Top 5 CRM Systems for Femmeprenistas: Free & Paid in 2024
- (Admin) The Thrivology Company
- Feb 13, 2024
- 10 min read
Updated: Aug 27
Top 5 CRM Systems for Sales Teams in 2024 (Free & Paid Tiers)
Right, let’s have a cuppa & a proper chat about something that can feel a bit… well, ‘techy’ & overwhelming, but is honestly a game-changer for us ambitious female entrepreneurs: CRM systems. If the mere mention of "CRM" makes you want to run for the nearest biscuit tin, I get it! When I was first juggling those early business days, with client notes scribbled on the back of receipts (don’t judge!) & follow-ups living precariously in my already overflowing brain, the thought of another system felt like too much. My partner often jokes that my early 'system' was a chaotic symphony of sticky notes & wishful thinking – & he wasn't entirely wrong! Honestly, it wasn’t my finest hour. I vividly remember one morning desperately trying to recall a crucial detail about a client’s preferred communication style, convinced it was scribbled on some sticky note amidst a mountain of receipts, only to realize I’d completely forgotten to note it down. This misstep lead to an awkward email exchange & a lesson learned: a CRM wasn't just a nice-to-have, it was a need-to-have! See, I had to learn the hard way that clear communication (a key pillar of success) begins at home... & in your business! Sound familiar? Thought so!
But here’s the thing I’ve learned, both as a CEO, a busy mum of four, & a mentor to incredible women building their empires: the right Client Relationship Management (CRM) system isn’t just another piece of software. It’s a strategic partner. It’s the key to unlocking precious time, systemising your sales so your business can grow sustainably, & significantly dialling down that operational overwhelm that can so easily lead to burnout. & let’s be honest, as Femmeprenistas, especially those of us juggling school runs, last-minute nativity play costume crises (my six-year-old recently needed a last-minute shepherd outfit that tested my creative skills to the max!), & the beautiful chaos of family life, anything that gives us back time & sanity is pure gold. This is about building a business that supports your life, not one that drains the life out of you, a core part of our philosophy here at Femmeprenista. Femmeprenista Female Entrepreneur Support: Find Your Purpose
This isn’t just about a fancy database. It’s about choosing a tool that aligns with your business stage – whether you’re a ‘Foundation Builder’ like our Chloe, just laying those crucial first client stones, or a ‘Scaling Leader’ like Amy, ready to manage more complexity & really fly. & crucially, it’s about taking personal responsibility for selecting & implementing a system that genuinely serves you & your unique capacity.
Why a CRM is Your Secret Weapon (Not Just Another Tech Headache!)
I often hear, “But Carlene, I’m just starting out, do I really need a CRM?” or “They all look so complicated & expensive!” These are such common thoughts, & I completely understand where they come from. It’s easy to feel like CRMs are only for big companies with sprawling sales teams.
But let me reframe that for you. Think of a CRM as your business’s central nervous system for everything client-related. It’s about creating smooth, efficient workflows – that feeling of being in ‘flow’ – that ultimately give you more brain space for the things only you can do.
For our Foundation Builders (Hello, Chloe!):
You’re working so hard to get those first incredible clients. A simple CRM, even a free one, can help you:
Stop leads slipping through the cracks (no more relying on memory or messy spreadsheets!).
Nurture relationships consistently, so prospects feel valued.
Understand what’s working in your early outreach.
Build a foundation for growth without the early overwhelm.
If you're in this phase, just getting those foundational systems in place to secure those first precious clients, our Spark Program Page is designed to help you build exactly these crucial early blocks for your business. Plus, once you're ready to scale your business & attract premium clients with sustainable growth, check out our Momentum coaching!
For our Scaling Leaders (You’ve got this, Amy!):
You’re gaining momentum, but with that comes more leads, more clients, more complexity. A robust CRM becomes essential to:
Manage a higher volume of interactions without dropping balls.
Automate repetitive tasks (think follow-up emails, appointment reminders) to free up your genius.
Give you clear visibility over your sales pipeline.
Potentially enable your growing team to collaborate seamlessly.
Implement smarter systems to attract & manage those premium clients.
If you're in that scaling phase, feeling the growing pains & ready to really systematise for premium client attraction & sustainable growth, our Momentum Coaching Page is designed to give you that tailored support.
The right CRM, especially those now integrating smart AI features (AI can now automatically summarise client interactions, saving hours of manual work), can truly transform how you operate, making your processes more efficient & your insights sharper. This isn't just about better organisation; it's about intelligently designing your business for sustainable success, which is a cornerstone of what we teach within our Business Flourish Framework. It touches on all pillars of our Business Flourish Framework: Female Entrepreneurs' Blueprint for Success, from Focus (clarity & vision) to Flow (systems & automation) & Fusion (AI integration).
Beyond the Brochure: What Really Matters in a CRM for Femmeprenistas
When you’re looking at CRMs, it’s easy to get dazzled by a long list of features. But let’s cut through the noise. Here’s what I believe truly matters for us busy women in business:
Simplicity & Ease of Use: If it’s clunky, complicated, or looks like the flight deck of a spaceship, you won’t use it. Period. It needs to feel intuitive, especially when you’re already juggling a thousand other things (like a toddler who’s just discovered how to unmute Zoom calls!). Clear communication, a key pillar of our Focus framework, is also essential for successful adoption of a new system with your team.
Scalability: Can it grow with you? The system that’s perfect today might feel restrictive tomorrow. Look for something that can support you from your first client to your hundredth, & beyond.
Integrations: Does it play nicely with your other essential tools? Think email marketing platforms (like Mailchimp or ConvertKit), your calendar, accounting software, etc. Seamless integration saves a lot of manual data entry & headaches.
Meaningful Automation: This is where the real magic happens for reclaiming your time. Can it automate follow-up sequences, send reminders for tasks, or segment your contacts? This allows you to create incredibly efficient systems.
Clear Reporting: You need to understand what’s happening with your leads & clients. Good reporting helps you see what’s working, what’s not, & where to focus your energy.
Reliable Support: When (not if!) you hit a tech snag, you need to know there’s helpful support available.
Price (Free & Paid Tiers): Crucially, it needs to fit your budget now, with clear options for upgrading as your revenue grows. Many fantastic CRMs offer generous free plans to get you started.
My Top 5 CRM Picks for Femmeprenistas in 2025
Alright, let’s get to the recommendations. I’ve chosen these based on their suitability for female entrepreneurs at different stages, focusing on ease of use, scalability, & great value. Remember, the "best" is subjective, so use this as a starting point for your own exploration!
1. HubSpot CRM
The Lowdown: HubSpot is a giant in the marketing & sales software world, & for good reason. Their CRM is incredibly powerful, yet surprisingly user-friendly, especially their free tier.
Why Femmeprenistas Love It:
Generous Free Plan: The free CRM is packed with features that are often paid elsewhere, including contact management, deal tracking, email tracking, & even some basic marketing tools. Perfect for Chloe starting out.
Scalability: It can grow with you from a solo operation to a full team. Amy would appreciate the more advanced features in the paid Sales Hub.
User Interface: It’s clean & relatively intuitive once you get the hang of it.
Ecosystem: Integrates beautifully with HubSpot’s other marketing, sales, & service tools if you choose to expand.
Things to Consider:
Paid plans can get pricey as you scale & add more features/users.
Can feel a bit overwhelming initially due to the sheer number of features available.
Best For: Foundation Builders needing a robust free option; Scaling Leaders looking for an all-in-one sales & marketing platform.
Client Success: "HubSpot's free CRM gave me the structure I needed to nurture leads in my first year," says Sarah, a coach who doubled her client base.
2. Zoho CRM
The Lowdown: Zoho offers a massive suite of business apps, & their CRM is a cornerstone. It’s known for being incredibly feature-rich & customisable, even at lower price points.
Why Femmeprenistas Love It:
Affordability: Offers a free plan for up to 3 users & very competitively priced paid plans, making it accessible.
Customisation: Highly adaptable to your specific business processes.
Comprehensive Features: Even the free/basic plans include lead management, deal tracking, & some automation.
AI Capabilities (Zia): Zoho's AI assistant, Zia, can help with predictions, task automation, & finding information, which is a fantastic way to embrace smarter ways of working.
Things to Consider:
The sheer number of features & customisation options can feel a bit daunting to set up initially.
The interface, while improved, can sometimes feel less sleek than some competitors.
Best For: Entrepreneurs who love to tinker & customise; businesses needing a powerful CRM on a budget.
Client Success: "Zoho's AI features helped me automate lead scoring, saving me hours each week," reports Maria, a consultant who increased her lead conversion rate by 15%.
3. Monday.com Sales CRM
The Lowdown: Originally a project management tool, Monday.com has evolved into a fantastic, visually-driven CRM. If you’re a visual thinker, you’ll likely love its colourful boards & customisable workflows.
Why Femmeprenistas Love It:
Visual Pipeline Management: Makes it super easy to see where every deal is at a glance.
Highly Customisable: You can tailor it to fit your exact sales process.
Collaboration Friendly: Great if you’re starting to build a team or work with VAs.
Automation Recipes: Easy-to-set-up automations for common tasks.
Things to Consider:
The free plan is more limited for CRM-specific features compared to HubSpot or Zoho.
Pricing can climb as you add users & advanced features.
Might be too flexible for some who prefer a more structured, out-of-the-box CRM.
Best For: Visual thinkers; businesses with project-based sales; teams needing a collaborative platform.
Client Success: "Monday.com's visual pipeline gave me a clear overview of my sales process," says Jessica, who streamlined her workflow & boosted her monthly revenue by 20%.
4. ClickUp
The Lowdown: Like Monday.com, ClickUp started as an all-in-one project management tool but its incredible flexibility means it can be configured into a very effective CRM. It’s a powerhouse of customisation.
Why Femmeprenistas Love It:
Ultimate Flexibility: If you can dream it, you can probably build it in ClickUp. You can create custom fields, views, & workflows for your exact needs.
Generous Free Plan: The free plan is very robust for individuals & small teams.
All-in-One Potential: Many Femmeprenistas love that they can manage projects, tasks, and client relationships in one place.
Growing AI Features: ClickUp is actively integrating AI to help with writing, summaries, & task generation.
Things to Consider:
The sheer flexibility can lead to a steep learning curve. It requires a bit of setup to really shine as a CRM.
Can feel less “sales-focused” out of the box than dedicated CRMs.
Best For: Tech-savvy entrepreneurs who love to customise; those wanting an all-in-one productivity & CRM solution.
Client Success: "ClickUp's flexibility allowed me to build a CRM tailored to my specific coaching business," reports Anna, who consolidated her tools & saved 10 hours per week.
5. Pipedrive
The Lowdown: Pipedrive is built by salespeople, for salespeople. Its core strength is its laser focus on visual pipeline management & helping you move deals forward.
Why Femmeprenistas Love It:
Simplicity & Focus: Very easy to understand & use, especially its drag-&-drop pipeline.
Sales-Centric: All features are geared towards helping you close deals.
Great for Activity-Based Selling: Prompts you to schedule your next activity for every deal.
Good Mobile App: Useful for managing things on the go (between school pick-ups, perhaps!).
Things to Consider:
No free plan (though they offer a trial).
Marketing features are less developed compared to all-in-one CRMs like HubSpot or Zoho.
Can get expensive if you need lots of advanced features or have a larger team.
Best For: Sales-focused businesses that prioritise a clear, actionable pipeline; individuals or small teams wanting a dedicated sales tool.
Client Success: "Pipedrive's focus on closing deals helped me streamline my sales process and increase my conversion rate by 30%," says Susan, a consultant focused on results.
Making the Choice: It’s About Your Business, Your Sanity, Your Flow
Phew! That’s a lot of information, I know. But here’s the most important takeaway: there’s no single "best" CRM for everyone. The right choice for you depends on your specific business needs, your current stage of growth (are you a Chloe or an Amy right now?), your budget, & frankly, what feels good & intuitive for you to use. I remember spending hours researching, only to realize the fanciest option was overkill for what I needed right now.
Don't just take my word for it. I wholeheartedly encourage you to:
Shortlist 2-3 options that seem like a good fit.
Sign up for free trials or explore their free plans. Get your hands dirty!
Watch demo videos. See how they work in practice.
Ask yourself: Does this simplify things for me? Does it feel like it will genuinely save me time & reduce stress, not add to it?
Remember, the goal here is to implement a system that supports your business growth & your well-being. It’s about creating more ease, more efficiency, & more space for you to focus on your zone of genius – serving your clients & building that incredible business you dream of. Taking personal responsibility for choosing & learning your tools is a cornerstone of sustainable success. It’s about working smart, not just hard, which is something I’m incredibly passionate about helping female entrepreneurs embrace. To quote Jim Rohn, "Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day." But remember, technology is just a tool, not a measure of your worthiness.
A well-chosen CRM is more than just software; it’s a commitment to streamlining your success & safeguarding your sanity. It’s about building a business that truly flourishes, without the burnout.
So, what’s one step you can take today to explore how a CRM could bring more ease & efficiency into your business? Share your plans in the comments below - I’d love to hear what you’re thinking!
Carlene Nisbett
Founder & CEO, Femmeprenista (Coach, Mentor, Speaker)
Wife, Mother of four, Business Owner, PhD Researcher, Pet mom, Plant mom, 5'0" tall Passionate Multitasker & Wine Lover, You get the drift
P.S. This workbook is just the beginning!
If you're looking for a supportive community of like-minded female entrepreneurs who get it, why not pop over and say hello?
We'd love to welcome you!
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