Make Your CRM Work for You: Insights From Our NCBiotech Webinar

Customer relationship management (CRM) systems can be powerful tools when used strategically. Recently, Group 31 Communications CEO Crystal Weber was invited to present a webinar for NCBiotech on optimizing CRM strategies for biotech and life sciences companies. While preparing, she realized something: if you approach your CRM like a science experiment, it can completely change how you engage with investors, key opinion leaders (KOLs), and partners.

Key highlights: 

1. Approach CRM Like a Science Experiment

Test, analyze, refine. Your CRM is your lab, your email is the intervention, and engagement is the effect. Instead of treating the CRM as a static database, track interactions like a scientist looking for patterns:

• Who’s responding? Who isn’t?
• Which messages spark interest? Which get ignored?

For those who aren’t engaging, shift them into a lower-touch, automated nurture stream to stay on their radar without heavy effort. For those who do engage, double down with personalized follow-ups to build momentum.

2. Segment, Then Sub-Segment

Not all contacts need the same updates. Segment your CRM based on your contacts’ relationships with you—investors, KOLs, partners—and then take it a step further:

• Potential investors need different information than current investors or those already in your data room
• Early-stage KOLs require a different approach than long-term collaborators
• Partners may be the widest-ranging group and may include people like vendors or R&D collaborators, each with their own information needs

By sub-segmenting, you can automate tailored messaging and schedule strategic follow-ups without overloading your team or your contacts.

3. Automate Without Losing the Human Touch

Automation is a game-changer, but only if it still feels personal. Use your CRM to:

• Schedule reminders so nothing falls through the cracks
• Trigger follow-ups at key moments
• Standardize email templates while keeping room for personal touches (like referencing past conversations)

The goal is efficiency without sounding robotic.

4. Think Beyond Business Development

Your CRM isn’t just for BD. Multiple teams—BD, medical affairs, regulatory, leadership—often interact with the same external stakeholders. A well-integrated CRM prevents redundant outreach and ensures consistent messaging across teams.

5. Data Hygiene = Future Success

A messy CRM is an ineffective one. Keep it clean and functional by:

• Assigning a CRM champion to oversee best practices
• Standardizing data entry (naming conventions, contact updates)
• Scheduling regular cleanups to remove outdated or duplicate contacts

A well-maintained CRM ensures your team can trust the information they rely on for high-stakes conversations and decisions.

Need Help Implementing These Strategies?

If these ideas sound valuable but implementing them feels overwhelming, we can help. Whether it’s setting up a new CRM, refining your workflows, or optimizing automation, we’ll make your CRM work for you.

Let’s chat. Contact us today.