Best CRM for Your Small Business: Honeybook vs. Dubsado
Feeling buried under a mountain of client management tasks, endless to-do lists, and the never-ending quest to stay organized?
You’re not alone.
Managing a small business can be overwhelming, but the right tools can make all the difference. That's where CRMs (Customer Relationship Management tools) come in.
→ Let's dive into two of the best CRM systems for service providers —Honeybook and Dubsado—to help you find the perfect fit and reclaim your time and sanity.
Why You Need a CRM for Your Small Business
First things first, let’s talk about why you need a CRM for your small business. A good CRM helps you manage your customer interactions, streamline processes, and improve profitability.
Picture this: all your customer data, emails, onboarding, and scheduling in one place. No more lost emails, missed follow-ups, or scattered spreadsheets you forget to update.
Sounds dreamy, right?
Honeybook: Best Easy to Learn CRM Software for Small Businesses
Honeybook is designed with creative professionals in mind. Whether you’re a photographer, event planner, or designer, Honeybook offers a suite of tools to help you manage projects, book clients, send invoices, and get paid—all in one place. It’s one of the best CRM tools for small businesses that thrive on creativity and client interaction.
Honeybook has also released a LOT of cool new features for 2024. Here are my top favorite new Key Features:
Project templates: The new Honeybook form builder is really easy to drag and drop and create something beautiful, even if you aren't coding literate. They also have a super robust template library you can pull from to create your own Proposals, onboarding forms, and more.
Automation: The new automation builder with Conditional Logic is a huge step up for your workflows! Being able to have triggers based on if the client does/doesn't complete/do something is really helpful!
Client Communication: You can now send SMS texts for your scheduler reminders, which is really convenient for a lot of clients on the go!
Dubsado: Best All-in-One CRM for Small Businesses
Dubsado is a powerhouse CRM designed to cater to a wide range of service-based businesses (and what we use behind the scenes here at Hey Rachael!)
It offers robust features like invoicing, contracts, automated workflows, and more. Dubsado is all about customization, making it one of the best CRM software for small businesses that need a flexible and comprehensive tool.
Key Features:
Automation: Dubsados automations are so robust, and they really help automate a LOT of your client workflow like onboarding and project management. You can automate tasks such as sending emails, creating invoices, and following up with personalized touch points throughout the whole project.
Customizable Forms: You can use CSS to create really beautifully designed forms including proposals, onboarding intake, and more. And if coding isn't your thing, the drag and drop form builder is really easy to use with your branding to make something great.
Client Portals: The Dubsado client portal is a great hub to house any important things you want clients to have access to, including one-time links or PDFs, all in one place.
Emails: All Dubsado emails send from your email account, and look like a regular Gmail email. Vs, Honeybook emails, send from your email through the Honeybook portal, so it looks like it's coming from another platform.
Choosing the Best CRM Software for Your Small Business
When choosing the best CRM software for small businesses, keep these key features in mind:
Ease of Use: The best CRM software for small businesses should be user-friendly. If it’s too complicated, you won’t use it. Intuitively, what feels good? I have had clients swap from Honeybook to Dubsado, and visa versa, just based on what they were intuitively attracted to and their brain "understood" right away.
Automation: Look for CRMs that offer automation features to save time on repetitive tasks.
Integration: Ensure the CRM integrates with the tools you already use, like email platforms, project management software, and accounting systems. Both Honeybook and Dubsado integrate with other tools easily using Zapier.
Finding the best CRM for small businesses can feel like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you choose Honeybook or Dubsado, the key is to find a system that works for you.
Remember, the right CRM can help you streamline your operations, save time, and ultimately grow your business.
Ready to take the plunge? Give Honeybook or Dubsado a try and see how they can transform the way you work. Both offer free trials, so you can explore their features without any commitment.
Click here to save yourself some $$$ on your first year!
☞ Click here to save 30% off Dubsado
☞ Click here to save 50% off Honeybook
Looking for additional support to boost your business?
☞ Check out this article on Why a Project Management System is Essential for your Business