- Published: Jul 27, 2022
- 6 min. read
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Abby FieldsBranded Content Specialist
- Abby is a data-driven content marketer with certifications in inbound marketing and content marketing. She’s written hundreds of articles covering digital marketing topics — a few of her specialties include first-party data, marketing and data analytics, marketing strategy optimization, and SEO. When she isn’t writing or optimizing content, Abby loves to spend time reading the latest mystery novel, having movie marathons with lots of snacks, and jamming out to Shania Twain.
Do you feel like your current customer relationship management (CRM) platform isn’t meeting your needs? Does your CRM lack the features you need to easily collect and analyze your data?
We’ve got the solution for you: A CRM migration.
But moving your data from one platform to another isn’t as easy as it sounds. That’s why we’ve compiled everything you need to know to successfully transfer your data in this CRM migration checklist!
So, keep reading to follow our seven-step process for your CRM data migration!
And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter, Revenue Weekly, for even more free CRM and data-driven marketing tips and advice from our award-winning experts!
What is CRM migration?
So, what is CRM migration? CRM migration refers to moving or transferring your data from your current CRM software to another platform.
Before moving your data to another platform, you need to determine which data you want to keep and move to the new software.
You should also decide if you want to reorganize or delete some of your data to ensure that your new CRM platform has the information you need to connect with your customers and prospects.
Why migrate your CRM data?
There are a plethora of CRM software options available. Finding the best fit for your business and successfully making the switch can help you drive more sales and revenue for your business.
You might want to move your data to a new CRM platform for several reasons. For example, you might want to use a new CRM software that has:
- More scalability to store larger amounts of data
- Lower costs
- More advanced features
- Access to third-party apps and platforms (like Shopify or Amazon Seller Central)
- Cloud-storage options
CRM data migration helps you choose the best CRM for your company. Moving your data to a new platform that better suits your needs enables you to take control over your data. As a result, you can implement more effective strategies that help your business grow.
Your 7-step CRM migration checklist
Ready to begin your CRM data migration? Make sure your switch is a success with our seven-step CRM data migration checklist:
- Search for the best CRM software
- Prepare your team for the switch
- Analyze the data in your current CRM
- Map your data
- Backup your data
- Test your migration
- Migrate your data
1. Search for the best CRM software
Before starting your CRM data migration, you need to search for and choose your new CRM platform.
There are plenty of options out there, so you’ll want to make sure you choose the best platform that meets your needs and helps you achieve your business goals.
Here are a few of our favorite CRMs:
- Salesforce
- Nutshell
- Zoho CRM
Before choosing the platform, check out its features to ensure it has all the capabilities you need. You can also read its reviews to see how other companies feel about the platform.
2. Prepare your team for the switch
The second step in our CRM data migration checklist is to prepare your team. Once you’ve chosen the CRM platform you want, you’ll need to prep your team for the migration.
Ensure that your team is aware of the change and provide the information they need to learn how to use the new system.
Preparing your team for the switch helps make the transition process more efficient because your team can begin preparing your data for the migration. Additionally, they will already know how to use the new platform, making the change more seamless and smooth.
3. Analyze the data in your current CRM
The next step in our CRM migration checklist is to review the data you already have stored in your current CRM.
At this step, you’ll want to determine what data you want to move to your new CRM, what information needs to be reorganized, and which data you can delete.
You can also analyze your data to audit your sales funnel and current workflows to identify any areas for improvement. Once you’ve migrated your data to your new CRM, you can use your insights to improve your processes to build better relationships with your customers and prospects.
4. Map your data
Now that you’ve decided what data you want to move to your new CRM, it’s time to map it. Data mapping is the process of determining where your data will reside in your new CRM.
You must ensure each prospect’s or customer’s data and pipeline journey has a place in your CRM.
Organizing your CRM data into groups or subsets is essential. It ensures that you can easily find and analyze the information you need quickly and easily. For example, you might create a group for current customers and another for your leads and prospects.
5. Backup your data
Once you’ve mapped your data, it’s time to back it up. You can back up your data using a data warehouse, cloud storage platform, or a data backup service provider.
While your CRM data migration will most likely go off without a hitch, you don’t want to risk losing valuable information. Backing up your data ensures that you always have a copy of your data in case it accidentally gets deleted or corrupted.
Additionally, you can use your backup to compare the data in your new CRM to ensure all your information transferred to the new software successfully.
6. Test your migration
Before you officially migrate your data, you’ll want to run a few tests to ensure your migration goes smoothly.
Transferring all your data in one go is risky in case anything goes wrong.
Make sure you’ve backed up your data, and then test your migration by sending a small group of data to your new CRM to see how it goes.
If you run into any problems, you can take the time to address them, contact the platform provider for assistance, or move on to a new CRM if the issues persist.
7. Migrate your data
The last step in our CRM migration checklist is to finally transfer your data to your new software. If your migration tests are successful, it’s time to press the “migrate” button to move all of your data from your legacy CRM to your new platform.
Then, all that’s left is to wait for the “migration successful” dialog box to appear on your screen. Now that you’ve successfully followed these CRM implementation steps, you can enjoy all the benefits of your new CRM to drive more conversions and revenue for your business.
Meet MarketingCloudFX:
One platform tracking countless metrics and driving stellar results.
Learn More About Our Proprietary SoftwareMigrate your CRM Data to MarketingCloudFX
Are you looking for the best CRM platform for your data? Look no further than Nutshell.
Nutshell is our industry-leading CRM platform. It helps you manage your sales pipeline, track the lifecycle of your leads, automatically collect valuable customer and prospect data, and much more. It also integrates with our proprietary marketing software, MarketingCloudFX.
MarketingCloudFX helps you track the results of your marketing campaigns all in one dashboard. Additionally, MarketingCloudFX seamlessly integrates with popular sales platforms, like Salesforce, Shopify, Marketo, and more.
The best part? Our team is always on hand to help you get the most out of our platform. Whether you need help maximizing your results with one of our platform’s features or resolving technical issues, our team will help you get back on track.
Learn more about how MarketingCloudFX and Nutshell can help you grow your business by calling 888-601-5359 or contacting us online!
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Abby is a data-driven content marketer with certifications in inbound marketing and content marketing. She’s written hundreds of articles covering digital marketing topics — a few of her specialties include first-party data, marketing and data analytics, marketing strategy optimization, and SEO. When she isn’t writing or optimizing content, Abby loves to spend time reading the latest mystery novel, having movie marathons with lots of snacks, and jamming out to Shania Twain.
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Plan Your Marketing BudgetTable of Contents
- What is CRM Migration?
- Why Migrate Your CRM Data?
- Your 7-step CRM Migration Checklist
- 1. Search for the Best CRM Software
- 2. Prepare Your Team for the Switch
- 3. Analyze the Data in Your Current CRM
- 4. Map Your Data
- 5. Backup Your Data
- 6. Test Your Migration
- 7. Migrate Your Data
- Migrate Your CRM Data to MarketingCloudFX
Maximize Your Marketing ROI
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Get the GuideTry our free Marketing Calculator
Craft a tailored online marketing strategy! Utilize our free Internet marketing calculator for a custom plan based on your location, reach, timeframe, and budget.
Plan Your Marketing Budget