Choosing the Right CRM – The Ultimate Buyers Guide
Nick Plumley • 2 March 2023
A CRM is more than a contact database or system of record; it’s the heart of your customer’s experience with your brand.
Whether you’re looking to invest in CRM software for the first time or move your organisation away from a legacy solution, your new CRM should effectively balance your business goals and customer needs while also accounting for long-term growth and profitability.
Reborn BD have created a complete buyers guide. It includes helpful tips and recommendations to inform your purchasing decisions and set your teams up for success. Inside, you’ll learn how to define your ideal CRM, navigate the software market, and prepare your organization for a new generation of operations.
Below is summary of this report and you can get the free CRM Guide here.
Understanding the customer relationship landscape
No matter your size or industry, customer relationships have a direct impact on your brand’s success. Positive relationships boost your bottom line and bolster your reputation; negative ones can render even the most impressive value propositions ineffective.
Customer relationship management should lie at the core of your growth strategy,
The right CRM allows you to manage all customer relationships — from first-touch marketing contacts to long-time brand loyalists — through a single, high-powered solution.
Investing in a right-fit CRM system
Your CRM software should help you maintain a high level of customer centricity and make daily operations easier for your teams. But finding the right fit means more than browsing through the most popular picks on the market or going with the CRM you used at a previous organisation.
Consider both your current business needs and your long-term goals, then use them to choose a CRM that can effectively grow with your business rather than one that will max out quickly.
Buyer’s Guide
Every business operates differently, and the CRM software you choose should mirror your business's processes as closely as possible.
However, there are some universal steps you can take to ensure you’re well-equipped to navigate the buying process and walk away with a solution that effectively services your employees and customers alike.
Step 1: Consult with Stakeholders and Key Users
The best way to understand your teams’ needs is to consult with the users who work inside of your existing CRM or similar systems every day. Stakeholder input is valuable, but you’ll also want to connect with:
Find out how each team interacts with contacts, objects, and other data, as well as what they need to see inside of your CRM. This is also a great time to assess the challenges your teams face in their current systems and ask which improvements would be most valuable to each respective team or department.
Step 2: Identify Your Goals
To identify the goals and outcomes you want your new CRM to enable, ask questions like:
● Are we adopting a CRM for the first time or moving away from an existing system?
● What are our current goals, and how do we measure our progress toward them?
● Are there any gaps in performance management or reporting processes?
● Are there issues we want to solve but don’t have the right functionality for today?
● What reports or other insights are most critical to carry over into a new system?
Step 3: Assess Your Tech Stack
As you research potential CRMs, consider which ones will work well with the tools you already use. This is also a great opportunity to identify whether a new CRM can actually help you slim down your tech stack. There are likely features within each CRM that would allow you to get rid of an existing tool, further simplifying your operations and offering a cost-savings benefit.
Unifying your organisation behind a single software improves processes and increases cross-team alignment. However, some organizations choose to manage two CRMs. For example, they may host marketing activities in HubSpot, then pass leads over the fence into Salesforce when they become SQLs.
If you plan to operate out of more than one CRM — even for a limited time —you’ll need to ensure that all of your data will sync between systems. Brands like HubSpot offer integrations to make this approach possible and provide a cohesive flow of information between CRMs.
HubSpot’s Salesforce integration makes it easy to transfer data between both CRMs. Set it up and use the data sync feature to migrate your Salesforce field data into the corresponding properties in HubSpot.
Step 4: Compare Critical Features and Capabilities
Now it’s time to explore the specific features and capabilities that an effective, growth-driven CRM should offer. While your priority list will depend on the goals you identified in step two, there are several essential features to keep in mind as you shop.
Reports + Dashboards
Your CRM will house a library of high-value data, all of which your teams need to access, organize, and analyze based on their unique goals and KPIs. Choose a CRM with robust reporting features that give your teams access to data and intuitive tools with which to analyze it. Ideally, you’ll be able to create custom fields and dashboards across departments.
Integrations
While your CRM will include a multitude of high-value features, it won’t be the only software you need to manage your operations. Determine which features each potential CRM includes, then evaluate integration capabilities to ensure you can connect external systems to your CRM quickly and effectively.
Tip: Some CRMs offer add-on solutions to supplement external integrations. For example, HubSpot’s “Hubs” enable businesses to add CMS, Operations, and other solutions directly to their CRM.
Custom Object Associations
If you collect data that doesn’t fall into your CRM’s standard properties, be sure your new software will allow you to store and report on it. Think payment status for financial institutions or subscription information for SaaS brands. Your new CRM should allow you to record and report on these custom objects without relying on an external system or manual process.
Administrative Support
Learning a brand new software takes significant time and effort, and you need to ensure your new provider is readily available to support your and your teams as you move to a new CRM. Evaluate included support hours and the availability of resources you may need to resolve everything from technical bugs to gaps in user training.
Step 5: Consider Costs and ROI
Next comes the financial conversation around adopting a new CRM software. And while cost is always an essential factor to consider, you should evaluate more than the list price of each potential solution.
For example, consider the long-term value of solving your employees’ most frustrating pain points. How will resolving those challenges impact the value of your business as a whole?
Unfortunately, a low-cost solution that doesn’t allow you to scale actually ends up being more expensive than investing in scalable software from the get-go. It’s significantly easier and more cost-effective to scale up an existing CRM rather than starting from scratch every few years. The value of getting it right the first time can’t be overstated.
Tip: Look for CRMs that offer add-ons or full-scale product ecosystems to support your brand as it grows and help you manage additional elements of your internal operations.
Step 6: Outline Your Implementation Plan
As you move closer to your final purchasing decision, you’ll need to create an internal plan to guide the setup, launch, and adoption of your new CRM.
What’s Next?
Choosing the right CRM means balancing internal challenges, customer needs, and business-level constraints as you shop for a new solution. But no matter your unique situation or software requirements, the value of your new CRM should lie in its ability to serve your organization effectively for years to come.
Perhaps most importantly, your CRM should serve as the foundation of your customers’ experience, which means it should evolve alongside you as you delight today’s customers and refine your offerings to meet the needs of tomorrow’s market.
B2B sales in 2025 is harder than ever and business owners are continually seeking strategies to help to generate more leads, drive growth and close more deals. Sales enablement has emerged as the most powerful B2B sales strategy for small business growth that supports your whole buyer journey. By integrating effective sales techniques and leveraging AI and cutting-edge sales automation tools, sales enablement provides a comprehensive approach to sales funnel optimisation. This proven B2B sales strategy not only enhances productivity but also positions small businesses for sustainable growth. Understanding Sales Enablement Sales enablement is essential for any small business looking to enhance their B2B sales strategy. Let's explore what it means and why it's essential for growth. Defining Sales Enablement Sales enablement is the process of providing sales team with the resources, tools and training they need to sell more effectively. It's about equipping your business and sales operations with the right knowledge, skills materials and technology to engage buyers throughout the sales process. At its core, sales enablement aligns marketing and sales operations to create a seamless buyer experience. This alignment ensures that every customer interaction is valuable and moves the sale forward. By implementing sales enablement strategies, businesses can streamline their sales processes, increase sales conversion, maximise marketing spend ROI and ultimately close more deals. Importance for Small Business Growth For small businesses, sales enablement is not just a nice-to-have, it's a necessity for sustainable growth. It provides a structured approach to scaling sales operations and improving overall performance. Sales enablement helps small businesses compete with larger companies by maximizing the efficiency of their limited resources. It allows sales teams to focus on high-value activities rather than getting bogged down in administrative tasks. Moreover, effective sales enablement can lead to: Shorter sales cycles Higher win rates Increased customer retention Better sales and marketing alignment By investing in sales enablement, small businesses can create a foundation for long-term success and scalability in the competitive B2B landscape. Core Sales Techniques Mastering essential sales techniques is crucial for optimising your B2B sales strategy. Let's examine the key components and how they contribute to funnel optimization. Essential B2B Sales Strategy A robust B2B sales strategy is the backbone of successful sales enablement. It involves understanding your target market, crafting compelling value propositions, and developing a systematic approach to lead generation and nurturing. Key elements of an effective B2B sales strategy include: Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) development Personalised sales engagement strategies Sales Process development and Sales Funnel optmisation Solution-based selling techniques Relationship building, trust establishment and closing techniques By focusing on these core elements, sales teams can create more meaningful connections with potential clients and increase their chances of closing deals. Remember, in B2B sales, the buying process is often complex and involves multiple decision-makers. A well-crafted strategy addresses these challenges and guides prospects through the buyer's journey. Optimising the Sales Funnel Sales funnel optimisation is a critical aspect of sales enablement. It involves analysing and improving each stage of the buyer's journey to increase conversion rates and overall sales performance. To optimise your sales funnel: Map out your current funnel stages in your deal pipeline Identify bottlenecks and drop-off points Implement targeted improvements at each stage Continuously measure and refine your approach Effective funnel optimisation requires a data-driven approach. Use analytics to track key metrics such as lead quality, conversion rates, and average deal size. This information will help you make informed decisions about where to focus your optimisation efforts. Remember, a well-optimised sales funnel not only increases conversions but also improves the overall customer experience, leading to higher satisfaction and retention rates. Embracing Sales Automation Sales automation tools aren't just a nice to have they are essential for SME growth and should be incorporated into any B2B sales strategy across your whole buyer journey Benefits of Sales Automation Tools Sales automation tools offer numerous advantages for small businesses looking to scale their sales operations. These tools can handle repetitive tasks, freeing up valuable time for sales representatives to focus on building relationships and closing deals. Key benefits of sales automation include: Improved efficiency and productivity Enhanced lead scoring and prioritisation Consistent follow-up and nurturing Better data management and analysis By leveraging automation, sales operations can manage larger pipelines without sacrificing the quality of customer interactions. This scalability is particularly valuable for small businesses aiming to grow. Moreover, automation tools provide valuable insights into sales performance, helping managers make data-driven decisions to improve processes and strategies. Driving Efficiency and Results When implemented correctly, sales automation can significantly boost efficiency and drive better results across the entire sales process. Here's how: Pipeline Management : Automated workflows ensure no deals fall through cracks. Sequences : Automated multi-channel sequences help maintain consistent, well timed communication with prospects. Modern sequences also include intent triggers that automatically update sequence steps Performance Tracking : Real-time dashboards and reports provide instant visibility into sales activities and outcomes, enabling quick adjustments to strategies. Integration : By integrating with CRM systems, automation tools create a seamless flow of information across marketing, sales, and customer success teams. Remember, while automation is powerful, it should complement, not replace, the human touch in sales. The goal is to use technology to enhance personal interactions, not eliminate them. Conclusion As we venture into 2025, integrating proven sales techniques with the latest in AI and automation is no longer optional—it's essential. Sales enablement not only equips sales teams with the necessary tools and knowledge to thrive but also aligns marketing and sales efforts, ensuring a seamless customer journey. Small businesses, in particular, stand to gain significantly by embracing sales enablement. From accelerating sales processes to improving customer retention, the strategic deployment of resources can help smaller enterprises punch above their weight class. More importantly, by focusing on core sales techniques and harnessing automation, these businesses can streamline operations and achieve scalable growth, even in a highly competitive market. Ultimately, the fusion of human expertise with advanced technology will define the future of B2B sales. By prioritising sales enablement, businesses can not only meet the challenges of today but also prepare for the opportunities of tomorrow, ensuring sustained success in the ever-evolving B2B landscape.
If you work in Sales or Marketing you will more than likely be familiar HubSpot and how they have fast become the world's number one AI-powered customer platform. It is this success that has led to lots of our clients wrongly assuming HubSpot is an enterprise tool for large businesses. Although they have a range of incredibly powerful enterprise tools, HubSpot was originally set up as an automation platform for start-ups and small businesses. They have tools and packages built for all budgets. This includes a range of completely free tools to help any business get started. Below are 5 of our favorite, completely free, tools you probably thought you couldn't afford. 1. HubSpot Free CRM HubSpot's free CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool is a game-changer for businesses looking to organize and manage their customer data effectively. With features like contact management, deal tracking, and email integration, the HubSpot CRM enables you to maintain a centralized database of all your customer interactions and communications. This tool provides valuable insights into your sales pipeline and helps you nurture relationships with your leads and customers. Get Started for FREE 2. HubSpot Live Chat HubSpot Chatspot is a free live chat tool that allows you to engage with website visitors in real-time. By adding a chat widget to your website, you can provide instant support, capture leads, and improve customer satisfaction. HubSpot Chatspot integrates seamlessly with the HubSpot CRM, enabling you to track and manage your chat conversations efficiently. Find Out More. 3. HubSpot Web Forms HubSpot's free web forms tool enables you to create customized forms for your website to capture lead information. You can design and embed responsive forms with ease, collect valuable data from your visitors, and automatically sync it to your CRM. By using HubSpot Web Forms, you can streamline your lead generation process and convert website visitors into qualified leads. Free Online Form Builder 4. HubSpot Meeting Scheduler Scheduling meetings can be a time-consuming task, but with HubSpot's free meeting scheduler tool, you can streamline the process effortlessly. This tool allows you to share your availability, let contacts book meetings based on your calendar, and automatically sync the details to your CRM. By simplifying the scheduling process, you can save time and focus on building stronger relationships with your prospects and customers. Free Meeting Scheduler. 5. HubSpot Landing Pages Creating visually appealing and high-converting landing pages is essential for driving conversions and capturing leads. With HubSpot's free landing page tool, you can design and publish professional-looking landing pages without any coding knowledge. Customise your pages with unique content, forms, and CTAs to engage your audience and drive them towards conversion. Furthermore, HubSpot Landing Pages seamlessly integrates with the HubSpot CRM, enabling you to track and analyze the performance of your landing pages. Free Landing Page Builder In conclusion, HubSpot is an incredibly powerful platform for any business with packages built for any budget. This includes a suite for free tools to help start engaging customers, capturing data and generating leads. Reborn BD is certified HubSpot partner get in touch today to find out how our onboarding packages can help embed HubSpot across your entire business.
What is Walnut? Walnut.io is SaaS platform built for SaaS businesses allowing software sales, marketing and customer success teams to create customised, personalised, interactive product demos in minutes. Since starting in 2022 Walnut has pioneered a new vertical, completely disrupting the SaaS sales industry and introducing the world to full funnel product demos. They have won a string of awards and are working with some of the biggest brands in the world. What the partnership means? Technology is a the heart of any sales enablement strategy and Reborn BD are always on the look out for leading tech partners that offer real value to our clients. Walnut demo platform is one of the best sales enablement tools on the market adding value to our software clients across their entire sales and marketing funnels Our software certification confirms us as Walnut platform experts and becoming a authorised reseller takes the partnership to the next level. We are now able to offer our clients exclusive Walnut platform pricing and packages, UK based support and range Walnut platform consulancy services. Find out more here or book a Walnut demo here
Developing a sales process is crucial for your business's growth and your sales team's success. But where should your business start? Learn more online here.
Reborn BD has joined HubSpot’s Solutions Provider Program. A global ecosystem of HubSpot experts that offer marketing, sales, customer service, web design, CRM, and IT services
