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.

Discover more of the latest technology news now.

Read Also:

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

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.

How to Start, Set Up, and Grow Your Own Massage Business

Becoming a massage therapist is an excellent way to be self-employed, earn a good living, and help others. Before you can start, though, you need to be trained, licensed, and certified. Each state has different requirements. At a minimum, you will need at least 500 hours of education and hands-on training from an accredited program. In many states, you will need more. After you qualify as a massage therapist, you can work for a health practitioner or spa. However, you will earn the highest amount of money and get the most satisfaction from your career if you start your own business. You will need to find a suitable space to lease, conform to county and city government regulations, and legally form your own company. Funding Your Massage Therapy Business There are a number of ways that you could fund your business. Even if you are unable to get a traditional bank loan because you are just starting out or have no business experience, you can often get funding from online lenders. Other choices for funding include angel investors, venture capitalists, factoring (getting invoice advances), crowdfunding, and small business grants. Setting Up Your Massage Therapy Business Here are a few things that you will need to furnish and equip your new space: 1.Basic Equipment. At the very least, you will need to have a massage bed(s) to start your massage therapy business. Find one that suits your budget. Thankfully, there is a wide variety of choices when it comes to stationary or portable equipment. You may also want to consider getting a portable massage chair so that you can offer samples at health stores or other places where you can promote your business. Additionally, consider bringing in some additional equipment to improve the massage experience for your clients like adjustable headrests and neck bolsters. 2. Supplies. Customarily, you will need an adequate stock of organic, hypoallergenic creams, lotions, and massage oils. You will also need towels, sheets, and pillows. 3. Décor You should get a good music player, a nice selection of calming music, and aromatherapy candles. As your business grows, you can improve the décor, but you should offer a few things to provide your clients with a sensory, relaxing experience. Finding Clients For Your Massage Therapy Business 1. Decide on your ideal clients. Although you may be skilled in helping all sorts of people with a wide variety of needs, you do need to develop a focus. Decide if you want to specialize. For instance, you may only want to work with athletes, on one particular type of problem, or specialize in one particular school of therapy. By specializing, you will be able to fine-tune your marketing. Instead of being a generalist, you will be a specialist. For instance, if you specialize in lower back pain or only work with athletes, then you will be the go-to-person for people who have those needs. Don't worry, you will have more than enough clients. Moreover, you will be able to charge a higher fee than massage therapists in your local area who have not specialized. You will attract clients who want to pay you for the quality of your work, and not clients who are looking for bargain-basement prices and discounts. 2. Learn how to advertise. You must learn how to advertise. Create business cards, brochures, and flyers. Put ads in newspapers and magazines. 3. Get good at networking. Go to health clubs, salons, etc. and talk to people who could recommend your services to others. You may also be able to meet people via business and networking events. Although it may not seem so at the time, the most challenging part of your new career may not be the educational or business setup process. It may be finding new clients! Here's the thing, unless you get good at finding new clients, you will be unsuccessful, even if you did really well in school and have set up a well-equipped massage clinic. Your biggest challenge will not be becoming an excellent massage therapist, as that is a fairly structured process. It will be learning how to be a good business person, which is a highly creative, unstructured aspect of your new adventure.

KF Documentary: Tips For Small Business To Learn From KFC’s Brand Turnaround

It wasn’t that long ago that reports about KFC’s sales falling were drawing a rather dismal picture for the brand. And yet today, it’s standing strong as ever, proudly taking the title of the second most popular fast-food chain on the planet. Today in this KFC documentary, we will look into the strategies KFC used to regain its position. The turnaround this brand managed to accomplish in a handful of years is rather miraculous in the world of business, and many can learn from its example. Some of the techniques used by KFC in its road back to the top can be adapted for small businesses that are working their way up their own niches. KFC Documentary: Brand Revival After KFC fall to the ground and fail to satisfy their customers with their product in 2013, they decided to connect with the customers on the emotional levels and started marketing business once again. This time they took the help of the digital platform to reach out wider bandwidth of audiences. 1. Make Advertisements Branded And Fun Ads are annoying, and people skip them, right? Well, KFC managed to create a series of ads that people were really looking forward to watching. Each was an entertaining clip featuring ‘Colonel Sanders’ in some new interesting role. Colonel, the founder and greatest asset of KFC, is the embodiment of the brand today. On the contrary, the company is immortalizing him by turning him from a real-life showman and marketing genius into a fictional hero who has his own fan club. There are even books about his rise to the brand icon role now. A small business will not be able to launch a multimillion campaign with fancy ads, but you can create a character that will give a personality to your brand. Choose something or someone that your target audience will be able to relate to. Your goal is to make your marketing seem less like self-promotion and more like a friend or idol offering advice. 2. Make Your Customer Feedback Count One thing that KFC has always been focused on was delivering a top-quality customer experience. One of the main methods the brand uses to achieve that is directly asking for feedback and actually using it. All you need to do in order to share your opinion and be heard is to fill up the KFC survey. Have you ever done this yourself? Did it help improve the service or address any issue you had? Did you feel like you can contribute to the betterment of your favorite fast-food restaurant by taking that survey? Considering how smoothly the KFC customer service runs, the answers to those questions are most likely ‘yes’. And that is what a small business owner should learn from KFC. You need to establish a way for your customers to provide feedback (a customer satisfaction survey is a good start). Then, you need to pay attention to that feedback and follow up on it immediately. Today you can find or develop specialized solutions that will process this information to make this easier. That’s why the survey format is optimal for small companies that cannot hire a full-time call center service. KFC Documentary: Final Thoughts Of course, there was more to KFC’s triumph, like leveraging humor as well as extensive work in local market research and launching dozens of localized projects, like traditional menu changes. However, as a small business owner, you need to start with things that can bring tangible results right away. Read Also: Basic Small Business Tips for Noobs Who Want to Start a Venture in 2020 Cost-Effective Custom Mobile Accessories Packaging for your Small Business How To Empower Your Small Business through Digital Marketing? How To Sell A Small Business Without A Broker

6 Top CRM for Small Businesses in 2019

Why Use a CRM?