Close.io

Close.io has a few core features as part of its CRM technology that differentiates it from other CRMs. Close.io offers voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) calling out of the box and two-way e-mail syncing, and it automatically logs all calls and e-mails to avoid any manual data entry.

Close.io also has built a search engine that enables everyone on the team to answer any questions on the fly. For example, Close.io can give you answers to the question, “Show me all leads with active opportunities that I've e-mailed longer than a week ago, that haven't responded, and for which the last call was at least seven days ago and ten minutes long.” This can be a powerful feature when you are sorting through CRM data.

I recently learned that some customers actually use Close.io in conjunction with Salesforce, which enables them to get both the powerful back end of Salesforce and the user experience of Close.io.

Pipedrive

Pipedrive is known for the extreme pipeline visibility that it gives the user. The best part of Pipedrive is that it manages high-value deals and makes sure balls don't get dropped at any stage of the sales cycle. This is achieved by getting a clear picture of the sales pipeline to identify opportunities and potential issues, as well as features that encourage planning follow-ups.

Udemy was one of the first users of Pipedrive. I was drawn to the way I could get a bird's-eye view of my entire pipeline. This is very helpful for small teams with big deals.

If you're using other Web apps, you can use Zapier to connect all sorts of tools to Pipedrive and move your data automatically. For example, Pipedrive allows you to use MailChimp e-mail campaigns directly from the CRM software, using custom filters to easily create segments to send to.

Base

Base is a simple and easy-to-use CRM software. It's a turnkey solution that offers a unique suite of tools for both the sales rep and the manager.

Whether it's the initial prospecting, for which sales reps clip leads from LinkedIn into Base, or complex sales analysis, Base can do it. It's also adaptable to all industries and sales processes, from field sales to inside sales and more.

Jason Mills, head of sales at Expensify, says:

Base gives our team one central place to connect with prospects and customers, whether it's a call or an e-mail. Base also gives us a highly automated way to score and prioritize incoming prospects. Perhaps most importantly, the reporting in Base gives us immense insights into how our geographically dispersed team operates, especially in terms of the areas for improvement.

Salesforce

I foresee most companies making the switch to Salesforce at some point, even if they start with something lighter and cheaper to begin with. It's really scalable with regard to the amount of data you can store. Plus, when you hire a vice president (VP) of sales, you usually let him or her choose a CRM. Many of these potential VPs come from companies that have used Salesforce, so they already know it well. As one chief executive officer (CEO) once told me after he hired his first VP of sales, “If you hire Roger Federer, you let him choose his racket.”

Salesforce's downside is that it's not made for start-ups at the moment. The price is too high, and the implementation is too difficult and time consuming to set up. It's a big investment all around.

The upside is endless scalability, both with data and hiring people who've worked in sales before. They can usually pick it up and get running full-speed immediately.

Streak is a simple CRM that is built directly into your in-box if you're looking for something more basic and easy to use.

Other CRMs that are good for large, rapidly scaling organizations include Zoho and SugarCRM.

Bedrock Data

Bedrock Data is an integration and data management platform that is great for your larger integrations that involve a lot of data. Unlocking the possibilities of using this data sharing between your CRM software and other tools has huge potential. For example, you can use Bedrock Data to create a custom integration, such as HubSpot to Salesforce to Recurly to Quickbooks, which is extremely powerful and will save your team a lot of time in the long run.

Also, Bedrock Data has built a great team and product, hiring some former HubSpot employees.

Zapier

Zapier, as mentioned earlier in this book, can also be used for integrations of all types—not only in your CRM but also in many stages of the sales process. You can use a simple integration like notes from Evernote that syncs to your CRM, or get a little crazier with any of the following integrations:

• Form software (Wufoo, Typeform, Google Forms)
• Support services (Asana, Zendesk)
• Chat services (Slack, Hipchat)
• Marketing automation (MailChimp, Customer.io, Vero)
• And many more

Also check out IFTTT (If This Then That) for smaller integrations like Evernote to Gmail. If you can master integration and Web-scraping solutions you'll have access to clean and actionable data across the entire Internet. This is a huge advantage over your peers.