Over the last month or so, we have launched a number of quality of life enhancements while we continue to make progress building the first set of larger features toward our transition to a performance-based CRM. More run-on sentences on that topic in future posts. For now, here are the highlights of what went live recently:

-   The Outfield iOS and Android apps now both support showing custom fields when viewing products as well as multiple product images with full screen + zooming functionality. Additionally, one-off line items from orders will be aggregated and included in the products view of a deal stage.
-   The performance of the account and routing maps has been improved when you have a very large number of accounts on the Outfield Android app. We also fixed an issue when adding new stops to a route so they are always in the correct order afterward.
-   Admins can now edit the assigned team member for tasks on the Outfield web app.
-   We laid the groundwork for guided tours during onboarding and help sessions. The first spot these were applied is after adding sample data for the first time to show you around.
-   Data imports have been improved behind the scenes and a number of edge case bugs have been resolved. We have also simplified product imports so they can be completed in one go rather than first importing products and then importing their variations, e.g. for sizes, colors, etc. 
-   We added downloadable CSV templates for each import type to complement the existing template popups.
-   Image upload performance has been improved on the Outfield web app with auto image optimization for faster load times afterward. This functionality on the mobile apps has been live for some time.

Our regular feature update report this month includes improvements to the route planner, product importer, task manager, and order management system.

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Route Planner, Product Imports, & More - Sep 25 Feature Update

The Playbook by [Outfield](https://www.outfieldapp.com/) is the best place to check out the latest stories, updates, and tips on managing sales and marketing teams. The purpose of this blog is to provide a community for professionals to grow their businesses quickly. Hence why, we publish insight on the latest strategies to enhance sales, motivate teams, and get the best ROI from CRM software.

Got any advice, thoughts on the latest trends, or a bomb idea you want to share? We are looking for authors that will bring our readers a fresh perspective on topics that will move their industry forward.

Our blog might not bring you instant stardom or lead to automatic success, but if you are interested in exploring guest blogging, review this entire page for details, including why you should be guest blogging. We will walk you through the process to better understand what content we are interested in and how to submit it.

### **Why should I blog for Outfield?**

The lingering question...“why should I blog for Outfield?”. There could be many reasons you would want to, but let us assume you just want to know the most important ones. 

As a digital marketer, I can tell you it is a valuable tool for your brand and company to enhance SEO juice. Writing for third-party sites allows you to create backlinks to your site. Building up backlinks tells Google you have the digital nod of approval to be worthy of ranking well on the SERPs. 

Okay, so the less nerdy reasons:

-   **Did someone say, thought leader?** - If you are looking to increase your personal brand visibility or expand your network, this is a chance to connect with other professionals in your field and be seen as a thought leader
-   **Expand your outreach** – Time for expansion? Consider this an opportunity for your company to reach into markets that previously seemed impossible to tap into.
-   **More and more traffic** - Well, who doesn’t like leads. Your post could easily be a lead magnet. You provide us with quality content, and in return, our readers could become your website visitors.

### **Type of guest posts are we publishing:**

We are looking to publish content that relates to aspiring startups, entrepreneurs, and growing businesses alike. The posts should cover strategies for growing your business or career and be thought-provoking, comprehensive, and data-driven. These topics could include hiring, team development, job hunting, revenue generation, digital trends, and so much more. 

You can also check out [Blogging Wizard](https://bloggingwizard.com/blog-post-ideas-for-businesses/) for content ideas. [](https://bloggingwizard.com/blog-post-ideas-for-businesses/)

### **What will we not accept:**

Well, yes, you cannot just come here to post whatever you want. Outfield’s marketing team is pretty particular about their...our brand. All content must meet quality standards to be published. 

Here are a few items that we absolutely will not accept: 

-   Copy-paste...come on, Bro, Google hates it, and we are not getting in trouble for you.
-   Nothing that is too promotional or seems like a link-building scheme.
-   No smack talk–let us keep everything friendly and accurate.

And this is a list of things we look for in everything we publish:

-   The content must have an original, compelling argument.
-   We aim to be fun, casual, resourceful, and relatable. Your writing style should be a reflection of this.
-   The post cannot have more than two links to your company's website.
-   The body must have at least 1000 words broken into digestible paragraphs.
-   A bio/byline to explain your expertise in the subject matter

### **How to submit a pitch:**

Now you have all the knowledge you need and are excited to write a guest post for [The Playbook](https://explore.outfieldapp.com/). 

At this time, all submissions must be sent via email marketing \[@\] outfieldapp \[dot\] com with the following:

-   Formatted subject line: "Guest Post: \[Title of Post\] - YOUR FULL NAME"
-   Google Docs link to your completed post or pitch. Be sure to change the editing permissions to **_anyone with the link_**.
-   If you want to include images, compress them using [Tinypng.com](https://tinypng.com/) and add the attribution below each (e.g., Image source).
-   A short bio, headshot, and a link to your LinkedIn account.

If your article meets editorial standards and aligns with our content strategy, we will respond to confirm when the blog will be published. This process may take more than two weeks, and the publish date fluctuates based on our editorial calendar.

Thanks in advance for entrusting us with your content. We appreciate it!

Are you interested in guest blogging about sales and marketing tactics, tools, or strategies for success? Do you want to know how to submit a guest post to The PlayBook? Here is what you need to know.

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Guest Blogging Guidelines

Hope all is well with you!

It has possibly been a long time since you have heard from me or, perhaps, this is the first time... To say the least, I have been focused on some next-level enhancements to boost your CRM experience. This brings me to why I am reaching out, I want to share some great news with you… 

Outfield has been around for over 6 years and many of you have been here with us to experience the success we have accomplished together. Moreover, I am grateful to have the growing team that we have. So much so that Outfield recently decided to roll out shares of the company to all of its employees, and now we want to extend that same opportunity to you!

Next month we’re launching a Start Engine campaign meant to provide you an even better experience with us. We are transitioning Outfield to become the world’s first performance-based CRM company. This move will not only ensure that your reps are performing at their best, but it allows us to strategically align with your KPIs to help your team achieve company goals. 

What does all this mean for you? 

That means we will be introducing a new way to think about your CRM partner. One where a win/win scenario is the desired outcome. We have a stake in your success and you have a stake in ours. Our first move in that direction is allowing you the opportunity to become owners in the very company you’ve invested your dollars in.

Finally, here’s how you can begin to help bring about the improved Outfield:

You can start by joining our pre-launch team. We will hold you on our reserves subscription list. You get to stay in the know about the new Outfield before the launch as well as access to exclusive giveaways and product discounts.  

If you are interested in what we are planning and want to join in, simply click the link below to join our mailing list. So, if you can get on board, let’s get this thing poppin’! 

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Hope to hear from you soon,

Austin Rolling, CEO and Co-Founder  
Outfield Corp.

CEO Austin Rolling Announces Prelaunch Crowdfunding Campaign for Outfield. Austin Rolling, CEO Outfield USA Houston, TX 77079 832.942.8672 investor-relations@outfieldapp.com

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OUTFIELD'S CEO ANNOUNCES CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN

Ever since we launched our order and inventory management suite, we have been periodically improving and expanding it as we do for all our features. The latest update on this front is that you can now breakdown revenue by product in the Analytics section of the Outfield web app. As shown in the screenshot above, simply navigate to the Analytics section in the Performance dropdown and click the By Product Variation pill on the top of the chart in the Revenue tab. 

Here are some highlights from other recent enhancements & fixes:

-   We added a new scene to manage unsynced activity when the unsynced items bar is tapped on the Outfield iOS app
-   Search speed on the Outfield web app has been increased, especially when searching through very large data sets. This applies to searching activity, accounts, deals, calendar, and anywhere else there is a search field
-   The Outfield Zapier app for integrations has a new trigger called New Or Updated Activity

Dive into your revenue data and easily breakdown revenue by product in the analytics section of the Outfield web app. 

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Breakdown Revenue By Product - Aug 2 Feature Update

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software growth has been constantly increasing in recent years. 2020 alone saw an 18% increase in CRM usage across various industries. ([STELLAXIUS](https://stellaxius.com/knowledgecenter/news/the-crm-battlefield-salesforce-20-year-throne/)). With this continued growth, it is likely you are thinking about adding a CRM tool to your business. You're probably already aware of what a good CRM can do, but do you know how to get the most out of your CRM? Let's talk about integrations, CRMs' best companions.

**  
So, what is CRM Integration?**

CRM Integrations are automated actions that expand the functionality of your software, eliminating the need to toggle back and forth between systems. As defined by [HubSpot](https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/crm-integration), it is the seamless connectivity between your customer relationship management software and third-party applications. Simply meaning that you can combine your CRM with other essential tools you use daily such as email, calendar, social media, etc. Depending on which CRM software you’re using, the integrations can be endless.

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**Why is CRM Integration important?**

It allows you to access all of your workplace tools in one area. You'll be amazed to see how your workflow productivity and efficiency will increase. For example, integrations between multiple applications can help you save hours of time with standard tasks such as data entry. In addition to these benefits, integrations help data flow easily between departments, helping to keep people outside your department in the loop. All in all, integrating your CRM allows for a smoother and more enhanced way of working. 

**Examples of Key Integrations** 

Here are five examples of key integrations vital to any CRM:

**Email Integrations  
**As a salesperson, you probably rely on your email as your primary communication method. With CRM integration, you can seamlessly send tailored emails that are triggered by your workflow activities.

**Calendar Integrations** Stay in the know of all your meetings and calls with calendar integrations. Sync your personal and business calendars into one, as well as view your co-worker's calendars.

**Team Communication Integrations** Increase communication amongst your team by integrating instant chat software to ensure clear and effective communication between team members without ever having to leave your CRM.

**Accounting Integrations** Financial accounting integrations help you make more confident decisions by tracking ROI to your investments.

**Productivity Integrations  
**Increased productivity translates to higher profits. Syncing all of your company data and activities to your CRM  helps to manage one single workflow.

When choosing a CRM, integrations should be a priority to make your workflow simple. CRM integrations are designed to increase efficiency. So you can spend less time managing software and more time growing your business.

With over 3,000+ integrations, Outfield is sure to have what you're looking for. To learn more about our integrations, click below to register for the webinar.

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A discussion of all things related to CRM (customer relationship management) integration: What it is, why it's important, and examples of key integrations.

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Everything You Need To Know About CRM Integration

We launched a new view product scene on the mobile apps so you can see all product details at a glance. 

Also last month's improvements to the Outfield Android app are now live on the Outfield iOS app including a new scene to view your deal pipeline stages broken down by products ordered. This view allows you to gain insight into product distribution for your accounts over time. We also added a view deal scene so you can more easily scan the details of your deals & orders in an invoice-like format.

Here are the highlights of the rest of the enhancements and fixes:

-   PDF quotes are live on the iOS app
-   If you have not added or been assigned any accounts yet, there is now better explanation text on the mobile apps describing what to do next given your user permissions

Last month's improvements to the Outfield Android app are now live on the Outfield iOS app

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View Product Scene - Jul 5 Feature Update

The CRM industry is expected to grow from $40 billion in revenue to a whopping $80 billion industry by 2025. This fact alone should tell you that CRM tools are essential to businesses. Some would even argue that it is the lifeline of their success. But the hard truth is that most organizations lack a true ROI because their teams aren’t properly using the CRM.

  
On average, companies properly utilizing CRMs have seen the following results:

-   -   -   -   -   -   ROI of $8.7 for every dollar spent ([Nucleus Research](https://nucleusresearch.com/research/single/crm-pays-back-8-71-for-every-dollar-spent/)) 
                    -   Revenue increase by 41% per salesperson ([Big Contacts](https://www.bigcontacts.com/blog/9-statistics-that-will-motivate-you-to-invest-in-crm-software/))
                    -   Customer retention improving by as much as 27% ([YokelLocal](https://www.yokellocal.com/blog/how-does-a-crm-help-to-increase-customer-satisfaction#:~:text=These%20positive%20experiences%20encourage%20customer,by%20as%20much%20as%2027%25.))

Proper utilization stems from CRM user adoption, one of the biggest challenges facing sales organizations. Getting your team to adopt this new tool should be at the forefront of your sales strategy. Yes, I know with your already busy schedule, the concept seems too far-fetched. But do you really want your team relying on inaccurate data, performing below industry standards, and missing out on attainable goals?  
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You are still reading so I am convinced the answer is no, and you are interested in knowing the best solution. Well, so was Outfield. After five years in the industry, we discovered the root of the problem—behavior psychology. Sales reps are at best indifferent toward their CRM and thus adoption and usage often take a major hit. There are various methods that managers have tried to solve these issues. Our research showed the majority of teams are more likely to be motivated by a game or contest.

As a result, we partnered with Closer’s Coffee and integrated their sales gamification tool, [League Play™](https://www.outfieldapp.com/sales_gamification_app), into our CRM. We opened the platform up to conduct a study on 100 seasoned sales professionals from various industries. 90% of the sales managers were able to get a positive impact not only on their sales team but on revenue.

Sales gamification isn’t a new approach but when it is made a priority to drive performance the results are astonishing. Check out our findings in our free ebook and learn how to create a sales gamification strategy to enhance your team’s performance. 

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The guide covers:

-   -   -   -   -   A breakdown of Sales Gamification
                -   The steps to creating a gamified strategy
                -   Key factors to ensuring user adoption
                -   How to monitor and manage the impact of ROI

[“The Ultimate Guide to Gamifying Your Sales Team”](http://tryout.outfieldapp.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-gamify-your-sales-team) is for sales leaders with teams of any industry and size looking to optimize their sales strategy and drive performance. It’s best for competitive teams with millennials as their average team age. 

Download the guide today to ensure that you have proper CRM utilization at the center of your sales strategy.

* * *

  
[League Play™](https://www.outfieldapp.com/sales_gamification_app?__hstc=233546881.36d51ddbe5e8701353fc55a1e4916ee3.1623684881803.1623703313565.1623866048955.5&__hssc=233546881.1.1623866048955&__hsfp=786739945), the latest CRM tool, takes sales competition to a whole new level. Allowing outside sales organizations to compete internally through a gamified system and take advantage of a naturally competitive profession. At Outfield, we believe when you compete together...you win together!

Discover the best way to create a gamification strategy to help your team reach a positive impact on sales goals and revenue.

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The Ultimate Guide to Gamifying Your Sales Team in 2021

We added a new view on the Outfield Android app to view your deal pipeline stages broken down by ordered products. This allows you to gain insight into product distribution for your accounts over time. The Outfield iOS app will also include this view in the coming weeks.

We also added a view deal screen to the Outfield Android app so you can more easily scan the details of your deals & orders in an invoice-like format. This view is in addition to the existing PDF invoice view. Similarly, this view will be available in the iOS app soon.

Here are the highlights of the rest of the enhancements and fixes:

-   PDF quotes are live on the Android app
-   Previously launched on the iOS app, when you prospect for new leads or accounts on the Android app, you do not need to repeat your search each time you add a new one. Instead, it will add it to your places, show a success popup, and then you can continue adding more.
-   Custom revenue settings for deals are now hidden when not applicable for improved ease-of-use

Breakdown Orders By Product - Jun 8 Feature Update

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A number of new enhancements have gone live over the past couple of weeks. First, you can now generate a PDF of an order in quote format in addition to the existing invoice format. Access to this enhancement is live on the Outfield web app and will go live on the mobile apps later this month.

Second, we have added a few new user level permissions. When you edit a user on the Outfield web app, you will now see new options for create places, delete places, create contacts, and delete contacts. This enhancement is useful if your workflow involves importing and assigning all your rep accounts before they hit the field so they don't end up adding duplicate accounts by mistake if they don't see the right one in their account list at first.

Here are the highlights of the rest of the enhancements and fixes:

-   View upcoming calendar events and add new ones for an account directly from the account scene on the Outfield iOS app
-   Added a dropdown to each deal in the list on the account page on the Outfield web app so you can view, edit, and delete with less clicks
-   Bug fix for league play filters and team activity filters on the Outfield iOS app

Quotes, User Permissions, & More – May 3 Feature Updates

CRM Playbook