As small businesses aim to advance, they increasingly adopt automation and cloud-based systems. Particularly in this era, business owners are incorporating Customer Relations Management Software systems with the purpose of enhancing their connections with customers.
We have compiled comprehensive information on CRMs and the top choices for small businesses, making them available on various platforms.
What Are CRMs?
CRMs are online platforms that enable the connection of various business aspects, such as marketing, sales, and strategy, across different departments. The software can be utilized for:
- Analytics
- Chatbots
- Logging Communications
- Managing Leads
- Metrics
- Organizing Activities
- Project Management
There are open-source options available depending on the program you select. If you have in-house developers or programmers, you can customize the CRM to your requirements by modifying the software.
Why Use CRMs?
The use of a CRM system can enhance your business and improve the efficiency of its internal operations by:
- Clear Communication
- Customer Trends
- Organized Business Information
- Organized Customer Information
- Sales Forecasts
- Streamlined Sales Cycle
CRMs encompass various features, including:
- Automation
- Customization
- Data Management
- Reports
- Third-Party Add-Ons
Automation involves programming the software to perform tasks without the need for manual intervention, such as sending a confirmation message following enrollment in a rewards program.
You have the ability to customize the CRM according to your requirements. This includes connecting your software with various third-party applications, combining contact fields, tailoring reports, and incorporating any additional features you require.
By utilizing CRM platforms, you have the capability to handle your data and acquire a better understanding of customer behavior, as well as find ways to enhance your approach.
CRMs provide a breakdown of various types of reports like sales, marketing data, leads, customer buying behavior, and more.
It is possible to integrate third-party systems into your CRMs, such as accounting software and other applications related to your business.
How to Approach CRM Software?
The initial step in approaching CRM software involves conducting research on the platforms that you plan to integrate into the business market and identifying which programs are suitable for small businesses.
Begin by gaining a comprehensive understanding of your business and your customers.
- Communication Preferences (Email, Text, etc.)
- Demographic
- Interests
Engage in discussions with small businesses in the same industry to gather recommendations on platforms to use. Explore various small business environments to identify the software and tools utilized by people.
The following provides an overview of various pricing tiers available for CRMs.
- Free
- $10 – $20
- $20 – $40
- $50 – $100
- $100 – $250 >
The main goal of the affordable programs is to provide assistance to small businesses that do not require extensive support or assistance from programmers. However, there is a limitation in terms of the number of customers you can include in the system. As the prices increase, you gain the ability to integrate more and incorporate third-party software.
What Makes a Great Small Business CRM?
From a personal perspective, certain small business CRMs may be more effective than others depending on your specific requirements and preferences. However, in general, there are various features that are typically in high demand among SMBs and startups.
- Multiple Integrations
If you are a small business using multiple platforms to communicate with customers for marketing, sales, or customer support, it is preferable to have a CRM that is compatible with those platforms. The ideal CRM for your small business is the one that integrates smoothly with all your platforms, creating a fully digital system to manage your business.
Small businesses often seek certain types of integrations in their CRMs. These integrations are commonly found.
- Phone system
- Livechat/Chatbot program
- Email client
- Digital marketing platforms (e.g. Google Analytics, Facebook Ads)
- Personal/Business calendars
- Invoicing software
- Point-of-sale (POS) systems
- On-the-Go & Cloud-Based Functionality
Small businesses are increasingly dependent on digital tools and platforms for their daily operations. Therefore, numerous popular small business CRMs are specifically created as cloud-based software. Additionally, some of these cloud-based CRMs provide their own smartphone app versions, enabling small business owners and employees to oversee customer interactions remotely.
This is especially beneficial for retail businesses or any company that utilizes tablets, phones, and other mobile devices to interact with their clientele.
Small business CRM solutions that have native iOS and Android app versions, instead of browser-based apps, enable users to exchange data and functionalities with other mobile applications. The most efficient mobile CRMs are specifically created to provide a more user-friendly experience.
- Organizes, Aligns, and Enhances Your Funnel
Many small businesses face a significant hurdle when it comes to planning and organizing their sales funnel from start to finish.
This is the reason why the superior choices for CRM software for small businesses not only assist in gathering and organizing data, but also utilize it to refine and enhance your sales funnel.
By implementing cross-platform integrations, you can ensure that all your teams across different business functions collaborate and have access to the same information throughout the customer journey. This helps avoid confusion or mix-up of messages and support tickets.
What Other Criteria Should You Look for in Choosing the CRM for Your Business?
To start looking for a CRM, it is most effective to clarify your specific business needs instead of comparing small business CRMs based on their features.
Several evaluative factors will need to be considered by you and your team, such as:
- What kind of customers are you serving?
- What added benefits do you want from your CRM?
- What software do you use that would need to integrate with your CRM system?
- What are your current business levels like now, and what do you expect them to be in the future?
- Who is going to use your CRM?
- How much are you willing to spend on a CRM?
You should take sufficient time to thoroughly discuss these questions with your team, as it is crucial. As implementing a CRM for your small business can be a costly expenditure, you want to ensure that you select the appropriate solution for your specific circumstances.
Once you have reached a consensus on these factors for evaluation, you will have to follow some extra measures to assist in narrowing down your choices.
Small Business CRM Features to Look for
When shopping for a small business CRM, here are some important features to consider:
- User-Friendly Interface
When considering criteria for your CRM, user experience may not be the initial feature in your thoughts. This is often because intuitive and easy-to-use CRMs are typically user-friendly. Conversely, if a CRM is clunky and challenging to navigate, it can result in a lot of frustration. Even the most advanced capabilities are rendered ineffective if they are difficult to utilize.
- Industry Specialization
In present times, there are CRMs designed for particular industries or businesses. Whether you operate in marketing or real estate, it is probable that you will encounter CRM systems tailored to your business’s specific requirements. You might discover that an industry-specific CRM is more compatible with your product or service and offers specialized features not found in generic CRMs.
- Customizability
On an individual level, it is beneficial to have a CRM that allows you to have complete control over the activation of features and user privileges. Even if you are utilizing a CRM system designed for small businesses in your industry, your business likely has unique needs compared to others. The ability to personalize your organization’s CRM enables you to eliminate any unnecessary features and maintain a straightforward and streamlined experience.
- Automation
As smart technologies become more popular, we are witnessing a growing trend of CRMs integrating AI- and ML-based features and tools into their software. These additional functionalities greatly assist in automating your business operations and maintaining customer engagement, even during periods of inactivity.
- Affordability
When evaluating any CRM, it is essential to consider the cost as one of the main criteria. This is particularly important for small businesses that are starting or relying on limited resources. Therefore, it is advisable to prioritize CRMs that are cost-efficient and fall within your budget.
- Scalability
When considering which CRM to choose, it may be tempting to select one that fits within your current budget. However, it is important to also consider whether the chosen CRM can accommodate your business’s growth in the future. While free or inexpensive CRMs may seem like a suitable choice for your current needs, it is crucial to assess whether the selected CRM can adequately handle increased business demands in the future.
- Easy to set up and use
When evaluating CRMs, it is important to also consider the ease of use and setup for your business. Although many CRMs may appear impressive and offer powerful features, it is possible that some CRMs may feel superior due to their user-friendly experience.
The 10 Best Small Business CRM Solutions
If you do a Google search, you will find numerous CRMs available on the web, each offering their own distinct features and capabilities.
In order to assist you in navigating the numerous CRMs available, we have compiled a collection of the most notable small business CRMs.
- Semrush CRM
Listed below are the key features:
Semrush CRM, created by the same team behind one of the leading SEO and digital marketing platforms, is a customer relationship management software designed for agencies and marketing teams. This CRM enables the integration of sales pipeline and funnel data from client projects, making it a suitable choice for expanding agencies seeking to streamline their management of client data within a single platform.
Advantages:
- Free
- Enriched client and prospect data
- Easy collaboration across teams and with clients
Here are the drawbacks:
- Made specifically for agencies
For whom is it most suitable:
- Digital agencies and any businesses that use an agency model
The pricing is to be approached in a step-by-step manner without adding or removing any given information.
- Free
- Hubspot CRM
Characteristics that are of particular importance or significance:
Hubspot’s free CRM is known for its comprehensive features, including contact management for up to a million contacts and email marketing capabilities. It is particularly useful for small businesses that heavily rely on email communication with leads and clients, as it allows users to track email opens and timing.
One advantage is,
- Unlimited data storage
- Free plan is free forever
- Lots of integrations with popular productivity apps
There are some disadvantages:
- Very limited automation in the free version
For whom is it most suitable:
- Most small businesses, particularly any that rely heavily on other cloud-based platforms and tools
Pricing: Consideration of each step of the process in sequential order, without adding or omitting any information, is necessary.
- Hubspot’s CRM itself is completely free
- Various “Hub” add-ons are available starting at $50 each per month
- Pipedrive
Key attributes:
If you want a user experience that is both sleek and highly intuitive, Pipedrive is worth considering. In addition to assisting with organizing your daily communications across devices, this CRM is noteworthy because it enables users to see the complete sales process from the beginning of a deal until it is closed.
Advantages: – The text below remains unchanged.
- Easy-to-use interface
- 24/7 email and live chat support
- Over 275 apps and integrations
One con or disadvantage is that you must consider each step carefully and thoroughly.
- No free version available; only a 14-day free trial
- Security features only included with the Enterprise plan
Who would find it most suitable:
- Small businesses that want a clean and simple user interface with all the core features of a solid CRM
The topic being discussed is pricing.
- Essential plan starts at $12.50 per user per month
- Insightly
The important aspects:
Insightly’s primary offering is centered on its Business Intelligence (BI) features, which provide small businesses with valuable insights into their sales data and performance. Additionally, this CRM includes a Chrome extension on the sidebar, enhancing the convenience of inputting customer data directly into the CRM.
Advantages:
- Comprehensive project management platform built-in
- Lead routing and management with milestone tracking
- Multi-step workflow automation
Drawbacks:
- No free version available
- Advanced features not included in the basic plan
Who would benefit the most from it?
- Small businesses that want to be able to manage both projects and their sales pipeline using the same platform
Pricing: Proceeding in a systematic manner, please rephrase the given text while keeping the meaning intact. Avoid introducing additional information and omitting any information. Pricing:
- Plus plan (their cheapest option) costs $29 per user per month, billed annually
- Keap
Key features include: – The most important characteristics or elements. – The main aspects or attributes. – The essential factors or components. – The critical points or highlights.
Keap, renowned for its email and marketing automations, is a comprehensive CRM solution designed to facilitate business growth. With pre-designed templates and adaptable workflow automations, Keap enables businesses to operate effortlessly, resulting in an average weekly time savings of 10 hours for your team.
Advantages:
- Automated sales cadences and follow-up sequences
- User-friendly interface
- Comprehensive contact management
Drawbacks:
- Lead scoring only available in Keap Pro
- Advanced functionalities take some time to learn
- Basic plan is on the pricier side
Who would benefit the most from it:
- Any small businesses that regularly send email updates to their customers
The pricing structure will be organized in a step-by-step manner, ensuring that no additional information is added or removed.
- Lite plan starts at $79 per month for 1 user, billed monthly
- EngageBay
Features that are important or significant.
EngageBay provides a highly inclusive CRM solution at a reasonably competitive price, catering to both solopreneurs and established companies. With a range of marketing features such as landing page builders and lead generation forms, this CRM software is ideal for businesses seeking to streamline their sales and marketing activities through a single interface.
Advantages:
- All-in-one platform that supports a variety of business needs
- Built-in communication hub
- Fast and helpful customer service
Drawbacks:
- Not the most intuitive user interface
- Less than ideal training documentation for new users
Who does it work well for?
- Small businesses and startups looking for a CRM with powerful marketing automation
The pricing information will be presented in a step-by-step manner, without any additional or omitted details.
- Free plan available
- Basic plan starts at $14.99 per user per month, billed monthly
- Salesforce
Characteristics:
Salesforce is considered one of the best CRMs, particularly for small businesses, due to its advanced features and platforms that cater to various stages of the customer journey, including SMS messaging, email marketing, and digital advertising.
Advantages:
- Fully cloud-based platform
- Able to connect with other powerful Salesforce tools and platforms
Drawbacks:
- Steep learning curve
- No free version
- Setup may take longer than other CRMs
Who is it most suitable for:
- Growing businesses that are looking for a full-fledged CRM with limitless scalability
The pricing plan is a step-by-step consideration that should be maintained without any additional information or removal of any kind.
- Essentials plan starts at $25 per user per month when paid annually
- Bigin by Zoho CRM
Features that are important or essential.
Bigin, a CRM solution from Zoho CRM, is specifically designed for small businesses and operates on a pipeline-based framework. It aims to provide users with a user-friendly and simple CRM system, offering only essential features while avoiding the complexities and difficult learning curve associated with more robust CRMs.
Advantages:
- Native mobile version available
- Built-in telephony
- Customizable dashboards
There are disadvantages associated with this.
- Certain mobile integrations only available on iOS and not Android
- Minimalist interface may take some getting used to for traditional CRM users
Who benefits the most from it?
- Bigin is perfect for small businesses that want a simple CRM that’s accessible on both PCs and mobile devices
The pricing is to be considered in a sequential manner.
- Free plan available
- Express plan starts at $9 per user per month
- Capsule
Important characteristics: In this particular task, I am asked to rephrase the given text while maintaining the same meaning, without adding new information or removing any existing information. The text to be rephrased is “Key Features.”
Capsule is an online approach to customer relationship management that is ideal for small businesses relying on cloud-based platforms. Trusted by thousands of businesses worldwide, this CRM system offers a range of customizable features such as user permissions, custom filters, and views for sales pipelines. Its extensive customization options make Capsule the perfect solution for small businesses aiming to upgrade from basic systems to those with advanced capabilities.
Advantages:
- Contact re-engagement reminders
- Wide range of integrations specific to SMB tools and platforms
- Clean and straightforward interface
Drawbacks:
- Lackluster analytics
- Limited scalability for growing businesses
Who is it most suitable for:
- Small businesses looking for a CRM that makes cross-team collaboration easy
The pricing aspect:
- Free plan
- Professional version starts at $18 per user per month, billed monthly
- Agile CRM
Listed below are the main characteristics:
Agile CRM presents itself as a comprehensive platform designed for small businesses that offers Fortune 500 capabilities. This encompasses functions like sales gamification and an integrated wireframe tool for prototyping digital assets and products. Additionally, their convenient one-click plugins and integrations enable seamless synchronization of your CRM with third-party apps and services that are currently utilized for business operations.
Advantages:
- Very affordable
- Automated sales pipeline system
One of the negative aspects of this is that
- Not the most integrative CRM
- Subpar reporting
Who would benefit the most from it:
- Small to medium-sized businesses that want sales, marketing, and service automation all in one CRM platform
The pricing of a product or service.
- Free version available
- Starter plan starts at $14.99 per user per month, billed monthly
There are numerous CRM systems for small businesses to choose from. Therefore, it is important to allocate sufficient time to review the various small business CRMs available in order to avoid overlooking any compatible platforms.
