What even is a CRM? Does anyone know? Because if you ask 10 business brokers, you’ll likely get 10 different answers.
For some, their CRM is (literally) a paper-based rolodex. For others, it’s their email contact address book. For the tech-forward, it’s utilizing a digital-based platform like Hubspot, Pipedrive, or one of the hundreds of other options.
The founding father of CRMs, Salesforce, defines a CRM as the following: "Customer relationship management (CRM) is a technology for managing all your company’s relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers."
How do we define it in non-corporate speak? CRMs are technology that makes you into a super-powered extrovert - you always remember a client’s birthday, you keep track of your notes from a meeting, the status of your sales pipeline are up-to-date, and you have the ability to contact anyone at any time because you have their contact information at your fingertips.
The problem in the business brokerage industry is that our sales cycle is not only long, but weird.
Our deals don't fit into the neat boxes that many CRMs were originally designed for. The intricate dance of negotiations, due diligence, and relationship-building requires a tool that is as adaptable and nuanced as the business broker themselves.
After testing and Frankenstein-ing a dozen CRMs over the past 12 months - our team is going to save you a lot of pain, and endless googling, by listing the best 5 CRMs for business brokers.
More of a visual person? Watch our video about the top 5 CRMs here.
- Pro: Seamless Integration - the combination of DealStudio and Pipedrive creates a powerful synergy, ensuring that your deal management and sales pipeline are in perfect harmony. Deal Studio is also able to create and link to your website, helping you manage inquiries and NDA submissions.
- Con: Learning Curve - The integration may pose a slight learning curve for new users, but the benefits far outweigh the initial challenges.
*Ask us about DealBuilder’s integration with DealStudio
2) HubSpot
- Pro: All-in-One Solution - HubSpot isn't just a CRM; it's a comprehensive platform offering marketing, sales, and service tools, providing an all-encompassing solution for business brokers.
- Con: Price - While the features are robust, the pricing might be on the higher side for smaller brokerages, potentially impacting your budget. While the baseline plan for Hubspot is affordable, the cost of Hubspot increases dramatically as you scale, increasing overhead.
*Ask us about DealBuilder’s integration with Hubspot
3) Tupelo CRM
- Pro: Specialization - Tupelo CRM is a new company but was founded specifically as a business brokerage CRM. Unlike other options on this list, Tupelo has focused on high-value features, making it more user-friendly.
- Con: New Platform - Compared to some competitors, Tupelo CRM is a young company, resulting in fewer features. This is really only a problem if you already have an established and/or complex CRM in-place. If you don’t already have a system, Tupelo is a great option.
4) Zoho CRM
- Pro: User-Friendly - Zoho CRM strikes a balance between power and simplicity, providing a user-friendly interface without compromising on essential features.
- Con: Not specialized - while Zoho covers the basics exceptionally well, Zoho CRM is not designed specifically for business brokers, resulting in users having to customize the platform to make it work for their brokerage.
- Pro: Optimized for Email Marketing - Active Campaign is a great email marketing tool.
- Con: Not fully optimized CRM - while Active Campaign contains some CRM functionality, it is primarily an email marketing platform, making its CRM features less rich than others on this list.
In a landscape where every deal is a unique journey, having the right CRM is like having a seasoned guide. These top 5 CRMs for business brokers, with their pros and cons laid bare, are your ticket to a more streamlined, efficient, and ultimately successful brokerage experience. Say goodbye to CRM confusion and hello to a tool that understands the intricate dance of business brokerage.
You can learn more about the DealBuilder platform (and how it integrates with your CRM) by watching our most recent webinar here.
