The sales landscape has undergone significant transformations in parallel with evolving business dynamics and customer expectations. The introduction of new demands, innovative software solutions, and the emergence of idea-driven enterprises has reshaped the sales industry. However, with a multitude of options available, choosing the ideal contact management software for your small business can be a daunting task. That’s why we have done the research for you.
Gone are the days of manual tracking and scattered spreadsheets. The right contact management software (CMS) can be a game-changer, empowering you to streamline your sales processes, enhance customer interactions, and drive growth. In this blog, we will unveil the best small business contact management software solutions that possess unique traits and are tailored to meet your needs.
Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or an established business owner, this comprehensive guide will help you make an informed decision. We will explore each CMS’s key features, functionality, user-friendliness, and value for money, enabling you to find the perfect fit for your specific requirements.
- HubSpot – Best Overall
- BIGContacts – Best for automatic contact data collection
- ActiveCampaign – Best for segregation and data analysis
- Freshworks – Best for a 360-degree view of contacts
- Moosend – Best for deep analysis with advanced audience management features
- Keap – Best for Google and Outlook integration
- Really Simple Systems – Best no-frills contact management software
- Bitrix24 – Best for managing multiple sales funnels
Comparison Table
| Software | Free Plan | Pricing | Features |
| HubSpot | Yes, unlimited users | $45 per month for 2 users | Robust marketing automation and a vast library of email templates. |
| BIGContacts | No Free Plan, 15 days free trial | Plans start at $5 per user/mo. | User-friendly interface, straightforward features, and easy navigation for efficient contact database management. |
| ActiveCampaign | No Free Plan | Plans start at $15 per user/mo. | Powerful marketing automation, advanced email templates, and effective segmentation options for targeted campaigns. |
| Freshworks | Yes, Free plan for up to 3 users | Plans start at $35 per user/mo. | Comprehensive CRM solution with all-in-one features, user-friendly interface, and seamless integration between modules. |
| Moosend | No Free Plan. 30 days free trial | Plans start at $9 per user/mo. | Powerful email marketing features, advanced automation capabilities, and efficient campaign management for effective communication. |
| Keap | No Free Plans | Plans start at $79 per user/mo. | CRM software tailored for small businesses with an easy-to-use interface, automation features, and simplified customer management. |
| Really Simple Systems | Yes, up to 2 users | Plans start at $14 per user/mo. | Straightforward contact management software with easy navigation, free sales forecasting tools, and a user-friendly interface. |
| Bitrix24 | Yes, unlimited users | $49, includes 5 user seats | Advanced sales funnel management, automation capabilities, and opportunity identification for efficient deal tracking and process automation. |
What to Look for in a Contact Management Software?
Every lead management software should offer direct marketing tools and basic information, such as names and phone numbers. However, exceptional customer contact software goes beyond the basics and provides additional features to improve your business significantly. Here are four key features that have the potential to enhance your operations:
Customizable fields
While most contact management solutions provide standard fields for storing contact details, software offering customizable fields provides an opportunity to impress clients. By adding extra information, like specific customer preferences or interests related to your product, you gain an edge during your next interaction.
Visual dashboard
A visual sales dashboard that consolidates all client information onto a single page in a logical format can significantly enhance your sales team’s efficiency. Having a clear and organized overview lets you quickly identify key details, track client progress, and make informed decisions to optimize your sales approach.
Automation
Unlike two decades ago, today’s advanced software offers automation features that streamline various tasks. For instance, the software can automatically track and record the date and time of client calls. When you access the software, it conveniently highlights which clients you need to reach out to based on the date of your last contact. This automation not only saves time but also ensures you maintain regular communication with clients.
Pricing
In addition to the features, it’s crucial to consider the pricing aspect of lead management software. While the functionality is essential, it should align with your budget and provide value for money. Evaluate different software options based on their pricing plans, considering the features offered, scalability, customer support, and any additional costs.
8 Best Small Business Contact Management Software
CMS is what small businesses need nowadays. With infinite marketing potential and millions of prospective clients, CMS works as a medium connecting both smoothly. Here are some best contact management software solutions for small businesses:
HubSpot
HubSpot offers a free CRM plan with unlimited users, providing data and lead management features, as well as chat, phone, and email communication tools. The software is rated at 8.5/10 in the TrustRadius rating. It boasts an intuitive interface and comprehensive marketing capabilities, making it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes.
Pros
- Free plan for unlimited users
- Robust marketing automation
- Vast email template library
Cons
- Free plan limitations
- Expensive lead scoring
- Customization options in paid plans
When to Use
HubSpot is ideal when you need a massive volume of contact allocation and robust marketing automation tools. It allows easy engagement with contacts through industry-specific segmentation and offers a vast library of email templates.
Pricing Plans
HubSpot offers a free plan for unlimited users. Additional features and pricing options are available with the Professional and Enterprise plans.
BIGContacts
BIGContacts focuses on simplicity, providing a user-friendly contact management system. It offers basic functionalities and easy navigation to manage contact databases effortlessly.
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Straightforward features
- Easy navigation
Cons
- Limited advanced functionalities
- No free marketing tools
When to Use
When you need a low-cost solution with straightforward contact database management, BIGContacts is a suitable choice. It includes data storage, pipeline stage tracking, and task and event management.
Pricing Plans
BIGContacts pricing starts at $49 per month, paid yearly for 3 users, also known as plus plan. The professional plan comes at $149 per month, paid annually for 5 users. And Enterprise plan is a custom option with discussion on the table.
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign is a comprehensive CRM solution for startups with a strong emphasis on marketing automation. It offers advanced email templates, segmentation options, and powerful automation features, making it popular among businesses looking for sophisticated marketing capabilities.
Pros
- Robust marketing automation
- Advanced email templates
- Effective segmentation options
Cons
- Steeper learning curve
- Higher complexity for beginners
When to Use
ActiveCampaign is best suited for businesses that require advanced marketing automation tools to engage with their contacts. Its robust features enable personalized communication and targeted campaigns.
Pricing Plans
ActiveCampaign pricing starts at $19/month, billed annually for 3 users, also known as a growth plan. The professional plan is $49 /user/month, billed annually for multiple sales pipelines. And Enterprise plan’s pricing can be customized and billed annually.
Freshworks
Freshworks CRM offers a comprehensive solution encompassing contact management, sales, marketing, and customer support functionalities. It provides a user-friendly interface and streamlines various aspects of customer management.
Pros
- All-in-one CRM solution
- User-friendly interface
- Seamless integration between modules
Cons
- Limited customization options
- Less advanced data management
When to Use
If you need CRM software that covers different areas of customer management, Freshworks CRM is an ideal choice for sales. Similarly, it offers seamless integration between marketing, and customer support teams for improved collaboration.
Pricing Plans
Freshworks CRM offers subscription-based plans with different pricing tiers to accommodate businesses of varying sizes and needs. Pricing is based on the selected features and the number of users.
Moosend
Moosend is a contact management software that specializes in email marketing and automation. It provides powerful email marketing features, advanced automation capabilities, and efficient campaign management.
Pros
- Powerful email marketing features
- Advanced automation capabilities
- Efficient campaign management
Cons
- Limited CRM functionalities
- Less comprehensive compared to other CRM solutions
When to Use
When prioritizing email marketing and automation in your contact management strategy, Moosend offers a comprehensive solution. It enables personalized email campaigns, segmenting contacts based on specific criteria.
Pricing Plans
The Moosend basic plan is free to use. It offers subscription-based plans starting at $9/month for 500 subscribers. The enterprise plan will have a specific price.
Keap
Keap offers software for efficient contact management for small businesses. It provides contact management, automation, and marketing features, helping businesses streamline their customer management processes.
Pros
- Designed for small businesses
- Easy-to-use interface
- Automation features
Cons
- Limited customization options
- Less advanced data management
When to Use
When you need CRM software specifically tailored for small businesses, Keap is a suitable choice. It offers automation features and a user-friendly interface to simplify customer management tasks.
Pricing Plans
Keap Plans start at $79 per user/ month with basic features. The pro plan subscription amount is $159 /month (Billed at $1908/year) for 1500 contacts and 2 users. And the Max plan comes at $229 /month (Billed at $2748/year) with 2500 contacts and 3 users.
Really Simple Systems
Really Simple Systems provides straightforward and user-friendly contact management software. It offers easy navigation, data storage, pipeline tracking, and free sales forecasting tools, making it suitable for businesses seeking a simple CRM solution.
Pros
- Easy-to-navigate interface
- Free sales forecasting tools
- User-friendly contact management
Cons
- Limited advanced functionalities
- No free marketing tools
When to Use
When simplicity is a priority, and you need a contact database that requires minimal effort and tech experience, Really Simple Systems is an excellent choice. The free sales forecasting tools help generate sales estimates.
Pricing Plans
Really Simple System’s basic plan is free. The starter plan starts at $17 Per user/month (billed annually). Professional plan with advanced features and increased security comes at $33 Per user/month (billed annually), and Enterprise, All the features and account management, at $50 Per user/month (billed annually).
Bitrix24
Bitrix24 focuses on managing sales funnels and automation. It allows users to juggle multiple sales funnels, automate processes, and identify upsell, down-sell, and cross-sell opportunities. These features make it the best contact manager software for call analysts.
Pros
- Advanced sales funnel management
- Seamless payment processing
- Opportunity identification
Cons
- Higher complexity for beginners
- Requires time for configuration
When to Use
Bitrix24 is the ideal choice when you need efficient sales funnels and automation management. It minimizes manual updates and provides insights into deal progress.
Pricing Plans
Bitrix24 offers a free plan with limited features, while subscription-based plans are available with additional features and pricing options. The pricing starts from $42/month for 5 users and goes up to $169/month for 100 users.
Our Methodology for Picking the Best Contact Management Software
We take the time to carefully evaluate and handpick the companies that make it onto our list of recommended contact management software. In our quest to identify the finest contact management software for small businesses, we thoroughly examined a range of product features that cater specifically to effective lead and customer information management. This encompassed evaluating key aspects such as contact data storage and enrichment, lead scoring, customer segmentation, and automated record entry.
Additionally, we scrutinized each product’s overall characteristics, including price, general CRM features, ease of use, and customer support, to ensure a comprehensive assessment. By conducting this meticulous analysis, we aim to provide small businesses with reliable insights to select the contact management software that best aligns with their needs.
Conclusion
Contact management is a fundamental feature present in every CRM solution, as it plays a vital role in effectively managing a sales team. However, not all CRM solutions go beyond basic contact management functionalities to offer additional features that elevate your sales team’s performance. These extra features may include intuitive dashboards that provide a visual representation of your contacts’ status and automation capabilities that enhance overall efficiency.
When selecting client management software for your company, it is crucial to consider your specific needs and requirements. Each business has unique priorities, and choosing the right contact management software solution involves evaluating how well it aligns with your company’s objectives and workflows. By carefully assessing your needs, you can make an informed decision that empowers your sales team to excel and drive success. Explore the Sifter human resources category page to access a wealth of information, tools, and insights. Secondly, you can learn about industry trends, recommended software, and expert advice to stay updated with the latest industry trends.
Contact management software is a tool that helps businesses organize and manage their customer contacts and interactions. Similarly, it allows businesses to store and track contact information, communication history, and important details about customers or prospects. With contact management CRM software, businesses can improve customer relationships, streamline sales processes, and enhance overall efficiency in managing customer data.
Frequently Asked Questions for Contact Management Software
What is contact management CRM software?
Contact management CRM software is a tool that helps businesses organize and manage their customer contacts and interactions. It allows businesses to store and track contact information, communication history, and important details about customers or prospects. With contact management CRM software, businesses can improve customer relationships, streamline sales processes, and enhance overall efficiency in managing customer data.
