Customer-centric companies are 60% more profitable than companies that aren’t.
Do you say that you are a customer-centric company, or are you one? We have a way to help you figure it out. Do you still push around your content to make sales than to add value? If your answer is yes, maybe it’s time to rethink your CRM strategies.
The cornerstone of a customer-centric approach is the Customer Relationship Management system. No matter the amount of information you take out from the web, it won’t do justice to such an essential topic as a book would.
Are you ready to invest some time to upscale? If yes, we have compiled a list of the top 6 CRM books you must read in 2021 for better Customer Relationship Management.
Before we get to the best CRM books, let’s look at what Customer Relationship Management is?
What is CRM?
Customer relationship management (CRM) combines practices, strategies, and technologies to manage and analyze customer interactions through all brand touchpoints throughout the customer lifecycle.
Do you think you need a book or any other resource, for that matter, to learn about this subject when there is excellent CRM software available? Well, look at it this way –
“If you automate chaos, all you get is faster chaos.”
This doesn’t mean that your CRM process is chaotic, but the gist is that you need to know how a process can work manually first to get the best out of it by automating it later.
Now that we are all suited up to read let’s take a look at the best CRM books
Must-read CRM Books
1. Secrets of Closing The Sale
The book by the late Zig Ziglar, the man who spent his life perfecting the art of sales and consulting the fortune 500 hundred companies, speaks for itself.
Based on the philosophy that you can always have everything you want if you help others get what they want, this book focuses on making sales a win-win process.
Full of entertaining and real-life situations, this book will give you insight into all the right strategies. In addition, the latest edition of the book has fresh content that illustrates the relevance of these truths in the marketplace today. So hop on to this book to get tons of tips and tricks to become proficient in the art of effective persuasion.
2. Marketing Management
CRM marketing sales, all fall under the same umbrella. As a result, marketing management is one of the must-reads books to get your basics right. Written by Philip Kotler – the author of around 60+ marketing books, and Kevin Lane Keller, a known professor and a leader in the study of brands, branding, and strategic brand management system and everything related, this is an ideal book for all businesses, marketing, branding, and sales professionals.
It breaks down the best of the best brands and their strategies to reach the top over the years. It focuses on the fact that marketing isn’t about increasing the revenue or attaining short-term goals but putting the customer at the very heart of your business.
3. Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service
Get to know the behind-the-scenes of the company that sets benchmarks for the best business practices. This book empowers professionals to look beyond the regularly practiced concepts and deliver exceptional customer service. The dedication towards exceeding expectations rather than simply satisfying them is what sets Disney apart from the crowd.
“I don’t want you guys sitting behind desks. I want you out in the park watching what people are doing and finding out how you can make the place more enjoyable for them.” -Disney Institute and Theodore Kinni
Learn the Disney approach’s strategies, principles, and processes to exceptional customer service.
4. The Innovator’s Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book that Will Change the Way You Do Business
In this book, Harvard professor Clayton M. Christensen explains how outstanding companies can possibly do everything right and still fail. Of course, we always look for innovative and best practices to implement, but there is much more to the bigger picture.
This book provides insight on critical topics that usually put us in a dilemma. Learn when to listen to your audience and, more importantly, when not to and beyond.
By breaking down the successes and failures of leading companies, this book guides you with a set of rules to help you win with disruptive innovation.
5. CRM at the speed of light
“One of the most important mantras of the 21st century is that the relationship between the company and the customer has shifted from the company pushing ‘stuff’ at the customer to a conversation between the company and the customer.
One of the most actionable books on Customer Relationship Management! This book talks about the importance of speed in CRM. Today when the world is evolving at lightning speed, so are customer demands, and to keep up with the same can be a challenge.
Slow service means giving your customers a chance to move to your competitors. So how do you keep your customers moving away when they can choose a different provider right with one click.
If done right, you can save your company from the lag. That is precisely what this book addresses and guides you with a strategy that helps you leverage advanced technologies to win today!
6. CRM for Dummies
A definitive guide for small businesses to save up on resources with an effective CRM.
Do you find yourself often googling the phrase “Best solution for ABC?” Well, the key is to look for the right solutions, not the best ones. There are way too many best solutions, but some may be right for your business. You need to know what features your business needs if you have the right resources at your disposal, and more.
This CRM book addresses the questions mentioned above and empowers every small business leader to embark upon a more significant journey. After all, there are best legal CRM solutions that have a holistic process that requires appropriate teams, collaboration, and procedures.
Incorporated with tactics and strategies that will save your company thousands of dollars and person-hours, this book answers the most pressing questions that make a significant impact on your sales.
We can make a never-ending list, but that won’t do good to any of us. After all, we always feel “so many books, so little time.” So let us assure you that we respect your time more than anything. We have done our best to compile the most sought-after CRM books.
Do you know a CRM book that MUST be on the list? Comment below. We’ll definitely consider it. Also, don’t forget to share your experience if you happen to read any of these.
Urmi specializes in writing long-form actionable insights for the SaaS domain. She has been creating content that translates the brand stories and their expertise for 3+ years. Her content empowers businesses to build and engage with communities and develop better visibility. When not scribbling, she explores the new tools and technologies in the industry.
