I am in the process of setting up our CRM and work management system from scratch and I’m on the fence about the best way to set up our contacts in the CRM.
We deal with a range of different contacts/relationships that can cross over into multiple categories; donors, audience members, artists, students, schools, teachers, crew, venues, reviewers, government representatives, foundation/trust representatives, industry partners, corporate partners etc.
My instinct is to create one master list and then use filters to segment the contacts for different campaigns/reports, but then there’s the challenge and inconvenience of having a lot of categories that might never apply to some contacts. It feels weird though to have to have multiple entries for the same people if they happen to be an audience member and a donor, for example.
Am I overthinking this? I’d love to know what other orgs are doing.
Hi @Katie sorry to see no one replied for so long! You’re not overthinking this! Setting up a CRM for such a multifaceted organization is a complex task, and getting it right from the start is crucial. Here are some thoughts and best practices to help you decide:
1. Single Master List vs. Multiple Lists
Your instinct to create a single master list is a sound one, especially for avoiding duplicate entries and maintaining data integrity. With a single list, you can:
Use tags or categories to classify contacts (e.g., donor, audience member, artist, etc.).
Apply filters or views to segment and work with specific groups as needed.
Avoid the redundancy and confusion of duplicate records for the same person.
2. How to Handle Multi-Category Contacts
For contacts that belong to multiple categories (e.g., someone who is both a donor and an audience member):
Use multi-select fields (or tags) so a contact can belong to more than one category.
If a contact’s relationship changes over time, you can track these changes using fields like “Relationship History” or activity logs.
3. Custom Fields for Each Type
Instead of applying every possible category to every contact, use custom fields dynamically:
Create fields specific to only the categories that matter. For example, a donor-specific field (e.g., “Last Donation Date”) doesn’t need to apply to audience members.
Conditional logic, if supported by your CRM, can show or hide fields based on the contact’s categories, keeping your interface clean.
4. Advanced Segmentation and Automation
Leverage automations to keep things organized:
Automatically add tags or update fields based on actions (e.g., “attended an event” triggers “audience member” tag).
Set up dynamic views for reports, like “Active Donors,” “Artists by Region,” or “Teachers in Schools.”
5. Integration Considerations
If you’re integrating with other tools (e.g., email marketing, ticketing systems), ensure your segmentation setup aligns with those systems. A single source of truth for contact data can simplify this process.
6. Feedback from the Team
Since this CRM will be used by your team, get input from key stakeholders. What reports or workflows will they rely on? This can guide how you categorize and segment contacts.
Final Thoughts
Your best bet is likely a single master list, using filters, tags, and conditional fields to keep things streamlined. To avoid overwhelm, start simple with broad categories and refine as you learn more about your needs.