As a business owner, you know that juggling your clients and their information can be overwhelming and if done wrong, incredibly messy. Your clients are the most important aspect of your business, which is why lots of business owners turn to a CRM platform. However, CRM, or customer relationship management, software has grown to incorporate much more than just customer strategy – it now includes many aspects of running a business. Here’s how to go about choosing the right CRM, plus the best CRM solutions on the market right now.

What Is a CRM Platform?
CRM platforms are tools that can act as a central location where customer support, sales, operations, and marketing come together. By bringing these key areas into one platform, you streamline your processes and empower employees to access knowledge and act quickly.

A CRM platform can provide information to you and your team, including a database of your customers with contact information and how they interact with your business. It also acts as a place to store leads, automate marketing campaigns, and more.

What Businesses Need a CRM?
Any business that wishes to grow by managing and maintaining customer relationships can benefit from a CRM platform. Although it may be easy to manage customer information when you first start your business, as it grows and more people join the team, that information can get lost or misplaced. A CRM platform allows you to organize that information so you and your team appear as one united front for the customer.

If your business has customers who you regularly interact with, or if you have lists of leads and customers, your business needs a CRM.

What Benefits to Look For in a CRM Platform
CRM platforms provide a variety of features and benefits. A good CRM can:

• Organize customer data, including contact information, who they’ve spoken with, and what was discussed so that your team can interact with them seamlessly.
• Provide customer segmentation, allowing you to break down customers by things like close date, dollars spent, location, and more.
• Track sales data, including metrics and quotas, through data on calls, emails, meetings, and closed deals. This allows you to track both sales and sales team productivity. Using this information, the CRM can provide sales forecasting to predict future labour needs and revenue.
• Provide structured processes for sales and customer service. These repeatable actions will ensure that your team is offering consistent service. You can also test new strategies using the CRM data so you can determine what is working and what isn’t.
• Automate marketing by utilizing campaign management features. You can send targeted campaigns that generate new leads and compare the effectiveness of your campaigns in one place.
• Align your team for happier, more empowered employees. Employees with streamlined processes and access to knowledge bases feel more confident and aligned with the company, allowing them to produce higher quality work.

All of these benefits ultimately result in an increase in revenue and profitability. When you choose the right CRM for your business, you’ll benefit from having your customers in one place, processes and metrics easily tracked, and more confident teams.

The Best CRMs  on the Market 

Asana
Asana is a CRM platform that allows you to connect data from other apps, like Gmail and SalesForce, while also onboarding new customers, streamlining support requests, creating templates for best practices, and tracking progress – all in one place. You can break your dashboard down into workspaces, projects, and tasks, so each team member has their own customized dashboard that’s relevant to their work.

HoneyBook
Using HoneyBook, you can schedule meetings, deliver proposals, send contracts for online signatures, send invoices, and get paid. It allows you to customize sequences, so you can create automated emails, tasks, and more. It also integrates with other apps, like Zoom and Gmail, so everything you need is in one place.

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Dubsado
Dubsado aims to declutter your browser by putting all of your business tools in one place. You can create reusable templates for everything from questionnaires to contracts, automate workflows and emails, and book meetings. It also allows you to manage client projects and communicate via tasks and emails within a client portal. Track your business finances and get paid via invoices and automated reminders.

HubSpot
HubSpot CRM platform offers unique hubs – one for sales, marketing, customer service, content management, and operations. In the Sales Hub, you can schedule meetings, send quotes, automate tasks, and close deals. The Marketing Hub allows you to grow traffic and convert leads by using its lead generation and marketing automation tools, all of which you can optimize by using analytics.

Monday
Monday CRM platform is geared toward simplicity and customizability. You can use ready-made templates or tailor your own workflow, process, or sales pipeline with a drag-and-drop interface. It also provides industry-specific templates, so you can create a CRM that truly works for your unique business. Create custom automation, integrate other apps, and set tasks. Monday covers everything from marketing and sales to client projects and customer support. It provides both an easy overview, as well as more in-depth views.

Zoho
Zoho is an award-winning CRM platform that provides both general and vertical solutions. You can design the dashboard to meet your specific needs, which means higher adoption and faster implementation. Connect with customers across every channel, get real-time notifications, and get feedback on the best time and channel to communicate with your customers. Automate tasks, utilize an AI sales assistant, and track performance in one place.

17Hats
17Hats is a CRM platform built specifically for solopreneurs. The software allows you to essentially clone yourself by using features like online scheduling, automatic invoice reminders, document and email templates, integrations, electronic contracts, and more. It also offers a level system, so you can choose the right level for where you’re at in your business.

Level Up By Choosing the Right CRM
Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned business owner, choosing the right CRM platform is key for your growth. Not only will it make running a business less overwhelming through organization and automation, but it will also make your team and ultimately your customers happier – leading to more sales and growth!

Which CRM will you choose?