Efforts will help you with attention-job function email list campaigns. However, when a potential lead is considering your services during the second phase, a personalized quote using CRM can make all the difference.
Remember how CRM can make booking or 12 ways agencies are adopting ai a call with your team easier for potential customers. Another critical advantage is invoiced. Your primary source of earnings is payment for the services you offer.
Modern CRM software offers invoicing features for freelancers, ensuring streamlined payments and avoiding security issues. CRM software has many benefits for freelancers, and I may have just scratched the surface. But before explaining how to use CRM to gain more customers, here is my checklist for choosing one!
5-Point Checklist on How to Choose The Best CRM for Freelancers
To understand the elements of this checklist, you need to hear the mobile lead of Kate Mrozowski Lim. She has an impressive clientele that includes Stripe, Nike, and Twitch. But what helped her gain such high-value customers was a point strategy,
- Targeted outreach
- Engaging portfolio
Before you select a CRM for your freelancing business, consider both the points Kate leveraged. How so? Let me explain,
Be Specific About What You Need!
Being specific is crucial before you choose any CRM because most of these software programs are paid. You don’t want to spend a fortune on a tool that does not deliver what you want.
Identify what you need and compare all the options based on that specific requirement. For example, choosing a CRM with streamlined communication features matters most if I need to improve my outreach, as Kate did. Similarly, CRM with extensive portfolio features can help improve the value proposition.
Compare Features That Make a Difference
Understanding the features makes sense before you choose any CRM for your freelancing projects. For example, if I spend money on a CRM, it must have contact or project management features.
However, what you need may differ from what I need, but comparing options based on features does matter. So, what should you expect from CRM features?
- Contact Management is a feature that will allow you to store and organize the contact information of several clients. This information includes emails, phone numbers, instant chat, and social media profiles.
- Deal Management is the feature that allows you to manage the entire sales pipeline and track conversion progress. It will enable you to create custom quotes, proposals, invoices, and receipts. Some CRMs also allow freelancers to collect payments online and offline.
- Project Management is a feature that makes managing multiple projects easier for freelancers. If I am a freelancer, this feature will be necessary when choosing the CRM. It will allow me to track project requirements, plans, timelines, task delegations, and deadlines. You can even collaborate with other freelancers and creators using this feature.
- Data Analytics features allow you to measure and improve business outcomes. You can track customer data and improve the performance of freelance business. Such features will help you create custom reports on customer lifetime value, revenue growth rate, and acquisition costs.
Choose What Budget Permits!
CRM can cost anywhere between $12-$500 per month. This means choosing the right CRM becomes crucial. However, you also need to understand the budget aspect. Freelancing can be a cash-intensive profession. So, you need to plan the budget before choosing the CRM option.
Most CRMs for freelancers have advanced features that cost more than others. Some CRMs offer a higher price for custom data analytics, invoicing, and other features.
For example, Zoho’s Zia is a CRM tool that costs between $14 and $52 per month. It comes with a sales assistant that helps freelancers communicate with potential leads. However, using this AI sales assistant with customized prompts can cost more.
However, you need to stick to your budget. AI-based features are still evolving, and they may get cheaper.
Check Freelancer Feedback
If you buy a gadget on the eCommerce marketplace, feedback analysis is essential, right? So, if you are getting a CRM for your freelancing business, check for the experience of other freelancers.
So, how do you analyze feedback from freelancers?
In my experience, you need comprehensive research. Comparing feedback from other freelancers means reading reviews across portals and podcasts, connecting with them, and understanding their experience. You can also look for sites and portals that provide reviews for alternatives to a CRM tool like G2 or others.
View Demos of CRM Tools
Book a demo of all the CRM options available and compare them. Demos allow you to understand how a CRM operates in different scenarios. For example, you can test CRM software for responsiveness.