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Every business is at different stages of growth and has different needs. Microsoft Office and Google Suite might have worked for you in the beginning stages, but as your business grows and you gain more clientele, it’s a good idea to start bringing in a CRM.
The CRMs listed below serve to simplify your deal flow by offering scaling, collaboration and management solutions. Whether you have a small business or a whole enterprise, this article is designed to make choosing the best deal flow CRM for your needs that much easier.
The Top 8 Best CRM Software for Deal Flow
| Brand | Starting price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hubspot | Free | Robust Free Offering |
| 2. Attio | Free trial | Modern CRM |
| 3. 4Degrees | Custom pricing | Networking |
| 4. Affinity | $125/month | Analytics and Automation |
| 5. Pipedrive | $49 – $75/month | Sales Tracking |
| 6. Salesforce | Free trial | Growth and Resources |
| 7. Notion | $0 – $10/month | Collaboration |
| 8. Airtable | $12 – $24/month | Upgrade from a Spreadsheet |
1. Hubspot – Best Robust Free Offering
PRICING: Has free tools if you’re just starting out. Paid plans and bundle prices vary based on the level of your business (starter, professional, enterprise).
If you’re not yet ready to commit to a paid service, Hubspot is for you. This CRM makes it easy to have all of your basic features, without paying a dime. The no pressure and approachable design allows you to assess your business needs, then eliminate what you don’t need and add what you do using their premium software. With it’s no pressure and supportive outlook, it’s no wonder Hubspot is so popular.
KEY FEATURES:
- Free CRM, sales, marketing, CMS and service hub for unlimited use and holds up to 1 million contacts.
- Hundreds of data points to choose from for optimal organization.
- Customizable reports and a wide range of analytics tools.
- App Marketplace for easy integration.
REASONS TO BUY:
- Prospect engagement tracking
- All inclusive marketing platform with the ability to bundle multiple products together.
- 24/7 access to support via chat, email or phone.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Although it markets itself as approachable and easy to use, some say there is still a steep learning curve.
- Not ideal for more advanced use.
- Not compatible with Google Calendar.
2. Attio – Best Modern CRM
PRICING: Varies. Free trial and early access is available.
If you love options, flexibility and customization, then Attio is for you. This CRM allows you to manage relationships and deal flow all in one place. With full data sync automation and integration tools, Attio is “miles ahead” when it comes to workflow and user interface. Bottom line, this beauty is the best solution when it comes to making your job 10 times easier.
KEY FEATURES:
- An elegant Android and IOS app
- Collaborative work space
- Adjustable permissions
REASONS TO BUY:
- Extensive resources for ease in creating the perfect data-driven CRM for your business.
- Popular with startups.
- Compatible with Slack, Typeform, Calendly and more.
- Support docs to get the most out of the software and all of your questions answered.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Large number of tools and options can be daunting for some.
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3. 4Degrees – Best for Networking
PRICING: Vendor needs to be contacted directly for pricing and demo.
If you are looking to leverage and nurture your professional relationships, 4Degrees would be the most ideal. With 20+ tools and features built solely around this important part of business, you can rest assured that you are getting the most out of your business networks.
KEY FEATURES:
- Task and interaction tracking to help you focus on what matters most when it comes to keeping valuable clients.
- Superior focus on the financial side of business with investment banking, M&A and private equity software.
REASONS TO BUY:
- Auto generation of pipeline reports
- Remove manual data entry
- Alerts to relevant news and valuable insights regarding your network in real time.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Some complained that the software is not 100% seamless when it comes to email marketing and other work integrations.
- Overall interface for web and app versions could use some modernization.
4. Affinity – Best for Analytics and Automation
PRICING: starts at $125 per month for small teams. Prices vary for enterprise sized teams.
Similar to 4Degrees, Affinity provides advanced tools that make it easy to automate deal flow interactions. With a focus on boosting connections and building your network, Affinity will organize all past, current and even future clientele with its mutual connections feature. There is also full transparency within your team as you will be able to monitor their connections and workflow that gets updated in real time.
KEY FEATURES:
- Intelligent algorithms that unlock hidden opportunities within your network.
- Automatically creates team and company profiles after email and calendar are synced.
REASONS TO BUY:
- Easy to understand video introduction
- Broad spectrum automatic organization
- Zero data entry
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Not ideal for entry level business as it seems there are no free trial type offerings.
- Can be buggy with integration and large data.
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5. Pipedrive – Best for Sales Tracking
PRICING: $49 per user, per month. $75 for up to 5 team members. Contact the company for a quote for teams larger than 5.
If you’re a numbers guy, Pipedrive is your CRM. With $85 BILLION in sales for over 100,000 companies, it’s no wonder it was rated number one in 2018 and 2019. With this software, you get to be a sales expert without constantly crunching data. Pipedrive builds confidence and satisfaction with its action based approach, so you can focus more on seeing measurable results.
KEY FEATURES:
- Integration and tools to optimize lead generation.
- Customizable insights and reports to recognize winning patterns when closing deals.
- Centralized communication, including video calling.
REASONS TO BUY:
- Makes building your techstack easier.
- Aids in consistency with its easy to use interface.
- Easy set up.
- Signature sales approach that helps you sell 28% more.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Does not have message sequencing.
- Some have had issues with data accuracy.
6. Salesforce – Best for Growth and Resources
PRICING: Varies based on your business needs and scale. Free trial is available.
Salesforce has made itself stand out with its unique and widely beneficial Customer360 feature. This aspect holds a plethora of blog posts, informational videos, virtual events and much more. Want to learn new skills for your small business? Salesforce. Want to learn how to expand your network or reach more customers? Salesforce. Not only that, but it has every possible integration you can think of. You can seamlessly link your team’s chat and marketing software to create your own personal all-in-one hub.
KEY FEATURES:
- Individual clouds based on your customer needs.
- Learn new skills through their information video series.
REASONS TO BUY:
- Hosts virtual events with expert coaches to help you get the most out of your subscription.
- Configurable and customizable.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- It can be expensive.
- Some complain that it is dated.
7. Notion – Best for Collaboration
PRICING: Free for up to 5 users, with basic core functionalities and notes. For more features, prices range from $5-$10 per user per month.
Notion is an all-in-one collaborative workspace that is like Google Docs on steroids. With an all hands on deck approach, teams can edit notes, projects and databases all at once. Better yet, its API now in beta, users can now start to enjoy even more of the software.
KEY FEATURES:
- Embed notes from other sources or documents.
- Include tables and boards for visuality.
- Publishing capabilities
REASONS TO BUY:
- Flexible and collaborative
- Others are praising it for its intuitive nature.
- All in one workstation makes simplifying your workflow a breeze.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Some say the flexibility can be a double edge sword as formatting can be tricky.
- There is a learning curve, especially with the permissions and search function.
8. Airtable – Best Upgrade from a Spreadsheet
PRICING: Free for unlimited bases and essential features. Paid versions range from $12-$24+ per user per month. It also seems that they are negotiable when you reach out.
Maintaining spreadsheets as your company grows can eventually cause a loss of data accuracy. With Airtable, you get all the ease of use with a spreadsheet, plus data validation all on a visually appealing UI. To help optimize your workflow, Airtable also provides mini app plug-ins to implement a more relational database.
KEY FEATURES:
- Interface designer
- Developer tools for those who code, or use their no-code features.
- Outside data sync
REASONS TO BUY:
- Exceptional UI
- Forgiving with handling structured data.
- Others enjoy using it with integrations such as Zapier and Calendar view.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Some complain that it is expensive for what you actually get.
- Difficult to customize, creates room for error especially with larger companies.
- Not ideal for extensive modeling or formula use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Does One Need a CRM to Improve Deal Flow?
If your business is rapidly growing, it is very easy to hit quite a few speed bumps without a CRM. A CRM helps you organize client information in an intelligent database so that valuable leads don’t end up being lost. They are specifically designed with you and your customers’ satisfaction in mind. Better yet, CRMs are becoming more advanced with more features designed for convenience, automation and make it easier to run your business. Overall, CRMs are an excellent choice when advancing your business because it frees up you and your team’s hands to focus on more important tasks.
What Should a Good CRM Do?
That depends on your business needs. It’s important to identify key features that would ultimately help take your business to the next level. Modern CRMs are coming in hot with more features, cleaner software and successfully moving towards creating an all-in-one techstack. Do your homework and assess whether simplicity works for you or if you need some (or all) of the fancy stuff. Ultimately though, a basic functioning CRM should have accurate contact and lead management, a tracking element for pipelines and proposals, and some level of an automation feature.
What is Deal Flow?
Simply put, deal flow is a term most frequently used by those in the investing and finance industry. It refers to the rate and process in which a deal between two or more people is progressing. This concept is usually cyclical from start to finish and has a focus on more qualitative than quantitative pursuits.
Is Using a CRM Secure?
For the most part, yes. However, should you choose to use a free version, there is little to no security to be aware of. Free programs can absolutely be breached or lost, and there are usually no automatic backup features. Additionally, you should always take precautions whether or not you use free software. The internet can be unpredictable and failing software due to various circumstances can wreak havoc on your business and customer base. Bottom line, do your research and ask questions.
Are There Any Reasons I Shouldn’t Use a CRM?
A lot of CRMs can be pricey for small business owners and incur hidden fees that add up quickly. Depending on how large your team of professionals is, some can present a learning curve that can be challenging to get everyone on the same page. However, not all hope is lost. Some CRMs are dedicated to making thighs easy for business owners. For example, some offer video tutorials and workshops, and some are designed to be very intuitive and customizable. Regarding price, there are many that are willing to negotiate pricing. It doesn’t hurt to reach out to see if you can work out a better deal.