Discover folk - the CRM for people-powered businesses
In the world of advertising, managing client relationships, streamlining workflows, and analyzing performance metrics are crucial for project success, client retention and growth. Without the right customer relationship management system in place, managing all of that – and more, can be a challenge. The right CRM should help advertising agencies enhance their client interactions, optimize campaigns, and ultimately drive growth. In this blog post, we'll explore the best CRM software options for advertising agencies in 2024.
6 features advertising companies need from their CRM
Wondering what features you should look for in a good CRM? Below are some key features you should have on your list to consider. These features will streamline your customer data management, email marketing campaigns and provide you with the tools to retain and bring in new clients.
- Client Management: A good contact management feature should allow for efficient tracking of client information, give you an overview of communication history, and custom fields.
- Mail merge: Don't get caught out by some CRM tools only work for certain email providers. Find one that works for both Gmail and Outlook so your CRM works for you instead of the other way around.
- Automation: Workflow automation to save time on repetitive tasks such as getting rid of duplicate contacst.
- Customization: Dashboards should have the ability to tailor to the specific needs of your agency and team needs along with privacy settings.
- Integration: Seamless integration with other marketing tools and platforms.
- Collaboration: Features that support teamwork and communication within the agency.
When you're part of a busy digital agency, chances are you're looking for a CRM system that you can plug and play. Now that you know the key features you should look out for, let's unpack explore CRMs in more depth.
4 best CRM software for advertising
Let's unpack the best customer relationship management software on the market and explore them in more depth.
1. folk
Best for: All-in-one CRM with marketing automation and sales pipeline management
folk is designed to simplify the management of client relationships and workflows. It offers a user-friendly interface and customizable features that make it a versatile choice for advertising agencies.
Key features
- Comprehensive contact management
- Mail merge that supports Outlook and Gmail
- Task automation and reminders for sales and marketing workflows
- Customizable pipelines
- Integration with popular tools
- Detailed analytics and reporting
- Social listening tools to turn engagement into lead generation
Pros
- Intuitive user interface: The intuitive design makes it easy for teams to get started quickly without extensive training.
- Customizable pipelines: Agencies can tailor pipelines to match their specific workflows, ensuring smooth project management.
- Detailed analytics: In-depth analytics help agencies measure campaign performance and make data-driven decisions.
- Integration capabilities: folk integrates with a wide range of tools, including email, social media, and project management software, enhancing overall efficiency.
- Contact management: Bring all your contact information from multiple email providers and social media accounts into one place effortlessly.
- Multiple pipelines: Create multiple pipelines from sales process, to marketing and new prospects from lead generation efforts all in one place.
- Personalized emails: Get AI-assistance to personalize your targeted marketing campaigns effortlessly.
Cons
- Reporting: Reporting isn't available in folk yet but is coming soon.
Price and plans
You can try folk for free with a 14 day free trial. After that, a monthly or annual subscription plan is as follows.
- Standard: $20 per user, per month
- Premium: $40 per user, per month
- Custom: Starts from $60 per user, per month
2. Zoho CRM
Best for: Business development
Zoho CRM has a strong sales focus. However, some of its features can also be used by marketing teams.
Key features
- Advanced analytics and reporting
- Marketing automation
- Customizable dashboards
- Multi-channel communication
Pros
- Marketing automation: Automation features streamline repetitive tasks, allowing teams to focus on creative work.
- AI-powered insights: Zoho's AI assistant, Zia, provides actionable insights and predictions, helping agencies optimize their strategies.
- Integrations: Offers a huge range of integrations that are categorized by location and use including ones for shipping carriers, payment gateways and project management tools.
Cons
- User experience: The extensive features can be overwhelming for new users, requiring a learning curve thanks to its clunky interface. Zoho CRM isn't suitable for beginners, especially those in busy sales teams.
- Customization challenges: While highly customizable, setting up Zoho CRM to fit specific needs can be time-consuming.
Price and plans
Zoho CRM offers a free version with no credit card required giving access to basic and limited features. Annual paid plans are as follows.
- Standard: $14 per user, per month.
- Professional: $23 per user, per month.
- Enterprise: $40 per user, per month.
- Ultimate: Starts from $55 per user, per month.
3. Monday Sales CRM
Best for: sales teams and customer-facing teams
Monday Sales CRM was designed by the team behind Monday.com sales to complement and expand on their popular basic CRM template.
Key features
- Visual project management
- Sales driven CRM
- Time tracking
- Integration with various tools
- Lead scoring
Pros
- Sales-focussed CRM that can help with your sales funnel, pipeline and automation.
- Not as strong in marketing automation compared to other CRMs on this list
Cons
- Not as robust for your marketing efforts or customer relationships
Price and plans
Monday Sales CRM price and plans are as follows.
- Basic: $12 per user, per month.
- Standard: $17 per user, per month.
- Pro: $28 per user, per month.
- Enterprise: Undisclosed.
4. HubSpot
Best for: Free forever plan
HubSpot is one of the most mature CRM systems in the market. It offers a good lightweight CRM that has an unlimited free forever plan. However, if you're after the features that traditional CRMs have and a strict budget, HubSpot is an expensive investment.
Key features
- Contact and lead management
- Email tracking and notifications
- Pipeline management
- Marketing automation
Pros
- Free plan: HubSpot offers a free version with an impressive range of features, making it accessible for small agencies.
- Comprehensive features: Includes everything from contact management to marketing automation and detailed analytics.
- Basic marketing automation features: to bring social media marketing, content marketing efforts, and customer engagement into one place.
Cons
- Cost for advanced features: While the free version is robust, more advanced features come at a higher cost, which can add up for larger teams.
- Learning curve: Despite its user-friendly design, mastering all of HubSpot’s features can take time especially if you're upgrading to advanced paid plans. HubSpot is known to require some training for implementation.
Prices and plans
Once you're ready to scale, HubSpot is an expensive solution. Price and plans depend on whether you're after their marketing, sales, service, content, operations, or commerce hubs. All of which have separate CRM suite. You do have the option to create a bundle.
Sales price and plans on an annual basis is as follows.
- Sales Hub Professional: Starts from $90 per user, per month.
- Sales Hub Enterprise: Starts from $150 per user, per month.
Marketing price and plans on an annual basis is as follows.
- Marketing Hub Professional: Starts from $800 for 3 users, per month. Additional seats available from $45 per month.
- Marketing Hub Enterprise: Starts from $3,600 for 5 users, per month. Additional seats available from $75 per month.
Conclusion
Busy teams from digital marketing agencies or marketing agencies need a CRM that can take the heavy-lifting off their shoulders. The right CRM software for your team should adapt to your needs, not the other way around. Choosing the right CRM for your advertising agency depends on your specific needs and the size of your team. folk is a great choice for smaller agencies looking for a user-friendly, customizable solution. Evaluate your agency’s requirements, budget, and the specific features offered by each CRM to make the best decision for your business. With the right CRM in place, your agency can enhance client relationships, streamline operations, and achieve greater success in your advertising campaigns.
More resources
Discover folk - the CRM for people-powered businesses
