Are you wasting time and losing money because you’re not as organized as you should be? We take advantage of tools and resources available, which can make or break our businesses. This is why choosing the right contact management system is one of the most important decisions you can make as an entrepreneur or small business owner.
These are the top contact management systems I’ve come across to keep you focused so that you can dedicate the bulk of your time nurturing existing relationships, while building on new ones so that your business can see the success that it deserves.
1. VTIGER (www.vtiger.com) - Great for maintaining leads and contacts. It’s a free open source software that you can download to your web server. If you need to add multiple users, you can do so easily.
2. SUGAR CRM (www.sugarcrm.com) - Another great open source software that’s free, unless you want the pro version, which I don’t think is necessary for small businesses and freelancers. The free version works just fine. I love that this program allows you to delete duplicates, which is important if you’re new to contact management and have a huge list to sort through. It’s also extremely easy to use.
3. ZOHO (www.zoho.com) - Hosted on zoho.com, this web-based application gives you the same features as many other CMs on the market. You can also share your account with others. You get the first 3 users for free.
4. PLAXO (www.plaxo.com) - If you could combine LinkedIn with Facebook, you’d get Plaxo. Sync your other email accounts within it and you’re good to go.
5. HIGHRISE HQ (www.highrisehq.com) - Another excellent contact management system that links with other services such as web chats, project management, etc. The solo plan is only $29 a month and is great for the solopreneurs who need to stay organized and on top of their game.
Other systems include:
www.batchbook.com, www.freecrm.com, www.salesforce.com, www.bigcontacts.com & www.bosscrm.com.