What is a CRM? (And Why 79% of Businesses Use Them Wrong)

A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system isn’t just a contact database – it’s your  sales team’s central nervous system .

The right CRM:
✅  Automates deadly follow-up gaps  (where 73% of leads go cold)
✅  Exposes pipeline leaks  (most teams lose 32% of deals to poor tracking)
✅  Replaces 5+ tools  (calling apps, email trackers, spreadsheets)

The Cost of a Bad CRM:

How to Pick the Right CRM (3 Non-Negotiables)

1. Speed Over Bloat
- Avoid tools like Salesforce that require IT teams to configure.- Example: The SaaS startup in Case Study 2 switched from HubSpot to Close.com and cut onboarding from 3 weeks to 2 days.

2. Built for Actual Selling
- CRMs should have one-click calling, SMS, and email templates—not just databases.- The consulting firm in Case Study 3 reduced response times from 72 hours to 15 minutes using Close.com’s power dialer.

3. Revenue Transparency
- If you can’t see exactly which activities drive deals, you’re flying blind.- The eCommerce agency in Case Study 1 tracked rep activity to pinpoint why 230% more deals closed.

Case Study 1: eCommerce Agency (230% More Deals in 90 Days)

Before Close.com:

• 62% of leads never contacted (fell through cracks in HubSpot)
• Founders handling sales (bottleneck at $80K MRR)

After Close.com:

• Automated sequences contacted leads within 5 minutes
• Built-in power dialer saved 11 hrs/week per rep
• $47K additional MRR within 90 days

👉 See Their 4-Step Lead Response System (Your affiliate link)

Case Study 2: SaaS Startup (0 to $1.2M ARR in 12 Months)

The Breaking Point:

• Using spreadsheets – couldn’t track deal stages
• 40% of trial users never contacted

Close.com Fix:

• AI email templates cut response time from 48hrs to 19 minutes
• Custom deal stages matched their trial flow
• $1.2M ARR with 3-person sales team

👉 Get Their Trial Conversion Playbook

Case Study 3: Consulting Firm (340% More Bookings)

Old Workflow:

• Manual follow-ups (72-hour average response time)
• $2,400/month wasted on Calendly, Mailchimp, and Aircall

Results with Close.com:

• 15-minute average response time (SMS + power dialer)
• 340% more consultations bookedReplaced 4 tools with one system

👉 Download Their Client Onboarding Templates

Why These Teams Switched from HubSpot/Salesforce

Pain Point vs Close.com Fix
Slow setup - 1-day deployment (vs. 3+ weeks)
Clunky interface - Built for salespeople, not marketers
No call tracking - Native power dialer + SMS

Key Insight:  Close.com is the only CRM where sales activity = revenue data (not just vanity metrics).

"Should You Switch?" (5-Minute Audit)

1. Are leads slipping through cracks?  (Track with Lead Leak Quiz)
2. Is your team avoiding the CRM?  (87% do when it’s too complex)
3. Are you paying for 3+ tools Close.com replaces?

Free Tool:  👉 Calculate Your CRM Waste