![api code](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/1TdXC1We4GC645Lmtnf1FO/4e62bb62f0911b61498b8b1fc40b08c8/markus-spiske-Skf7HxARcoc-unsplash.jpg)

You don't need to be a programmer to use an application programming interface (API). In fact, we're using them every day, even if we don't realize it.

For example, if you use [Skyscanner](www.skyscanner.com) to find cheap flights, the platform uses APIs to pull in flights, prices and availability from their connected partners. This is constantly updated, so you always see the latest flight offers.

![skyscanner api](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/7gjMp04dUdqymVAs9xTzsR/c36073787052ee937aae8066b76d0391/skyscanner_api.png)

If you look for APIs, you'll find them everywhere. Any time one tool brings in data from another tool – like Facebook comments, Google Maps locations or YouTube videos – there's an API in place. 

As another simple example, Airbnb uses the Google Maps API to show you the location of a property or activity on their platform:

![airbnb google maps api](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/4HDwWTpSlp2gxCxEpJiakJ/6ce1fca122eb4e5aa76f439d4cd07bcd/airbnb_google_maps_api.png)

Although APIs can get complicated, they don't have to be. You can use other tools to implement simple Web APIs in your business without needing a lot of tech knowledge – which is what we'll show you in this post.

* [What is an API?](#api-definition)
* [What are APIs used for?](#apis-used-for)
* [How do you use an API?](#how-to-use-api)
* [How do you use APIs without being a programmer?](#non-technical-apis)
* [The best APIs to use in your business](#best-apis)


### What is an API?{#api-definition}

The most basic definition of an API is that it **enables one piece of software to talk to another piece of software**. 


### What are APIs used for?{#apis-used-for}

When people talk about APIs today, they are usually referring to Web APIs for data retrieval. Millions of companies use these to...

* Tap into publicly accessible content that's already been created and show the most updated version in their own app (e.g. sharing locations on Google Maps). 
* Access hidden information that doesn't exist on the normal web.
* Automate an app that needs more complex, up-to-date information, such as the latest Instagram posts tagged at Wimbledon Stadium for a tennis news page.
* Get their apps to interact, e.g. their mailing list with their CRM.

For many companies, APIs keep life simple and reduce the need to repeat the work that someone else has already done. Why would you try to create your own version of Google Maps when you can use the Maps API to include customized maps on your own web platform?

### How do you use an API?{#how-to-use-api}

To create a new connection between apps with an API, you need to consult the documentation of the tool you want to connect and fetch data from. You might check, for example:

* [Twitter's developer documentation](https://developer.twitter.com/en/docs)
* [Facebook's developer documentation](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/)
* [Reddit's developer documentation](https://www.reddit.com/dev/api/)

To make sense of developer docs and use an API, you'll need to have some tech knowledge or work with someone who does. It can get a bit tricky otherwise. (But a bit further down we’ll talk about how to use APIs and get the benefits **without being a programmer**.)

Making use of an API often requires an API key, which gives you permission to set up the connection and make the API call. An API key essentially identifies you as a user of the application - you will only be able to access the data of a given user if you have the exact API key of that user.

Each API's documentation will include details on how to get access to the API's data (an API key, for example), an overview of all the operations you can do (such as create data, update data and list data) and often some examples of API calls.

Once you have the access requirements, you can choose to use a tool like [Postman](https://www.getpostman.com/) or [Runscope](https://www.runscope.com/) to manually interact with an API. These are "API clients", or third-party systems that allow you to make one-off requests to API endpoints without needing to input any code.

![postman apis](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/10gCYC64gv0sU0xgbuDzQ8/2e89b71a7853847aae71314839b8913d/postman_apis.png)

After downloading Postman, here's how you can [send your first request](https://learning.getpostman.com/docs/postman/launching-postman/sending-the-first-request/). To start with, you can also use postman-echo.com, their [sample API](https://docs.postman-echo.com/?version=latest), to get to grips with setting up an API.

### How do you use APIs without being a programmer?{#non-technical-apis}

Not a programmer? You can benefit from APIs without needing to make sense of technical documentation by **finding solutions that do the hard work for you**. Two of the best ways for beginners to use an API are...

__Native integrations__

Native integrations enable you to create an instant connection between your tools, as the API work is already done. For instance, [Mailchimp's integration with Canva](https://mailchimp.com/integrations/canva/) lets you easily create stunning graphics for your newsletter with zero tech knowledge or set-up required.

Most SaaS (software as a service) tools have their own integrations library that offers plug-and-play free API connections between popular apps. Here's ActiveCampaign's example:

![activecampaign marketplace](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/2Cy1dv4XwRBNHZMt9XA4Oe/f985b02cda7583bb2b850f36704a20ea/activecampaign_marketplace.png)

__External integrations__

In addition to native integrations, [there are also external platforms that build connections between apps for you](https://www.piesync.com/blog/what-is-ipaas-a-guide-to-getting-started-and-best-practices/). These include apps like Zapier, which provides one-way data pushes to automate tasks between apps; and PieSync, which syncs data bidirectionally between apps to make sure that your data is always up-to-date in both tools whenever anything changes.

In this case, PieSync has also done all the legwork setting up APIs for you, so you just need to choose the specific connections between your favorite apps and customize the action of the sync. An example of this could be [updating a contact property in Pipedrive when something changes in Intercom](https://www.piesync.com/pipedrive/intercom/).

If you're curious about how PieSync works, it starts with our team building a connection to an app using their API. PieSync then acts as a middleman between apps to 1) request the information and 2) translate the information so that the other API can understand it. You can read more about how two-way syncs work here:

<RelatedPost slug="what-is-a-bi-directional-sync-and-how-does-it-work" />

[Check PieSync's connections between your go-to tools](https://www.piesync.com/connections/) to see how it could work in your business.


### The best APIs to use in your business{#best-apis}

The best APIs for your business depends on which tools you need to connect. Look at the tools you need to integrate: this could be your analytics suite and a dashboard tool to visualize your company's performance data, or integrating Google Maps data with your web app.

Whatever your integration and connection needs, look for the simplest way to tick your boxes. Instead of using an API directly, check native integrations or if PieSync can create the results you want by [syncing your contact data in two directions](https://piesync.com/) and updating in real time.

[Get started with a PieSync free trial](https://app.piesync.com/signup/) and sync your apps – no tech knowledge or complicated documentation required.

API newbie? Here’s our beginner’s guide to API technologies so you can get the benefits without needing to be a programming expert.

Technology

What is an API? A guide to getting started as a total beginner

Business Process Automation

TeamGram

![Teamgram-launch](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/192GM2Zq2PZuLSX3Ayg6Zz/d12518a0b646c6255f3291e47ca9a119/Teamgram-launch.png)

## About TeamGram

[TeamGram](https://www.teamgram.com) is a cloud-based integrated customer relationship management (CRM), quotation, proposal and sales management solution that helps businesses manage their workflows and sales cycle.

## About  PieSync

__PieSync takes integration solutions to the next level with 2-way synchronization.__

A 2-way or bidirectional sync implies that whenever you add or modify your customers’ information in one tool, you’ll have it automatically up-to-date in the other one, and vice versa.

__That helps you avoid isolated data and duplicates. Plus, PieSync keeps in mind historical data to make sure you don’t miss a thing.__

From now on, you can have TeamGram in sync two-way with 211 other apps in a few minutes. Take a look at the business tools available today: 

<Widget type="piesync-widget" left="teamgram" size="compact" />

__The app you are searching for is not here? Don’t worry! We are launching a new one every Wednesday! [Vote for your favorite cloud-based app!](https://www.piesync.com/connections/)__


## Intelligent-Syncing
 
One of the things that make TeamGram special is the interactive pipeline view that allows you to determine the ideal stages for your sales process. During each one of these stages, you collect different types of information. 

With PieSync you can sync according to the particular attributes that corresponding to each stage of a customer's lifecycle. Whether you organize your database by groups, lists or labels; you can choose the way your contacts flow between applications. 

![TeamGram integration](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/3tYZcz4GvFlVRC7sV07N0A/b147cd322dbb00001e604efe890dbe75/TeamGram_integration.png)

__Learn more about the [if-*this*-then-*that* rules](https://www.piesync.com/blog/introducing-intelligent-syncing/) you can create with PieSync.__

<Button text="Start your sync!" href="https://www.piesync.com/teamgram/" />

## Some use cases 

#### Sync your CRM and your phone

With PieSync, you have your phone in sync with your CRM. Any changes you make to your phone’s contact database (Google Contacts, iCloud, Contacts+ and [others are avaible](https://www.piesync.com/connections/phone-email/)) will be reflected in your CRM and vice versa. You’ll have proper caller ID so you can always recognize who is calling you, even if it’s a new lead that just landed on your website.

> With PieSync, as soon as a lead enters our CRM, it’s available for a “one-click call-back” in the mobile phone of our sales team. It’s fixing three problems at once: speed, data accuracy and sales’ engagement with CRM. Adrien JorgeCo-Founder — Propseller

#### Sync your CRM and your marketing tools

PieSync works like a bridge to have your marketing and sales teams aligned. You can finally merge your Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) safely into existing CRM contacts without overwriting data.

[Check out the Marketing tools available!](https://www.piesync.com/connections/marketing-newsletters/)

#### Integrate your entire software stack

PieSync’s supported apps include tools for accounting, emailing, billing, ecommerce, VoIP and much more. You can automatically sync the contacts, leads or company data from any of their databases to your CRM and vice versa.

__Need help to configure your connection? You can always visit our [Support Center](https://help.piesync.com/connector-apps/teamgram) to get extra information.__ 

So what are you waiting for? 

<Button text="Start your sync!" href="https://www.piesync.com/teamgram/" />



To make sure your customer data is in sync between all your business tools, we now support TeamGram! Create a 2-way sync between TeamGram and 211 other apps in a few minutes. Discover how easy it is!

PieSync now supports a sync solution for TeamGram and many other business tools 

PieSync now supports a two-way sync solution for TeamGram users

General sync (all-to-all)

Phone sync

Time saving

![marketing strategies b2b vs b2c](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6xzVkoQBuZS4GQgW3w4oPV/d417d008d10d2ca343fde77c1ab4b79d/diggity-marketing-s8HyIEe7lF0-unsplash.jpg)

Marketing is marketing, right? Well... not really. Although marketing for B2B (business-to-business) and marketing for B2C (business-to-customer) are both about **attracting the attention of certain audiences**, they require different tactics, metrics and priorities.

The way you win the attention and budget of __companies__ differs from how you convince __consumers__ to buy from your business. This means **you can't expect to use the same marketing playbook** for these two audiences.

However, the difference between B2B marketing vs. B2C marketing is narrowing, and previous no-gos for B2B marketing – like emotional storytelling and humor – are proving to bring great results.

Here are the key differences to be aware of and the best practices to follow for B2B vs. B2C marketing.


### What's the difference between marketing for B2B and B2C?

#### B2B has longer average buying cycles

While B2C customers are more likely to make impulse buys, B2B purchases typically require more thought. According to [Step Change](https://blog.hellostepchange.com/blog/the-industry-average-b2b-sales-cycle-length), a B2B sales cycle for smaller deals often falls around 3 months. For larger and more substantial sales, a B2B sales cycle is more likely to fall between 6 to 9 months.

Because B2B buying cycles can be so long, B2B marketers need to keep pipelines full of leads as they slowly nurture the right ones to becoming customers.

<RelatedPost slug="12-of-the-best-lead-generation-practices-for-2020"/>


#### B2B has longer and bigger contracts

For B2B companies, Average Contract Value (ACV) is a popular metric to track – especially for [Software as a Service (SaaS) companies](https://www.piesync.com/blog/the-saas-guide-the-tools-and-trends-shaping-tech-in-2020/). B2B and SaaS companies tend to have bigger ACV value, often charged for long contract durations.

In B2B sales, it's common for deals to be discounted for annual contracts – or even contracts for 2 to 3 years or more.


#### You can be more educational in B2B marketing

B2B sales and marketing frequently involve taking on the role of a **consultant** or trusted advisor. Educational resources like reports, ebooks and whitepapers are common in B2B marketing, with [81% of B2B companies](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2016_B2B_Report_Final.pdf) also using blogging as a content marketing tactic.

Similarly, sales demos typically involve understanding a prospect's current business processes and advising how to improve them. Questions about your prospect's business pain points and objectives are [closely tied to a won deal](https://www.gong.io/blog/deal-closing-discovery-call/).


#### B2B marketing needs to reach several stakeholders in the same company

The average [number of stakeholders involved in a B2B purchasing decision is 6.8](https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/customer-stakeholders-new-high-data), according to sales expert Brent Adamson. This means that B2B marketers and salespeople don't just have one audience to attract, convince and convert – it's multiple people.

Tailoring your strategy to several stakeholders is important for B2B companies, more so than B2C companies. It's also a big part of account-based selling, a targeted way of listing your ideal customers and pivoting all of your sales and marketing towards them.

As a starting point, complete [Strategyzer's Value Proposition Canvas](https://www.strategyzer.com/canvas/value-proposition-canvas) for each stakeholder you need to reach:

![Value+Proposition+Canvas](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/1RiRe83YCl4fNP0ylcsBPk/02ae121ec5f689478843218166f50f8a/Value_Proposition_Canvas.png)

#### B2C marketing uses more visual content

[45% of B2C marketers](https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics) believe visual content is their most important type of content.

That's not to say that visual content isn't important for business-to-business marketing: it is. [51% of B2B marketers](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2016_B2B_Report_Final.pdf) prioritize creating visual assets as part of their content marketing strategy. The use of videos has surged, as have infographics: they are now [used by 65% of B2B marketers](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2018-b2b-research-final.pdf).

But on the whole, B2C marketers are still more reliant on visual content than their B2B counterparts. [11% more B2C marketers than B2B marketers](https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Industry-Report-2018.pdf) say visual content is the most important type of content today.

----

### What's similar between B2B and B2C marketing

#### Emotion and storytelling are important for all businesses

It's time to bust a myth: **B2C marketing isn't more emotion-driven than B2B** - at least not anymore.

[Research conducted by Gartner with Google and Motista](https://cmo.adobe.com/articles/2017/8/b2b-buying-is-full-of-emotions-ptr-tlp.html#gs.of1csw) with over 3,000 B2B customers found that any given brand has emotional connections with between 10% and 40% of consumers. Of the B2B brands they studied in detail seven surpassed the 50% mark, and no brand was below 40%. On average, the study's B2B customers were significantly more emotionally connected to their vendors and service providers than consumers.

This shows that B2B brands using conventionally B2C tactics like storytelling and emotional campaigns are being rewarded for it. 

[Mailchimp](https://mailchimp.com/) is one brand questioning the traditional B2B playbook, especially with their recent “Mailchimp Presents” videos on the top fold of their homepage. Can you understand what their product is from the first glance at their website? Nope. But they **go beyond their product to something more memorable**, giving a hint of what the company is like beyond the popular email marketing software.

![All-in-One Marketing Platform - Mailchimp](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/3QAChg78JEjAHkDkrtTcFG/0daf195c0a358b79b5aa5d01ca0c4f67/All-in-One_Marketing_Platform_-_Mailchimp.png)

#### Brand recall is equally important

As the way people choose to consume content changes, your business's job is to meet your audience where they want to be – whether it's Facebook, Medium or AMP pages on your site. A top marketing goal should also be to **increase brand recall** and make people intentionally want to visit your site. 

To measure the power of your brand recognition, keep an eye on the number of "branded searches" you get in Google, or queries containing just your brand name. 

To increase brand recall, your brand needs to be **about something bigger** than just your product and service. It needs to leave so much of a lasting impression that your brand name comes up as the obvious answer when a customer experiences the pain point you solve. If you have a sore throat, you buy Strepsils. 


#### Customers want you to speak their language

Whether B2B or B2C, your customers want you to speak to them in a way they understand, relate to and respond to. As part of your persona development project, in which you identify the key types of people you're selling to, [Econsultancy recommends asking](https://econsultancy.com/customer-personas/):

> Does a customer use slang and emojis? Are they a lover of hashtags? Taking this kind of information into consideration can help brands to hone and refine their communication style to mirror how customers speak.

Take a look at Drift’s homepage for a great example of human-to-human interaction from a B2B SaaS brand:

![Drift The New Way Businesses Buy From Businesses](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/7vBDuYvGAyD3P9hWSffsVc/27b39759b7dcf39d6259d88217f6ada9/Drift___The_New_Way_Businesses_Buy_From_Businesses.png)

#### You can use the same marketing tactics for B2B and B2C

Many of the same marketing tactics are powerful for both B2B and B2C, including SEO, content marketing, social media and paid advertising. The way you use each tactic comes from a 360-degree understanding of who you're marketing to, what messaging they respond to, and how and where they want to engage with your brand. 

Regardless of whether your company is B2B or B2C, you're selling to a specific group of customers. How these individuals respond to a marketing tactic is the most relevant measure of how successful it is, not the traditional B2B and B2C playbooks.

----

No matter whether you're a B2B or B2C marketer, [you need to leverage your customer data](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/marketing/) in order to create the best possible marketing strategy. But this data is not only collected through your marketing apps - you’ll have valuable information coming in from all over your app stack. 

To get the most out of your customer data, keeping your tools in sync is key. With PieSync, you can sync contacts between all of your favorite cloud applications and spend less time buried under spreadsheets or wrestling with data that doesn't add up. Get started with a [free trial now](https://app.piesync.com/signup).

You can’t use the same marketing playbook for B2B as you do for B2C. Here’s how the two differ and what you need to succeed at both of them.

Marketing 

Digital Marketing 

Marketing for B2B vs. B2C – how to adjust your strategy for both

Apollo

![apollo.io](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5WJu9ZUFLypDWj2hmaxXDq/dce5df50801bac331b2b13ce7e832b3c/apollo_launch.png)

Apollo is an intelligent, data-first engagement platform that puts structured data at the core of your workflows to help you execute, analyze, and improve on your growth strategy.

Thanks to Apollo, you are able to find the verified emails and direct-dial phone numbers of your prospects. But how do you share that valuable data with your other business applications? 

Apollo offers the option to optimize workflows through integrations with LinkedIn, Gmail, Outlook, Salesforce, HubSpot, SendGrid and Marketo. But __thanks to PieSync, you can now sync  211 other applications. The best part? It works 2-Way and in real time.__ 

Check out the applications available today for this complete sync solution: 

<Widget type="piesync-widget" left="apollo" size="compact" />

__Need another app in sync? Every Wednesday, PieSync releases a new application. If the business tool you are using is not available yet, go to the pipeline and [vote for the app you need.](https://www.piesync.com/connections/)__

## Wait... What's a 2-way sync? 

PieSync is the glue that keeps your different business applications together. Instead of pushing data from one app to the other one, PieSync actually keeps it in sync. This means that whenever you have a new entry or update in either application, you'll see that change reflected in your other business tool. 

That helps you avoid isolated data (data silos) and duplicates. Plus, PieSync keeps in mind historical data to make sure you don’t miss a thing.

> “It just works!” is a common refrain, along with praise for how easy the software is and how supportive the team are. We love a company that is loved by its customers. PieSync unquestionably is."- Brian Halliganco, founder and CEO — HubSpot

<Button text="Start your sync!" href="https://www.piesync.com/apollo/" />

## Top features

Without any installation required and after a 5-minute setup, you can enjoy of a variety of features to customized the workflow between the business applications you are using. 

Here are some popular features you can have access to: 

### If-*this*-then-*that* rules 

When you are working with big databases, it can happen that you don’t need all the data from all your apps in sync. Thanks to PieSync’s [“if-*this*-then-*that*” rules or conditions](https://www.piesync.com/blog/introducing-intelligent-syncing/) you can choose which contacts to sync and how; according to attributes, tags, labels, lists, etc.

![google contacts apollo.io](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/50nCcvxeEXXpBniy52YbHj/55765d0121b58338a5d268c086db80e9/google_contacts_apollo.io.png)

### Custom field mapping

PieSync will automatically map most of your contacts’ information fields: name, email, address, phone number, etc. If you’ve created custom fields, you can also manually map as many fields as you wish:

![gsuite apollo.io](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/4xGF9oted8ELho2SGBVZwA/1ae4b2d02f8f1b032bf640fb8b800dec/gsuite_apollo.io.png)

<Button text="Start your sync!" href="https://www.piesync.com/apollo/" />

## Other Benefits

### Add Teams

You can add your entire team to your PieSync account. This means everyone can access the most up to date data when they need it most.

### Multiple plans to scale your business growth

We have multiple plans to suit businesses of all sizes. When your business grows, you can simply upgrade to the next plan.

#### Avoid Duplications

PieSync hates duplicates just as much as you do. We eliminate duplicates by matching contacts based on their email addresses.

__Do you need help setting up your sync? [Here’s everything you need to know about it.](https://help.piesync.com/connector-apps/apollo)__

<Button text="Start your sync!" href="https://www.piesync.com/apollo/" />



Sync your Apollo.io contact data with 211 business tools! PieSync works 2-way and in real time to make sure your entire software stack is in sync. Discover all about this amazing solution!

Sales

Contact Management

sync apollo contacts with other business applications 

Have your Apollo.io contacts in sync with your other business applications. A true 2-way sync!

Contact sharing

![how to increase sales in a small business](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/2VEH1q2GEb85YeksJf46Gw/a20061b18b4251ce112d8658f97f1133/you-x-ventures-MUZFKa_mttU-unsplash.jpg)

What are the best ways to increase sales as a small business? Although there's a ton of lead generation hacks you can follow, the top results all start with going back to basics. This means finding the focus to:

1. [Delight your current customers](#delight)
2. [Understand your perfect customer](#understand)
3. [Know who you can't serve](#know)
4. [Ask questions and listen](#ask)
5. [Don't overstretch yourself with marketing](#overstretch)
6. [Simplify your messaging](#simplify) 
7. [Test ad copy to maximize your budget](#test)
8. [Collect more reviews](#collect)
9. [Make your reviews more visible](#reviews)
10. [Be honest about your website](#be-honest)
11. [Make the most of word-of-mouth advertising](#word-of-mouth)
12. [Know what leads to purchases](#purchases)
13. [Know the most common objections – and how to overcome them](#common-objections)
14. [Use visuals](#visuals)
15. [Stand out](#stand-out)
16. [Always overdeliver](#overdeliver)
17. [Use automation](#automation)
18. [Scratch your own itch](#itch)

It's only once you've covered these fundamentals that you can get the best benefits from lead gen, SEO and other sales tactics.

#### 1. Delight your current customers{#delight}

Retaining and upselling your current customers is one of the most effective ways to increase sales and revenue, but it's so often overlooked. In the words of Paul Jarvis in his book *Company of One*:

> "Too often businesses forget about their current audience — the people who are already listening, buying and engaging. **These should be the most important people to your business — far more so than anyone you wish you were reaching**. Whether your audience is ten people, a hundred people or a thousand people, if you’re not doing right by them, nothing you do regarding growth or marketing will make a lick of difference."


#### 2. Understand your perfect customer{#understand}

You know it once you meet them. They're exactly the right people you want to sell to. They don't need convincing, they get it. How can you find more of these people?

Start by describing the types of people these are. Get clear on their age group, interests, goals and what motivates them to buy your product.

Once you know your ideal customer, make sure that all of your messaging speaks to this person. This includes your website, blog post, brochures, packaging and whatever else your business produces. Everything needs to attract the people you want to sell to.

Knowing the traits of your ideal customer also gets you in the best position for a Facebook or Google ads campaign. You can enter the demographics you want to target, create the best ad copy and publish with a small budget. 

Make sure to track your results to see what's working so you can tweak your campaign.


#### 3. Know who you can't serve{#know}

You can't make everyone happy, least of all in business. Know who your customers are and don't distort your product or messaging to fit people who aren't them.


#### 4. Ask questions and listen{#ask}

It's only by communicating with your target audience and listening to them that you can build the best product and service for them. It's also how you can continue improving it, fixing issues, and delivering the best service. To increase sales for your small business, you need to communicate with and understand the people you're selling to.


#### 5. Don't overstretch yourself with marketing{#overstretch}

Unless you have a dedicated marketing team (and probably even then), don't make your marketing strategy too complicated. Instead of spreading your efforts too thin, you'll probably be better off focusing on the channels that you know work for you.

Start by creating a solid brand, positioning statement and messaging that can filter through everything else you produce. Make sure your product is getting word-of-mouth attention, and then start thinking about lead generation tools and tactics.

<RelatedPost slug="10-best-lead-generation-tools" />


#### 6. Simplify your messaging{#simplify} 

When potential customers visit your website or pick up one of your marketing materials, do they know exactly what you do? The best way to communicate your product or service so customers listen – and buy – is with crystal clear messaging.

Get to the heart of what you do and why you do it. Then, describe it in the simplest words possible. As an even better business strategy to increase sales as a small business, speak to your target audience in their own language – use the words they use and respond to.


#### 7. Test ad copy to maximize your budget{#test}

Before investing heavily in ads, start small. Test the waters and do A/B testing and small tweaks to find the type of message and content that resonates with your target audience. Only then start scaling up your ad budget to reach more people.


#### 8. Collect more reviews{#collect}

With credibility signals on your website, you can show potential buyers that you're worth doing business with and increase your sales conversion rates. These can include logos of clients if you're B2B, or valuable reviews and testimonials from happy customers.


#### 9. Make your reviews more visible{#reviews}

Once you've collected great reviews and testimonials for your small business, make sure you show them. They're no use hidden away.


#### 10. Be honest about your website{#be-honest}

How good is your website? You might know it needs work. Or you might not... when in fact it really does. Seek out honest feedback from a few target customers. You can also look at a few simple metrics on Google Analytics to see how your website is performing. Check:

* **Bounce rate** – if the percentage of people who leave your website is high, you're either attracting the wrong people or offering poor user experience. [RocketFuel](https://www.gorocketfuel.com/the-rocket-blog/whats-the-average-bounce-rate-in-google-analytics/) advises that anything over 70 percent is concerning for sites outside of blogs, news and events.
* **Time on page** – the higher this is, the more engaged your website visitors tend to be.


#### 11. Make the most of word-of-mouth advertising{#word-of-mouth}

What do the most successful small businesses have in common? Great word-of-mouth advertising. [92% of consumers](http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2012/consumer-trust-in-online-social-and-mobile-advertising-grows.html) believe suggestions from friends and family more than advertising. 

To build word-of-mouth advertising, it all comes down to the experience you provide. But you can motivate it by sharing discount codes or other incentives, and make the most of it by sharing reviews of your business in your marketing.


#### 12. Know what leads to purchases{#purchases}

As a small business owner, it's your job to know what motivates your customers to buy. One of the best ways to increase sales for your small business is to look at your recent sales and understand what the tipping point was just before the transaction. 

Was it your website that earned the sale? A solid paid advertising strategy? Testimonials? Maximize the chance of a potential customer buying by knowing what works and doing more of it.


#### 13. Know the most common objections – and how to overcome them{#common-objections}

On the other hand, you need to know what's stopping someone from buying from you. Know the most common objections that your potential customers have – even if they don't say them directly to you. Then, know how to overcome them in a way that builds trust and credibility.


#### 14. Use visuals{#visuals}

[32% of marketers](https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Industry-Report-2018.pdf) say visual images are the most important form of content for their business, with blogging in second (27%). [According to a 2018 HubSpot survey](https://research.hubspot.com/content-trends-preferences?_ga=2.140049520.275569209.1577044306-1512780506.1572256371), 54% of consumers also wanted to see more video content from a brand or business they support. For your next marketing campaign, consider something visual-heavy, such as a simple video (there's a lot you can do yourself!) or a unique product photoshoot.


#### 15. Stand out{#stand-out}

To succeed as a small business today, you have to figure out your unique way to stand out in a sea of sameness. In the book _Business for Punks: Break All the Rules – the BrewDog Way_, James Watt recommends:

> "Start a category, not a business. Focus on growing your category rather than just differentiating your brand."


#### 16. Always overdeliver{#overdeliver}

No matter how small the sale, overdeliver every time. Whether with your product or the experience you provide, overdelivering is how you can retain clients and encourage them to recommend you to friends: the two most powerful strategies in building a sustainable business. 

And remember the tiny details: "it’s often the tiny details that thrill people enough to make them tell all their friends about you", writes Derek Sivers in his business guidebook *Anything You Want*.


#### 17. Use automation{#automation}

Managing a small business can leave a lot on your plate, especially if you're wearing most of the hats yourself. To free up more of your time, get to grips with sales and marketing automation technology as early on in your business journey as you can. This could be part of your CRM or email marketing tool, or as a system like [ActiveCampaign](https://www.activecampaign.com/) that you can [keep in sync with your other apps](https://www.piesync.com/active-campaign/).

One of the easiest and most effective automations is an email nurturing workflow that welcomes new contacts and directs them to a next-step CTA.

<RelatedPost slug="9-ways-to-automate-your-business-processes-in-an-hour" />


#### 18. Scratch your own itch{#itch}

Use your small business to build what you want to exist in the world, recommends Derek Sivers in *Anything You Want*. 

> "When you build a company, you have the freedom to create your own utopia. You’re making a little world where you control the laws. It doesn’t matter how things are done everywhere else."

Remember why you're in business. Sell the product or service that you want to exist and do things your way. Be crazily helpful and make people's lives either with your offering and you'll have scored one of the best business strategies out there.

----

To increase your sales as a small business, you need to focus in what matters and eliminate distractions, including messy and disconnected customer data spread between all of your apps.

To let all of your business tools work together beautifully and keep the latest view of your customer data at hand, [connect your apps two-ways with PieSync](https://www.piesync.com/).

Although there’s a ton of lead generation hacks out there, the top ways to increase your sales start with going back to basics. Here’s how.

18 ways to increase your sales as a small business

Keap

Capsule

Pipedrive

Copper

Insightly

Podio

HubSpot

Freshsales

![best crms for digital agencies](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/780zuKtjfwyoUDJGCR56xi/95109fbb4ba0fd8da963d8ae301a2a86/austin-distel-wawEfYdpkag-unsplash.jpg)

As an agency, there comes a point when a customer relationship management (CRM) tool becomes an essential part of your business.

A CRM is how you manage all clients in one place, keep communication across all channels transparent and track deals from new to closed. As your agency scales, trying to do all of this in an Excel sheet becomes impossible.

Choosing the best CRM for your agency isn't always quick and simple, but it's considerably easier if you know what you're looking for. For most agencies, these are the most important things to look for in a CRM:

* Collaborative features
* Great user experience and design
* [Integrations with other agency tools](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/digital-agency/), like your time tracking app and invoicing software

With these boxes ticked, a CRM differentiates itself from being simply [great for small businesses](https://www.piesync.com/blog/the-best-crms-for-small-businesses-pros-cons-and-what-you-need-to-know/) to being great for agencies.

Whether your agency specializes in digital marketing, design, SEO or something else entirely, here are 9 of the best CRMs for you...

### The best CRMs for digital agencies

#### 1. [Keap](https://keap.com/)

**Choose for:** A CRM with built-in invoices, quotes, payments, appointments and unlimited emails.

_From $49/month for 500 contacts and one user, plus $29 for each additional user_


Keap, previously Infusionsoft, is one of the best all-rounder CRMs for digital agencies. On top of its brilliant core CRM functionality, Keap offers invoicing, quotes, payments, appointments and automated workflows. 

It can save you from needing an additional invoicing and payment tool, which can make up for it being more expensive than some other CRMs.


#### 2. [Capsule](https://capsulecrm.com/)

**Choose for:** One of the simplest CRMs on the market.

_From $18/user/month_


Capsule is a reliable choice if you need strong integrations with accounting tools like Xero, FreeAgent and QuickBooks. It's also one of the best CRMs for agencies to get started with and is [loved by digital agencies](https://capsulecrm.com/blog/capsule-in-digital-agency-evoluted/) to build relationships with clients, stay on top of new and pending deals and manage projects all the way from ideation to billing.


#### 3. [Pipedrive](https://www.pipedrive.com)

**Choose for:** A sales-focused CRM that promises more sales with less legwork.

_From $15/user/month, billed annually_


Pipedrive shares that their users see a 28% average increase in close rates after their first year. It's really easy to set up custom pipelines and stages, automate workflows, and track revenue and team performance with customizable dashboards.

It only takes a minute to sync Pipedrive with your Google or Microsoft contact lists and calendars, and there are 150+ more integrations in their apps marketplace. Some of the most popular syncs are with Xero, Trello and Slack, and you can also create [two-way contact syncs with PieSync](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/digital-agency/).


<RelatedPost slug="8-hacks-to-make-your-digital-agency-more-productive" />


#### 4. [Copper](https://www.copper.com/industries/agency-crm)

**Choose for:** A beautifully-designed CRM that fits seamlessly with GSuite.

*From $19/user/month, billed annually for up to three users*


If your agency's already big on Google Mail, Drive and Calendar, Copper is your agency's next best friend. From prospecting to closing deals and retaining your best clients, Copper is one of the most transparent CRMs to keep everyone on the same page.

Copper has fantastic UX and seamlessly captures and connects all project files, tasks and calendar invites so nothing falls through the cracks. 

#### 5. [Insightly](https://www.insightly.com/)

**Choose for:** A CRM that combines marketing, sales and project management functionality on a single platform.

_Free for two users to access the core CRM, or $29 for Insightly Plus per user/month, billed annually without Marketing_


You can get started with Insightly's core CRM for free as a team of just 2 users, with 2,500 emails, 10GB file storage and a 100,000 records limit included in the deal.

As the next step up, Insightly Plus ($29/user/month) includes project management with task templates as an added perk for agency teams. Insightly stands out from the competition with a greater focus on automation, data and productivity than many other CRMs.


#### 6. [Podio](https://podio.com/site/use-cases/agency)

**Choose for:** Integrated project management for one workflow from sale to project feedback.

_Free task management, apps and workspaces for up to five users, then $9/user/month for the Basic plan_


Podio is another CRM for agencies to unify account and project management, like Insightly. It has several features designed with agencies specifically in mind and is perfect for agencies to collaborate on projects, manage accounts and centralize communication in one place.

Podio works seamlessly with your favorite apps, including Google Drive, Excel and major accounting tools like Freshbooks.


#### 7. [HubSpot CRM](https://www.hubspot.com/hubspot-crm-agencies)

**Choose for:** A free CRM that's super fast to set up.

*The core CRM is free to use*


HubSpot CRM's main selling point is that it's free. You can also have access to extra features via HubSpot’s sales, marketing and service hubs - however, these hubs are paid, so if you need to integrate them make sure to plan your budget accordingly.

HubSpot is one of the best CRMs for agencies to log emails and phone conversations, view the full timeline of a lead's journey to becoming a client, and boost sales leads with connected inbound marketing. It has a fantastic integrations marketplace too.

Thousands of larger agencies use HubSpot because it's what they support their clients in. [Agency partners can choose packages](https://www.hubspot.com/partners/marketing/pricing) starting at $400/month before onboarding costs.


#### 8. [Hatchbuck](https://www.hatchbuck.com/agency-solution/)

**Choose for:** A CRM-plus-more tool combining sales, marketing and automation.

_[Customizable costs for agencies](https://www.hatchbuck.com/agencies/pricing/) or from $199/month billed annually for five users on the Team plan_


With their Agency Partners program, you can be sure that Hatchbuck has businesses like yours at the front of their mind. With this CRM it's easy to build campaigns, boost retainers and duplicate processes across client accounts to speed up work. Chat with one of their Agency Experts to find the right package for your business.


#### 9. [Freshsales](https://www.freshworks.com/freshsales-crm/media-agency-crm/)

**Choose for:** A high-rated CRM that works great alone and in combination with other Freshworks products.

*From $12 user/month, billed annually*


The Freshworks product family is known for being affordable and extremely user-friendly, and Freshsales is no exception.

Their CRM tool includes built-in phone and two-way email sync, AI-based lead scoring, intelligent workflow automation and customizable visual reports and dashboards. And, of course, it integrates perfectly with other Freshworks tools plus [hundreds of other apps](https://www.piesync.com/freshsales/).

----

No matter the CRM you choose, make sure it's seamlessly connected to your agency's app stack. With PieSync you can easily [sync your CRM to your other tools](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/digital-agency/) and keep your client data flowing two-ways in real time.

A CRM is essential to manage clients in one place, keep communication transparent and track deals from new to closed. Here are 9 of the best picks for agencies.

The PieSync Blog

What is an API? A guide to getting started as a total beginner

PieSync now supports a two-way sync solution for TeamGram users

Marketing for B2B vs. B2C – how to adjust your strategy for both

Have your Apollo.io contacts in sync with your other business applications. A true 2-way sync!

18 ways to increase your sales as a small business

9 of the best CRMs for digital agencies