybe you’re in a relationship, you’re just like I’ve told you so many times, I shouldn’t have to keep telling you. notion is not a CRM, just ask notion. You know what, ask these platforms, just go type in to the, to the Hey, notion, are you a CRM? Now granted, you can’t trust what they say maybe some of them be like, Sure, you can use us as a CRM, but you have to do blah, blah, blah. Just know they’re not matter of fact, don’t ask them I don’t want them to even have the opportunity to lie listen to me notion is not a seer. Google Sheets or Excel, not a CRM, any project management software, Asana, Trello, click up Monday, teamwork, etc. You name it. If it’s created to manage a project, it is not a CRM, period. I’m not leaning on this everybody Help Desk software like Zendesk fresh desks in all of the likes, you better not listen to you, you better not call it a CRM airtable As much as I love it, it’s probably the most arguably, like borderline, wait a minute, it could be used as a CRM. It’s not a CRM is just not right when you start to integrate it when you airtable using as CRM trying to send an email to send an email to a contact once they’ve once you’ve collected a certain amount of information. Just try it. It’s a limitation not a CRM everybody is their technical work around Absolutely. Not a CRM maybe could start as a very light one when you just need to, like manage them. No, I’m not. I’m not bending. It’s not you see that? Even me even me? The ignorance is so strong, it will try to make you bend I’m not bending. No, it’s not just no email marketing, email marketing platforms. MailChimp, Constant Contact ConvertKit mailer light excetera throw it in their email marketing platforms. No, it’s not a CRM. It’s not. stop it. It’s not get it out of your head. You’re straight. Some of you are really wrestling with this. And I can feel it you are you are you feeling a certain way because Google Sheets has been working so well for you as a CRM well get over it because a CRM can do everything it can do and more nobody’s talking about how great your air table database is and how how stupid you are now because you’re using it know to make take all that greatness and just migrated into CRM, and watch it be greater. But I found this way to use clickup We love clickup, by the way, and automation bridge we love clickup. I found this way to use click up that it could be a CRM because you can link records and you could do this. Nope, no, no. Just Just Just stop it. Okay? Just stop is not a CRM. That’s my hitless okay? Don’t be on my hitless everybody. If you’re on my hit list, this means that you’re doing detrimental marketing, your operations are detrimental to themselves. Okay. Now, these platforms can be multi purpose to provide some type of CRM functionality. That’s why you even see me trying to lean but I would never recommend using them. Using them as one due to there are three primary reasons. I’m gonna help you out here. I’m gonna talk bad about you, then I’m gonna help you out. Okay. One is the lack of information to store. Okay, CRMs are built to store in, like, so much information that’s usable. Which brings me to my next point that’s usable, some of you believe but I can store all kinds of information in a Google sheet or air table and this is that I get it. But watch this. Watch this. If we go down to the second one, the ability to natively send that information to other platforms.

Chris Davis 19:45
Try sending that information out of Google Sheets notion, air table, whatever, you’re going to need Zapier at a minimum you need that. But depending on the complexity, and then and then if we get down to it, the configuration of these zaps or whatever you’re using gets real complicated. Because now was like, Okay, I do I need a zap for every column every time something is updated in a column. What about a row? How do I look for all of these? How do I all of these actions that can take place all my information, you would have hundreds of zaps hundreds that’s unmanageable. So you want it to be native one CRM, like keep by Infusionsoft by keep, almost said Ontraport, HubSpot or Salesforce Active Campaign, they natively receive in send actions out and in that allow you to manage the contact more appropriately. That’s what they’re for. Which brings me to the third point, the difficulty in adding the ability to send messaging from within the platform, you’ve got to you can’t be using a CRM that doesn’t allow you to send messages. I’ve migrated people off Pipedrive to Active Campaign for that very reason. They’re like, look, whenever we want to send an email, we got to use a zap. And then it does this, this and that. You need we’re to that day and age where you need a CRM that allows you to send emails, texts would be the next step. At a minimum, I would say at least those two, right? And just because a platform has custom fields, and allows you to store information about your contacts does not make it a CRM, what we’re really talking about connect, can I help you out here? You’re really just talking about a database? That’s it? Yes, you can use a database to store information. And can it store contact information? Yes, it’s not a CRM. So just stop calling it that. And, and stop letting other people misuse the term and the software associated with it. Friends, don’t let friends use any of the tools I mentioned, as a CRM. And that’s just the truth, everybody, so it’s a new year, let’s take a new approach. Let’s do better. When it comes to technology. How about this, this year, I’m going to be recording more podcasts around the specific software that I’m using, to give you insight, why you should be using what you’re using. Why don’t not saying you have to follow what I’m doing. But just to give you more education, and help you pick technology more accurately, to save you money, pain, embarrassment, frustration, all of that. So do me a favor with this episode. I need you to share this with your the groups that you’re in on Facebook or wherever groups you’re in, share this in those groups. And and and let the debate ensue. Hey, he said so and so’s not a CRM listen to this call me crazy. Let them listen to it. Nothing can stand up from the truth. The whatever arguments they have will be short lived. If they’re long lived, that just means they’re living in ignorance. This is what CRMs are meant to do. And no other tool was meant to do that. Again, can you get some of the functionality? Yes, but you’ll never get all of it. And you need all of it. You’re gonna get to a point in business where your business needs a true CRM. It’s just inevitable. Okay? So don’t settle for these cheap alternatives. Call it what it is, is not a CRM. Alright. So share this with that digital marketer who’s responsible for making the recommendations. share those with the operations manager that’s responsible for operating the business. Share this with the founder, the CEO, that’s just not as tech savvy and doesn’t understand. Hey, isn’t it all the same? Share it and help them out. And let’s, let’s change let’s change what we can for the new year. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of The all systems go podcast. If you enjoyed it, make sure that you’re subscribed at the time of recording the all systems go podcast is free to subscribe to end it can be found in Apple podcast, Google podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts new episodes are released every Thursday. So make sure you’re subscribed so that you don’t miss out and while you’re at it, please leave us a five star rating and review to show some love but also to help future listeners more easily find the podcast so they can experience the value of goodness as well.

Chris Davis 24:38
We’ve compiled all resources mentioned on the podcast, as well as other resources that are extremely valuable and effective at helping you grow your marketing automation skills quickly. And you can access them all at allsystemsgopodcast.com Thanks again for listening. And until next time, I see you all Online Automate responsibly my friends