Sales CRMs systems (customer relationship management) come in so many shapes and sizes so.. which is right for you?
What is a Sales CRM system?
Sales CRMs systems are more than just managing contacts and potential leads like we have all probably done at one time using the humble spreadsheet (not knocking this at all!! - it is the most simple version of a sales CRM).
Sales CRMs take contact management to another level by being able to support/nurture contacts and build loyalty/trust whilst still maintaining contact information and client history. The information may also be available to be used with other business software solutions via API integrations to calendars/e-mails/telephones, finance/invoicing, social media, your website and many other business software applications.
I have experience and worked with with many companies and used/trialled nearly all the sales CRMs out there. They are all great and bad depending on what your business does, the processes/systems you currently use and how big your company is or sales & marketing departments are.
We have also created an algorithm in the form of a QUIZ that you can take to find out which one is best for you!
Review of the current 7 top Sales CRMs for all business types
7 of the most popular CRMs for 2021 are listed below with a review of each one. I have chosen what I think are a good range of the 7 top Sales CRMS at the moment .. from the top dollar package for businesses who want "the works" all the way to the most basic for those who just want a sales CRM/Pipeline manager.
Salesforce Sales Cloud - This has long been the CRM sales solution to beat. I have used this CRM managing a large corporate team and it has very useful tools and reporting. These guys invest in building the best with some amazing features and innovation, including AI. Very much the top of the range and can be a bit daunting if you are new to CRMs. There isn’t an entry level or free version to try. https://www.salesforce.com/uk/
HubSpot - Aimed at small to medium sized businesses it starts with a free version and becomes more powerful with with loads of innovative marketing/sales add ons/upgrades. It can get pricey when you start adding these. I have used to a high level of HubSpot and it is very good if you have no other e-mail or website management tools. The free version is good but limited. https://www.hubspot.com
ZOHO CRM - Makes selling smart as well as fun with AI & a competitive team environment called Gamescope (where you can win trophies for hitting goals...). I use this CRM mainly because the CRM PLUS version includes very powerful marketing tools at an affordable price. There is a free version for up to 10 users and starts at £10 per user. https://www.zoho.com/crm/
Insightly - A visually attractive CRM and functional CRM. Really suits companies that use project management on a regular basis. Good for larger SMEs and worth looking into if you are process driven. Free version for 2 users and starts at £29 per user. https://www.insightly.com/
Zendesk Sell - This was formerly known as Base CRM. It's improved the lead management features and is a must if you are in the Zendesk Ecosystem! Starts at £19 per user. https://www.zendesk.co.uk/sell/
Agile - A very good CRM that focuses most on automating marketing tasks. It seems straightforward to create landing pages, pop ups etc. Will align marketing and sales well if that is your main purpose for a CRM. It is very affordable having a free version for up to 10 users and starts at £9.99 per user. https://www.agilecrm.com/
Less annoying CRM - No fuss CRM with pipeline management features. It offers a good amount of flexibility & performance non the less. Great for startups and small businesses. £15 per user for the FULL version no more. https://www.lessannoyingcrm.com/
