# Pre-CRM

The phase before a relationship has a deal attached to it. No pipeline, no opportunity, just a connection worth keeping warm. Where most of your network actually lives.

Pre-CRM, also known as “before the CRM“ is the phase of a professional relationship before it belongs in a Customer Relationship Management system. No deal, no pipeline stage, no defined opportunity, just a connection worth maintaining. For most professional services firms, this is where the majority of their network actually lives: former colleagues, past clients, conference contacts, referral partners. Pre-CRM is where relationships are built, but it's also where they're most likely to be forgotten.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What does pre-CRM mean?

### What happens to contacts before they enter a CRM?

### How do you manage relationships that aren't in your CRM?

### Why do most CRMs not work for early-stage relationships?

### When should a contact move from pre-CRM to a CRM?

## Related Terms

[**CRM (Customer Relationship Management)** 
Software for managing customer interactions, typically organized around deals and pipelines. Works well once there's commercial intent, less so for the relationships that come before it.](/content/glossary/crm-customer-relationship-management/index.html) 
[**Relationship Management** 
The practice of deliberately tracking and nurturing your professional relationships so you know who to reach out to, when, and why.](/content/glossary/relationship-management/index.html)