Which CRM Should Your Small Business Use
Most CRM software is built for established sales teams, which can create more work for growing small businesses. This video explains how to choose a system that fits your current needs without overcomplicating your process. I break down specific tools and the steps to start using one effectively.
Key Takeaways
What You'll Learn
- A CRM is simply a place to keep track of people you are doing business with and what is happening with each one.
- You should consider a CRM if follow-ups are getting missed, more than one person works with customers, or you spend too much time moving information by hand.
- Decide what problem you need to solve first. If estimates are being forgotten, look for clear pipelines and follow-up features. If team communication is the issue, prioritize shared history.
- HubSpot Starter is a good starting point for those new to CRMs who want to see how it works without committing to a large system immediately.
- Pipedrive emphasizes visual sales pipelines, making it easier to understand than big platforms if your sales process is straightforward.
- Monday CRM is highly customizable and useful when your business processes do not fit standard templates, but you must start simple to avoid overbuilding.
- Bonsai is suitable for solo consultants or professional service businesses because it handles proposals, contracts, projects, and invoicing in one platform with a client portal.
- Zoho CRM offers traditional features with significant room for customization and automation.
- Salesforce has a starter suite for small businesses but may be too complex if you just need to remember callbacks.
- For industries like roofing or plumbing, consider industry-specific software like Jobber that handles estimates, scheduling, jobs, and payments together rather than using a generic CRM.
- Clean your customer data in a spreadsheet before importing it. Import only active customers during the trial period instead of all historical records.
- Test the system for a week by setting up basic stages and adding follow-ups to see if it works on your phone and fits your workflow.
Good to know
Practical questions.
How do I know if my small business actually needs a CRM?
You should consider a CRM if follow-ups are getting missed, more than one person in your office is working with customers, or you are constantly moving customer information around by hand. If you work alone and have a manageable number of customers tracked by a spreadsheet, you might not need one yet.
Which CRM does Mike recommend for beginners?
Mike recommends HubSpot if you are new to CRMs and want to see what a real system looks like without committing to a big setup. It has a free version with contacts, deals, tasks, and a pipeline that is easy to understand.
What CRM is best for visualizing the sales pipeline?
Pipedrive is recommended if your main problem is seeing your sales pipeline clearly. It emphasizes visually tracking opportunities moving through stages and identifying the activity that needs to happen next.
When should I choose Monday CRM over other options?
Monday CRM is useful when your business process does not fit neatly into standard templates because it allows you to customize field names, data views, and automation. However, this flexibility can lead to overbuilding if you are not careful.
Is there a CRM option for professional service businesses with client projects?
Yes, Bonsai is recommended for solo consultants or coaches because it handles proposals, contracts, projects, and invoicing within the same platform. It also includes a client portal so customers can interact directly.
Should I use Salesforce for my small business?
Salesforce has a starter suite for small businesses, but it is best known for larger, more complex setups. Mike suggests evaluating it only if your sales process is becoming complex and you have a real reason to need that ecosystem.
Do I need a generic CRM if I run a trade business like roofing or plumbing?
You should look at industry-specific software first. Tools built for specific trades can handle the customer, estimate, scheduling, job, and payment process together, which may be cleaner than setting up a generic CRM with multiple connected programs.
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