Best CRM for creatives

As a creative, balancing your passion for your craft with the business side of things from managing clients, tracking projects, and keeping up with follow-ups can be overwhelming.
A dedicated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system designed for creatives can help you stay organized by managing client interactions, automating administrative tasks, and keeping track of project timelines. With the right CRM, you can focus more on your creative work while ensuring your business runs smoothly.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the best CRM options for creatives like you, highlighting tools that will streamline your workflow, enhance client relationships, and help you grow your creative business.

Why you need a CRM

As a creative, having the right CRM in your tech stack can make a huge difference on your workflow.

Challenges without a CRM

Chances are you might already be experiencing a few challenges without realising how much time it takes from you.

• Disorganization: Without a CRM, keeping track of client information, project details, and deadlines becomes chaotic.
• Missed opportunities: Potential leads and follow-ups can easily slip through the cracks, resulting in lost business.
• Inefficient processes: Manual tracking and communication consume valuable time that could be spent on creative work.
• Lack of insight: Without centralized data, making informed decisions about client needs and project progress is challenging.
• Inconsistent communication: Disjointed communication leads to misunderstandings and delays, affecting project outcomes.

Benefits of a CRM

Once you have the right CRM in place, there are a few direct benefits you can look forward to. Including not having to switch context so often.

• Centralized information: All client and project data is stored in one place, ensuring easy access and organization.
• Enhanced efficiency: Automating routine tasks frees up time for creative work and strategic planning.
• Improved customer relationships: Personalized interactions based on comprehensive client data enhance satisfaction and loyalty.
• Better decision-making: Data-driven insights enable more accurate forecasting and strategic planning.
• Increased sales: Efficient lead management and follow-up processes help convert more prospects into clients.
• Consistent communication: Streamlined communication tools ensure clear and timely interactions with clients and team members.
  

How to boost your efficiency as a creative with a CRM

There are a few ways a CRM can help you with the client side of your role.

1. Map your process

Understanding and documenting your creative workflow is crucial. Identify key stages such as brainstorming, client approvals, revisions, and final delivery. A CRM can help you track each project’s progress, ensuring no step is overlooked. If you freelance, you can also use a CRM to organize your leads and clients. Use visual tools like Kanban boards within your CRM to map out these stages clearly.

2. Lead qualification

As a creative, distinguishing between high-potential leads and less promising ones can save you time and resources. Implement scoring systems within your CRM to assess leads based on criteria such as project budget, timeline, and client engagement. This helps prioritize efforts towards leads most likely to convert.

3. Outreach and follow-up

Automate your outreach to maintain consistent communication with leads and clients. Use your CRM to set up automated email sequences for onboarding new clients or following up on proposals. Additionally, integrate LinkedIn campaigns to connect with potential clients, showcasing your portfolio and services.

4. Nurture existing client relationships

Maintaining relationships with existing clients is vital for upselling and cross-selling opportunities. Use your CRM to segment your client base and tailor marketing efforts. Create personalized email campaigns to introduce new services or special offers, ensuring your agency stays top-of-mind for future projects.

How to evaluate and choose a CRM

1. Define your requirements

As a founder of a creative agency, it's crucial to first identify the key features that will support your business needs. Look for CRMs that offer project management, client communication tools, and creative collaboration features. These functionalities are essential for streamlining your workflow and ensuring that both your team and clients are on the same page.

Key features of a CRM for creatives

• Automated processes: Streamlines tasks by automating repetitive workflows, allowing your creative team to focus on what they do best—creating. This feature ensures that mundane tasks like follow-ups and data entry are handled efficiently.
• Contact enrichment: Automatically finds Leads, Customers' email addresses, and contact information, enhancing efficiency. This means you spend less time searching for details and more time nurturing client relationships.
• Structured pipeline: Tracks Leads, Customers through defined stages, ensuring process clarity and effectiveness. A well-structured pipeline helps you visualize your sales process and identify bottlenecks, making it easier to manage projects and deadlines.
• Mail merge and email sequences: Increases communication efficiency with follow-up templates and automated sequences. This feature allows you to maintain consistent communication with clients, ensuring no opportunity slips through the cracks.
• Social media integration: Seamlessly imports Leads, Customers from LinkedIn and tracks conversations within the CRM. This integration makes it easier to connect with potential clients and keep track of all interactions in one place.
• Analytics: Provides essential data analysis and predictive insights for better planning. With robust reporting tools, you can analyze performance metrics and forecast future trends, helping you make informed decisions for your creative projects.

2. Budget considerations

Balancing cost and return on investment is vital when selecting a CRM for your creative agency. While it might be tempting to opt for the cheapest option, consider the long-term benefits of a more comprehensive solution. A slightly higher investment in a robust CRM can lead to significant productivity gains and better client relationships, ultimately boosting your bottom line.

3. Selection process

Start by researching CRM vendors that specialize in tools for creative professionals. Read reviews, seek recommendations from industry peers, and evaluate the customer support offered by each vendor. Make a shortlist of potential candidates and delve deeper into their offerings to ensure they align with your specific needs.

4. Get a demo

Once you have a shortlist, take advantage of free trials or demo versions to test each CRM platform. Pay attention to user experience, ease of integration with existing tools, and the scalability of the platform. Compare the features, pricing, and support options to make an informed decision that best suits your creative agency's requirements. Start by getting a demo of folk to see if it fits your creative processes.

3 tips for implementing a CRM

At this stage, it's all about getting familiar with your new CRM to see how it can fit with your workflow.

1. Import your data in your new CRM

Transitioning to a new CRM can be seamless if you start by importing your existing data. Most CRMs allow you to export your data as a CSV file, which you can then import into your new system.

2. Create your first pipeline

Once your data is imported, the next step is to create your first pipeline. This is where you can customize stages that reflect your creative projects, such as "Concept Development," "Client Approval," "Production," and "Final Delivery." Tailoring the pipeline to fit your creative workflow will help you track progress and manage tasks more efficiently.

3. Onboard your team

After setting up your CRM, it's essential to onboard your team effectively. Provide them with training sessions and resources to ensure they understand how to use the new system. Encouraging your team to fully utilize the CRM will maximize its benefits, leading to improved collaboration and project management.

The 5 best CRMs for creatives

1. folk

folk is a modern CRM platform for managing contacts, workflows, and relationships, offering customizable pipelines, AI-driven tools, and integrations to enhance deal management and prospecting.

Key features

• Contact enrichment: Automatically enriches contact details by finding emails and LinkedIn URLs, enabling efficient outreach without manual data entry or additional costs for email services.
• LinkedIn integration: Seamlessly import contacts from LinkedIn, track conversations within folk, and use templates for quicker, streamlined communication.
• Email integration: Full email sync, templates, and tracking features, enabling users to manage all communications directly from the CRM.
• AI-Powered features: AI tools assist in managing contacts and relationships, automating routine tasks, and suggesting actions to improve productivity.
• Integrations: folk integrates seamlessly with over 6,000 apps, including Gmail, Zapier, and Make, allowing users to centralize their workflow and reduce manual data entry.

Pros

• Ease of use: folk is praised for its intuitive interface, making it accessible even to non-technical users with quick onboarding and a minimal learning curve.
• All-in-one: folk streamlines your workflow by allowing you to import contacts from LinkedIn, automatically find their emails, reach out through customizable email sequences, and track interactions in a pipeline, eliminating the need for multiple tools and saving time and money.
• LinkedIn integration: Seamlessly import contacts from LinkedIn, track conversations within folk, and use templates for quicker, streamlined communication.
• Customizability: Custom fields, pipelines, and workflows.
• Integrations: folk integrates seamlessly with over 6,000 apps, including Gmail, Zapier, and Make, allowing users to centralize their workflow and reduce manual data entry.

Cons

• Reporting: Currently lacks reporting features, but there are plans for future implementation.
  

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.

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2. HubSpot

HubSpot CRM is a user-friendly, scalable platform offering integrated tools for managing sales, marketing, customer service, and operations efficiently.

Key features

• Marketing Hub: Includes email marketing, ad tracking, landing pages, and lead generation tools, perfect for creatives looking to attract and manage new clients.
• Sales Hub: Provides deal tracking, pipeline management, sales automation, and reporting, helping creatives streamline their project workflows and close deals efficiently.
• Service Hub: Offers customer service tools like ticketing, live chat, and knowledge bases, ensuring that your clients receive top-notch support and engagement.
• Operations Hub: Syncs and automates business processes across different systems, making it easier for creative teams to manage their operations seamlessly.
• Lead scoring: Prioritize leads with predictive scoring to improve sales efficiency and focus on the most promising creative projects.

Pros

• User-friendly interface: HubSpot is known for its intuitive and easy-to-use interface, making it accessible for creative professionals of all skill levels.
• Comprehensive free plan: Offers a robust free version that includes essential CRM features, making it ideal for small creative agencies and startups.
• Seamless integration with marketing tools: HubSpot integrates smoothly with its marketing, sales, and service hubs, creating a unified platform for managing creative projects and client relationships.
• Automation capabilities: Provides powerful automation tools for tasks like email marketing, lead nurturing, and sales workflows, helping creative businesses save time and improve efficiency.
• Extensive learning resources: HubSpot Academy offers a wealth of free courses, certifications, and resources to help creative professionals get the most out of the platform.

Cons

• High cost at higher tiers: HubSpot’s pricing can become expensive as you move to higher tiers, which may be prohibitive for small creative businesses as they scale.
• Limited customization in free plan: The free plan and lower tiers have limited customization options, which can restrict flexibility for growing creative agencies.
• Complexity in advanced features: Some advanced features, such as custom reporting and workflows, have a steep learning curve and may require additional training.
• Email marketing limits: Email marketing functionality in the free plan is restricted by limits on the number of emails you can send, which can be a drawback for creative businesses with larger client lists.
• Additional costs for add-ons: Many useful features, like advanced CRM capabilities and integrations, come as paid add-ons, increasing the overall cost.
  

Price and plans

For an annual subscription on HubSpot's CRM hub, prices are as follows.

• Starter: $15 per user, per month.
• Professional: $450 per user, per month.
• Enterprise: $1,500 per user, per month.

3. Capsule CRM

Capsule CRM is a user-friendly customer relationship management platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It offers a clean, intuitive interface that helps users manage customer relationships, track sales pipelines, and organize tasks and communications efficiently.

Key features

• 1 sales pipeline: Perfect for managing creative projects from lead to completion, ensuring no opportunity is lost.
• 1 project board: Ideal for tracking the progress of multiple creative tasks and collaborations in one place.
• 50 custom fields: Tailor your CRM to capture specific information relevant to your creative business, such as project types, client preferences, and more.
• 30,000 contacts: Keep a comprehensive database of leads and customers, crucial for maintaining and nurturing client relationships.
• Task management: Streamline your workflow by assigning tasks and setting deadlines, ensuring your creative projects stay on track.

Pros

• User-friendly interface: The clean and intuitive design makes it easy for creative professionals to navigate and quickly access essential features, reducing the learning curve.
• Contact and sales management: Efficiently manage client information and track project opportunities, helping creatives maintain a clear view of their relationships and pipeline.
• Customization options: Customize fields, tags, and pipelines to fit your creative business needs, offering flexibility in managing data and processes.
• Integration capabilities: Seamlessly integrate with popular tools like G Suite, Microsoft 365, and Mailchimp, creating a smooth workflow across your creative projects.
• Affordability: Competitive pricing with various plans makes it accessible for creative agencies and startups, providing value without breaking the bank.

Cons

• Limited advanced features: Lacks in-depth analytics and complex reporting, which might be a drawback for larger creative businesses with more sophisticated needs.
• Basic email marketing capabilities: While integration with tools like Mailchimp is available, built-in email marketing features are basic and may require third-party solutions for advanced needs.
• Limited customer support: Primarily offers email support and an online help center, which might not be sufficient for users who prefer immediate assistance.
• No built-in phone or SMS integration: The absence of these features could be a disadvantage for creative businesses that rely on direct client communication.
• Scalability concerns: While suitable for small to medium-sized creative businesses, rapidly growing companies might find the platform less scalable as they expand.

Prices and plans

Capsule's annual subscription is as follows.

• Starter plan: Starts from $21 per user, per month.
• Growth plan: Starts from $38 per user, per month.
• Advanced plan: Starts from $60 per user, per month.
• Ultimate plan: Starts from $75 per user, per month.

4. Zoho

Zoho is a CRM system with a strong sales focus. It has journey orchestration, sales process management, and workflow automation features. There's also something for marketing teams, including event management and customer segmentation.

Key features

• Sales automation: Automates sales tasks like lead management, deal tracking, and follow-up actions, freeing up time for creative work.
• Customizable dashboards and reports: Allows users to create and customize dashboards and reports for in-depth analytics, helping creatives understand client preferences and project performance.
• Multi-channel communication: Integrates with email, phone, social media, and live chat to manage client interactions seamlessly across various platforms.
• Lead and contact management: Manages client information, tracks interactions, and segments contacts for targeted campaigns, essential for creatives managing multiple clients.
• Workflow automation: Automates routine tasks and processes to improve efficiency and reduce manual effort, allowing creatives to focus more on their craft.

Pros

• Affordability: Zoho CRM offers competitive pricing, making it accessible for creative agencies of all sizes.
• Customization: Extensive customization options allow creatives to tailor the CRM to their specific needs, including custom fields, modules, and workflows.
• Integration with Zoho suite: Seamless integration with other Zoho products creates a comprehensive ecosystem for managing different business functions, from project management to invoicing.
• Multi-channel communication: Supports email, phone, social media, and live chat, enabling creatives to manage all client interactions from a single platform.
• AI-powered features: Zia, the AI assistant, provides intelligent insights, predictive analytics, and task automation, helping to improve client management and project efficiency.

Cons

• Steep learning curve: The extensive customization options can be overwhelming for new users, requiring a significant time investment to master the platform.
• Complex setup: Initial setup and configuration can be complex, particularly for creative agencies without technical expertise or dedicated IT resources.
• Performance issues: Occasional reports of slow performance, especially with large datasets or complex operations, can hinder productivity.
• Limited third-party integrations: While Zoho integrates well with its own suite of products, integration with third-party applications can be limited or require additional effort.
• Inconsistent customer support: Customer support quality can be inconsistent, with some users reporting slow response times or unhelpful assistance.
  
  

Price and plans

Zoho's free plan is limited to three users. After that, an annual subscription plan is as follows.

• Standard: $20 per user, per month.
• Professional: $35 per user, per month.
• Enterprise: $50 per user, per month.

5. Streak

Streak is a customer relationship management (CRM) tool that integrates directly with Gmail, allowing users to manage their sales pipeline and customer interactions from within their email inbox. Designed to simplify CRM tasks, Streak offers features such as email tracking, mail merge, task management, and pipeline visualization, all seamlessly embedded in Gmail’s interface.

Key Features

• Advanced CRM: Manage leads and customers with ease.
• Customizable pipelines: Tailor workflows for different creative projects.
• Email tracking and snippets: Stay on top of client communications.
• Google Workspace integrations: Seamlessly integrate with your existing tools.
• Mobile access: Manage your CRM on the go.

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Pros

• Seamless Gmail integration: Manage CRM activities directly from your email inbox, making it easier for creatives to stay organized.
• User-friendly and intuitive: Minimal training required, making it ideal for creative professionals who are new to CRM software.
• Customizable pipelines: Adapt workflows to fit various creative projects, enhancing flexibility and efficiency.
• Email tracking and automation: Improve communication with features like email tracking and automated follow-ups, ensuring you never miss a client response.
• Collaboration features: Share pipelines, emails, and notes in real-time, enhancing teamwork among creative teams.

Cons

• Limited advanced CRM features: Lacks detailed analytics and advanced reporting, which might be a drawback for larger creative agencies.
• Reliance on Gmail: Only suitable for businesses using Gmail, limiting its applicability for those on other email platforms.
• Basic mobile experience: The mobile app offers a limited experience, which may be inconvenient for creatives needing comprehensive access on the go.
• Integration limitations: Fewer integrations with third-party applications, potentially limiting effectiveness for agencies relying on various tools.
• Potential email clutter: Managing CRM data within an email interface can lead to clutter, making it harder to maintain an organized inbox.
  

Price and Plans

Streak's subscription plan on an annual basis is as follows.

• Pro: Starts from $49 per user, per month.
• Pro +: Starts from $69 per user, per month.
• Enterprise: Starts from $129 per user, per month.

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Conclusion

Choosing the best CRM for creatives can significantly enhance your agency's efficiency, client relationships, and overall project management. Whether you opt for the all-in-one capabilities of folk, the comprehensive suite of HubSpot, the user-friendly interface of Capsule CRM, the customizable features of Zoho, or the seamless Gmail integration of Streak, the right CRM will streamline your workflow and help you focus on what you do best—creating. Each of these platforms offers unique features tailored to the needs of creative professionals, making it easier to manage projects, communicate with clients, and grow your business. Start your journey towards a more organized and productive creative agency by exploring the CRM that best fits your needs. Try folk for free here.

Need a helping hand? Use our free tool to find your perfect CRM match.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do creatives use as a CRM?

Busy creatives often use CRMs like folk, Hubspot, Capsule CRM, Zoho, and Streak to manage client relationships, streamline workflows, and improve project management. These tools offer various features that cater to the unique needs of creative professionals, such as contact management, pipeline tracking, and automated communication, making them popular choices in the industry.

Do I need a CRM?

Yes, depending on the complexity of your process. If your creative agency deals with multiple clients, projects, and deadlines, a CRM can significantly improve organization, efficiency, and client relationship management. It helps centralize information, automate routine tasks, and provide insights, allowing you to focus more on creative work and strategic planning.

How much does a CRM cost?

The cost of a CRM varies widely, typically ranging from $10 to $150 per user per month. Basic plans may start at around $10-$20 per user per month, while more advanced plans with additional features can go up to $150 or more. It's essential to evaluate your specific needs and budget to choose the right plan for your creative agency.

Does folk’s CRM respond to creatives needs?

Yes, folk’s CRM is designed to meet the needs of creatives by offering an intuitive interface, customizable pipelines, and seamless integrations with tools like LinkedIn and Gmail. It automates routine tasks, enriches contact details, and supports AI-powered features, making it easier for creative professionals to manage client relationships and streamline their workflows.