Startup Toolbox Tip 1: Email CRM
Running a startup is hella hard (DUH!), so I’ll share my tips to optimize your experience as a co-founder of a startup. We’ll start with the Startup Founder’s Creed:
This is my e-mail box. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
My mailbox is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.
Without me, my mailbox is useless. Without my mailbox, I am useless. I must utilize my mailbox true. I must e-mail better than my competition who is trying to take my customers. I must e-mail my customers before they e-mail my customers. I will…
My mailbox and I know that what counts in competition is not the e-mails we send, the noise of our e-mail campaign, nor the hype we make. We know that it is the customer acquisitions that count. We will acquire…
My mailbox is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its tracking pixels and its inbox. I will keep my mailbox clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will…
Before God, I swear this creed. My mailbox and I are the defenders of my startup. We are the masters of our competition. We are the saviors of my startup’s life.
So be it, until victory is my startup’s and there is no competition, but success!
Print it out and post it somewhere where everybody can see it, so they can think you’re an absolute weirdo! :)
Why Use A Mailbox CRM?
A CRM can be critical to your startup’s success. Most CRMs are standalone products or online services, but integrating directly with your mailbox makes it easier to manage your contact relationships as part of your daily workflow. I use Streak, as it integrates really well with Gmail. You can create multiple pipelines and track how your contacts are moving along in each pipeline. You can create pipelines for business development, deal flow, fundraising, bug tracking or customize the pipeline to fit your specific needs.
Here is what my Biz Dev pipeline looks at this stage:
The Big Secret: You Are The Big Brother Now!
The beauty of Streak is that it allows you to track your e-mails. You will know when your e-mail was opened, how many times it was viewed, when it was viewed and even the location where it was viewed from! No more guessing whether somebody viewed your e-mail or not. That also allows you to manage your communication better, because you can tell when somebody has more interest: a single view can be interpreted as less interested, but 5 or 6 views may be a signal to follow up. The value of having this information is immense, especially when you’re dealing with business critical communication!
So there you have it! Supercharge your mailbox and be a better startup founder!
