Lead management is one of the most fundamental aspects of operating a successful business. Once implemented, your company gains its very own competitive edge with innovative features such as lead scoring and nurturing, reporting to monitor your process, and optimizing your team’s workflow for efficiency. The 10 CRMs in this article contain all of these features and more, to work together in maximizing your business’ capabilities. Whatever your strategy is, you are bound to find the perfect lead management focused CRM to fit your needs.
The Top 11 Best CRM Software for Lead Management
- Hubspot – Best for Scaling and Leveraging
- Pipedrive – Best for Reporting and Analytics
- Bonsai – Best For Its Custom Lead Scoring System
- Zoho – Best for Social Media
- Apptivo – Best Basic Offering
- Salesforce – Best for Training and Resources
- noCRM.io – Best for Sales
- Salesflare – Best for B2B
- Zendesk – Best for Customer Empowerment
- Lead Feeder – Best for Website Tracking
- Copper – Best for Google Integration
1. Hubspot – Best for Scaling and Leveraging
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).
Many customer service professionals struggle to meet the current demands of personalized, efficient, around the clock service due to their given tools being scattered across multiple channels and platforms. Hubspot helps you and your team of professionals scale and leverage your leads by bringing all of your customer data to one place, while offering quality service through automation and marketing tools.
KEY FEATURES:
- Free CRM, sales, marketing, CMS and service hub for unlimited use and holds up to 1 million contacts.
- Chronological timeline between each contact and your business.
- Prioritize the right leads with custom lead scoring and segmentation.
REASONS TO BUY:
- Prospect engagement tracking.
- Automated email campaigns.
- Data analytics and customization.
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. Pipedrive – Best for Reporting and Analytics
PRICING: $49 per user, per month. $75 for up to 5 team members. Contact the company for a quote for teams larger than 5. A 14 day free trial applies.
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:
- Advanced lead scoring and nurturing tools so you can make an impression regardless of the stage the prospect is in.
- Visualize your entire operation with an aerial overview.
- Workflow automation.
REASONS TO BUY:
- Makes building your techstack easier.
- Mobile friendly.
- Signature sales approach that helps you sell 28% more.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Some have had issues with customer data accuracy, specifically with addresses.
- Reporting tools are sometimes cumbersome to use.
3. Bonsai – Best For Its Custom Lead Scoring System
Pricing: The platform offers access to some templates on a free account. You can also subscribe to Starter, Professional, or Business packages for extensive features. $24 per month is the starting price of Bonsai.
Qualifying and scoring lead with this software is a breeze because of the excellent CRM system. The best thing is that you create your own lead-scoring method with the custom tagging option. For example, you can know which clients are likely to turn into paying customers through this system.
So you can pitch to the clients with higher chances better for boosting your sales. It will also enable you to respond to specific customers faster to gain their trust and projects. Bonsai also saves you from wasting time when it comes to signing contracts.
You can send a contract through the client portal and get an e-signature in a few seconds.
KEY FEATURES:
- Send engaging proposals to customers using the direct message option
- Let clients modify contracts to suit their needs
- Manage payments better by sending due-date reminders to customers
- Keep all leads in one place on the dashboard to avoid losing any client
- Use custom tags for tracking important clients and offering them a hassle-free experience
REASONS TO BUY:
- It has free and paid options
- You will also get a trial for premium features to make a better decision
- Automate leads using Bonsai’s form integrations
- The option for updating the clients with new information is just one click away
- Saving time is easy with the online meeting scheduler
- Budget-friendly pricing
REASONS TO AVOID:
- It is not the best platform if you require extensive CRM features for free
4. Zoho – Best for Social Media
PRICING: Varies from $20-$65 per user per month. Extra savings if you commit annually. A 15 day free trial applies.
Zoho helps maximize your lead generation by leveraging the power of social media. Not only that, the company has a broad range of focus dedicated to the complete lifecycle of lead management. In doing so, Zoho’s offerings include lead nurturing tools, custom marketing and advertising, and departmentalized lead task management all so you can close more deals faster.
KEY FEATURES:
- Nurture even more leads by syncing your social media and hosting webinars by integrating your platforms in the app.
- Full advertising and email campaign transparency so you can see what is working and what needs course correction.
- Retain vendors and partnerships with the scan and go business card reader.
REASONS TO BUY:
- Create multiple departments within the app so inquiries get routed to the proper representative.
- Users like how flexible and customizable it is.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Some users say the UI could be improved.
5. Apptivo – Best Basic Offering
PRICING: $10-$25 per user per month. There is also custom pricing for enterprise level businesses. 20% savings when you commit annually. A 30 day free trial is available.
Apptivo might just be the most well rounded CRM for lead management. It keeps leads warm and ensures nothing slips through the cracks without making an impression and making a sale. Exposure and engagement play a substantial part in the lead management process, let Apptivo take care of the tricky stuff with their sales and marketing tools.
KEY FEATURES:
- Create custom lead conversion forms.
- Spam protected email campaigns.
- Prioritize and observe live or waiting calls in the in-app call queue.
REASONS TO BUY:
- Add notes and personal information to stay up to date with each contact.
- Good for streamlining long term projects.
- Online based platform so it doesn’t take up space on your devices.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- App and data integration is sometimes inconsistent.
- Some users say the software is a little dated.
6. Salesforce – Best for Training 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:
- Slack integration to unite your sales and customer service team to be at the top of their game.
- Learning resources to grow careers in customer support.
- Automate workflows and scale support with AI.
REASONS TO BUY:
- Mobile friendly to check and monitor customer operations anytime anywhere without having to use a computer.
- Custom detailed reporting for strategizing.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- It can be expensive.
- Some complain that it is dated.
7. noCRM.io – Best for Sales
PRICING: $14-$39 per user per month. Savings apply when you commit annually. A 15 day free trial is available.
noCRM sets themselves apart by being a non-traditional “CRM.” Unlike other CRMs that focus solely on customer data collection, noCRM is centered around what is really important, sales. Conversion is their favorite word, as their goal is to help you do so with more prospects. With solutions to boost productivity, manage and track performances, and organize your sales process, there is truly no CRM that fits the bill better.
KEY FEATURES:
- Capture leads through several sources including LinkedIn, web forms, and business cards.
- Customize your sales pipeline to leverage your client interaction.
- Advanced sales goal generator that categorizes your goals into short and long term.
REASONS TO BUY:
- Easy to use and intuitive interface.
- Set reminders and status updates.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Categorization of client information could use some improvement
8. Salesflare – Best for B2B
PRICING: Varies form $35-$99 per user per month. Extra savings when you commit annually. A free trial is available, though it is unknown for how long.
Salesflare acts as your own personal assistant, minus the coffee runs. The software is hardly lacking though, as it flawlessly makes sure you never have to enter a single line of data or miss another deal again. Its intuitive and easy to use interface allows you to operate on the go to boost productivity and stay at the top of your game. With so much innovation, Salesflare makes your business unforgettable.
KEY FEATURES:
- Fully automated customer information input.
- Automatic logging of meetings and other tasks so you never lose track of what you got done.
- Detailed digital document folders for each customer.
REASONS TO BUY:
- Email engagement tracking.
- Timeline and pipeline view metrics to easily keep track of interactions.
- Easily comparable to competitors in terms of time saving capabilities.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- People have expressed a need for improvement in the group email and UI aspects, but Salesflare has addressed these complaints and are working to make them easier to use.
9. Zendesk – Best for Customer Empowerment
PRICING: Zendesk has many different price points and plans for everyone all ranging from $19-$215 per user per month. Check out their website to find the subscription that works best for you and your team. A free trial is available but it does not state for how long directly on the website.
Zendesk is paving the way towards the future by helping businesses across the globe finally let go of the outdated process of manual logging. The software has fully embraced the wonders of automation and are determined to help you convert prospects into sales with a bang. With various customer support channels, engagement tools, and automatic call logging, your confidence will shine through while using Zendesk.
KEY FEATURES:
- Empower customers to help themselves by creating a customized help center, community forum, and automated chatbot assistance.
- Boost efficiency with collaboration tools to help agents respond faster and smarter.
- Simplified call logging system with a note taking feature.
REASONS TO BUY:
- Ticket share feature.
- Social media integrations.
- Robust reporting abilities.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Some users complain that some of the functions are not as intuitive as they could be which leaves a lot to be desired.
10. Lead Feeder – Best for Website Tracking
PRICING: There is a limited basic version for free. If you need a little more, the premium version is $79 per month. A 14 day free trial is available.
With such a high focus on lead conversion, it is easy to lose sight of your progress. That is where tracking comes in. While tracking can be done across many categories, Leadfeeder focuses more on the website aspect. As a B2B focused CRM, Leadfeeder will show you what other companies have visited your site, indicating that they are interested in what you do or sell. In turn, you will be able to take advantage of each opportunity by forming valuable partnerships, thus growing your business even more.
KEY FEATURES:
- B2B visitor tracking to see who is interested in what you provide.
- Integrates with Google analytics.
- Firmographic data accuracy to uncover lead information.
REASONS TO BUY:
- See what aspects of your website and business are viewed the most.
- Integrates with other CRMs.
- People like that it has a few well function core features to simplify the sales process.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- The free version is very limiting in that it doesn’t always give the most accurate or thorough information on who is visiting your website.
11. Copper – Best for Google Integration
PRICING: Varies from $23-$101 per user per month. Savings are applied when you commit annually. A 14 day free trial is available. Further, for a limited time they are currently running a birthday special in which you can score an additional 22% off.
If you’re looking to grow and take your business to the next level, this is your software. Copper is built for growth, as team members all around are actively delighting customers thanks to features such as task automations, project management tools, and even a side by side Google Workspace integration. As a CRM that helps you win customers for life in the most efficient way possible, it is clear to see why over 30,000 companies trust Copper.
KEY FEATURES:
- Organize and centralize customer data automatically.
- Email nurture sequencing to keep your leads warm.
- Integrates with Google Workspace complete with a Chrome extension so you’re always prepared and in the loop.
REASONS TO BUY:
- Helps cut back on unnecessary communication and typing.
- Tagging and sharing features keeps team members on the same page.
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Some users are expressing a desire to have a proposal feature.
- There are some improvements to be made with the email aspect.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lead Management in a CRM?
Lead management refers to the process of obtaining and maintaining customers or prospects. When a CRM mentions lead management, they will likely present you with solutions in order to help facilitate the process. Further, lead management is not necessarily rigid as it can be accomplished in many different ways. It all depends on what approach you want to take, or what you think will work best for your business.
How Do I Choose The Best Lead Management Software for My Business?
As stated above, lead management is a very interconnected process that can be approached in many different ways. For example, marketing is a great way to obtain a substantial amount of leads. Features that help you nurture or streamline the cycle of a lead is also beneficial for engagement and customer retention. Additionally, even providing your team with certain resources such as training and collaboration tools will certainly benefit your customers using the power of teamwork. With all these features and then some in mind, it’s important to thoroughly assess your company needs and apply accordingly with the right CRM for you.
Why is Lead Management Crucial to a Successful Business?
Simply put, lead management helps you gain and keep customers, and customers are the foundation of your business. They heavily influence your decisions in nearly every aspect of your business model. A basic CRM does great in keeping customer data organized and saving you time, but it means nothing if you don’t have customers. This is why lead management is just as important. It is the key to helping your business rise to the top and gain loyal customers.
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