Is Your CRM Just Fancy Procrastination?
Here is a scenario I see constantly:
A founder decides it's time to get serious about sales. They are pumped up. They are ready to grow.
So, what is the first thing they do?
Do they pick up the phone? Do they email a prospect? No.
They sign up for a free trial of HubSpot or Salesforce. They spend two weeks customizing pipeline stages. They color-code their tags. They set up complex automations so that if a lead clicks an email at 2:00 AM on a Tuesday, they get a specific tag.
They feel incredibly productive. They feel like they are "building the machine."
But they aren't. They are procrastinating.
The "Empty Gym" Syndrome
Building a complex CRM before you have a sales process is like buying $500 worth of Lululemon gear before you’ve ever done a pushup. You look the part, but you aren't any stronger.
I have seen solopreneurs with Salesforce setups that rival Fortune 500 companies, yet they haven't closed a deal in a month.
Here is the hard truth: Software does not make sales. You make sales.
A CRM is just a database. If you put garbage in (bad leads, no follow-up strategy), you will get garbage out (no revenue). The tool doesn't fix the process.
The "Napkin Test"
This is a core tenet of the KYSS (Keep Your Sales Simple) philosophy: Process First, Tech Second.
Before you spend a dime on software or an hour on configuration, try the "Napkin Test."
Can you draw your entire sales process on a cocktail napkin?
Step 1: Lead comes in.
Step 2: I send Email Template A.
Step 3: I call them within 10 minutes.
Step 4: If they answer, I book a demo.
If you can't articulate that flow simply, no piece of software will save you.
My Challenge to You: Use a Spreadsheet
If you are a team-of-one and you are struggling to sell, I want you to cancel your expensive CRM subscription.
Open a Google Sheet.
Column A: Name
Column B: Phone Number
Column C: Last Contacted Date
Column D: Next Step
Column E: Notes
That’s it. That is your CRM.
Use that spreadsheet until it breaks. Use it until you are closing so many deals that you physically cannot manage the rows anymore. Then, and only then, have you earned the right to upgrade to a CRM.
Don't let "setting up the tools" become your excuse for not doing the work.
Stop playing "business." Start selling.
Build Your Full System
Knowing what tools to use is just a tiny part of the puzzle. You need the system that goes into the tool.
I've compiled the entire "no-BS" framework into a 15-minute digital course and manual: KYSS: Keep Your Sales Simple. It gives you the exact scripts, metrics, and cadences you need to fill that spreadsheet with closed deals.
[Click here to get the KYSS Course & Manual today.]
Need More Than a Manual? Get Your Team.
The KYSS e-book is the "what"—the complete, actionable manual.
But what happens when you have a question about your specific business? Who reviews your sales call? Who helps you apply the system?
That's why I built the Selling Pens Community. It's the sales team for the team-of-one.
It's a private, professional workshop where you can get real feedback and stop guessing.
Join as a Community Member for peer-to-peer feedback and our monthly live group coaching call.
Join as a Pro Member for direct, 1-on-1 access to me. I'll personally review your sales calls, your scripts, and your process.
[Click here to see the community options and join your new team.]
