Being in sales comes with a host of challenges that no other position has. It is a fine balance between being helpful and being pushy, and that line changes based on who you are dealing with. Also, if you are in sales, you probably don’t like being tied down to a computer, so the idea of having to deal with a database can be a real headache. However, since you have so much information that you have to manage, you already know that you cannot get by without some sort of method to track customers, leads, and other clients.


You need a robust relational database to properly manage the constant influx of information. While Excel does offer a quick way to do this, it is not nearly as stable or capable of managing all of the information you need to enter as a salesperson. Some of your clients will be B2B while others will be individuals. It does take a bit more time and patience to create an Access database, but there are several existing programs that can save you from having to create your own. If you are still relatively new to the field and think that a basic database is what you need to get started, here are a few things to know before you get started.

Buy Versus Build

Depending on the size of your company, it may be better to buy an established product than to try to create your database from scratch. If you work for a company that has a sales department, odds are you need something that is already proven to work, where you can import information, and that can be up and running within a day or two. Salesforce is the largest provider for many different needs, but sales is one of the areas where they really excel.

You can also look into database software that focuses just on databases without all of the extras.

If you are a smaller business, you probably don’t have the funds for one of these large databases. To be honest, you don’t really need it. Creating something in Microsoft Access will be more than adequate for everything you need early on when there are only a few people who work in sales. At a later point, you may need to transition to something more robust, so make sure to structure and maintain the database to make it a smooth transition later.

What a Successful Sales Database Needs

Being in sales, you know that the pace of business is best described as break neck. There are so many different things to track, like clients, cold calls, contacts, contact preferences, goals, specials, and history, that it is pretty much impossible to do the job without a central system. A good database covers all of these elements, allows users to enter notes about communication with the client, and a calendar for scheduling. One of the most important aspects of the sales database is that it is easy to see who has been contacted, when, and what was said. The easiest way to lose clients is to have several people call about the same problem, campaign, or offer. You have to ensure that potential and existing customers don’t feel you are harassing them. Your database must allow you to easily record and update information accurately across all instances of the database.

Managing Different Demographics

Some companies may only have a single demographic, while others try to reach as many as possible. If you are a company that only serves a single type of customer, such as small businesses, this is not an area that is likely to affect you. If your business services a wide range of demographics, such as small and medium sized businesses and families (like an Internet service provider), you probably already know why it is important to be able to track each type of customer differently. For these businesses, your database needs to be more robust, allowing you to tailor the information provided to reflect the type of business your customer is in. When you are dealing with a family, you need a completely different set of contact information and potential services you can offer them compared to offerings for a medium sized business. At the same time, you need to be able to view the information under other demographics.

Even if you are a single demographic business, you need to consider how best to set up your database to cover multiple demographics in the future. After all, growth is the goal of any business, so you need to create a system that makes it easier to transition to a bigger structure. You also need to consider what information is required, regardless of the demographic, such as name, email, address, and payment information. This can be standardized across all demographics.

Databases for Different Industries

A major consideration for determining the right database for your needs is what kind of industry you are in. Some information will be universal, but the approach you take to your customers is going to be extremely different between the medical profession, construction, IT, and real estate. Some industries do not require any kind of cold calling because customers always initiate sales, such as with a pharmacy or hospital. Other times, your sales are entirely online, such as Amazon, eBay, or freelancing. Many apps are sold exclusively on mobile devices, but sales may be encouraged from websites. Then there are more traditional approaches to sales. You will need to customize the database to meet the specific needs of your industry. That is one reason it is usually better for a small business to start from scratch.

Creating Your Own

If you are interested in creating your own database, the first place to start is by researching existing sales databases. There are several that offer a free trail, which you should try to get an idea of what is available and what you would like to have in your own database. Spend some time looking at what you like and don’t’ like about the different databases. Make sure to take notes because that is the best way to ensure you get your database just right for you and your business.

Microsoft Access is one of the most popular database programs in the world because it is affordable and flexible. It does take time to get to know, but there are a number of available templates to help you get started. Once you have downloaded the template or templates you would like to use, you should plan to spend several weeks customizing them and getting them to work like the trial software you used and those elements you liked. Of course, there will be things that will require more time to get working, so it is usually best to plan several releases of your database, starting with the information you need as soon as possible. Focus on getting these elements added and customized. From there, you can start adding the things that you liked about the trials but don’t have to have right now. That will give you the time required to figure out the best way to implement the different database features.