CRM basics

A CRM keeps your customers, leads and deals in one shared place, with reminders so follow-ups don’t slip. This topic is for small-business owners who are still on spreadsheets and inboxes, or who bought a CRM and never got the team to use it.

The pages here start from first principles. You’ll find a plain-English explanation of what a CRM is, the free plans worth trying before you pay anything, and a practical way to choose between the tools small businesses shortlist most. Once you’ve picked one, the automation guide shows which tasks to hand to the CRM first, so the team spends less time on data entry.

Nothing here assumes technical knowledge. Where a step usually needs outside help, such as moving data from an old system or connecting website forms, we say so.

Where to start

1. What is a CRM? A plain-English guide: what it does, the signs you need one, and a step-by-step setup.
2. Best free CRM software: the free plans worth trying, with their user and contact limits.
3. How to choose a CRM for a small business: the questions that narrow the field.
4. CRM automation tools: the first automations to set up once you’re running.