How to choose a CRM for a marketing agency?
Why Does a Marketing Agency Need a CRM?
A modern marketing agency operates in a fast-paced environment: daily client requests, multiple projects at once, deadlines, reporting, advertising campaigns. In such conditions, it's nearly impossible to maintain control over all processes without a CRM system. But how do you choose the one that will truly work for your team?
Start by Analyzing Your Internal Processes
Before choosing a CRM, take time to understand your internal workflow. How do you communicate with clients — via messengers, email, calls, or social media? What stages does a lead go through in your sales funnel — from the first contact to contract signing? Also consider how many projects you handle simultaneously and what types of reports you need — lead generation, sales, campaign effectiveness, or team KPIs.
Key Features a CRM Should Offer
Once you've outlined your processes, evaluate CRM platforms based on your needs. A CRM for a marketing agency should help collect and manage leads, provide analytics, automate the sales pipeline, and easily integrate with advertising platforms, your website, messengers, and telephony. Task and project management is also important — it helps monitor deadlines and improves collaboration.
Don't Overlook Language and Support
Localization and support can significantly affect your team's productivity. If your team speaks Ukrainian or Russian, make sure the CRM offers an interface in your language and provides customer support through chat, phone, or email.
Cloud-Based or On-Premise?
Most modern CRMs are cloud-based, which means they’re accessible from any device without installation. This is especially helpful if your team includes remote employees. However, some agencies working with sensitive data may prefer on-premise solutions for greater control over security.
Popular CRMs for Marketing Agencies
When it comes to specific CRM solutions, it is worth paying attention to systems such as LBS Cloud CRM, Tucha, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM, and AmoCRM. Each of them has its own advantages: for example, LBS Cloud CRM allows you to track potential customers, close leads, and get accurate forecasts. HubSpot offers a powerful free starter package, while AmoCRM is convenient for working with incoming advertising requests.
Always Test Before Implementation
Make sure to test the CRM before committing. Most providers offer a free trial or demo version. Use this opportunity to try the system in real scenarios, involve several team members, and assess how intuitive and functional the interface is for your needs.
A CRM is not just a tool — it’s the foundation of your agency’s internal order. It helps you stay organized, prevent lost leads, improve client service, and make data-driven decisions. Choose a system not just by its brand, but by how well it adapts to your specific processes.