Have you or your team ever forgotten to follow up with a client? If you’re lucky, the consequences could simply be signing on a client later than you would’ve wanted. But if you’re not so lucky, it means lost dollars.
If you’ve lost clients more than once due to a lack of organization, then your business might need a CRM. “But what are the benefits of a small business CRM?” you may wonder.
The answer to that question is multifaceted.
First and foremost, a small business CRM helps you keep track of every client and lead in your sales funnel. You can track your leads and make sure you follow through on key points.
The obvious benefit of getting a small business CRM is that you don’t leave money on the table simply because you forgot to follow up with a client. The secondary benefit is that you can automate it, which gives you more time to pursue even more clients.
Win-win, right?
How Big Should My Business Be Before I Get a CRM?
Another question small-business owners ask is: How do I know if my business is ready for a CRM?
That’s a great question to ask because there are some instances in which a CRM wouldn’t be much of a help—for instance, a freelancer who works for only one company at a time.
But beyond that, there are few businesses—no matter how small—that wouldn’t benefit from a CRM.
Even for companies that are just starting out and not making much yet, there are cost-effective CRM options.
So instead of asking, “How big should my business be before I get a CRM?”, you should instead be asking:
- Do I want to centralized hub to keep track of client information?
- Do I want to automate my follow-ups with clients and leads?
- Do I want to keep track of my sales team’s touchpoints with clients so we can optimize our sales tactics?
If your answer to these questions is yes, then it would be a good idea to start researching CRM options for your business.
Best Small Business CRM Options
Your choice of CRM may depend on how big your business is, how much money you want to spend, and what hardware you’re using.
Below we’ve compiled a list of great small business CRM options, with pros and cons listed for each one. You’ll see which CRM we recommend based on your business needs.
1. HubSpot CRM
Best option for businesses with low budgets.
Pros: Its basic CRM is free with unlimited users. It also integrates with G Suite and Microsoft Office 365.
Cons: It gets pricier as you add on more features, like HubSpot’s CMS (Content Management System; $300 per month), Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, and Service Hub ($50 per user/month). Also, its reports are fairly basic compared to other CRM options. But for a free tool, it’s still useful.
Price: Free
2. Insightly
Best option for integrating sales and project management.
Pros: It’s free for up to two users. Its seamless pipeline makes it easy to use for project management and sales. It also provides detailed reports and integrates with G Suite and Microsoft Office 365.
Cons: No data backups for the free version. Its dashboard also looks a little outdated, which might make it difficult to use for some people.
Price: $29 per user/month
3. Zoho
Best option for sales team collaboration and scaling.
Pros: You can conduct presentations and meetings within this CRM as well as organize webinars where you can convert leads into sales. As a result, this is a great option if you’re looking to scale your business with mass conversions. Users also say it’s fairly easy to use and navigate.
Cons: Some users have reported having issues with Zoho’s customer service, and others have said that they ran into problems with data getting corrupted when they tried to import/export leads.
Price: Free for 3 users with limited features. Standard plan starts at $12 per user/month.
4. Monday.com
Best option for project management.
Pros: This versatile tool serves as a CRM, calendar/schedule, and in-house project management tracker. Its CRM boasts colorful, easy-to-read charts and reports, and it offers one-click integrations. Monday.com is also highly customizable, which is probably why powerhouse companies like Uber, Hulu, Universal, Costco, General Electric, and Adobe use it.
Cons: Some users say the user interface lags at times. Others have complained that hyperlinks didn’t carry over when importing spreadsheets.
Price: $8 per user/month (must purchase for at least 3 users)
5. Daylite
Best option for Mac users.
Pros: Seamless integration with Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Mac users have reported they’re happy with how easy to use Daylite is and have had few complaints with the company’s customer service.
Cons: Some say it’s difficult to create user reports and that it doesn’t integrate easily with other software. Also, customers aren’t raving about its pipeline management.
Price: $29 per user/month
Make the Most of Your CRM
The best way to get the most out of your CRM is to complement it with other sales strategies.
One of our favorites here at Creative Rubber Stamps is sending thank-you cards to customers! Clients love receiving personal notes from a business they’ve purchased from.
You can streamline this mailing process by using self-inking rubber stamps for your return address and to automate your signature.
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