In sales, we make difficult decisions all of the time that directly affect the company\u2019s bottom line. We need to choose our targets, set goals, and decide if certain leads aren\u2019t worth pursuing. The decision you have to make when settling on the best sales CRM for your business is no different. A CRM is an investment that will have an impact company-wide. This tool influences the effectiveness of your sales team, the ease with which you can reach out to new leads, and the workflows you already have in place. Executive teams and managers will use CRMs to determine sales performance, budget for headcount, and determine close rates for performance reviews. Your marketing department will use the CRM to monitor the quality of leads they bring to your sales team and customer service departments will use the CRM to maintain customer relationships. <\/span><\/p>\n DemandZEN understands the importance of choosing a customer relationship management tool that not only integrates with your business, but allows your sales team to achieve better results.<\/span><\/p>\n So what\u2019s the best sales CRM you ask? While there is technically no right answer to that question, we have a strong opinion that the CRMs below are a cut above the rest. Here are the favorites we recommend you try based on your individual needs.<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019ve all heard of Salesforce, right? We love it so much that it even <\/span>made our list<\/a> when we highlighted our favorite marketing CRMs in October. It\u2019s the No. 1 ranked CRM in the market, and for good reason.<\/span><\/p>\n Salesforce is cloud-based contact management software that is easy to use. They\u2019ve been around a long time, and they\u2019ve developed a great support team that a lot of people love. <\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s a powerful tool that allows for user customization with a variety of third-party connectors. Chances are, it connects to software you are already using. We can say this with some certainty since Salesforce can connect to over three thousand different applications.<\/span><\/p>\n This is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Users can personalize their dashboards based on their individual workflows. Salesforce has done a great job of building a product that could conceivably please everyone. And as a bonus, it does marketing automation!<\/span><\/p>\n But why isn\u2019t it perfect? <\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re a microbusiness or a nonprofit, Salesforce is not for you.<\/span><\/p>\n Because Salesforce is so powerful and can integrate with so many third-party applications, it can be costly to setup and maintain. Some businesses might find they need to hire a developer to help customize the software, which can be too expensive for smaller businesses. It also has a complicated pricing structure that winds up being costly if you need more than five users in the system.<\/span><\/p>\n HubSpot is a great choice for companies on a budget looking to expand their online presence. <\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for a basic tool, HubSpot\u2019s sales CRM is no-frills and completely free. No joke. It\u2019s an intuitive platform and is especially simple to learn for teams already using HubSpot marketing automation. <\/span><\/p>\n Those leads generated by your marketing team are seamlessly pulled into the sales CRM for your sales reps to contact. HubSpot eliminates a lot of the manual data entry customers are used to with other CRMs.<\/span><\/p>\n Though it does not integrate with as many applications as Salesforce, it does have a customizable interface for users.<\/span><\/p>\n Free isn\u2019t always better. And it doesn\u2019t always mean it\u2019s truly free. While HubSpot the CRM won\u2019t cost you a cent, HubSpot the marketing automation requires you to get out the piggy bank. To enjoy the full benefit of HubSpot\u2019s CRM, you\u2019ll need to invest in the marketing tool. <\/span><\/p>\n Companies with long sales cycle won\u2019t find many advantages in HubSpot because of its limited reporting abilities. These companies will most likely need a more robust tool than what HubSpot offers.<\/span><\/p>\n Agile is a suitable name for this flexible CRM.<\/span><\/p>\n This is a solution that scales to your business. You can start out free (with up to 10 users), and increase your spend as your company\u2019s needs grow. This is a CRM that will work for garage startups and enterprise companies. <\/span><\/p>\n Agile looks to simplify the responsibilities of the sales rep by enabling call automation and recording. The system also allows seven different contact import methods, so you\u2019re not bound to creating a spreadsheet to the exact specifications of the CRM.<\/span><\/p>\n Agile is also another CRM that encompasses marketing automation in its toolset.<\/span><\/p>\n This CRM is only three years old, and it still has a few bugs to work out. Customers have cited instances of notes and deals disappearing from the system, as well as issues with their drag-and-drop functionality. You might find yourself reaching out to customer support more often than you would like.<\/span><\/p>\n And though this is an affordable solution for those starting out, it can get pricey when users upgrade to the enterprise option.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"salesforce-logo\"](\"https:\/\/demandzen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/salesforce-logo.png\"){kind=logo}
<\/a><\/p>\nSalesforce<\/a><\/h2>\n
Positives<\/span><\/h3>\n
Drawbacks<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nHubSpot<\/a><\/h2>\n
Positives<\/span><\/h3>\n
Drawbacks<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nAgile CRM<\/a><\/h2>\n
Positives<\/span><\/h3>\n
Drawbacks<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nNimble<\/a><\/h2>\n