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CRM systems should be where data goes to thrive, but let’s be real — a CRM system is usually where your data goes to die a slow, cluttered death.
CRM data management is usually so low on the priority list that before long, your CRM system is filled with a mishmash of sales, marketing, transactional, interaction, geographic, and out-of-date data.
What should be your beautiful, central source of truth suddenly becomes a confusing and bloated mess that nobody wants to touch (even to fix it).
So, how do you clean up your CRM without crying into your coffee?
Here are the first five steps to clean up your CRM and get a handle on it, without losing your sanity.
Step 1: Map Your Clean CRM Vision First
Hold your horses if you want to hold your tears back!
If you want to know how to clean your CRM, the best place to start is not to open a single CSV or run a report right off the bat.
CRM cleanup without a clear vision and strategy is the equivalent of renovating your house without knowing what you want it to look like. You need to look ahead to know where you’re going, or you’ll get stuck in the CRM weeds.
Before you dive into any type of CRM cleanup or data management, ask yourself:
- What should our CRM enable?
- What does “clean” look like for our business?
- What should we be able to do (or do better) once this is fixed?
Guesswork is a big no-no when it comes to your CRM clean-up vision.
The best thing to do is to avoid undergoing the process in isolation. Speak to other marketers in your industry, CRM consultants, and even people like me!
There’s a good chance you aren’t as far behind as you think, but you do need to know what good looks like before you start.
Step 2: Create Your Criteria for a Proper CRM Data Cleanse
It’s time to take out the trash
(But in a smart way, please - CRM cleanup is all about strategy!)
A successful CRM cleanup isn’t about mass deleting; it’s about defining clear, strategic rules for what should stay, what should get suppressed, and what should get permanently removed.
Here are some questions to get you started on your CRM data cleanse criteria:
- What’s our inactivity threshold?
- Are there free email domains (e.g., Gmail) that don’t convert?
- How do we define “engaged” vs “disengaged”?
- Which fields are outdated, redundant, or empty?
Tip: Suppress more than you delete. Legacy data is still valuable for trend mapping, reactivation, or historical analysis — just make sure you’re keeping the suppressed data out of your reporting and marketing pools.
Step 3: Review Your Data Collection + Quality Processes
It can be tempting to view a messy CRM as being due to bad data alone, but it’s likely because you’re not collecting data with an actual strategy.
We’ve spoken before about how owning your data is the backbone of CRM-driven marketing, and it’s particularly true that in order to conduct a comprehensive CRM cleanup, you need to know your data inside and out.
That means doing a data audit:
- Where is data coming from?
- How is it stored and updated?
- How fast does it go out of date?
- What’s the risk level of each data point?
Then, map your current reality vs your ideal. This is where most CRMs start falling apart at the seams, as they fall into the trap of becoming a one-way dumping ground because nobody is managing what happens to the data once it arrives.
Most importantly, don’t forget to identify high-risk data: fields that expire quickly (e.g., intent signals, job roles, preferences) need an upkeep plan or a recapture process.
Step 4: Audit Your CRM Architecture
Once you’ve cleaned your data and mapped your processes, it’s time to look at your CRM’s structure, because most CRMs were set up years ago and haven’t been properly restructured (making them unfit for purpose!).
If the architecture is outdated and the fields are bloated, there’s no clear roadmap for improvement.
But what is CRM architecture?
Well, it’s the blueprint for how your data is organised, structured, and used, which means it also determines how your systems talk to each other.
The importance of your CRM architecture can’t be overstated, given that it affects every automation, report, and customer touchpoint.
It’s the foundation of a scalable CRM. If it’s broken or half-built, no amount of great campaigns or slick emails will save you.
Step 5: You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
As much as we’d like it to be, CRM cleanup isn’t a side project you can complete in a couple of hours.
It’s a full-on operational shift that requires your full attention from beginning to end, and trying to fix it whilst spinning all of the other plates of your day-to-day will wear you down quickly.
So here’s your permission slip: Get the right help.
You might need some internal alignment, stakeholder buy-in, or even just someone to show you what “good” looks like — that’s where I come in.
I offer CRM consulting, system audits, and strategic support, from guidance on suppression criteria to complete CRM overhauls.
Whether you want a sanity check or a full cleanout, I’ve got your back! Get in touch for your CRM sanity check.
CRM Cleanup Guide TL;DR: CRM Cleanup Doesn’t Have to Be Hell
The first five steps?
Clean CRM system = cleaner marketing = better business growth.
Ready to stop crying and start cleaning? Let’s talk.
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RE:markable is the weekly email about emails. Dropping the latest email marketing news, updates, insights, free resources, upcoming masterclasses, webinars, and of course, a little inbox mischief.