Consent Management in the CRM
In the new environment, the CRM is no longer optional. It is central to both compliance and growth — tracking consent, scheduling touches, capturing leads, and ensuring no relationship falls through the cracks. Touches are not sales-driven; they are relationship-driven.
Logging rules (every new contact)
- Tag every contact with a clear source: Bronze, Platinum, Diamond, Double Diamond (or SOI, Past Client, Lead, Referral).
- Record consent status and date for every contact in the notes field.
- Log every meaningful interaction with a dated note so you have a relationship history.
CRM best practices
- Tag every contact with a clear source/tier.
- Record consent status + date in the notes field.
- Set birthday and home anniversary reminders for every consented contact.
- Use pipeline stages to track where each relationship is in the journey.
- Schedule your 24 touches in advance — treat them like appointments, not intentions.
- Review your database monthly and remove or flag contacts without clear consent.
- Log every meaningful interaction with a dated note.
Database audit
For every contact ask: do I have documented consent? Can I clearly demonstrate the origin of this relationship? Remove anyone you cannot answer yes for. If you cannot remember how they got there, they go.
Opt-out handling
- Log: "Client requested no further contact on [date]. Flagged as do-not-contact. Removed from all active communication lists."
- Honour opt-outs immediately and permanently — no exceptions, no grace periods.
- Response scripts for declines: see Permission Scripts.
Weekly review habit (Friday, 30 minutes)
Ask: Who did I connect with? Who did I miss? Who has not heard from me in 90 days? This habit transforms the consistency of relationship management.
Automation hooks
- Monday cron: birthdays + home anniversaries due this week (habit 7 of the 30-Day Challenge).
- Friday cron: weekly CRM review prompt with the three questions.
- Monthly cron: database cleanse reminder + flag contacts without consent records.
- Any outreach automation must check the contact's consent status before sending (see CPA Obligations).