In today's fast-paced business world, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems have become an essential tool for small businesses. Implementing a top CRM for small businesses can increase efficiency, boost sales, and enhance customer satisfaction, among other benefits.
A recent study found that businesses using a CRM system have a 65% higher lead conversion rate and a 41% sales increase per salesperson. So, if you're looking to take your small business to the next level, it's time to explore the best CRMs on the market.
In this article, we will discuss the most popular CRM systems for small business and their benefits so you can choose which fits your needs best.
Benefits of Using CRM Software
There are many benefits of using CRM software for small businesses. Some of the key advantages include:
Trustworthy reporting
Basic CRM for small businesses allows businesses to generate reliable and accurate reports on customer data, sales metrics, and other key performance indicators (KPIs). It also provides valuable insights into the company's performance.
Dashboards that visually showcase data
Such software provides businesses with customizable dashboards visually displaying critical information. This makes it easier for management to identify trends, track progress, and make informed decisions.
Improved messaging with automation
CRM allows businesses to automate customer communications, including email marketing, social media messaging, and other forms of outreach. It also ensures consistent messaging and improves efficiency.
Proactive service
It helps businesses provide proactive customer service by tracking customer interactions and history, identifying potential issues before they arise, and providing personalized solutions.
Efficiency enhanced by automation
CRM tools for small businesses automate many routine tasks, such as data entry, lead management, and sales tracking. They also free up employees and let them focus on higher-level activities that drive revenue.
Simplified collaboration
Such software allows teams to work together more effectively by sharing customer data, communicating in real time, and collaborating on projects and other initiatives.
Why Do Small Businesses Need CRM?
Small businesses need a CRM for several reasons:
- Manage customer data: a top CRM for small businesses helps small businesses manage customer data more effectively. Besides, centralizing customer information in one place makes accessing and updating the data easier. This helps small businesses better understand customers' needs, preferences, and buying behaviors.
- Improve customer service: Small businesses can provide better customer service using a CRM system. They can also track customer interactions, preferences, and purchase history. This helps small companies personalize customer interactions and provide better service to their prospects.
- Increase sales: such a system helps increase sales by identifying opportunities, tracking leads, and managing sales pipelines. Small businesses can use a CRM system to automate their sales process, which, in turn, saves both time and resources.
- Retain customers: small businesses can improve customer retention with the help of CRM. They can use the system to track customer interactions and identify opportunities to improve customer satisfaction. This helps retain their customers and build long-term relationships with them.
- Streamline processes: small business CRM software helps streamline working processes by automating tasks such as lead tracking, sales management, and customer service. This saves time and resources and allows small businesses to focus on growing.
How to choose the best CRM software for small businesses
Choosing the best CRM system for a small business can be challenging, but here are some key factors to consider when making up your mind. Here are some of them:
- Your business needs: before selecting one from CRM tools for small businesses, identify your business needs and goals. Consider what features are most important to you, such as sales management, marketing automation, customer service, analytics, etc. This will help you determine which CRM system best meets your business requirements.
- Ease of use: a CRM system should be easy to use and navigate. Look for a user-friendly system with a user-friendly interface and customizable features tailored to your business needs. Choosing a system your team can quickly adopt without extensive training is also essential.
- Cost: consider the cost of the CRM system, including any implementation, training, and ongoing maintenance fees. Look for a plan that fits your budget and provides the features and capabilities your business needs.
- Integration: a top CRM for small businesses should be able to integrate with other software systems that your company uses, such as marketing automation software, accounting software, or e-commerce platforms. This will help streamline your business processes and provide a more comprehensive view of your customers.
- Customer support: look for a CRM provider that offers comprehensive customer support, including training, technical support, and account management. This will ensure you have the help you need when encountering any system issues.
- Scalability: consider the scalability of the CRM system. Choose a system that can grow with your business and adapt to your changing needs over time.
Also read: How to Unlock Sales and Marketing Responsibilities
Best CRM for small business
This list will explore ten of the most popular CRMs on the market. We will also briefly describe each, including their target audience, key features, benefits, and current prices.
Pipedrive
Pipedrive CRM is a powerful sales management tool that helps small businesses manage their sales processes and close deals more efficiently. The cloud-based solution is remarkably user-friendly, intuitive, and highly customizable. Therefore, it is a popular choice for small businesses across various industries.
Who is Pipedrive for?
Pipedrive is targeted at small businesses looking for a sales-focused CRM solution. It is designed to help businesses manage their sales pipelines, track their deals, and improve sales performance through powerful analytics and reporting tools.
Pipedrive features
This one of the best small business CRM has multiple features such as sales pipeline management, deal tracking, activity reminders, email integration, and mobile access. It also offers reporting and analytics tools, enabling businesses to gain insights into sales performance and identify areas for improvement.
Pipedrive benefits
One of the major benefits of the Pipedrive CRM system for small businesses is its simplicity and ease of use. The system is built to be intuitive and user-friendly, allowing companies to get started with using the system quickly and easily. It also offers a range of customization options, enabling businesses to tailor the plan to their specific needs and preferences.
Other benefits of Pipedrive CRM include increased productivity, improved collaboration, and better customer engagement. The system helps businesses to automate their sales processes, track customer interactions, and gain insights into their sales performance, enabling them to make data-driven decisions and close more deals.
Pipedrive pricing plans
Pipedrive CRM offers a range of pricing plans, starting at $14.90 per month per user for its Essential plan, which includes basic CRM features such as contact and deal management. Its most advanced plan, the Enterprise plan, includes advanced features such as workflow automation, costing $99 per month per user. Pipedrive CRM also offers a free trial period of 14 days, allowing businesses to test the system before committing to a subscription.
HubSpot
HubSpot CRM is one of the best CRM for a small business. It is a cloud-based CRM system that helps businesses to manage their customer relationships, automate their sales processes, and improve their marketing efforts. HubSpot CRM is an excellent option for small businesses looking for a complete CRM solution.
Who is HubSpot for?
Among the industries, HubSpot CRM targets are retail, e-commerce, and service-based companies. Businesses of all sizes can use it to manage customer relationships, streamline sales processes, and improve marketing.
HubSpot features
The key features of HubSpot CRM include contact management, sales pipeline management, lead and deal tracking, automation, and analytics. It also offers powerful marketing automation features, including email marketing, social media management, and lead capture forms.
HubSpot benefits
One of the significant benefits of HubSpot CRM is its ease of use. The system is user-friendly and intuitive, making it easy for businesses to start with a tool.
The system enables businesses to automate their sales processes, track customer interactions, and gain insights into their sales and marketing performance through robust analytics and reporting tools.
HubSpot pricing plans
With HubSpot CRM, you can start with its free plan for $0 per month, which lets you manage contacts and deals. Enterprise's most advanced plan costs $3,600 monthly and includes predictive lead scoring. A 14-day free trial is also available with HubSpot CRM.
Zoho
Zoho CRM is a cloud-based CRM system built for small businesses. It helps companies manage customer relationships, automate sales processes, and improve customer engagement. Zoho CRM is an excellent option for small businesses needing a comprehensive CRM system to help them grow their customer base and increase their revenue.
Who is Zoho for?
This top CRM for small businesses focuses on small businesses across various industries, such as retail, e-commerce, and other companies that need a CRM system to help them manage their customer relationships and sales processes. It is also well-suited for businesses needing a scalable solution to grow with them.
Zoho features
The key features of Zoho CRM include contact management, sales pipeline management, lead and deal tracking, automation, and analytics. It also integrates with various third-party apps and services, including email clients, social media platforms, and e-commerce platforms.
Zoho benefits
Zoho CRM is known for its flexibility and customization, among its other significant benefits. The platform provides plenty of customization options and powerful automation features that help businesses streamline their sales processes and reduce manual tasks.
With Zoho CRM, businesses can skyrocket their sales processes, effortlessly track customer interactions, and gain valuable insights into their sales and marketing performance. Besides, this tool offers robust analytics and reporting features.
Zoho pricing plans
Zoho CRM has multiple pricing options, with its Standard plan starting at €20 per user per month, which covers some essential CRM functions such as contact and deal management. Its top-tier plan, the Ultimate plan, encompasses advanced capabilities, such as advanced analytics and reporting, at the cost of €65 per user per month. Additionally, businesses can take advantage of the 15-day free trial period that Zoho CRM provides to evaluate the system's suitability.
CRM and Deals for Zendesk
CRM and Deals for Zendesk is a powerful CRM system for small businesses. It is a cloud solution that helps companies manage their customer relationships, sales, and deals in one place. This system is an excellent option for those needing a simple and user-friendly CRM system to help grow their customer base.
Moreover, as a small business or startup, buying a separate Zendesk Sell is unnecessary with CRM and Deals integration. Indeed, this application is an alternative to the Zendesk Sell platform but with good capabilities. Zendesk Support users can try an application, as it is simple to navigate and offers all necessary features for sales managers for a reasonable price.
Who is CRM and Deals for Zendesk?
It is a comprehensive solution that caters to the requirements of small businesses across various industries. This system optimizes workflow, enhances customer interactions, and improves sales processes.
CRM and Deals for Zendesk features
CRM and Deals for Zendesk has plenty of useful features to help you stay on top of your customer relationship and sales management. With robust deal tracking, analytics, and reporting tools, you can easily keep track of your performance and make informed decisions.
CRM and Deals for Zendesk benefits
The app is very straightforward to use. It has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to get up and running quickly without extensive training or technical knowledge. Moreover, powerful automation features help businesses streamline their sales processes and eliminate manual tasks.
CRM and Deals for Zendesk pricing plans
CRM and Deals for Zendesk pricing plans start at $6 per user per month for its Lite plan, which includes basic CRM features such as contact and deal management. The Enterprise plan includes advanced features such as a dedicated Account Manager and extra customization, costing $59 per user per month.
Salesforce
Salesforce is a powerful and popular cloud-based customer relationship management system. It was designed to help businesses manage their sales, marketing, and customer service operations. With its extensive features, Salesforce is an ideal solution for small businesses that need a robust and scalable CRM system to help them grow and manage their customer relationships.
Who is Salesforce for?
Salesforce's target audience is small to large businesses across various industries looking to streamline their sales, marketing, and customer service processes and increase their revenue and profitability.
Salesforce features
The key features of Salesforce include lead and opportunity management, contact management, marketing automation, analytics and reporting, and mobile access. Its additional features include integrations with various third-party apps and services.
Salesforce benefits
One of the significant benefits of Salesforce is its scalability and flexibility, allowing small businesses to start with a basic plan and upgrade as their business grows and their needs change. The system is also highly customizable, enabling companies to tailor it to their requirements and workflows.
Salesforce pricing plans
Salesforce has pricing plans, starting at $25 per user per month for its Essentials plan, which includes basic CRM features such as contact and opportunity management. Its most advanced plan, the Unlimited plan, includes advanced features such as unlimited customization, advanced analytics and reporting, and 24/7 support, costing $300 per user per month. Salesforce also offers a free trial period of 30 days.
Freshworks
Freshworks is a cloud-based customer relationship management system built to help small businesses manage their sales and marketing. It provides businesses with various tools to manage their sales pipeline, track customer interactions, and automate their marketing and sales processes.
Who is Freshsales for?
Small businesses seeking to enhance their sales efficiency, track customer interactions, and expand their customer base can significantly benefit from this system. It is especially beneficial for those who aim to streamline customer data, automate sales and marketing processes, and enhance customer engagement.
Freshsales features
The key features of Freshworks include the following:
- Lead and contact management.
- Deal management.
- Email tracking and automation.
- Appointment scheduling.
- A mobile app for iOS and Android.
Freshsales benefits
One of the significant benefits of Freshwork is its intuitive interface and user-friendly features, making it easy for businesses to use and adapt. This small business CRM also offers advanced analytics and reporting tools to help businesses gain insights into their sales and marketing performance.
Freshworks provides various benefits, such as enhanced productivity, improved customer engagement, and streamlined collaboration. With Freshworks, teams can collaborate more efficiently, automate repetitive tasks, and work together on customer interactions and deals.
Freshsales pricing plans
Its pricing plans start at $18 per user per month for its Growth plan, which includes basic features such as contact management and email tracking. Its most advanced plan, the Enterprise plan, includes advanced features such as advanced analytics and reporting, multiple sales pipelines, and custom roles and permissions and costs $83 per user per month. Freshsales also offers a free trial period of 21 days.
Keap
Keap CRM (formerly known as Infusionsoft) is the best CRM for a small business designed to manage sales and marketing processes more effectively.
Who is Keap CRM for?
Keap CRM is excellent for small businesses looking to improve their sales and marketing performance and grow their customer base. It is perfect for companies that want to consolidate customer data, streamline their marketing and sales workflows, and enhance customer interaction.
Keap CRM features
The key features of Keap CRM for small businesses include contact and lead management, marketing automation, sales automation, and appointment scheduling.
Keap CRM benefits
One of the major benefits of Keap CRM is its powerful automation capabilities. The system allows businesses to automate their marketing and sales processes, freeing time for more important activities such as customer engagement and business growth.
Keap CRM pricing plans
Keap CRM offers different pricing plans, starting at $149 monthly for its Pro plan. Its most advanced plan, the Max plan, includes advanced features such as advanced automation, e-commerce capabilities, and API access, costing $199 per month. Keap CRM also has a free trial period of 14 days.
Salesmate CRM
Salesmate CRM is an efficient cloud-based solution designed to help small and mid-sized businesses streamline their sales processes. It provides tools to automate sales workflows, manage customer interactions, and track sales pipelines. With Salesmate CRM, businesses can improve their sales productivity, enhance customer relationships, and boost revenue.
Who is Salesmate CRM for?
Salesmate CRM is ideal for small businesses looking to improve their sales performance and drive revenue growth. It is also helpful for companies that want to streamline their sales processes, enhance their customer engagement, and track their sales activities more efficiently.
Salesmate CRM features
The key features of Salesmate CRM for small businesses include contact and lead management, sales automation, deal management, and reporting and analytics. It also has integrations with various third-party tools, including email integrations, social media platforms, and marketing automation tools.
Salesmate CRM benefits
Salesmate CRM is user-friendly and easy to use. The system is designed to be intuitive and straightforward, making it easy for teams to onboard. Other benefits of Salesmate CRM include improved collaboration, better customer engagement, and increased productivity. The system allows teams to work together more effectively, collaborate on deals and customer interactions, and automate repetitive tasks.
Salesmate CRM pricing plans
Salesmate CRM offers different pricing plans, starting at $15 per user per month for its Starter plan, which includes basic features such as contact and lead management, sales automation, and deal management. Its Enterprise plan includes advanced features such as custom reporting and advanced automation, and you have to contact the company to get to know its price. Salesmate CRM also offers a free trial period of 15 days.
Agile CRM
Agile CRM is a cloud-based system that offers small businesses comprehensive tools to manage their sales, marketing, and customer service. It provides companies with an all-in-one solution that streamlines their workflows, automates their processes, and enables them to manage customer interactions more efficiently.
Who is Agile CRM for?
Agile CRM caters to the needs of small businesses and startups that aim to enhance their sales performance and extend their customer base. It aims to centralize customer data, track customer interactions through various channels, and automate their marketing and sales workflows.
Agile CRM features
The key features of Agile CRM include contact management, marketing automation, sales automation, and customer service automation. It also provides:
- Businesses with customizable dashboards.
- Reporting.
- Analytics tools that enable them to track their performance and gain insights into their sales pipeline.
Agile CRM benefits
The system is designed with small businesses in mind, and its interface is intuitive and straightforward, making it easy for teams to get started very fast. Agile CRM offers improved efficiency, enhanced teamwork, and superior customer engagement. The system enables teams to work together more effectively, collaborate on deals and customer interactions, and automate manual tasks effortlessly.
Agile CRM pricing plans
Agile CRM pricing plans start at $8.99 per user per month for its Starter plan, which includes basic features such as contact and lead management, email marketing, and social media integration. Its most advanced plan, the Enterprise plan, includes advanced features such as marketing automation, advanced analytics, and API access, costing $47.99 per user per month. Agile CRM offers a free plan for up to 10 users, providing businesses with essential features and limited functionality.
Insightly
Insightly is a powerful and easy-to-use CRM system designed specifically for small businesses. It helps companies to manage their customer relationships, streamline their sales processes, and improve their overall efficiency.
Who is Insightly for?
Targeted at small businesses looking for a reliable and affordable CRM solution, Insightly provides a range of features that make it easy for companies to manage their sales, marketing, and customer support processes.
Insightly features
Some of the critical features of Insightly include contact management, lead tracking, project management, email integration, and sales forecasting. With Insightly, businesses can keep track of their customers, leads, and projects all in one place, making it easy to stay organized and on top of things. Insightly offers a powerful contact management system that lets you track all your customers and prospects in one place.
The software also visually represents your sales pipeline and allows you to track your deals as they progress through different stages. It also has a powerful workflow automation feature that helps you automate repetitive tasks, streamline processes, and save time. Besides, Insightly is highly customizable, allowing you to tailor the software to your specific needs and workflows.
Insightly benefits
The benefits of Insightly include its ease of use, mobile-friendly interface, and flexible pricing plans. Insightly provides a centralized platform for businesses to store and organize their customer data, making it easier for teams to communicate and collaborate on projects. With Insightly, companies can automate repetitive tasks such as data entry and lead generation, saving valuable time that can be used for more critical tasks.
Its sales management features enable businesses to manage their sales pipeline effectively, improving the chances of closing more deals and increasing revenue. By keeping track of customer interactions and preferences, this CRM system helps businesses to provide personalized and timely support to their customers, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Insightly pricing plans
It offers a free plan for up to two users, including essential features like contact and project management. Paid plans start at $29 per user per month and include more advanced features such as workflow automation and reporting.
Conclusion
Choosing the right CRM can be crucial for the growth and success of your small business. With so many options available in the market, it's crucial to consider the features, pricing, and target audience before deciding. Whether you're looking for a user-friendly platform, robust automation capabilities, or seamless integration with other business tools, a CRM system can cater to your unique needs.
By implementing the right CRM system, small businesses can improve customer engagement, streamline workflows, and ultimately grow revenue. So take the time to research and find the perfect CRM system for your business, and watch your business thrive. And our review will help you out with this task.
