Skip to content
Business BuddyBusiness Buddy
Set a time to talk
All free videos8 min · Mike Uttley

Every Small Business NEEDS These 6 CRM Automations

This video outlines six CRM automations that small businesses should prioritize to reduce manual data entry and prevent leads from slipping through the cracks. It explains how to use these tools to automate lead capture, follow-up reminders, deal stage transitions, post-sale handoffs, old opportunity reviews, and weekly briefings. The goal is to make repetitive tasks disappear while keeping human judgment in the conversation.

Key Takeaways

What You'll Learn

  • Automate putting new leads into the CRM immediately so they do not get skipped when you are busy or after hours.
  • Use the CRM to remind you when follow-up is due rather than sending automated emails to customers right away.
  • Trigger next steps like tasks or invoices by changing deal stages in your pipeline instead of remembering them manually.
  • Automate the internal handoff after a sale so the person doing the work knows what was promised and what needs to happen next.
  • Create rules to surface old opportunities that have not been contacted recently so you can review them rather than letting them disappear into the system.
  • Send a Monday morning briefing by email with overdue follow-ups and stuck estimates instead of relying on dashboards that require active monitoring.

Video Chapters

Jump to a Section

00:00Introduction00:59Put new leads into the CRM automatically01:57Make the CRM remind you when follow-up is due02:47Let the deal stage create the next job03:51Automate the handoff after the sale04:48Bring old opportunities back to the surface05:55Send a Monday morning briefing06:43Two checks before building automations

Related Video

Before automating your CRM, make sure you have the right one. This companion video walks through the top options for small businesses.

Which CRM Should Your Small Business Use

Learn how to match CRM features to your current problems before committing to a system.

Good to know

Practical questions.

What are the six CRM automations recommended for small businesses?
The video prioritizes putting new leads into the CRM automatically, making the CRM remind you when follow-up is due, letting deal stages create next jobs, automating the handoff after a sale, bringing old opportunities back to the surface, and sending a Monday morning briefing.
Why should I automate lead entry into my CRM?
Automating this step ensures that customer records are created automatically when someone fills out your website contact form. This prevents leads from being skipped or forgotten when you are busy or when inquiries come in on weekends.
Should I start with automated emails for follow-ups?
No, the recommendation is to let the CRM remind you first so you can decide what to say. Starting with automated customer emails is not advised initially because it removes human judgment from the conversation too early.
How does automating deal stages help my business?
When a deal stage changes, such as moving from preparing an estimate to estimate sent, the automation can create the next necessary task. This ensures you follow up on time without having to remember every step manually after updating the status.
What is the purpose of automating the handoff after a sale?
This automation moves details from the sales side to whoever does the work, ensuring they know what was promised and what needs to happen next. For larger teams, it notifies the right person with the necessary information.
How can I use old opportunities in my CRM?
You can create a rule that surfaces opportunities worth looking at again, such as those who haven’t been contacted in 90 days but received a proposal. This helps you review past leads rather than manually scrolling through years of contacts.
What should be included in the Monday morning briefing?
The briefing should show follow-ups that are overdue, estimates that have been sitting too long, or jobs finished last week that require your attention. It replaces complex dashboards with a simple email list of items needing action.

Keep watching

Related videos

View all videos on YouTube

Ready to Set Up Your CRM Automations?

Building automations is easier when someone walks through the setup with you. The first call is free and there's no pitch. Or take the self-assessment to see where your operations stand today.

Set a time to talkTake the self-assessment