Working with Highrise (Contact Manager)

[RESteve]

I'm now working with Highrise (highrisehq.com) from 37 Signals to see if it can be a true alternative to a Top Producer 8i.

At the current time, I use TP8i to follow up with leads and for action plans, but I find their systems too convoluted and complicated. I'm now working with Highrise, and can offer a couple of suggestions if you want to try:

1) Start with the free account. It's a little hard to find that account option, but there is a free account you can use.

2) Cases are Listings. Use the cases area to keep track of your listings. The free account doesn't allow you to have more than one case, but at least you can get a feel for how it'll work.

3) Deals are closings. A listing that is pending sale, or a buyer that has an accepted offer on a home is a deal. Use this area to keep track of them.

4) Use the REW Lead manger for drip campaigns (if you have it - shame on you if not!), then tasks in Highrise to keep track of your follow up via phone, or if you need to remember to call them next week.

5) Keep great notes!

6) You can click on the email of a contact (in the contact detail page), and it'll provide a BCC address that will automatically attach that email to the contact notes. Pretty nifty stuff. I did get the email link to work with GMail and Gmail Apps - so let me know if you need guidance.

So far so good - I'll probably blog about this later on my tech blog. Just wanted to share with you guys a good alternative to TP8i, since I know we're all (well, most of those I've talked to) actively looking for one.

[Malok]

Look forward to your review - been looking for a good alternative for a while now.

[OCTeam]

All that's missing from CMS2 is the Calendar for it to really be a great option. We already got rid of TP with the anticipation of the REW Calendar module being the final addition to the CMS. Plus, we had some custom programming done and our team really likes to use it vs. TP where every thing you did seemed so cumbersome.

I look forward to your review as well, Steve. Thanks for doing that as there may be some great new tips.

[RESteve]

I think using Highrise will moreso be a band-aid - not really the fix to the problem. I agree - eventually you'll want to customize the REW lead manager to work just the way you want it.

Thankfully we have a great team at REW to do that for us!

One of the neat things I liked about Highrise is that they have an API that REW could integrate into the Lead Manager (using custom billable work of course), so that you could automatically import the contacts into Highrise if need be.

I think a way to keep them all in one place though (REW), would be the most ideal solution.

[Scott.Hack]

Steve,

Weird, I've been playing with Highrise for a while now. I think it has a lot of possibilities. I was just TONIGHT looking for a widget or something that has the API already programmed that lets a webform go directly into Highrise to help eliminate data entry.

[ScottNYC]

So is highrise a viable alternative to top producer? I'm looking into them but cant decide. I hear a lot about how top producer is too overwhelming and how Highrise is very intuitive and user friendly, However Top producer is geared specifically for what I need to do obviously and highrise isn't. So my concern is I might not be able to fully integrate highrise into an efficient workflow. Whats my best bet?

Also is market snapshot a must have if using top producer? I know you dont technically have to have it, but should I get it is what I mean

[zcoplan]

Anyone use wiseagent? They have made some decent progress in the last few months. I use them in conjunction with google apps. Seems to do the trick.