Organisations are increasingly using databases to manage customer relationships to increase both sales and customer satisfaction. A database can help you identify key trends and important information such as your most and least profitable customers. A customer database can form part of the coherent management of relationships with customers. This customer relationship management (CRM) plays an important role in many small business' sales and marketing strategies.

This guide will help you understand both how to use a database for marketing and the concept of CRM. In particular, you will learn what kind of information your business should collect in a CRM database and how to integrate it with other systems in your business.

The guide also outlines the practical steps in getting a database started, such as what sort of system to acquire, how to find the right supplier or solutions provider and how to develop your customer database.