I run a consulting business, and I’m overwhelmed with email. I have potential clients, current projects, and follow-ups, and I keep losing track of conversations.
Everyone tells me that I need a CRM, but most seem designed for large sales teams. I’m looking for something that:
- Works seamlessly with Gmail (which I primarily use)
- Helps me track conversations and follow-ups
- Is budget-friendly
- Is easy to learn and doesn’t require weeks of training
I’ve seen options like HubSpot, Pipedrive, Streak, Micro.so, Copper, and others mentioned, but I’m unsure which would be best suited for someone like me.
What do other solo business owners use? I’d appreciate recommendations from those who have actually tried these tools.
What’s the Best Email CRM Tool for a One-Person Business?
byu/hihihimayoyoyo inbusiness
Posted by hihihimayoyoyo
10 Comments
What type of consulting? I use GHL but might be more than you need. I believe it runs around $100 a month.
Try apollo.io
I am also facing the same problem tried Hubspot free and it felt like bringing a tank to a knife fight. way too heavy for a one-person shop.
tbh google Sheets + gmail was my CRM for years. Works until you get busy, then deals just vanish into the inbox.
Airtable is flexible but it felt like I was building a CRM myself instead of using one.
Ngl micro so feels lighter than Hubspot/Pipedrive Its more like Gmail with CRM features built in, so you’re not constantly switching tabs.
Bruhh yk I’ve lost more money to (oops, forgot to reply) than to competitors.
Hey! As a solo biz owner, I’ve found HubSpot’s free CRM a game-changer Gmail sync, follow-up tracking, and super easy to use. If you want tips or a quick setup guide, feel free to DM me!
I highly recommend using a chrome extension called ‘boomerang for Gmail’.
I started using it about 2 months ago (not affiliated or anything), just really love the product. You won’t really need to learn anything new, but it has a ton of functionality you’re looking for (nudges you to follow up, you can add conditional instances, meeting polls for group calls, easy meeting bookings, can also view when the receiver opens your email,etc).
Tons of great features (and it’s free forever).
But if you’re looking for a one-person CRM that does way more than email management, just go for Notion honestly. The free plan is all you’ll need, and it’s easy to learn quickly. Otherwise a spreadsheet-type layout option is AirTable, a great choice too 🙂
If you’re looking for something that is great for Kanban boards (pipeline management), then go for Trello (cheap for the starter paid plan with a generous free tier).
Streak is great for any business under 3 people