Get the most out of your Salesforce instance: Best Practices for Small Businesses

Written By Robbie Egan

Salesforce is a powerful platform, and for small businesses, it can be the backbone of your customer relationships, sales processes, and overall growth. But simply having Salesforce isn't enough; you need to leverage its capabilities effectively to truly see a return on your investment. Here at Landore Solutions, we believe in making Salesforce work smarter, not harder, for you.

Here are some best practices to help your small business maximize its Salesforce instance:

1. Keep Your Data Clean and Organized

Maintaining clean data is fundamental for accurate reporting and efficient operations.

  • Data Entry Standards: Establish clear guidelines for how data is entered. This includes naming conventions, required fields, and data formats. Consistency is key!

  • Regular Audits: Periodically review your data for duplicates, outdated information, and inconsistencies. Salesforce offers tools like duplicate management, or you can use third-party apps to assist with this.

  • Validation Rules: Implement validation rules to ensure data integrity at the point of entry, preventing common errors before they become problems.

2. Automate Repetitive Tasks

Why spend valuable time on manual tasks when Salesforce can do it for you?

  • Flow (Automations): Flow is an incredibly powerful tool that can automate things like assigning leads, sending email alerts, updating fields, or creating tasks based on specific criteria. For example, you can automatically assign a new lead to a sales rep based on their region.

  • Approvals: Streamline approval processes for discounts, expenses, or content with automated approval flows.

  • Email Templates: Create standardized email templates for common communications (e.g., welcome emails, follow-ups) to save time and ensure consistent messaging.

3. Customize for Your Business Needs

Salesforce is highly customizable, and tailoring it to your unique processes is essential.

  • Custom Objects & Fields: Don't try to force your unique data into standard fields. Create custom objects and fields to accurately capture information relevant to your business.

  • Page Layouts: Optimize page layouts to display the most important information prominently for your users, reducing clutter and improving efficiency.

  • AppExchange: Explore the Salesforce AppExchange for pre-built solutions that can extend Salesforce's functionality and address specific business needs without custom development. From marketing automation to accounting integrations, there's likely an app for it.

4. Train Your Team Effectively

Even the best tools are only as good as the people using them.

  • Onboarding & Ongoing Training: Provide thorough training for all users, from new hires to seasoned employees. Salesforce is constantly evolving, so ongoing training helps your team stay up-to-date.

  • User Adoption: Encourage consistent use by demonstrating the value of Salesforce to your team. Highlight how it makes their jobs easier and helps them achieve their goals.

  • Internal Champions: Identify "power users" within your team who can act as internal resources and advocates for Salesforce.

5. Leverage Reports and Dashboards

Data is only useful if you can understand it and act on it.

  • Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Identify the metrics most important to your business (e.g., lead conversion rate, average deal size, customer retention).

  • Custom Reports: Build custom reports to track your KPIs and gain insights into sales performance, customer service, and marketing effectiveness.

  • Dashboards: Create intuitive dashboards that visually represent your data, allowing you to quickly monitor progress and identify trends at a glance.

6. Security and Permissions

Protecting your data is paramount.

  • Profiles & Permission Sets: Carefully manage user access through profiles and permission sets, ensuring that users only see and interact with the data and features they need for their roles.

  • Password Policies: Enforce strong password policies and multi-factor authentication to enhance security.

  • Regular Reviews: Periodically review user permissions to ensure they are still appropriate and that no unnecessary access has been granted.

7. Plan for Growth

As your business evolves, so too should your Salesforce instance.

  • Scalability: Design your Salesforce solutions with future growth in mind. Avoid quick fixes that might become technical debt later on.

  • Regular Reviews: Schedule regular check-ins to review your Salesforce usage, identify new needs, and plan for future enhancements.

  • Partner with Experts: Don't hesitate to engage a Salesforce consulting partner like Landore Solutions. We can help you navigate complex configurations, optimize your instance, and unlock new possibilities as your business expands.

By implementing these best practices, your small business can transform its Salesforce instance from just a CRM into a dynamic engine for growth and efficiency. If you’d like our help implementing these best practices into your Salesforce instance, contact us today!

Robbie Egan