Using Free Tools for Remote Access to Act!
There are many ways to acquire Act! data once you leave outside the office. Let's focus on one option. One way to do this is to use unattended remote PC access tools such as TightVNC, ShowMyPC and GotoMyPC by Citrix.
Free programs like TightVNC and ShowMyPC usually don't have easy means to transfer files or offer remote printing. Of the three, GoToMyPC is the most expensive @ $12/month, but it's the easiest to install, deploy and acquire support. GotoMyPC offers a 30 day trial.
So how it works is you setup your desktop PC in the office to remain on with Act!; then, you use the remote PC to connect as if you were at that location. The remote PC does not require Act! to be installed. This is a great setup for a one-person shop or business owner with a home and work office.
There are many ways to deploy Act! across remote offices and devices so you have instant access to your contacts when you need to close deals. Let us know about your remote access struggles, and I can find an easy solution.
How to Import History into Act! without a Plugin
In Act!, importing contacts allows you to add a note to a field, but you cannot put in a history. If you are doing this for a one-off like importing names from a trade show; then recording the fact they attended the show as a "Meeting Held" is preferred to a note.
This would work on v17+, and not tested for earlier versions.
- Create a lookup of contacts in Act! (Sample Video)
- Change Act! preferences to "Create a separate activity for each contact" (Video)
- Schedule a meeting for all the contacts (Video)
- You can clear multiple activities at once (Video)
This will create a unique history for each contact record. If you find yourself doing this quite often, we recommend contacting us to learn about Oak!Merge Advanced Edition. This plugin to Act! enables you import multiple histories at once and other entities.
Avoid These 5 E-Mail Marketing Mistakes
Citing a columnist for The Huffington Post, we tell our clients to avoid these problems:
- Create periodic changes in graphic design
- Focus on one message per email
- Balance text with graphics
- Clean out the bounced addresses from the mailing list
- Acquire help from a writer. We found sites like upwork, oDesk and Fiver can help at a pretty good price.
Segmenting The Database Increases Open and Click Through Rates
To increase your open and click rates, it's a best practice to use Act!, or whatever CRM system you use, to create a smaller list with greater precision rather than a "spray and pray" approach where one offers goes to anyone in hopes the numbers make up the difference.
I proved this by segmenting the database by "areas of interest" based on a survey I sent along with re-examining my database to see what features of Act! they inquired about. Once I targeted my list, my open rate went from 11% to 64% with two messages sent the same day to Act! users. One list is "Tips and Tricks" if I don't know more about them while the second list contains tips on "Automating Act!" based on my clients' feedback.
In addition to traditional CRM training and support services, we offer a service to help you build proper surveys and to properly segment the database before you send your next e-blast.
Automate Marketing in CRM - First Step
Automating Marketing with CRM allows you to:
- Reach the hundreds of contacts you cannot call today
- Build brand awareness
- Ensure marketing gets done without daily manual intervention
Before any tool is implemented, the first thing to do is segment your database by industry.
Here are some screenshots of various systems. You can change these highlighted choices quickly as you finish each conversation with a client. As you send more targeted campaigns, open and read rates will increase. Here is our evidence from our campaigns.
Act! Example:
Salesforce Example:
Zoho Example:
