A Guide to Choosing the Right CRM for Your Business in 2024

Making decisions in business is tough, especially when it involves choosing where to invest your money.

For example, what do you do when you’re trying to pick out a CRM?

Understanding Your Needs

Before looking at CRMs that you are going to pick, you'll need to ask yourself a set of important questions.

First, why do you need a CRM? I mean sure, it's for managing contacts and leads, but let's go deeper than that.

Are you moving away from spreadsheets or transitioning between CRMs? You also have to consider the ease of transition.

Do you want a ready-to-use CRM or a fully customizable one? If your time is a bit limited or you don’t have the technical skills, then having a CRM that’s user friendly might be the best choice.

Does it need to integrate with specific tools like Google or Microsoft? You can avoid these headaches by making sure things are compatible with one another. You need to check and see if the CRM can replace other software licenses and if it offers features like online meeting scheduling, web form creation, or if it has AI capabilities.

Do they have extensive documentation for self-help, or do they also offer a combination of documentation and human support? Ideally, they should have both because you need to consider customer support preferences. If you prefer to fix smaller technical problems yourself, their documentation alone should be enough.

You need to address these questions so that you're on the right track before looking at CRM options.

Then, make a list of must-haves, nice-to-haves, and non-essentials. Then, find CRM options that match what you're looking for.

Budget Planning

CRMs come with a cost, so understanding your budget is very important.

You can think of it like planning a family vacation; booking a luxurious hotel or fine dining that’s going to leave a hole in your wallet isn't a smart move.

For example, you might pay about $12 per user each month for a regular CRM. But if you have a large team or need special features, you'll have to choose a more expensive plan.

The pricier plans usually range from $50 to $150 per user each month, and for enterprise-level CRM, it can go even higher, exceeding $300 per user per month.

Don't be tempted by the most expensive CRM out there and assume all those shiny features will instantly pay off. Improving ROI with a CRM means that you need to use data effectively, and building a strategy takes time. You also have to carefully choose a CRM plan that covers all the essentials without forcing payment for any unused features that you probably won't need.

The budgeting process depends on your business – whether you set it yourself or seek approval from higher-ups. Don't proceed to the next step without a clear idea of your budget. When pitching the budget, think about how using the new CRM could lead to a potential increase in revenue by boosting the chances of closing deals.

Compare how much money you expect to make with the new CRM VS how much it will cost. Be careful not to spend too much, but understand that in business, spending money is also needed to make more in the future.

Think of buying the CRM not only as something you spend money on but as a way to invest in making more money for the business.

Team Feedback

Talk to the people who will actually use the CRM. They're the ones most affected by your choice.

If you buy a CRM with lots of fancy features but it's hard for your team to use, not only are you wasting money, your team is also going to have a hard time using it.

Find out from your team what they need in a CRM and factor their responses into your search. You always have to keep getting their feedback during the whole process.

You don't want a team that will be complaining 5 days a week because they don't like the tool that you just picked.

Research and Refinement

Don't stress about finding the perfect tool right away. Instead, come up with a rough list of options that meet your needs.

It's okay if the list is long at first. You can narrow it down later. Use your goals and budget that you already set up to eliminate CRMs that won't work for you.

You can start doing your research by Googling. You can take a look into curated lists and check third-party sites like TechRadar or Capterra for reviews.

And speaking of reviews, you can always ask around on Reddit, especially on subreddits like r/marketing or r/smallbusiness, as the community there always gives out some of the best advice when it comes to choosing your CRM.

Evaluating CRM Features

Narrow down your CRM options by looking at the prices, but avoid automatically choosing the cheapest option because the cheapest isn’t always the best option. You can always take advantage of demos and free trials to experience firsthand how each CRM works for your business.

Just remember that there should always be customer support and that the CRM has a proven track record and a good Help Center.

Refer to the reviews and the feedback from your team members so that you can further refine your list. Also, get ready to meet the CRM teams by filling out contact forms and preparing for presentations. This way, you can ask questions and learn more about their work.

Finalizing Your Choice

Now if you've done all the previous steps, you should be ready to choose your CRM. Because by now you’ve already taken note of your needs, budget, and preferences.

Once you’ve finally chosen your CRM, start using it to understand your customers and boost your marketing. Expect to spend time setting it up, and for sure there will be some learning curves, but don't worry too much. If you’ve selected your ideal CRM, it won’t be that hard, and it’ll mostly be just adjusting settings and connecting to your tools.

The time it takes depends on your needs; some could take weeks, some would take months. Whether you do it alone or with CRM Support, ensure it fits your business. CRM teams have experience, but you know your business best. Take time to make sure everything's in order.

P.S. We help businesses choose the best CRM service that suits their needs and assist them with onboarding, marketing, and sales strategies.