Which Platform Is Right for You? Learn About the 3 Best Bookkeeping CRM Systems
Mar 07, 2022
It can be really tough to zero in on which platforms and tools you want to use for your bookkeeping business. To help simplify the process, this post is meant to share my three recommendations for CRM marketing platforms. I actually have some codes and discounts for all of them, so even if you already have one that you like, this post could still be of interest to you!
What’s the Purpose of a CRM?
Before I dive into my recommendations, I want to talk about the point of a CRM or marketing platform in general. This will allow you to have an online presence and bring clients in to build trust and save time on both ends, for your clients and you.
There are five important elements that you need in a platform or system that allows you to bring a client from lead capture to quoting. They are:
- Landing Page - A simple website - shows information about you and allows people to take the next steps in working with you
- Intake From - Where you gather the information you need about the client to decipher if it’s the right fit on both sides and allows you to pre-qualify the lead.
- Scheduler - This allows you to set times you can take calls and allows the potential new client to choose a time.
- Contract System - This element allows you to send a contract to your new client and obtain their e-signature before working together.
- Way to Get Paid - An element that allows you to get paid, set up auto-pay with clients, follow up on invoices, and so on. Automating this makes it a lot easier.
Quiz: Finding the Right CRM Platform for You
Each person has their own goals and preferences as far as CRM or marketing platforms go. That’s where my recommendations come in. I highly recommend taking my quiz at this point to see what your needs are out of a CRM, which will make the process of choosing a CRM or marketing platform much easier. Access the quiz here: www.katieferro.com/quiz
The quiz will take you to a result as far as what platform is best for you and a handout that compares these platforms to one another.
Here are some things that the quiz touches upon:
- What do you want the platform to do?
- Do you already have a website?
- How do you feel about technology?
- Do you plan to sell digital products for courses?
- How important is budget for you?
- Do you plan to blog?
- Which bookkeeping software do you prefer and use?
This quiz can really help you connect which platform is best for you and your business based on your goals and what’s important to you, so I HIGHLY suggest you take it!
Platform Comparisons
Let’s get into some quick comparisons of these three different platforms.
Each of the three platforms I recommend allows you to do the following:
- Create a client intake form
- Receive intake forms and reply with a customized, automated email
- Accepts payment directly to the platform
- Set up auto-pay
Honeybook and Dubsado allow you to do the following:
- Use a native scheduler (Kajabi does not have one, but I use a separate free platform for this)
- Accepts electronic signature (Kajabi does not do this, but I use HelloSign for free or EverSign)
This is a quick and dirty comparison on some major feature differences I’ve noticed that I think are worth pointing out as you work towards making your decision.
My Experience With Kajabi
I use the marketing platform Kajabi. It has a few things that the other platforms don’t. Those elements are:
- The ability to host an entire website - you can customize your site very nicely with this platform
- Ability to sell digital products - This is a big thing for my business that brings in nice additional revenue for me.
- Leverage Affiliates in Your Network - Kajabi allows you to use your clients as affiliates that refer people to your digital products, which is a great feature
- Blog and Podcast Functionality - Additional functionality that will help you grow your business and drive traffic to your site
- Email Marketing - Kajabi allows you to send out emails (not newsletters) in an easy and fun way. Nurture your audience with these messages with efficiency thanks to this feature.
Now that I’ve detailed these elements of the platform I choose to work with, I want to talk about some of the nitty-gritty details of all three platform options.
Nitty-Gritty Details on These Three Platforms
Here is the list of bookkeeping software that integrates with each platform:
- Kajabi works with Xero and QuickBooks for bookkeeping software
- Dubsado works nicely with QuickBooks and Xero as it accepts payment through Square, PayPal, and Stripe
- Honeybook works best with QBO and there is an integration that allows it to work with QuickBooks Online. However, Honeybook does not integrate well with Xero, so this is something to note.
For the cost of these, the breakdown is as follows:
- Kajabi - $149 a month or $1,428 annually
- Dubsado - $40 a month or $490 annually
- Honeybook - $39 a month or $390 annually
I have special discounts for each of these, which I link here:
- 30-Day Kajabi Trial https://app.kajabi.com/r/K2WSUjRh/t/6btmnkm9
- Get 20% off Dubsado http://dubsado.com/?c=katieferro
- Take $200 off your first year of Honeybook http://share.honeybook.com/katieferro
It’s All Based on Your Goals: The Bottom Line
Each business is different in which CRM or marketing platform is most in alignment with its goals and current state. That’s why it’s so important to take my quiz to zero in on which platform is best suited for your business at this moment to allow you to make an educated decision.
Ready to take action? Apply for the program that's right for you:
If you're looking for more insight on how to become a bookkeeper, and how to say hello to a more confident business model, enroll in Become A Bookkeeper (BABs).
Or, if you’re confident in your skills as a bookkeeper and want to learn how to grow and scale your bookkeeping business, you can apply for Life By The Books™ (Libby).
If you have enjoyed this blog post, head on over to Instagram and share your IG stories and tag me, @orderlyaccountingbykatie
