If you’ve been outside in the last week it’s apparent that Pokemon fever has swept the nation (again, for those of us old enough remember its inception.)

Most marketers, including myself, realize that this is a complete game changer. Businesses are already jumping all over the craze, tailoring their advertising to helplessly pander to a wave of millennials, phones in hand, marching like zombies through parks and other public spaces. Saavy bars are setting up lures that fire all night long and any business with a gathering area is hosting Pokemon themed events.

All of this activity though got me thinking: CRM is a lot like Pokemon and we can all take a lesson from it.

You have to wander through the tall grass, searching out clients of all different shapes and sizes. Sometimes it means staying out a little to late or putting yourself in an unfamiliar situation. It could be hours spent on Linkedin, Freelancer or Twitter before a client even decides to show up. And finding a client isn’t even the hardest part, it’s forging an Ash/Pikachu level bond that really separates the gym rats from the Pokemon masters.

Catching them all hasn’t been easy. It’s taken a lot of follow up work and a constant stride for understanding my client’s struggles.

Ash Ketchum