In education, as teachers we are faced with a veritable alphabet soup of acronyms. From STEM to STEAM, to the SATs, MAP testing, ESL, IEPs, GPAs, and the PTO, the last thing you probably want to hear about is CRM.
Here’s the crazy thing, though—using CRM software (unlike many of those other acronyms) can actually make your life easier and make you a more effective teacher.
CRM stands for customer (client or constituent) relationship management…and before you say, “but I don’t have customers, I’m a teacher,” think of the word customer a little differently. Customers can be defined as “those who give you money for goods or services,” OR customers can be defined as “a person you communicate with.” Think of students, parents, school board, funders, alumni and community members, and even your fellow faculty members as your customers.
Small businesses see the value in CRM. Large businesses have been using them for years and years. Higher education teachers and administration may already be using a CRM, and your district office, or private school business office, may be using CRM software in one form or another. Accessibility, ease of use and low cost makes it easy to get started, and now is the time to bring CRM into your classroom.
How CRM Works
CRM is simply software to help you manage your relationships. You probably use a calendar program already, and a grade book and report card software. You might have software to communicate with parents, and another type of software you use for your class blog. You might use social media for your class, and communicate with a school portal.
CRM can help you manage your calendar and tasks, track communication, schedule and streamline your lesson planning and keep track of important information about each student or family under your tutelage. The best thing is—you can do it all in one place!
You can customize workflows, to help with your lesson preparation and planning. You can prioritize your tasks (no more running to the office for copies at the last minute, or realizing you have scheduled not one, but two parent meetings during your 20 minute lunch break).
Insightly is integrated with MailChimp, which you may already be using to send out newsletters and parent memos. You can streamline parent communication and contact information, and save yourself from searching through student’s files when you need to reach parents quickly.
Insightly is also integrated with Gmail, Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote and many of the other software tools you use already. Think of it as a one-stop shop to manage all of your communication with parents and students, as well as a way to organize, manage and prioritize your work.
CRM and Fundraising
One place CRM shines for all non-profits is fundraising. If you’re in education, you are probably constantly focused on the bottom line. How many of us have had to pay for student items out of pocket, or worked on a PTO fundraiser or event to bring in money for the school? What about grant writing?
With budget cuts in district offices, teachers are often tasked with writing their own grant requests and reaching out to community funders and businesses for donations. CRM can easily help you manage those deadlines, nurture your relationships, and keep track of past donations. It is vital for stewardship and continued donor outreach.
Selling ads for student calendars or programs, or helping your Booster club build up and keep track of their funding base is another area where CRM can help your PTO, staff and volunteers really keep track. Speaking of volunteers—imagine being able to quickly access the contact information for your volunteers, see when they last helped and what their areas of expertise are, and send them a quick message! It’s possible, and even simple if you have the right CRM software.
Alumni
Another area where CRM can play a critical role is when it comes to tracking and contacting alumni. In this day and age, even elementary schools are trying to keep a handle on the wonderful things their students go on to do after graduation. As a teacher, it can be rewarding to hear of their success, yes, but it can also be an amazing resource for your classroom. Imagine having a database of potential guest speakers, experts who have a tie a love of your school, and with whom you share a connection.
Alumni make great supporters, advocates, future parents and volunteers. Don’t let them leave your classroom and disappear. Instead, keep in touch to share updates and information. Connect with your alumni through social media and invite them to read your class blog. CRM software makes it easy to update past and present students you teach and inspire.
Teaching is a tough (and sometimes thankless) job. Make your job a little easier with the right tools to succeed.
Jennifer Huber is the Development and Community Relations Director for Milwaukee’s Hillel Academy. She also works as a writer, contributor and consultant for several companies, including Broydrick & Associates lobbying and public relations firm. She holds a BA in Community Leadership and Non-Profit Management from Alverno College. Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn.
A CRM system is nothing more than a database. And nowadays, that database is more than likely in the cloud. So instead of everyone having their own individual list of contacts in their email At Insightly, we offer a CRM used by small and mid-sized businesses from a huge variety of verticals. Learn about all of Insightly’s features and plans on our pricing page or sign up for a free trial.
About the Author: Jennifer Huber is the Development and Community Relations Director for Milwaukee’s Hillel Academy. She also works as a writer, contributor and consultant for several companies, including Broydrick & Associates lobbying and public relations firm. She holds a BA in Community Leadership and Non-Profit Management from Alverno College. Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn.
