Using a CRM tool is one of the most valuable assets to your business. Over time, there is no better way to keep track of your marketing and sales funnel. However, there is a problem and let's be honest about it. Most of us get busy and forget to enter in our marketing and sales data. It could be that you just collected business cards, sent out an email or even forgot to log an important phone call from a prospect. The point is we are all busy, and we are all distracted. So, finding the best CRM that takes all of that into account is what we recommend.

Comparing Providers

I have had the opportunity to work with many different CRM tools over the years. Let's take a look which CRM tool is right for you and what some of the Pros and Cons are with each of them from my personal experience.

Yardi

After college, I took a job as a property manager in Ames, Iowa. Yardi is a software primarily used in real estate & property management but none the less it was my first real exposure to a CRM. It is an all-in-one software that combines the CRM aspects along with the operations and accounting.

PROS

Yardi is an industry specific platform, so they understand the real estate & property management world.

CONS

Yardi is not easy to use, and it has a clunky dashboard. There is no automation, an app, no pictures and it's not Apple friendly.

Access

My next role, as the Marketing Manager for a carpet cleaning and restoration company we created a custom CRM system using Access. I remember our designer coming into the office ever so often to make updates to the system. My boss at the time had invested thousands and thousands of dollars in the system. It was his pride and joy and a nightmare to all who used it. I had to use the system to input the sales visits that I had made each week.

We also used it to record every phone call that came into the office, as well. Our process was to fill out a call sheet and then enter the data into Access. A lot of the data was never entered into the system, or it wasn't entered correctly. We didn't have a clear system on how to use it, and it was a mess. This wasn't Access's fault by any means, but without direction and suggestions from your CRM you end up needing to create all of the systems.

PROS

A custom CRM can allow to create exactly what you need.

CONS

You have no guidance on how to use the system or how to define its terms.

Maximizer

Maximizer was a great platform to use at the time. I was working at a Marketing Manager for a company that rehabilitates infrastructure. Our problem was that not everyone used it. So it was never a clear picture of the marketing and sales funnel. At that point, it wasn't cloud based so not all of our sales reps even had it installed on their laptops. Some of our team were a little old school and hated typing. So keying in an entire contact record became a tedious task that would be pushed off and forgotten.

PROS

It's customizable contact screen makes keeping track of your contact information simple.

CONS

This contact management software does not make it easy to track all interactions.

When you don't effectively track all of your marketing and sales interactions, you never know what tactics are working. So, companies wind up overspending hundreds of thousands of dollars on marketing and sales tactics that may not even be working.

I don't want to sound mean, but in today's online world that isn't silly, it's sad. You have the ability to track your marketing and sales efforts almost effortlessly. Why would you settle for anything less?

Salesforce

Salesforce owns the bulk of the CRM market and is a mega platform. It will allow you to customize your instance anyway that you see fit. Like most CRM you can control who has access so important information doesn't get lost. The problem with SalesForce it has become so big and bulky it can be hard to use. I have worked with dozens of companies trying to keep a handle on their data using Salesforce. 9 out of 10 of them would say that their database is a mess and they don't know how to fix it.

PROS

Salesforce is easy to use, with an intuitive layout that’s simple to navigate on mobile and desktop devices.

CONS

You need additional modules to handle employee, inventory or invoicing features. The reporting functionality will leave you wanting more.

HubSpot CRM

You already know that today's buyer has changed. Shouldn't the CRM that you track them in change, as well? Shouldn't that CRM also adapt to you and your needs? Well, that is exactly what the HubSpot CRM will allow you to do. After using several other CRM programs, I am thrilled to have found the HubSpot CRM.

It's Simple

A lot of the systems above have upgraded since I first started using them. However, a lot of people put too many bells, and whistles in their products and then no one uses them. HubSpot CRM keeps things simple, clean and easy to use. Managing your pipeline with a visual dashboard, sorting deals and keeping everyone up to date instantly will not only save you time, but it will also be correct.

No More Data Entry

HubSpot CRM will automatically track the majority of everything you need. Let's say a new prospect emails you for the first time. HubSpot Sales will automatically generate a new contact record and record the email interactions.

Know When Someone Opens Your Email

We have all experienced a time when you send an important email and then wonder if they got it. Did it get caught in spam, did they open it, how many times did they open it.

PRO

Innovate features while being easy to use.

CONS

If you're using another CRM it can be a bit of a hassle to switch. 

Your CRM is one of the most important tools for your business. You need to use one that meets you and your customers where you are today. The HubSpot CRM is easy to use, affordable and automatically does most of the work. If you need more help comparing CRM providers, check out HubSpot’s CRM evaluation guide.