6 Top CRM for Small Businesses in 2019

Published on: 05 April 2019 Last Updated on: 04 September 2024

Growing your small business in a cost-effective way that increases your brand awareness and attracts more customers is no easy feat.

According to a Statistic Brain study, the failure rate for all companies across the US after 5 years is over 50%.

So how do you make sure you don’t fail? By ensuring your customers are happy, of course. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems allow you to collect data about your customer’s interactions with your business.

Read on to learn about the top CRM for small businesses.

Why Use a CRM?

Customer Relationship Management systems are a great way to analyze data from various channels. Channels include your business’s website, social media channels, customer support logs, and feedback reviews.

CRM let you see what your customers like about your business’s products and/or services. CRM also allows you to address any customer concerns and better your products/services.

The success of a business, particularly a small business, relies on its customers. That’s why CRM systems are one of the most essential business tools you need in order to grow your business.

Top CRM for Small Businesses:

Find out everything you need to know about CRMs by learning more about the pros and cons of CRM for small businesses.

We’ve compiled a list of 6 of the best CRM solutions for small businesses, check it out now:

1. Salesforce:

Salesforce offers an affordable package whilst still including all of the essential product’s great features.

Salesforce is easy to use and includes key features such as:

Lead generation
Contact and opportunity management
Sales forecasting
Workflow automation

Salesforce is ideal for small businesses who want an affordable CRM.

2. HubSpot:

HubSpot

Be sure to add HubSpot to your list of must-have small business tools. The free version of HubSpot offers CRM solutions for small businesses and includes:

Learning guides
Invoice template generators
Email signature generators
Marketing plan template generators

HubSpot offers a great package for independent contractors and/or small businesses.

3. Agile CRM:

Up next in our top CRM software solution that your business needs are Agile CRM. Agile CRM allows you to:

Store details about 10,000 companies or contacts
Receive support for tracking emails
Set lead scoring and custom deal milestones
Access builder tools for forms, email templates, and website landing pages
Monitor social media

Agile CRM is great for small and big-sized businesses that want a whole range of customer relationship management tools.

4. Zoho CRM:

The multi-channel online CRM, Zoho CRM can collect data from your emails, calls, live chats, and social media channels. It is popular amongst small businesses because of it:

Is easy to use
Offers real-time analytics and notifications for every customer
Allows you to assign individual targets for your team
Features the option to build and automate your sales processes

Zoho Marketplace also ensures that you can increase your business functionality by offering various extensions that can be added to your CRM dashboard.

5. Streak:

Streak

If you are looking to implement a CRM system that is easy to use, you need to get a Streak. Streak can be installed and added as an extension on your Gmail. Streak CRM for Gmail features:

Easy collaboration options (with the ability to easily share contacts and files)
Webhook API access
Mail merge
Ability to manage deals

The streak is ideal for small business owners who are new to the world of CRM and need an easy to use platform to help grow their business.

6. Insightly:

Insightly is great for small businesses because it is an affordable CRM that offers a range of features, such as:

Storage space of 10gb
send up to 2,500 mass emails a day
detailed reports and analysis options
API access
and the ability to import 25,000 records per session.

Insightly can be used by big, medium, and small-sized businesses who are looking for a tool that offers a range of features to better understand their customers.

7. Freshsales:

Freshsales is a full-fledged sales CRM software for businesses that range from startups to enterprises. With Freshsales you don’t need multiple tools to drive sales anymore.

The major advantages of choosing Freshsales are below

Simple UI with powerful features
Detailed overview of leads & customers
Configurable dashboards and reports
Great integrations
It also offers a free forever plan for unlimited users with basic contact management and a built-in phone system.

The Right CRM Software for You:

When choosing from our list of the top CRM for small businesses list, make sure you know what you want from your CRM.

If you want a more basic, low-cost CRM then opt for one that is free or cheaper. Or if you want one that has all the trimmings and helps you understand and analyze all parts of your business, then opt for one that has more features.

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Custom Standup Pouches for Small Businesses

In 2018, the number of businesses that were using standup pouches increased by a high percentage. The custom printed pouches offer more to small businesses when it comes to convenience, affordability among other many other features. Gone are the days when businesses ignore the importance of proper packaging, small businesses are now investing more money into the packaging. The businesses that benefit the most from stand-up pouches are the companies dealing in food and beverage. Unlike the big companies, medium-sized and small companies can't sell a lot of merchandise in the retail stores. Due to this low sales return, many small businesses will focus more on cutting costs, and one of the sectors that suffer the most is the packaging. A small business owner will find it more affordable to use paper bags to pack their items. To add a little twist to the packaging, they will add a simple label on the packaging to brand their product. However, with time as the number of consumers grows, this form of packaging no longer seems like a feasible idea for your company. Your production quantity has to increase, and you have to adopt a new packaging strategy. Your old packaging style will be subjected to errors like wrong labeling or the paper bags getting torn and the products getting damaged. These simple mistakes within a short time start to bring losses in the production which cannot be ignored. At this juncture, most small businesses have no option but to adopt the custom stand-up pouches. What Are The Options Available With Stand-Up Pouches? Stand up pouches come with plenty of options, that a small business can utilize to make sure they deliver the best services in packaging their products. In addition to that, they come as a cost-effective option especially if you are a startup company. The standup pouches can be used in packing a wide variety of products. Compared to the ordinary paper bags, the standup pouches can withstand any form of roughness without getting damaged. The standup pouches cannot experience other challenges faced by paper bags like wrong labeling since they have the option of the company printing their label on the pouches. Label pasting or printing can be done anywhere and is also very cost-effective; you have a wide variety of printing options for your label. Depending on your production supply you can consider label pasting or label printing. The challenge with label pasting is that it is not very efficient when dealing with a large stockpile. Label printing offers a more attractive option. A small business can opt for custom printed standup pouches. The custom printed pouches are also cost-effective in the long run. What Are The Printing Options Businesses Can Consider? There are several printing options small businesses can consider. The printing options are high quality and offer flexible packaging options especially with food and beverage products. The printing of one’s product details has many advantages: it’s a useful visual marketing strategy, the printing of the brand in beautiful colors and letters increases the attractiveness of the packaging of your product, improved brand awareness, and lastly increased sales. Small businesses benefit from reduced cost in production by adapting standup pouches since the bags are very affordable. They are cheap and have low minimum run. If you compare the cost of a folded cartoon and that of standup pouches that are customized, you will find that the standup pouches are way cheaper. Since they are more reliable when it comes to protection of the product, then you don’t have to worry about your products getting damaged in storage or during transportation. The space used in storage when you sue the standup pouches is less compared to the other packaging options used by other companies. When picking your standup pouch design, it’s essential for your team to answer the following questions: 1. What kind of product is your small business producing and selling: How delicate is your product, what is the size of your product and what are the materials used in making your product? Simple facts like the perishability of product and the shelf life will play an important role in picking the best standup pouch design for your product. Each product has some logistics that must be taken into consideration when designing its packaging. 2. What is your target market? Who will be buying your product: Understanding the nature of your target market and their preferences is very important? For instance, the packaging you use when designing the packaging for men’s’ products will be fairly different than those used for those on women’s’ products. When surveying your potential clients, special things like age, sex, preferences, culture and religious boundaries have to be taken into great consideration. The ability to fully understand your customer will give you an idea of what packaging to use that they will find very attractive. If you are targeting the older generation, you will consider using larger texts in your printing, while a target market that is more affluent will want something that is classier and more luxurious. 3. How will your client buy your product: will the product be purchased in a retail store or online? Products that will be sold online don’t face the same stiff competition from similar products like the goods that are sold in a retail store. If you are products will be sold online then you don’t need to have extra space in the packaging as this will make the product to rattle a lot, or it will bend when being transported. If your products will be sold on the shelves of a boutique, then the packaging needs to eye-catching and cute. After answering these questions, you will have the opportunity to come up with different ideas on the ideal packaging to use. Product packaging is a practical tool since with the proper packaging you will be able to tell a story of your product. This means your story needs to very engaging, sensual, and awakens all the senses in a potential buyer. With the above questions fully answered your team will get a chance to come up with a packaging that will not only secure the product but also sell it to the current and potential buyers. Read Also: Building A Brand For Your Small Business 5 Ways To Reduce The Packaging Cost In Your Business

People Management Tips from a Successful UK SME

Many business owners excel at the core activities of their company but can struggle with the supporting functions that come with it. It’s certainly true to say that not every business owner is a natural leader and manager of people, and nor would they consider themselves to be. However, this is something that must be learned, at least until the business is large enough to hire someone who is if the SME is to be a success. So what are the realities of people management for business owners? We spoke to Vasco de Castro, the co-founder and business development director to find out what he has learned about people management during his time at the helm of the new international workplace fruit provider Fruitful Office. 1. Make your team the focus of the business It’s the business owner who has grown the company from the ground up, so it can be difficult to let go. However, once you start taking on staff, it’s important to step back and play a supporting role. The tendency is to think the business is all about you, but it’s the people who work for you that play a key part in creating the business’s culture. Making time for your team on a personal and professional level and listening to any problems or issues they may have is central to the perceptions they form about the business. It’s also important to acknowledge that in their specialist areas, employees may well be more knowledgeable than you. Asking for their input and acting on the insights they provide will help them become a valued part of the business. 2. Let them shine The reason you’ve hired the workers you have is hope that they have the specialist skills you lack, so it’s essential you give them the support and space they need to put those skills to good use. The tendency to micromanage is something business owners should resist at all costs. Understandably, you will be protective of your business, but once you’ve provided clear direction and made your expectations clear, it’s time to step back and let them shine. As Vasco de Castro explains: “In my view, it is the role of the leader to provide the vision for the business and communicate it clearly to employees. It’s then down to the employees to make it happen.” 3. Remember the bad bosses you’ve had in the past When you’re finally in the position to be in charge, remember all those horrible bosses you’ve had along the way and make sure you don’t become them. There are a number of small and simple steps you can take to make your business somewhere your employees actually want to work. Recognizing their achievements, giving them the freedom to make their own decisions, trusting them and actually getting to know them on a personal level all help. However, simply allowing yourself to relax and enjoy what working life has to throw at you has an important part to play in creating a loyal and energized team. What do you think is the key to successful people management in an SME? Do you agree with Vasco de Castro? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

5 Critical Branding Tips to Attract New Clients to Your Auto Parts Shop

Building a brand is hard work. You have to really understand your business, your market, and your customers. Then you have to learn all the new social media tricks while keeping your traditional customers happy. Thankfully, getting started doesn't have to be overwhelming. Here are 5 branding tips to help you establish your auto part shop's brand. Basic Branding Tips: Start here before checking out the actionable steps. Before making any branding decisions make sure you have a clear vision of who you are and what you do. We know, we know, it should be obvious that an auto body shop fixes cars right? The trick is conveying that in your branding strategy. Make sure you know exactly what image you want your brand to present. 1. Know Your Existing Brand: When most small businesses set out to build a brand they forget that they already have one. Your reputation with customers, suppliers, and the local community is the foundation of your branding efforts. Ask regulars what they like about the way you do things. Get people to join your mailing or emailing list with each purchase. This lets you find out what the community already thinks about you and shapes your branding efforts going forward. 2. Clarity Is Key: You can have the best, most viral campaign ever and it won't do you any good if people don't know what it's actually for. Make sure any move you make is clear on what your business is. That doesn't mean you need a broken car in every picture. Just be clear in any logos, names, and promotional materials what your business is and what it does. 3. Produce and Display Value: No matter what your business does you have to produce value. That's the only reason people will use your services. Be certain that a value approach drives your small business branding strategy. Don't just go for attention-grabbing techniques. Try to embody the core principles and benefit you bring to customers. Let them know why and how you'll work hard to help them with their problems. A great start would be explaining the long term benefits of high-quality parts. 4. Get Online: No one would accuse an auto parts shop of being a startup. That doesn't mean you can't use the newest customer engagement tools to your advantage. Create profiles for your shop on social media. Find a few hashtags that work for your business and use them strategically. Building a brand takes time and requires you to learn new techniques. Check out sites like https://www.ultrex.com.au/brand/subaru/ for good examples. 5. Always be Scaling: A lot of people slow down once their brand is established. This is a mistake. Creating a brand is just the first step in your business' journey to prosperity. You need to make that brand work for you and your goals. Once you've built your brand image you're perfectly placed to scale. Add in new programs that leverage your existing customer base and brand recognition, such as: Referral programs Giveaways Local sponsorships Email list marketing You want to seamlessly combine old school local business practices with the wonders of modern media. Don't Be Afraid to Try: Establishing a brand from nothing is nerve-wracking. As long as you follow the best branding tips available it can be easier than you think. For more useful branding and small business tips, check out our other articles here. Read Also: 5 Tools That Can Help You Get Your Business Organized How We Could Be Able To Get Benefits From The Outdoor Marketing 4 Simple And Cheap Methods To Attract More Customers For Your Small Business

6 Top CRM for Small Businesses in 2019

Why Use a CRM?