Module 1.2

Selecting the right CRM tool and setting it up properly is crucial for long-term success. The right system will grow with your career, while a poorly chosen or configured CRM will become frustrating and eventually abandoned.

• •*Evaluating CRM Options:**
• •*Free Options:**
• •**HubSpot CRM** - Professional features, completely free
• •**Airtable** - Flexible database-spreadsheet hybrid
• •**Notion** - All-in-one workspace with CRM capabilities
• •**Google Sheets** - Simple but requires manual setup
• •*Key Features to Look For:**
• •*Must-Have Features:**
• •Contact management with custom fields
• •Interaction tracking and notes
• •Task and reminder system
• •Search and filter capabilities
• •Mobile access
• •Data export capability
• •*Nice-to-Have Features:**
• •Email integration
• •Automation and workflows
• •Team collaboration
• •Reporting and analytics
• •Integration with other tools
• •Custom views and dashboards
• •*Setting Up Your CRM:**
• •*Step 1: Define Your Contact Categories**

Create categories relevant to your music career:

• •**Venues** - Bookers, promoters, talent buyers
• •**Media** - Journalists, bloggers, playlist curators
• •**Industry** - Managers, labels, agents, publishers
• •**Artists** - Collaborators, peers, mentors
• •**Services** - Producers, engineers, designers
• •**Fans** - Superfans, street team, supporters
• •*Step 2: Create Custom Fields**

Add fields specific to music industry needs:

• •*For All Contacts:**
• •Name and preferred name
• •Email and phone
• •Social media profiles
• •Company/organization
• •Role/title
• •Location/city
• •How you met
• •Relationship strength (cold/warm/hot)
• •Tags (genre, sub-niche, specialty)
• •*For Venue Contacts:**
• •Venue capacity
• •Typical genres booked
• •Booking timeline (how far in advance)
• •Payment terms
• •Technical specs
• •Load-in details
• •Past shows played
• •*For Media Contacts:**
• •Publication/platform
• •Coverage focus
• •Submission guidelines
• •Typical response time
• •Past coverage received
• •Audience size/reach
• •Preferred pitch format
• •*For Artist Contacts:**
• •Musical style/genre
• •Collaboration interests
• •Skill sets
• •Current projects
• •Availability
• •Past collaborations
• •*Step 3: Import Existing Contacts**

Gather contacts from:

• •Email contacts
• •Social media connections
• •Business cards
• •Past correspondence
• •Show contacts
• •Collaboration partners
• •Industry events attended
• •*Step 4: Set Up Your Workflow**

Create processes for:

• •*Adding New Contacts:**
• •When to add someone (immediately after meeting)
• •Required information to capture
• •Initial categorization and tagging
• •First follow-up action
• •*Logging Interactions:**
• •After each email, call, or meeting
• •Note key discussion points
• •Record promises or commitments
• •Set follow-up reminders
• •Update relationship status
• •*Regular Maintenance:**
• •Weekly review of upcoming tasks
• •Monthly contact review and cleanup
• •Quarterly relationship assessment
• •Annual export and backup
• •*Step 5: Create Templates**

Develop email templates for common situations:

• •Initial introduction
• •Following up after meeting
• •Sharing new music
• •Booking inquiry
• •Thank you message
• •Check-in without asking
• •Re-engagement after time
• •*Best Practices for CRM Success:**
• •*Update Immediately:**

Don't wait to log information. Do it right after an interaction while details are fresh.

• •*Set Clear Next Steps:**

Every contact should have a clear next action and date.

• •*Use Consistent Naming:**

Standardize how you name contacts and companies for easier searching.

• •*Add Context to Notes:**

Don't just note what happened—note why it matters and what it means for the relationship.

• •*Regular Review:**

Set aside time weekly to review upcoming tasks and monthly to assess relationships.

• •*Common CRM Mistakes to Avoid:**
• •Adding contacts without complete information
• •Forgetting to set follow-up reminders
• •Not logging interactions consistently
• •Creating too many custom fields initially
• •Making the system too complicated
• •Never cleaning up outdated contacts
• •Failing to back up your data
• •Not checking it regularly
• •*Growing Your CRM:**

As your career grows:

• •Add more sophisticated features gradually
• •Create more detailed workflows
• •Add team members if you hire help
• •Integrate with other tools you use
• •Build more automation
• •Create better reporting
• •*Measuring CRM Effectiveness:**

Track these metrics:

• •Number of quality contacts added monthly
• •Follow-up completion rate
• •Response rate to outreach
• •Opportunities generated from contacts
• •Booking success rate
• •Media coverage secured
• •Collaborations initiated

Your CRM should become more valuable over time as your network grows and your relationship history deepens. Treat it as an essential business tool that's worth investing time to use properly.