Best CRM and marketing automation for a small business

It's no secret that the right CRM and marketing automation software can significantly enhance a small business's ability to manage customer interactions, streamline sales processes, and execute effective marketing campaigns.
But with so many options available, choosing the right tools that offer both powerful features and affordability can be challenging. In this blog post, we'll explore the best CRM and marketing automation solutions tailored for small businesses, focusing on those that offer user-friendly interfaces, robust functionality, and flexible pricing to help you grow your business efficiently.

Why you need a CRM

Implementing a CRM system can transform how you manage customer relationships and marketing automation, driving growth and efficiency for your small business.

Challenges without a CRM

Below we've been able to identify some of the common challenges faced by a small business looking for a CRM that has appropriate marketing automation solutions.

• Disorganization: Managing customer data across multiple platforms leads to confusion and errors.
• Missed opportunities: Without a CRM, it's easy to overlook follow-ups and potential sales leads.
• Inefficient processes: Manual data entry and task management consume valuable time and resources.
• Lack of insight: Without centralized data, generating actionable insights becomes challenging.
• Inconsistent communication: Customer interactions can become fragmented and uncoordinated.

Benefits of a CRM

If you're building a business case to invest in a new CRM, you can share some direct impacts these benefits have on achieving better outcomes in CRM and marketing automation for small business, including the following.

• Centralized information: All customer data is stored in one place, ensuring easy access and management.
• Enhanced efficiency: Automate repetitive tasks, freeing up time for strategic activities.
• Improved customer relationships: Track customer interactions and history to provide personalized service.
• Better decision-making: Gain insights from data analytics to make informed business decisions.
• Increased sales: Identify and capitalize on sales opportunities with timely follow-ups.
• Consistent communication: Maintain a unified approach in customer interactions, enhancing brand reliability.

Key features of a good CRM and marketing automation tool for small business

With such a heavily saturated market to go explore, it can feel a bit overwhelming to look for a new CRM without understanding the basic features of a good CRM. Below, we've listed a few to get you started. You may want to add more to your own specific criteria.

• Automated processes: Streamlines tasks by automating repetitive workflows.
• Contact enrichment: Automatically finds Leads, Customers email addresses and contact information, enhancing efficiency.
• Structured pipeline: Tracks Leads, Customers through defined stages, ensuring process clarity and effectiveness.
• Email sequences: Increases communication efficiency with follow-up templates and automated sequences.
• LinkedIn connection: Seamlessly imports Leads, Customers from LinkedIn and tracks conversations within the CRM.
• Reporting and forecasting: Provides essential data analysis and predictive insights for better planning.

How to boost your CRM and marketing automation efficiency with a CRM

1. Mapping your process

Steps to define and track the stages of your process are crucial for small businesses aiming to streamline their operations. Start by identifying key stages in your sales and marketing funnel, from lead generation to customer acquisition. Use your CRM to set up these stages and track progress, ensuring that no lead falls through the cracks and every customer touchpoint is optimized.

2. Lead qualification

Methods for assessing and qualifying leads can drastically improve your sales efficiency. Implement scoring criteria within your CRM to evaluate leads based on behavior, engagement, and demographics. This allows you to focus your efforts on high-potential leads, improving conversion rates and maximizing your marketing ROI.

3. Outreach and follow-up

Examples of automated email and LinkedIn campaigns can be a game-changer for small businesses. Use your CRM's marketing automation features to set up personalized email sequences and LinkedIn messages. Automate follow-ups based on lead activity, ensuring timely and relevant communication that keeps your brand top-of-mind.

4. Nurture existing leads and customers

Strategies for upselling and cross-selling are essential for maximizing customer lifetime value. Leverage your CRM to segment your customer base and create targeted campaigns that promote complementary products or services. Automated workflows can help you deliver these messages at the right time, increasing the likelihood of repeat business and customer loyalty.

How to evaluate and choose a CRM Platform

Ready to start exploring the CRM market? Below are a few things you need to consider to get the most out of your evaluation process as you start forming your shortlist.

1. Define your requirements

Identifying the key features needed for your business is crucial when selecting the best CRM for small business. Consider functionalities such as contact management, sales automation, email marketing, and customer support. Determine whether you need advanced features like lead scoring, workflow automation, and integration with other tools you use daily. Tailoring the CRM to your specific needs will ensure it aligns with your business processes and goals.

2. Budget considerations

Balancing cost and return on investment is essential when choosing a CRM with marketing automation for small business. While some CRMs offer free or low-cost plans, they may lack essential features. Evaluate how the CRM will impact your bottom line by improving efficiency, customer satisfaction, and sales. Opt for a solution that offers scalability, allowing you to upgrade as your business grows without incurring prohibitive costs.

3. Selection process

Researching and choosing the right CRM vendor involves several steps. Start by reading reviews and testimonials from other small business owners. Check for industry-specific solutions and assess the vendor's reputation for customer support and reliability. Request demos and engage with sales representatives to understand the platform's capabilities and how it can address your unique needs. Prioritize vendors that offer robust training and onboarding resources.

4. Evaluating and making the decision

Trial and compare different CRM platforms to find the best fit for your small business. Take advantage of free trials and pilot programs to test the software in real-world scenarios. Create a checklist of must-have features and rate each platform based on usability, customization, and integration capabilities. Gather feedback from your team and consider their input in the final decision. By thoroughly evaluating your options, you can choose a CRM that enhances your marketing automation and drives growth. To get a demo of folk, visit our contact page.

Tips for implementing a CRM

Wondering what should you expect for the implementation process once you've chosen a CRM? Below is a high level overview of what happens next.

1. Import your data in your new CRM

Transitioning to a new CRM requires importing your existing data efficiently. Start by exporting your data as a CSV file from your current CRM. I

2. Create your first pipeline

Setting up your first pipeline is essential for managing your sales process effectively. Customize the pipeline stages to reflect your sales workflow, ensuring each stage aligns with your CRM and marketing automation goals. This step will help streamline your operations and improve your team's efficiency.

3. Onboard your team

Successful CRM implementation hinges on team adoption. Conduct training sessions to familiarize your team with the new system. Highlight key features and demonstrate how the CRM will benefit their daily tasks. An engaged and well-informed team will maximize the potential of your CRM and marketing automation efforts.

The 5 best CRMs for CRM and marketing automation for small businesses

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.

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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

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.
• Sales Hub: Provides deal tracking, pipeline management, sales automation, and reporting.
• Service Hub: Offers customer service tools like ticketing, live chat, and knowledge bases.
• Operations Hub: Syncs and automates business processes across different systems.
• Lead scoring: Prioritize leads with predictive scoring to improve sales efficiency.

Pros

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

Cons

• High cost at higher Tters: HubSpot’s pricing can become expensive as you move to higher tiers, which may be prohibitive for small 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 businesses.
• 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 businesses with larger lists.
• Limited reporting capabilities in lower tiers: Detailed reporting and analytics features are often locked behind higher-priced plans, limiting insights for businesses on lower tiers.

Price and plans

Price and plans for HubSpot's CRM suite are as follows for an annual subscription.

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

3. Zoho CRM

Zoho is a CRM system with a strong sales focus. Its got features such as journey orchestration, sales process management and workflow automation. There's also something for marketing teams, including lead hurting, event management and customer segmentation.

Key features

• Sales automation: Automates sales tasks like lead management, deal tracking, and follow-up actions.
• Lead and contact management: Manages customer information, tracks interactions, and segments contacts for targeted campaigns.
• Multi-channel communication: Integrates with email, phone, social media, and live chat to manage customer interactions.
• Marketing automation: Integrates with Zoho Campaigns and other marketing tools for automated campaigns and lead nurturing.
• Customizable dashboards and reports: Allows users to create and customize dashboards and reports for in-depth analytics.

Pros

• Affordability: Zoho CRM offers competitive pricing with various tiers, making it accessible to small and medium-sized businesses.
• Customization: Extensive customization options allow businesses to tailor the CRM to their specific needs, including custom fields, modules, and workflows.
• Integration with Zoho Suite: Seamless integration with other Zoho products like Zoho Social which creates a comprehensive ecosystem for managing different business functions.
• Multi-channel communication: Zoho CRM supports email, phone, social media, and live chat, enabling businesses to manage all customer interactions from a single platform.
• AI-powered features: Zia, the AI assistant, provides intelligent insights, predictive analytics, and task automation, helping to improve sales and marketing 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 businesses without technical expertise or dedicated IT resources.
• 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.
• API limitations: The API may have limitations for businesses with complex integration needs, sometimes requiring custom development work.
• Feature limitations in lower tiers: The lower-priced plans may lack advanced features, pushing users to upgrade to more expensive tiers for essential functionality.

Price and plans

Free plan limited to three users suitable for small businesses. After that, an annual subscription plan is as follows.

• Standard: $14 per user, per month
• Professional: $23 per user, per month
• Enterprise: $40 per user, per month

4. Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a sales focused CRM for small businesses, offering lead management, automation, email integration, and customizable pipelines to optimize sales.

Key features

• Lead and deal management: Centralized tools to manage customer data, interactions, and sales pipelines, helping teams act quickly on opportunities.
• Sales automation: Workflow automation to handle repetitive tasks, such as lead routing, follow-ups, and email sequences, allowing sales teams to focus on closing deals.
• Email integration: Full email sync, templates, and tracking features, enabling users to manage all communications directly from the CRM.
• Advanced reporting and analytics: Real-time data analytics and custom reporting tools to track sales performance, forecast revenue, and gain actionable insights.
• Customization and security: Options to customize pipelines, fields, and user permissions, with robust security measures to protect data.

Pros

• User-friendly interface: Pipedrive is known for its intuitive and visually appealing interface, making it easy for users to navigate and manage their sales pipelines.
• Sales pipeline focus: Pipedrive is specifically designed for managing sales pipelines, offering a visual approach that helps sales teams track deals and activities effectively.
• Customization: Pipedrive allows for a high degree of customization, enabling users to tailor the platform to their specific sales processes with custom fields and workflows.
• Affordability: Pipedrive offers competitive pricing, making it accessible to small and medium-sized businesses without sacrificing essential CRM features.
• Automation features: Pipedrive includes automation tools that help streamline repetitive tasks, such as sending follow-up emails and moving deals through the pipeline, saving time and boosting productivity.

Cons

• Limited advanced features: Pipedrive lacks some of the more advanced CRM features, such as extensive marketing automation and AI capabilities, which are available in other platforms.
• Basic reporting in lower tiers: The reporting and analytics features in the basic plans are somewhat limited, requiring upgrades to access more in-depth insights.
• Price Increases with add-ons: The cost of Pipedrive can increase quickly when additional features or integrations are added, making it less cost-effective for businesses with growing needs.
• Limited project management features: Pipedrive is primarily focused on sales, and lacks robust project management features, requiring the use of additional tools for project tracking.

Price and plans

An annual subscription plan basis is as follows.

• Essential plan: Starts from $14 per user, per month.
• Advanced plan: Starts from $29 per user, per month.
• Power plan: Starts from $64 per user, per month.
• Enterprise plan: Starts from $99 per user, per month.

5. 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.

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Key features

• 1 sales pipeline: Manage and track your sales opportunities effectively.
• 30,000 contacts: Store and manage a large volume of leads and customers.
• Workflow automation: Automate repetitive tasks to save time and increase efficiency.
• Key integrations: Seamlessly connect with essential third-party applications like Mailchimp and QuickBooks.
• Task management: Keep track of tasks and deadlines to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Pros

• User-friendly interface: Capsule CRM offers a clean and intuitive design, making it easy for users to navigate and quickly access important features. This simplicity reduces the learning curve, making it an excellent choice for small businesses and teams without extensive CRM experience.
• Contact and sales management: The platform provides robust tools for managing contacts, organizing customer information, and tracking sales opportunities. This helps businesses maintain a clear view of their relationships and sales pipeline.
• Customization options: Capsule CRM allows users to customize fields, tags, and pipelines to fit their specific business needs, offering flexibility in how they manage data and processes.
• Integration capabilities: Capsule integrates with various popular third-party applications, including G Suite, Microsoft 365, Mailchimp, Xero, and QuickBooks, allowing users to create a seamless workflow across their business tools.
• Affordability: Capsule CRM offers competitive pricing with a free plan for basic needs and affordable premium options, making it accessible for small businesses and startups.

Cons

• Limited advanced features: Compared to some of its competitors, Capsule CRM lacks more advanced features such as in-depth analytics, comprehensive automation, and complex reporting capabilities. This can be a limitation for larger businesses or those with more complex CRM needs.
• Basic email marketing capabilities: While Capsule integrates with email marketing tools like Mailchimp, its built-in email marketing capabilities are relatively basic. Users seeking more advanced email marketing features may need to rely on third-party integrations.
• Limited customer support: Capsule CRM primarily offers support through email and an online help center. The lack of live chat or phone support might be a downside for users who prefer immediate assistance or more direct support options.
• No built-in phone or SMS integration: Unlike some other CRMs, Capsule does not have built-in phone or SMS functionality, which could be a disadvantage for businesses that rely heavily on direct communication with clients through these channels.
• Scalability concerns: While Capsule CRM is great for small to medium-sized businesses, companies that are rapidly growing or have more complex CRM requirements might find the platform less scalable as they expand.

Price and plans

• 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.

Conclusion

Choosing the best CRM and marketing automation solution for your small business can significantly enhance your operational efficiency and drive growth. Whether you opt for the customizable and AI-powered features of folk, the comprehensive tools of HubSpot, the affordability and multi-channel communication of Zoho, the sales-focused capabilities of Pipedrive, or the user-friendly interface of Capsule CRM, each platform offers unique advantages tailored to different business needs. By carefully evaluating your requirements, budget, and the specific features of each CRM, you can find the perfect fit to streamline your processes, improve customer relationships, and boost your sales. Start your journey by exploring these platforms and see how they can transform your business. Try folk for free here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a small business looking for CRM with marketing automation solutions use as a CRM?

Small businesses in 2024 often turn to CRM solutions like folk, HubSpot, Zoho, and Pipedrive. These platforms offer a range of features tailored to the needs of small businesses, including contact management, sales automation, and marketing tools, enabling efficient customer relationship management and streamlined marketing efforts.

Do I need a CRM?

Yes, depending on the complexity of your process. A CRM can significantly improve how you manage customer relationships, streamline sales processes, and automate marketing tasks, making it essential for businesses with growing customer bases and intricate sales cycles.

How much does a CRM cost?

CRM costs vary widely, typically ranging from $14 to $99 per user per month, depending on the features and scalability required. Entry-level plans are more affordable, while advanced plans with comprehensive features can be more expensive, reflecting the value they add to business operations.

Does folk’s CRM respond to CRM and marketing automation for small business needs?

Yes, Folk’s CRM is well-suited for small business needs. It offers ease of use, customizable pipelines, and robust integrations, making it a versatile tool for managing contacts and automating workflows. Its LinkedIn integration and AI-powered features enhance productivity and streamline communication, addressing key requirements for small businesses.