There is no one-stop shop for lead management software. You won’t purchase one license, and all your problems will be solved. Instead, you might create a tech stack that, when integrated, forms a lead management suite.
The search for what you need starts with you and your business. What do you need? Almost everyone will want automation of some sort. A robotic helping hand so that the real members of the team can build relationships and deliver results.
This article will share some of the best lead management software available. These tools have the power to streamline your sales process and have everyone working collectively and collaboratively.
- Implementing lead management software into your business.
- The core features you should consider.
- Why you should use lead management software.
Understanding Lead Management Software
Think of every task involved in identifying, qualifying, and targeting leads. That’s what lead management software aims to assist with. Once leads are a part of your lead management system, they’ll also be carefully nurtured and eventually converted into paying customers.
When considering tools, you might have a checklist of core tasks you need assistance with. That list might include:
- Lead identification and capture: The software will gather information on leads from many sources. Then, it will put it into an easy-to-use database. From here, you can select leads for qualification.
- Lead qualification: Sometimes leads aren’t the right fit for you, or the timing isn’t right. The software can use a series of select criteria to qualify leads automatically. Another option is for software to grade responses to qualification questions or surveys.
- Lead segmentation: Once leads are qualified, it’s important to note that they are all different. Each lead has a different set of problems and needs. Segmentation allows you to group similar leads into smaller segments. This facilitates better targeting and more relevant marketing and content.
- Lead scoring: Lead scoring is when a score is given to every lead based on the likelihood that they’ll convert. Leads are ranked based on engagement levels and previous behavior to assess their score. Higher-scoring leads are then prioritized.
- Lead nurturing: Lead nurturing software allows businesses to forge genuine connections with their leads. This relationship-building creates a more meaningful purchase experience. When leads are nurtured this way, they’re far more likely to convert and later become loyal customers.
- Lead analytics: Data is crucial throughout the sales process. It enables businesses to make decisions based on facts rather than guesswork. The best lead management software will have reams of analytical data to interrogate and use.
As mentioned above, there aren’t many options that encompass every aspect of that list. The closest option will likely be a CRM, but even that won’t cover all bases. The reason why a single software doesn’t exist is that lead management takes place across the entire run of the sales funnel.
The Top Lead Management Software
Choosing the right software is a big decision. Get it right, and your business lead management will be turbocharged. There is a wide range of options available for you to choose from. We’ve selected some of the best. Each is labeled with the primary function, although some may cover more than one.
Instantly - Marketing Automation
Wherever a lead is within your sales funnel, they need an effective method of communication. Email is resolutely the leader in that field. However, managing lead interactions through individually sent emails is too big an undertaking. That’s especially true when working at scale. Instantly is the answer.
Instantly allows you to manage and send personalized email campaigns to your leads. Better yet, you can split your email list into segments. This allows you to tailor your messaging to best resonate with your recipients.
If you’re new to sending email campaigns, one of the first features you should use is the AI-powered email warm-up. This deliverability tool slowly scales the number of emails you can send without triggering spam filters and upsetting ISPs. Lots of businesses fail to realize this is a vital part of the process, then quickly find themselves Googling, “What is email blacklisting?”
Instantly offers sophisticated email campaign management. It also offers access to a vast database of leads through the B2B lead finder. The system allows you to search through millions of potential leads. Then, with just one click, you can add them to your outreach. If you find some winning prospects, the lookalike search will find others like them.
Each part of Instantly’s system is designed to simplify the lead management process. From prospecting through to nurture.
Pricing Tiers:
Growth: $37/month
Hypergrowth: $97/month
Leads
Growth leads: $47/month
Hypergrowth: $197/month
Light Speed: $492/month
Free Trial: Available for both tiers.
Key Features:
- Unlimited Email Accounts
- Unlimited Email Warmup
- Automated Email Sequencing
- Leads Search
- Analytics
- Personalization
- Support (Live Chat For Growth, Premium For Hypergrowth)
EngageBay - CRM
EngageBay is a great entry point for those looking for a CRM. Not only is it a powerful product, it’s also free to use for up to 250 contacts. That makes it an excellent option for startups and businesses looking to dip their toe into the world of CRMs.
It’s intuitive to use. Adding contacts is straightforward, but the smart list feature is where it shines. Using smart lists allows you to segment contacts as they are added by selecting some filters. You can then access the lists for tailored marketing content.
Another great feature is the visual pipeline. This takes data from individual leads and presents it as a flowing sales process. You can see where each lead is in the sales funnel stages.
Alongside the typical CRM features you might expect, there are a whole host of additional features too. At higher tiers of pricing, you’ll find features such as:
- Email templates
- Pop-ups
- Newsletters
- Landing pages
These are fantastic both for lead capture. There’s even a live chat widget that you can easily install onto your website. Once leads are captured, the scoring system can help you prioritize which to focus on.
Pricing Tiers:
Starter: Free
Basic: Starts at $14.99 per month
Growth: Starts at $64.99 per month
Pro: Starts at $119.99 per month
Free Trial: Available in the form of a freemium model.
Key Features:
- Email marketing
- Autoresponders
- Sequencing
- Landing pages
- CRM functionality
- Lead scoring
- A/B Testing
Carrd - Lead Capture
Carrd allows you to build one-page websites for almost any purpose. The simple builder is intuitive to use, and creating a site takes only moments. These sites are particularly useful for lead generation. Create an email marketing campaign, direct the users to the Carrd site, capture their information, and then reach out.
Every site that you create is automatically responsive. That’s great, seeing as the majority of web traffic is now mobile-based. Carrd is completely free, but there is the option to go Pro. If you subscribe to Pro, which is only $19 a year, you get to add a custom domain, use custom forms from popular providers such as ActiveCampaing, MailChimp, and ConvertKit, and even add payment widgets.
Pricing Tiers:
Free
Pro: $19 a year
Free Trial: The product is completely free unless you subscribe to Pro
Key Features:
- Simple landing pages
- Option to include payment and custom forms
SimpleTexting - Lead Capture and Nurturing
SimpleTexting is a great way to reach prospects. SMS marketing is an unsung hero in the lead management world. Many businesses rely on more traditional methods to communicate with their leads.
The best lead nurturing strategies are those that speak to leads individually. You don’t get many options that are more personal than SMS. It’s an incredibly flexible method of communication that has shown an improvement in conversion rates.
You simply add contacts to a list. You could even segment them and then send the same message to them all. If you receive replies, then they’re treated as individual conversations. If you’re part of a team, you can leave notes on conversations so everyone is on the same page.
Pricing Tiers:
500 texts: $39/month + $4 one-time carrier registration and $10 for a local number.
3000 texts: $119/month + $4 one-time carrier registration and $10 for a local number.
Prices rise depending on text amount.
Free Trial: Available
Key Features:
- Mass texting
- Auto-replies and drip campaigns
- AI Assist message generator
- Free SMS replies and incoming messages
- Reporting and analytics
Calendly - Lead Nurturing
It’s incredibly frustrating when you get to the point of arranging a face-to-face meeting only for the lead to go cold. Often, this is down to a simple scheduling conflict or a stream of emails asking for availability. This is a depressing reason to lose a lead. Calendly removes that issue.
Link it to your calendar. Make meeting types. Then, Calendly will make booking links to share with prospects. They select a time they’re free, and the meeting is locked in.
It integrates with your choice of online video conferencing: Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams. It also connects to many CRMs and other lead management software. What’s better yet is that Calendly is completely free to start with. The standard tier and above, however, unlock considerably more functionality.
Pricing Tiers:
Standard: $10/user/month (billed annually)
Teams: $16/user/month (billed annually)
Enterprise: $15,0000+ (billed annually)
Free Trial: Freemium option
Key Features:
- Create event types
- Integrate with CRMs, payment systems, and forms.
- Reminders and other workflows
- Support
Pipedrive - CRM
If you’ve used a card-based project management system such as Asana, Monday, or Trello, then Pipedrive will look very similar. Pipedrive is a simple, accessible tool with everything you need from a CRM. It works by creating pipelines. These lines allow you to see, at a glance, where leads are in your sales process.
Clicking on any lead allows you to create meetings, record notes, add emails, and any other data you’d like to add. It creates a comprehensive historical record for each individual, which is great for you and anyone on your team.
The analytics suite allows you to project and track revenue overall and per segment. It’ll also create a breakdown of performance per sales representative, which is helpful for team management.
Pair all of these features with the automation features, and you’re onto a winner. For a perfectly streamlined system, integrate a Pipedrive form onto your website, and it’ll automatically add leads to your CRM. Those leads can then enter workflows as required.
Pricing Tiers:
Essential: $14.90/user/month (billed annually)
Advanced: $27.90/user/month (billed annually)
Professional: $49.90/user/month (billed annually)
Power: $64.90/user/month (billed annually)
Enterprise: $99.00/user/month (billed annually)
Key Features
- Email sync with templates and engagement rates
- Meeting, email, and call scheduling
- Revenue forecasting
- Integrations with numerous different lead management software
Key Takeaways
Getting your lead management software right is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. There are a few pieces to fit together, but when they do, you’ll have a perfect picture of lead management. The key is to understand your business's needs and then compare the individual features of different solutions. Make an informed decision, and then watch as your business flourishes.
- Ensure that you select software that can grow with you. The best will also be able to be customized to your unique sales process.
- Pick a user-friendly interface that your team can easily access. The easier it is to onboard them, the more likely they’ll become advocates for the system.
- Look to see what training and support is on offer from the providers.
An essential part of the jigsaw is your email marketing tool. It’s the backbone of your communication strategy and a major player in your lead management software team. Instantly combines powerful email automation with a vast leads database. It’s easy to sign up and get started today.