Increase Efficiencies by Connecting Your Website to Your CRM

A customer relationship management (CRM) system is an essential tool for any business looking to improve their customer service and sales, allowing you to track and manage customer interactions and data, such as contact information, purchase history, and communication logs. Connecting your website with your CRM can build efficiencies and save time when managing your clients.

There are many different CRMs available to choose from. Here at Calumet Media & Consulting, we use Salesforce, one of the industry leaders in customer relationship management. We’ve connected our website to our CRM, bringing many benefits that allow us to better understand and engage with our customers.

One of the main advantages a CRM like Salesforce is the ability to collect customer data in a centralized location. A system that includes data storage allows businesses to efficiently store and organize customer information in one central location. With all customer data in one place, your sales and customer service representatives can quickly access and respond to customer inquiries, which can improve customer satisfaction. Additionally, by having detailed information about customers and their purchasing history, businesses can more effectively target their sales and marketing efforts, leading to increased revenue.

Another benefit of connecting a website to Salesforce is the ability to automate certain business processes. For example, when a lead submits a form on your website, either an appointment booking, request for a quote, or joining your newsletter, it can be automatically sent to Salesforce and assigned to the appropriate sales representative. A CRM can also be used to track the progress of a lead through the sales pipeline, allowing your team to focus on closing deals rather than manually updating spreadsheets.

Customer behaviour information can be tracked within the CRM and used to identify patterns and trends, which can help businesses to better understand their customers. Salesforce can be used to track customer interactions with the website, such as which pages they visit and how long they spend on the site, which can help businesses to identify areas of the website that are underperforming and make improvements.

Integrating a website with Salesforce also allows businesses to provide a more personalized customer experience. For example, Salesforce can be used to track customer preferences and purchase history, which can be used to create targeted marketing campaigns and personalized product recommendations. A CRM can also be used to send automated follow-up emails and notifications to customers, which can help businesses to stay top of mind with their customers and increase the chances of repeat sales.

Alternatives to Salesforce

Salesforce has several competitors that offer most, if not all, of the required features most businesses need from their CRM. Here’s three alternatives that generally suit most small businesses:

Hubspot

HubSpot is a popular alternative to Salesforce, and it has many features that make it a great choice for small to medium-sized businesses. One of the primary advantages of HubSpot is that it offers a free version that includes many of the core features that businesses need. HubSpot is known for being easy to use and implement, making it a great choice for businesses that want to get started quickly.

ZoHo

Zoho is another alternative to Salesforce, and it offers many of the same features at a lower price point, offering a range of tools for sales, marketing, and customer service, and making it a great all-in-one solution for businesses. Additionally, Zoho has a reputation for being highly customizable, allowing businesses to tailor the platform to their specific needs.

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a comprehensive cloud-based CRM system offering a range of features for sales, marketing, and customer service. One of the main advantages of Microsoft Dynamics 365 is that it integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft products, such as Office 365 and Power BI, making it a great choice for businesses that already use these tools. Additionally, Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers a range of AI-powered features, such as predictive analytics and chatbots, that can help businesses streamline their operations.

Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a CRM tool that is popular with small to medium-sized businesses. It offers a simple and intuitive user interface, making it easy to use and implement. As it’s name implies, it focuses on visual pipeline management, which can help businesses track their sales progress more effectively. It also integrates with a range of other tools, including email and marketing automation software.

Freshsales

Freshsales offers a range of features for sales, marketing, and customer service. It is known for its AI-powered lead scoring system, which can help businesses identify the most promising leads. Freshsales also offers a range of customization options, including the ability to create custom fields and workflows. Freshsales also offers a free version for businesses that are just starting out.

Insightly

Insightly is a CRM tool that is popular with SMBs/SMEs. It offers a range of features, including lead management, project management, and email marketing automation. Insightly is known for its integration with other tools, including G Suite, MailChimp, and Slack. It also offers a free version for businesses that are just starting out or wanting to test out features before committing to one platform.

Monday.com

Monday.com is a popular project management and team collaboration platform that’s a Salesforce alternative. While it is not a dedicated CRM tool, it does offer a range of features that can be useful for managing customer relationships and sales processes. Businesses can create custom workflows and pipelines for managing leads, sales opportunities, and customer interactions. It also offers integrations with other tools, such as email and calendar software, that can help streamline sales processes. Overall, Monday.com may be a good option for businesses that are looking for a flexible and customizable tool for managing customer relationships, but do not require a full-featured CRM system. However, for businesses that require more advanced sales and marketing features, a dedicated CRM tool like the ones listed above may be better options.

How to Connect your Website with your CRM

Once you decide on a CRM, it can be a relatively painless exercise to have it connect with forms on your website.

1. Set up a web-to-lead form: Most CRM systems allow you to create web-to-lead forms that you can embed on your website. These forms capture lead information directly into your CRM, allowing you to follow up with them easily. Set up the form fields to capture the information that you need, such as name, email, phone number, etc.
2. Install a CRM integration plugin: Many website builders and CMS platforms have plugins or extensions that allow you to connect your CRM system directly to your website. Check your website platform’s app store or marketplace for a suitable plugin.
3. Customize the integration: Once you’ve installed the plugin, customize the settings to ensure that lead information is captured accurately in your CRM. Set up rules for lead routing and assign leads to the appropriate sales team or user.
4. Test and optimize: Once the integration is set up, test the web-to-lead form and ensure that the lead data is flowing into your CRM as expected. Monitor the performance of the integration and make necessary optimizations to improve lead capture and customer experience.

Need Help with your CRM or Website?

By collecting customer data in a centralized location, automating certain business processes, tracking and analyzing customer behavior, providing a more personalized customer experience, and improving customer service, businesses can gain a better understanding of their customers and increase sales and customer loyalty. If you’re not comfortable sourcing or installing a CRM for your business, contact us and book a free, no obligation consultation.