Implementing a customer relationship management system is an important decision for any small business. So, you should be sure to choose the best CRM for your business. Because ultimately, your entire business depends on the success of your CRM selection. If you get it right, you'll set in motion a company-wide transformation by saving money, time, and even improving employee morale.
What you should consider when CRM shopping
Choosing the best CRM solution for a business is easier than you might think. Below, we'll go over four important questions to answer beforehand.
Identify your weak points - The first step is to define what problems you want to solve and what you want to achieve with a CRM system. Next, you should identify other sales and marketing weaknesses and analyze how they affect the rest of your business operations.
Make sure the CRM can grow with your business - you shouldn't just plan for the present, but also have an eye on the future. In-house CRM is notorious for being difficult and expensive to scale up. However, with a cloud-based CRM, you can start small and expand as needed without having to change systems.
Look at the big picture - CRM is much more than just sales and marketing. Having a centralized platform for working and sharing information can improve other areas of the business as well. For example, bringing your customer service team into the CRM system greatly improves the customer experience from start to finish. Ultimately, however, even your entire company benefits from developing a customer-centric approach. Unlike standalone options, a CRM system that is integrated with your entire business helps you link actionable insights with marketing, sales, customer service and beyond.
Decide on an in-house or cloud solution - For a small business, the most practical answer is the latter, cloud CRM. With an on-premise solution, the CRM is hosted on your servers and operated and maintained by IT staff.
Define your search criteria
*Basic features the must-haves include:
Now it's time to take a closer look at the list of CRM options. Here are four important steps you should take in the process.
Reviews from experts and analysts - Scour the Internet for pros and cons. But make sure you only pay attention to recognized authorities like the Gartner Group or similar reputable experts.
CRM reviews - Several reputable review sites focus on enterprise software. The reviews are written by users who have first-hand experience with the systems. The larger portals, by definition, have the most reviews. So the number of ratings and reviews should give you some level of confidence in their honesty and value. Rely more on the star ratings than the last loud remarks. A CRM solution with only a few reviews should generally make you skeptical.
CRM case studies - These are a great way to assess whether a CRM system is right for your business. Try to find a case study that involves a business similar to yours. Then check what problem was addressed and how the CRM solution fixed it.
Always take advantage of a free trial - it's no obligation for you and the best way to determine how easy and intuitive the CRM system is to use. Combine this free trial with expert advice to make your final choice.
Why cloud-based CRM is the best choice for small businesses
Most small businesses choose cloud CRM because it is
Getting started with CRM
There's no need to fear the unknown. In fact, you can try CRM with a free trial before you buy it. Usually, you have 14 days to test the CRM vendor's system. After that, you should have invested enough time to decide if the CRM is really suitable for your small business. As mentioned earlier, you can narrow down the field by focusing on cloud CRM providers if you're a small business, startup or even self-employed.
Conclusion
Choosing the right CRM system for your small business doesn't have to be the complex and risky nightmare that keeps you up at night. With the help of this guide, you can be sure to find a CRM solution that's a perfect fit for you. We are always available for a no-obligation consultation. We are the cloud CRM specialists for small businesses. We also offer a free trial so you can see for yourself what we can do for you and your business.
What you should consider when CRM shopping
Choosing the best CRM solution for a business is easier than you might think. Below, we'll go over four important questions to answer beforehand.
Identify your weak points - The first step is to define what problems you want to solve and what you want to achieve with a CRM system. Next, you should identify other sales and marketing weaknesses and analyze how they affect the rest of your business operations.
Make sure the CRM can grow with your business - you shouldn't just plan for the present, but also have an eye on the future. In-house CRM is notorious for being difficult and expensive to scale up. However, with a cloud-based CRM, you can start small and expand as needed without having to change systems.
Look at the big picture - CRM is much more than just sales and marketing. Having a centralized platform for working and sharing information can improve other areas of the business as well. For example, bringing your customer service team into the CRM system greatly improves the customer experience from start to finish. Ultimately, however, even your entire company benefits from developing a customer-centric approach. Unlike standalone options, a CRM system that is integrated with your entire business helps you link actionable insights with marketing, sales, customer service and beyond.
Decide on an in-house or cloud solution - For a small business, the most practical answer is the latter, cloud CRM. With an on-premise solution, the CRM is hosted on your servers and operated and maintained by IT staff.
Define your search criteria
- Based on your findings from the previous section, here's what you can now consider:
- Must-Haves: What is essential?* Scalability?
- Should-Haves: what is important, but not essential? For example, mobile functionality is a plus, but not essential for every business.
*Basic features the must-haves include:
- Contact Management - This is a central repository for contact information that the entire sales team can access.
- Opportunity Management - Tracking the pipeline to ensure there are no avoidable delays.
- Reporting - The ability to gain insights and make informed, data-driven business decisions.
- Sales Management - The ability to manage all sales activities.
Now it's time to take a closer look at the list of CRM options. Here are four important steps you should take in the process.
Reviews from experts and analysts - Scour the Internet for pros and cons. But make sure you only pay attention to recognized authorities like the Gartner Group or similar reputable experts.
CRM reviews - Several reputable review sites focus on enterprise software. The reviews are written by users who have first-hand experience with the systems. The larger portals, by definition, have the most reviews. So the number of ratings and reviews should give you some level of confidence in their honesty and value. Rely more on the star ratings than the last loud remarks. A CRM solution with only a few reviews should generally make you skeptical.
CRM case studies - These are a great way to assess whether a CRM system is right for your business. Try to find a case study that involves a business similar to yours. Then check what problem was addressed and how the CRM solution fixed it.
Always take advantage of a free trial - it's no obligation for you and the best way to determine how easy and intuitive the CRM system is to use. Combine this free trial with expert advice to make your final choice.
Why cloud-based CRM is the best choice for small businesses
Most small businesses choose cloud CRM because it is
- Is affordable
- Is easier to implement
- No dedicated IT staff or dedicated servers are required
- integrated backups and disaster recovery
- low investment costs
- cross-platform compatibility
- mobility, as it is web-based
- A cloud-based CRM solution is usually intuitive and user-friendly. It also works on smartphones and tablets when you're away from the office and an Internet connection is available.
Getting started with CRM
There's no need to fear the unknown. In fact, you can try CRM with a free trial before you buy it. Usually, you have 14 days to test the CRM vendor's system. After that, you should have invested enough time to decide if the CRM is really suitable for your small business. As mentioned earlier, you can narrow down the field by focusing on cloud CRM providers if you're a small business, startup or even self-employed.
Conclusion
Choosing the right CRM system for your small business doesn't have to be the complex and risky nightmare that keeps you up at night. With the help of this guide, you can be sure to find a CRM solution that's a perfect fit for you. We are always available for a no-obligation consultation. We are the cloud CRM specialists for small businesses. We also offer a free trial so you can see for yourself what we can do for you and your business.