CASE STUDY

A CRM for Digital services

Neil and Rebekah Beam have used Keap to build customer relationships without sacrificing their personal relationships

 

The Appreciation Company at a Glance

  • Founder(s): Neil and Rebekah Beam
  • Industry: Digital service
  • Employees: 10 (+ Keap)
  • Joined Keap: 2022
  • Key Result: Saved $30,000-$40,000 annually on hiring an inside salesperson

Keap, for me, is essentially a second and third employee. – Neil Beam

The Challenge: A New Business Without Systems in Place

Neil and Rebekah Beam launched The Appreciation Company with a clear purpose: to simplify and enhance group gifting for teachers, caregivers, and other community heroes. Their business model revolved around collecting photos, messages, and contributions in one digital space to create meaningful appreciation gifts. However, despite their vision, they faced several operational hurdles:

  • Their brand-new website lacked an effective system to capture leads and contact details.
  • Marketing and sales outreach were limited due to scarce resources.
  • They struggled to nurture leads and schedule meetings efficiently.

For their business to succeed, they needed a way to generate leads, automate follow-ups, and engage potential customers—without hiring extra staff.

The Search for a Scalable CRM

Neil’s background in corporate environments had given him extensive experience with CRM platforms like Microsoft Dynamics and Salesforce. However, he knew these systems were too complex and costly for a startup. His goal was to find a CRM that could:

  • Scale with the business over the next 3-5 years.
  • Handle a growing database of 1,000 to 10,000 contacts.
  • Automate lead nurturing, email follow-ups, and appointment scheduling.

He evaluated multiple CRM options but found that enterprise-level solutions like HubSpot were overpriced, while budget-friendly options like Constant Contact lacked the necessary automation capabilities. After careful research, Keap emerged as the best fit—offering robust automation at a reasonable price.

The Keap Solution: Automation and Efficiency

In January 2023, The Appreciation Company integrated Keap into their business operations. With Keap’s automation tools, they could:

  • Embed custom landing pages on their website to capture lead details.
  • Set up automated email sequences to nurture leads based on form submissions.
  • Schedule meetings with potential clients through automated workflows.

These features allowed the Beams to streamline customer acquisition without needing a sales team. Instead of manually following up with every lead, Keap handled the heavy lifting, ensuring a steady flow of engaged prospects.

The Impact: Growth Without Compromising Work-Life Balance

Six months after implementing Keap, the results spoke for themselves:

  • Consistent Lead Nurturing: Automated email campaigns helped convert leads into paying customers.
  • Increased Appointments: The business booked 1-3 meetings per week through Keap’s automation.
  • Significant Cost Savings: Keap eliminated the need for an inside salesperson, saving $30,000-$40,000 annually.
  • Sustainable Growth: Keap’s automation enabled the business to function even when Neil or Rebekah took time off.

Neil shared his relief, stating, “With Keap as a CRM, I can step away for a day or a week, and the business keeps running. The automations we’ve built ensure that leads are captured, nurtured, and converted without constant manual effort.”

Why Keap is the Best Choice for Small Digital Businesses

For digital service businesses like The Appreciation Company, Keap is a game-changer. It combines CRM, marketing automation, and sales pipeline management in a single platform. Small business owners benefit from its ability to:

  • Automate lead generation and follow-ups, reducing manual workload.
  • Personalize customer interactions with automated yet tailored communication.
  • Scale efficiently without hiring additional staff.
  • Provide a structured yet flexible workflow that adapts to business growth.

By using Keap, The Appreciation Company has been able to stay true to its mission—helping communities express appreciation—while maintaining a healthy balance between work and family life. Their story is a testament to how the right CRM can empower small businesses to thrive.

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