How to Choose the Best CRM Tool for Your Small Business in 2023
- StartaSprout Team
- Jul 17, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Jan 4, 2024
Customer relationship management (CRM) tools are essential for any small business that wants to build long-lasting relationships with their customers, increase sales, and grow their business. CRM tools help you manage your contacts, leads, deals, tasks, emails, and more in one centralized place. They also help you automate your workflows, track your performance, and gain insights into your customer's needs and preferences.
But with so many CRM tools available in the market, how do you choose the best one for your small business? In this post, we will compare six of the best CRM tools for small businesses based on their features, pricing, and use cases. Let's get started!
1. HubSpot CRM
HubSpot CRM is one of the most popular and widely used CRM tools in the world. It offers a robust free plan that includes unlimited users, contacts, and storage. You can use HubSpot CRM to:
Manage your contacts, leads, deals, tasks, and activities in a visual pipeline.
Sync your emails and calendar with HubSpot and track your email opens and clicks.
Capture and qualify leads from your website using forms, live chat, chatbots, and pop-ups.
Automate your email campaigns, follow-ups, reminders, and notifications.
Create and share reports and dashboards to measure your sales performance.
HubSpot CRM is free to use for unlimited users and contacts. For more advanced features and integrations, you can upgrade to one of their paid plans: Starter ($50 per month), Professional ($1,781 per month), or Enterprise ($5,000 per month).
HubSpot CRM Suite is ideal for small businesses that want a powerful and easy-to-use CRM tool that integrates well with other HubSpot products like HubSpot Marketing Hub, HubSpot Sales Hub, and HubSpot Service Hub. For example, BarkBox, a subscription service that delivers monthly boxes of dog treats and toys, uses HubSpot CRM to manage their customer relationships and increase their retention rate.
2. Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM is a cloud-based CRM tool that helps you manage your sales, marketing, and customer service processes. It offers a free plan for up to three users and 5,000 contacts. You can use Zoho CRM to:
Manage your contacts, leads, accounts, deals, tasks, events, calls, and emails in a unified interface.
Automate your sales workflows using AI-powered assistant Zia and Blueprint feature.
Engage with your customers across multiple channels like email, phone, chat, social media, web forms, etc.
Create and send personalized email campaigns using templates and analytics.
Generate and share reports and dashboards to track your key metrics and goals.
Zoho CRM offers a free plan for up to three users and 5,000 contacts. For more users or contacts or features, you can choose from their paid plans: Standard ($14 per user per month), Professional ($23 per user per month), Enterprise ($40 per user per month), or Ultimate ($52 per user per month).
Zoho CRM is ideal for small businesses that want a comprehensive and affordable CRM tool that integrates well with other Zoho products like Zoho Mail, Zoho Docs, Zoho Invoice, etc. For example, Amazon, the e-commerce giant that sells everything from books to electronics to groceries, uses Zoho CRM to manage their sales operations in India.
3. Pipedrive
Pipedrive is a simple and intuitive CRM tool that focuses on pipeline management. It helps you organize your leads and deals in a visual pipeline and move them through different stages until they are closed. You can use Pipedrive to:
Manage your contacts, leads, deals, activities, notes, files, and emails in a customizable pipeline.
Automate your repetitive tasks like data entry, email sending, and follow-up reminders.
Sync your emails and calendar with Pipedrive and track your email opens and clicks.
Create and send quotes and invoices to your customers using templates and integrations.
Generate and share reports and dashboards to measure your sales performance and forecast.
Pipedrive offers a 14-day free trial and four paid plans:Essential ($14 per user per month),Advanced ($27.90 per user per month),Professional ($49.90 per user per month), Power ($64.90 per user per month)or Enterprise ($99 per user per month).
Pipedrive is ideal for small businesses that want a simple and easy-to-use CRM tool that helps them manage their sales pipeline effectively. For example, Skyscanner, a travel search engine that helps users find the best deals on flights, hotels, and car rentals, uses Pipedrive to manage their partnerships and revenue streams.
4. Freshsales
Freshsales is a cloud-based CRM tool that helps you attract, engage, and close more customers. It offers a free plan for up to 10 users and unlimited contacts. You can use Freshsales to:
Manage your contacts, leads, accounts, deals, tasks, appointments, and emails in a 360-degree view.
Automate your sales workflows using AI-powered assistant Freddy and Smartforms feature.
Engage with your customers across multiple channels like email, phone, chat, social media, etc.
Create and send personalized email campaigns using templates and analytics.
Generate and share reports and dashboards to track your key metrics and goals.
Freshsales offers a free plan for up to 10 users and unlimited contacts. For more users or features, you can choose from their paid plans: Growth ($15 per user per month), Pro ($39 per user per month), or Enterprise ($69 per user per month).
Freshsales is ideal for small businesses that want a modern and user-friendly CRM tool that integrates well with other Freshworks products like Freshdesk, Freshchat, Freshcaller, etc. For example, Dyson, a technology company that designs and manufactures innovative products like vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, and air purifiers, uses Freshsales to manage their sales operations in India.
5. Insightly
Insightly is a cloud-based CRM tool that helps you manage your sales, marketing, and project management processes. It offers a free plan for up to two users and 2,500 contacts. You can use Insightly to:
Manage your contacts, leads, opportunities, projects, tasks, events, notes, files, and emails in a unified interface.
Automate your sales and marketing workflows using triggers, actions, and webhooks.
Engage with your customers across multiple channels like email, phone, web forms, etc.
Create and send quotes and proposals to your customers using templates and integrations.
Generate and share reports and dashboards to track your key metrics and goals.
Insightly offers a free plan for up to two users and 2,500 contacts. For more users or contacts or features, you can choose from their paid plans: Plus ($29 per user per month), Professional ($49 per user per month), or Enterprise ($99 per user per month).
Insightly is ideal for small businesses that want a CRM tool that also helps them manage their projects and deliverables. It helps you streamline your sales and project management workflows and collaborate with your team members and stakeholders. For example, HelloFresh, a meal kit delivery service that provides fresh ingredients and recipes to customers' doors, uses Insightly to manage their customer relationships and project delivery.
6. Zendesk Sell
Zendesk Sell is a cloud-based CRM tool that helps you sell smarter and faster. It offers a free trial for 14 days and four paid plans. You can use Zendesk Sell to:
Manage your contacts, leads, deals, tasks, and activities in a visual pipeline.
Automate your sales workflows using smart lists, lead scoring, and action buttons.
Sync your emails and calendar with Zendesk Sell and track your email opens and clicks.
Create and send quotes and invoices to your customers using templates and integrations.
Generate and share reports and dashboards to measure your sales performance and forecast.
Zendesk Sell offers a free trial for 14 days and four paid plans:Team ($19 per user per month),Growth ($55 per user per month),or Professional; ($115 per user per month).
Zendesk Sell is ideal for small businesses that want a CRM tool that helps them sell smarter and faster. It helps you optimize your sales process, increase your productivity, and close more deals.
Conclusion
CRM tools are essential for any small business that wants to build long-lasting relationships with their customers, increase sales, and grow their business. By using the right CRM tool for your small business, you can manage your contacts, leads, deals, tasks, emails, and more in one centralized place. You can also automate your workflows, track your performance, and gain insights into your customers' needs and preferences.
We hope this post has helped you compare six of the best CRM tools for small businesses based on their features, pricing, and use cases. Of course, there are many other CRM tools out there that you can explore.
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