CRM ARTICLE

Important Tips when Choosing a CRM for Your Small Business 2023

Article by SmallBizCRM Staff – 5 October 2022

 

In the 21st century, keeping your business relevant is no easy feat. In order to stay competitive, small businesses need to find new and innovative ways to market their company, streamline processes and optimize resources. A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system can be a game-changing piece of technology for any business that needs an affordable way to keep track of customers, boost sales and streamline processes. So if you’re ready to invest in your business instead of letting it fall into obscurity, read on to discover nine crucial tips when choosing a CRM for your small business. Small businesses don’t have as many resources available to them as larger companies do. From budgeting software programs like Excel to learning about different business financing options online, there are so many tools accessible only because of their size.

Ask yourself these important questions before you choose a CRM.

  • What kind of user are you? – When selecting a CRM solution, you should first know where you want to use it, who will be using it, and how many people will be using it. If you want to integrate your CRM into your website, you’re going to need a web-based option.
  • Are you a team of one? Are you a larger business? Do you need to integrate your CRM with other systems?
  • Do you want a hardware-based solution or will you use software?
  • Do you want a cloud-based solution or something you can install on-site? Knowing the answers to these questions will make a big difference in the CRM solution you choose.
  • How extensive is your marketing strategy?– One of the best things about a CRM is that it tracks all of your marketing efforts and campaigns. You can track how many people click on your ads, view your website, and convert into paying customers. The more details you record about your marketing efforts – from what publications you advertise with to what keywords people use when they click on your website – the more data you can input into your CRM. This allows you to analyze your data in ways that can help you fine-tune your marketing campaign to increase sales.

Don’t just rely on the hype when picking your CRM.

Although it’s tempting to pick the latest and greatest software on the market, don’t just rely on hype and marketing. Make sure you investigate all CRM solutions thoroughly and select one that’s best for your business. In order to do this, you should: Look at customer reviews – Customer reviews are a great way to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of a product without having to experience it yourself. Make sure you read a decent sample of them and pay attention to the star rating and written reviews. Read the product description – The product description for any CRM solution should list what functionality it has and how it can help your business. You should be able to find out how many users it supports, how many records can be stored in the system and what integrations it has with other applications.

Run a trial and make sure it works for your business.

If there’s a trial period available, try it out before you commit to anything. This is a great way to see if the software will work for you, if it’s easy to use, and if it’s going to help you meet your goals. It’s also a great way to see if the company provides support and if it responds to feedback. If you do decide to go with that solution, make sure you understand how long the trial period lasts. You don’t want to be stuck with a solution that doesn’t meet your needs because you didn’t give it enough time to work for you.

Don’t just look at functionality, also pay attention to user experience.

You can have the best functionality in the world, but if it’s difficult to use, you’re not going to get any benefit from it. The best CRM solutions are intuitive and make it easy for you to input data and find the information you need to run your business. Don’t just look at what a solution can do, look at how it’s designed and whether it’s easy to use. Test out a few different CRM solutions and see which one is the easiest to navigate and use.

Plan how you’ll use the software and which features are most important to you.

By now, you know what functionality you need in your CRM software. Now you need to figure out how you’re going to use it. Are you going to integrate your CRM with other applications? Will you be using it on the go? Finding out how you’re going to use the software is going to help you decide which features you need and which ones are more important than others. For example, if you want to use the software on the go, you might want to find a solution with a mobile app. If you want to integrate your CRM with other applications, find out which ones it integrates with and how easy it is to do so.

Look at ease of use, flexibility and scalability too.

Even though the functionality is important, ease of use is just as critical. You want to make sure your employees can use the software without having to go to a training course. You don’t want to find out they’re having trouble using it after you’ve already signed a contract. Look at how easy the software is to use and how friendly it is. You might also want to consider how flexible the CRM solution is. Can you add new fields to your database as your company grows? Can you easily add users or assign them different roles? Can you export data to other applications easily? A scalable solution can grow with your business. So while you might start with a couple of users and a small database, you want to make sure it’s easy to upgrade as your business grows.

Don’t be afraid to ask for more time with sales reps.

If you’re shopping for a CRM solution and you’re not sure you’ve found the perfect one for your business, don’t be afraid to ask for more time with the sales rep. This is a major purchase for your business, so you don’t want to be pressured into making a decision you’re not comfortable with. Take your time and research different solutions. You might also want to reach out to your peers and see if they have any recommendations. You might be surprised by the answers you get.

Be wary of large contracts and up-front fees.

Large contracts and up-front fees can be a red flag. They might mean that the CRM solution you’re considering is more focused on generating revenue than helping your business. You might also want to consider paying on a monthly basis rather than paying a lump sum upfront. You might have the option of getting a CRM solution on a monthly payment plan that makes it easier to budget for the cost.

Conclusion

You don’t want to let your business go by the wayside because you’re too busy trying to keep up with the latest technology. A CRM solution can help you boost your sales, keep track of customers and optimize your resources. Before you begin your search, make sure you ask yourself these important questions to narrow down your options. Then, you can explore a range of solutions and find the one that meets all of your business needs.

The implementation of a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is a big step for any business, especially a small business without an IT department. This can be frightening if you’re not used to handling computer programs. Even so, the benefits of using CRM software are numerous and will let you streamline your processes, save time and money, and increase efficiency. If you’re thinking about implementing a CRM system in your business, these tips will help you get started on the right foot. Read on to find out what CRM is and whether it’s the right choice for your company stage – then check out the rest of our blog for more advice on how to implement your CRM with success!