- Save resources with no-code customization
- Build dashboards for better predictability
- Close faster with AI tools at every stage
- Powerful integrations
- Great CRM for small business
- Follow up on leads & identify key contacts
- Watch platform demo
- Full access, no credit card required
- AI powered automations that save time
- Easily schedule & customize sales actions
- Multiple AI-powered automations
- Over 750 integrations
- Free expert assistance included
- Logical, user-friendly interface
- Up-to-the-minute sales updates
- A top CRM system for fast growing businesses
- Create marketing campaigns fast with AI
- Leverage product reviews and recommendations
- Boost sales with multi-channel segmentation
- All-in-one tool with invoicing, payments & AI
- Great for service-based small businesses
- 7-day free trial
- Easily track sales and leads
- Create custom sales pipeline views
- Analyze data for customer insights
- Manage sales through a visual sales pipeline
- Multiple user-friendly sales dashboards
- Free 14-day trial
What Is CRM Software and Why Does Your Small Business Need It?
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software helps businesses organize, track, and nurture relationships with prospects and customers. It's an essential tool for small businesses looking to streamline customer interactions, automate marketing, and manage data in one central hub. Whether you're writing a business plan or scaling operations, CRM is foundational for sustainable growth.
Types of CRM Systems Explained
1. Analytical CRM
Focuses on customer data analysis to identify patterns, forecast behavior, and guide business strategy. Ideal for small businesses wanting deeper insight into customer habits.
2. Collaborative CRM
Enables seamless communication across departments, ensuring sales, marketing, and support teams share real-time data. A great option for SMBs prioritizing team coordination.
3. Operational CRM
Automates tasks like email campaigns, customer onboarding, and sales workflows. This type of CRM is best for businesses seeking efficiency and streamlined customer journeys.
How Much Does CRM Software Cost?
Most CRM platforms start at $10–$30+ per user/month. However, additional costs may include:
- Onboarding and training fees
- Unlocking higher contact limits
- Premium support services
- Advanced automation or reporting tools
- Higher minimum user seats than needed
Tip: You can often reduce CRM expenses by paying annually or choosing a free CRM for small businesses with limited but essential features.
Must-Have Features in CRM Software for Small Business
- Contact & Lead Management: Centralized database of customer information with interaction history
- Sales Pipeline Tools: Track deals, follow-ups, and close rates
- Marketing Automation: Email sequences, campaign tracking, and behavioral triggers
- Third-Party Integrations: Seamless connection with email, accounting, or POS tools
- Mobile Access: Manage customer relationships on the go
- Custom Dashboards & Reporting: Visual insights into performance and trends
- User Access Control: Assign permissions by role or department
How to Choose the Best CRM for Small Business Needs
1. Define Your Goals
Are you automating lead capture? Reducing admin work? Supporting a mobile team? Clarify what your CRM must accomplish—especially if writing a business plan.
2. Prioritize Features
Make a must-have list: lead scoring? Email tracking? Client history? Cross-check with available tools to find the closest match.
3. Consider Team Usage
Will the CRM serve sales, marketing, or support? Ensure it suits all departments using it.
4. Check Integration Options
A good CRM syncs with tools you already use. Look for integrations with accounting software, email platforms, or e-commerce systems.
5. Evaluate Costs and Scalability
Compare pricing tiers and check for free plans. Look into free CRM for small business options to start.
6. Test Customer Support
Look for 24/7 live chat, tutorials, and a strong knowledge base. Support quality often separates good from great CRM tools.
CRM Integration: Connecting with Existing Systems
Modern CRM tools often support API integrations for syncing with tools like email, video conferencing, lead capture forms, and accounting software. For startups and small businesses, this flexibility is key to building a scalable tech stack without overhauling existing systems.
Benefits of Using a CRM in Your Business Plan
- Stronger Customer Retention through personalized communication
- Increased Revenue by guiding leads through the funnel with minimal effort
- Improved Marketing Efficiency via automation and segmentation
- Data-Driven Decision-Making from analytics and reports
- Reduced Operational Overhead by automating repetitive tasks
Our Top 3 Picks
- 1exceptional9.7
Customizable CRM option for businessesCustomizable CRM option for businessesRead monday sales CRM ReviewGreat for - Small to midsize businesses who need more than spreadsheets
Price - $8 per seat per month (3 seat minimum)
Free trial - 14 days
monday sales CRM makes it easy to get started with ready-made templates. You can customize almost anything to your needs without any IT help necessary. The seamless Gmail/Outlook integration means you can communicate with clients in one place, as well as log and track all your activities with them.
The platform is super intuitive but also capable of handling any complex processes, whether it be sales, project management, tasks, and more. monday sales CRM saves you time by automating manual work.
monday sales CRM Pros & Cons
PROS
Integration with most tools you useAutomations eliminate manual workHandle tasks & projects in one platformCONS
Price can be an obstacle - 2excellent9.4
Top customer service and relationship tools
30-day Free TrialRead Salesforce US ReviewA fully packed, cloud-based, scalable CRM with market recognition and a loyal user base, Salesforce has plenty going for it already. And it keeps evolving, which is one of the reasons it sees little turnover in companies once they embrace it. This powerhouse CRM offers a substantial advantage and many appealing features, one of them being the slate of add-ons that allow it to grow with whatever business is using it.
Salesforce offers every sales tool you can think of as well as a dynamic web of products that essentially allow you to customize your experience and scale the technology with your company’s growth. It features AI-backed lead scoring, a built-in communication tool called Chatter, and integrated invoicing, as well as the capacity to connect clients’ custom apps via Heroku cloud to the market. Add that to the array of standard sales, CS, and marketing tools and you can see why Salesforce is often the go-to CRM for larger companies.
Salesforce US Pros & Cons
PROS
Highly customizableScalable without limits—usable by the largest organizationsLarge app ecosystem, over 3000 apps available.CONS
Expensive compared to the competitionComplex, can be difficult and expensive to set up - 3excellent9.1
All-purpose CRM to support businesses
Free TrialRead Pipedrive ReviewGreat for - First-time CRM users
Price - Starting at $14.90
Free trial - 14 days
Another accessible CRM tool, Pipedrive fills in the gaps left by Monday and other competitors in its field, namely with lead-tracking and other sales-based reporting tools.
Pipedrive offers a simple yet sophisticated interface that more than makes up for it with its ability to represent the sales process in graphic form. It is a worthy tool for keeping track of contacts, improving communication both within and outside of the team, and keeping close tabs on sales and possible deals. Add in automated call tracking, a popular chatbot feature, and a ready-to-use platform, and you have a CRM tool that offers a solution to most of the needs of small- to medium-sized businesses.
Pipedrive Pros & Cons
PROS
Great for lead trackingPopular chatbot toolStrong mobile capabilitiesCONS
Not ideal for larger businessesNo native helpdesk creator
