As a company that provides event management software, we don’t just offer our product; we live by it. At Dryfta, we use Dryfta's Event CRM as our primary (and only) tool for managing our contacts, updating information, sending personalized emails, and running effective marketing campaigns. We use our CRM daily, which gives us a unique perspective into its capabilities—and how it can make a difference for event organizers like you.
In this blog, I’m going to walk you through how we at Dryfta leverage our CRM to stay connected with our network, keep our contact database organized, and execute strategic campaigns to support our marketing goals. You might even discover a few new ways you can make the most of Dryfta for your events.
The Power of an All-in-One Event CRM
Dryfta’s Event CRM is the command center for all our communications and outreach. Instead of juggling between different systems—one for contact management, another for email campaigns, and yet another for reporting—Dryfta provides everything in a unified platform. This all-in-one approach is what allows us to focus less on the hassle of tool integration and more on what matters: building meaningful relationships with our clients and prospects.
The magic of Dryfta's CRM lies in its simplicity, automation, and versatility. Whether it's importing contacts, creating custom roles, sending bulk email campaigns, or analyzing engagement data, Dryfta's Event CRM makes the entire process smooth and effective.
Step-by-Step: How We Use Dryfta's CRM for Our Marketing Campaigns
Let me take you behind the scenes to show you how we use our own CRM step by step, starting from importing contacts to following up on email campaigns.
1. Importing Contacts—Laying the Foundation
The very first step in managing your contacts is to import them into the CRM. Dryfta makes this simple through an intuitive Import feature.
- We start by accessing the import tool, which is found under the “Gear” icon on the dashboard.
- From there, we add our contacts in bulk. Typically, these contacts come from different sources—such as our website inquiries, attendee lists from previous events, or individuals who have shown interest in our newsletters.
The import process is designed to be smooth and accommodates data in different formats. You simply match the fields, and within minutes, all your contact information is neatly organized within Dryfta's CRM. No tedious manual data entry—just efficient contact management from the get-go.
2. Creating Custom Roles—Segmenting Your Audience
Once the contacts are in, it’s time to organize them based on different characteristics or interests. We create custom roles for our contacts to make segmentation easy. Think of these roles as tags or labels that help categorize people according to their preferences or relationship to your events.
- For example, we create roles like "Typography Conference Organizers," "Astronomy Conference Organizers," or "Sponsors." The more specific these roles are, the more targeted your communication can be.
Why do we do this? Audience segmentation is critical. Sending out the same message to everyone on your list may work sometimes, but personalized messages yield better results. Roles enable you to target only those who are truly interested in a specific subject. It saves time, reduces email fatigue, and ultimately boosts your conversion rates.
3. Using Bulk Edit to Assign Roles—A Game Changer
Next comes the Bulk Edit feature, which is one of our favorite time-saving tricks. With bulk editing, we can select multiple contacts at once and assign them the appropriate role, all in one go.
- Imagine having 200 new contacts you just imported. Instead of editing each one individually, the bulk edit feature allows us to choose all relevant contacts and assign them a role like "Typography Conference Organizers" in just a few clicks.
This bulk editing capability is a game changer when it comes to managing a large pool of contacts effectively. It makes personalization possible without requiring endless hours of manual categorization.
4. Sending Targeted Emails—Effective Outreach Made Easy
After roles have been assigned, it’s time to start reaching out to our audience through email campaigns.
There are two ways we can do this with Dryfta:
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Option 1: Head to our CRM, filter contacts with the desired role (e.g., "Typography Conference Organizers"), and click on the "Send Email" button to send a tailored message or newsletter to everyone in that group.
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Option 2: Go directly to the Email Campaigns section, create a new campaign, and select all contacts who have been assigned the specific role. This approach is best for more sophisticated email marketing campaigns that include personalized content, A/B testing, or automation.
Both methods work seamlessly, depending on the complexity and purpose of the campaign.
The emails we send are carefully crafted. We try to make them valuable and relevant to the audience. Whether it's an invitation to an upcoming event, a feature update, or insightful content, we make sure every email serves a purpose for the recipient.
5. Campaign Reporting—Data-Driven Decisions
Once the email campaign is sent, the real work begins—analyzing the results. The CRM's Campaign Reporting feature helps us determine how well our email performed.
- We can track open rates, click rates, and see who unsubscribed from our list. This data is key to understanding what’s working and what’s not.
For instance, if a large number of people opened an email but didn't click on any links, it might mean the content was interesting, but the call to action (CTA) didn’t resonate. On the other hand, a high click rate indicates that we struck the right balance of content and engagement.
These insights allow us to continuously refine our messaging and better understand our audience's preferences. We don't have to guess; the data is there, ready to guide our next steps.
6. Following Up With Engaged Contacts—Building Relationships
Once the data has been reviewed, we take the next step by following up with those contacts who showed interest—typically by clicking on the links in our email.
These individuals are now potential leads or people we consider particularly interested in what we offer. By marking these contacts as prospects using the Bulk Edit feature, we ensure they are given higher priority in our future outreach.
We might, for example, set up a follow-up campaign that provides more specific information about Dryfta's features or offers a one-on-one demo. The key here is timely, relevant follow-up—striking while the iron is hot.
7. Assigning Statuses for Better Management—Prospects or Lost Customers
One way we keep our CRM organized is by assigning statuses to our contacts. For instance, contacts who clicked on a link in an email might be marked as "prospects," while others who are no longer interested might be labeled as "lost customers."
- This step is vital for managing your pipeline effectively. You’ll know at a glance who needs more attention and where each contact is in their journey with your organization.
The ability to assign and change these statuses via the Bulk Edit feature simplifies what could otherwise be a complex categorization process.
Dryfta’s CRM: A Practical Solution for Event Planners and Marketers
So, why do we choose Dryfta's Event CRM? Quite simply, because it works. It’s more than just a CRM—it’s a fully integrated communication platform that aligns with our needs and the needs of event planners worldwide. Whether you're managing an academic conference, a trade exhibition, or a corporate event, Dryfta helps you keep your audience engaged and your communication organized.
Here’s a quick recap of why we love using Dryfta’s CRM:
- Seamless Importing: Quickly add contacts and organize them in one place.
- Role Assignments: Easily segment your audience for tailored messaging.
- Bulk Editing: Simplify updates and assignments for groups of contacts at a time.
- Targeted Campaigns: Create and send emails to specific audience segments with ease.
- Insightful Reporting: Understand the performance of your campaigns to improve future efforts.
- Efficient Follow-Ups: Keep the conversation going with those who show interest.
- Status Management: Easily categorize contacts for clear insights into your sales funnel.
We Want to Hear From You
At Dryfta, we believe in continuous improvement—both for ourselves and for the product we offer. If you have a feature request or an idea that could make Dryfta even better, we’d love to hear from you! Feel free to submit your requests through our support desk. Your feedback helps us make sure Dryfta grows along with your needs.
Start managing your events like never before with Dryfta’s Event CRM. It’s not just about tools; it’s about making your job easier and creating lasting experiences for your attendees.