Which CRM is best for your small business? (An Honest Take)
We’ve all gone through the experience of trying to set up an overwhelming CRM. It’s almost as if they gave you a nuclear sub and all you needed was some simple software to track conversations. This is why when it comes to running a business, you want to outfit your team with a CRM software that’s extremely easy to set up and easy to learn.
I’ve had hands-on experience with almost every CRM from Salesforce to HubSpot to even FreshSales and I’ll be breaking down which CRM is truly best for your small business.
Let’s dive in!
How simple should your CRM be?
Previous to LeadLoft I actually consulted companies on setting up sales processes and the biggest problem I ran into was coaching the team on how to use their CRM. I could have set up a world class sales workflow but at the end of the day, the success of the team fell on the team’s managers and their ability to train everyone.
Based on all of this experience, I strongly recommend that you select a CRM that’s far more simple than the leading CRMs you have probably heard about. Yes, that means you should skip out on the popular CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, and even ZOHO.
I always tell our team this and I recommend you take it to heart:
Simplicity is a feature not a bug.
And this is especially true when it comes to CRMs.
Which CRM is best for small business?
Below we’ve ranked the CRMs that we believe are best for your small business along with the pricing, website, and both the pro’s and con’s for each.
#1) LeadLoft
Now, I’m obviously biased but LeadLoft is an amazing tool. While consulting different companies, teaching teams how to use Salesforce or Hubspot was a massive obstacle. So with LeadLoft, we set out to build a CRM that’s wildly easy to use and learn. Best of all, the LeadLoft team will even set it up for you.
We’ve even had employees leave and after starting their own venture, chose LeadLoft to power their sales outreach. It’s just a tool that once you learn how to use it, you’ll never look back.
LeadLoft stands out above the rest because it’s extremely easy to use and learn. In 10 or 20 minutes, you’ll already be set up and ready to go and if you need help, our team will hop on a video call with you to make sure you get things sorted out. And no, this support does not cost you anything extra.
The feature set is also extensive with email automations, powerful filters, and even an inbox that helps you sort through all the newsletters and internal emails in your inbox. If you’re looking for a powerful solution, great support, and a software that’s pain free, LeadLoft is most likely the CRM you’ve been looking for.
Pricing: $5 /user/month
Website: https://www.leadloft.com/
Pros:
- Easy to Use
- Easy to Learn
- Powerful Email Automations
- Set Up For You
- Free Migration
- Free Phone Support
Cons:
- Fewer Advanced Features
- Less Customizable
#2) Pipedrive
Pipedrive is the original easy to use CRM and while many of the original CRM grew into corporate solutions, Pipedrive has done a good job of focusing on the little guy. Pipedrive is a pretty amazing software but it just required a lot of manual data entry. If you’re extremely organized, good at taking notes, and updating stages, then Pipedrive could be a great CRM solution for your business.
Pricing: $34.90 /user/month
Website: https://www.pipedrive.com/
Pros:
- Affordable
- Easy to Use
- Easy to Learn
Cons:
- Limited Outreach Automations
- Doesn’t Scale Well
- Less Customizable
#3) FreshSales
FreshSales is the most complicated CRM on this list because it follows the same layout as Salesforce and HubSpot. The reason we chose to list it here is purely because of the price. Sometimes small businesses need a more complex solution but can’t afford the steep price of something like HubSpot. If this sounds like you, then FreshSales might be the right CRM solution for you and your team.
Pricing: $18 /user/month
Website: https://www.freshworks.com/crm/sales/
Pros:
- Affordable
- More Customizable
- Powerful Outreach Automations
Cons:
- Rough Around the Edges
- Can Feel Poorly Developed at Times
Wrapping Up
When it comes to selecting a CRM for your small business, look for a balance of simplicity and power. You almost certainly don’t need an enterprise CRM software so opt for the tool that your team will actually use. If you get this right, I guarantee that everything in your business will instantly feel smoother and more organized but get this wrong, and you’ll have a new full time job managing a CRM.
If you have questions or would like our team to set up your CRM for you, please reach out here. We’re always looking to help small businesses where we can and if you’d like to learn more about the downsides of an overly complex CRM, checkout our article here.
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