As small business owners, the first lesson we learn is realising just how much time is needed to build and grow our businesses.
We’re fortunate to be living in a time of digital expansion, and have a whole host of tools and applications at our fingertips, designed to save us time and money. Here at Virtual Administration, one of our ‘can’t live without’ tools is our CRM; we just couldn’t imagine having the ability to provide the same level of service without it.
But with all of that choice out there, it’s easy to get overwhelmed! So here are some of our go-to tips for choosing the best CRM for your business…
1. Determine your needs
No two businesses are the same, which is why it is important to examine your sales and marketing processes to understand which parts need to be improved and streamlined.
Consider what needs improving – if it’s lead conversion, then you need a CRM that will focus on the bottlenecks using strong sales reporting tools. Alternatively, if you’re looking for increased efficiency within your team, then your CRM should focus on the automation of manual processes.
2. What features can you just not live without?
It’s important to never go for an overly complicated tool to manage your business workflows, as this can cause difficulty leveraging the benefits of CRM in the first place.
But considering the features that would smooth out your workflow and save you and your team time is an important exercise, and ensures you’ll get real value out of your CRM system.
3. Make sure your chosen CRM meets your marketing budget
Pay careful attention to the small print, and check for any hidden costs.
Ideally opt for a yearly payment, as it can often save you money, and always check online for discounts and special offers.
4. Pay special attention to the integration options
If you plan on turning your small business into a considerably larger business someday, then using a CRM with an ever growing integration list is a must!
Having to export and transfer your data at a later date is a headache you certainly don’t need, so getting set up for it now will save you plenty of time in the long run.
5. Match your CRM to your industry
Teaming up with a CRM vendor that doesn’t have the expertise in your industry can be a very costly mistake!
Finding the right CRM can be a time intensive process, but it’s well worth the investment. Our go-to CRM solutions are Monday.com and HubSpot, as they allow us to work smoothly between both platforms.
If you need any support finding the right CRM for your business, then get in touch today for a free discovery call.
“My only regret is not using Virtual Administration sooner. It’s a complete game changer and I’d never go back.”
— Will, Life Media UK
“Within 3 hours of working with me, Antoinette helped me feel calm and under control. A total asset to my business.”
— Andrea, Admire PR
“Antoinette at Virtual Administration has been the ideal support for my business, she’s creative as well as highly efficient. Highly recommended.”
— Oliver, Capability Consulting
“I don’t see Virtual Administration as an expense but as an investment. And the return on investment is phenomenal.”
— Sunjay, Lambardar Marketing
