(This was first created way back in 2013 at the request of my fellow Keap Certified Consultants, who asked me to do a review of Zoho vs. Keap to go along with my many other reviews of platforms such as Ontraport, HubSpot, etc. To see live demos of platforms by their founders, check out The CRM Sushi Podcast.)
(Related: Zoho CRM support issues.)
CRMs Are Dead!
Ha.
Don't you love headlines like that?
Sidebar: When you see headlines like this—SEO is Dead! CRMs are Dead! Email marketing is Dead!—understand you're about to be sold...or manipulated in an attempt sell you.
"Ahhh Wes...did you just admit to being a manipulating salesman?"
Ahhh...well...no! When I explain "the trick," then I'm not trying to trick you, ya see? I'm trying to help you defend the trick. So I'm one of those rare, honest salesmen. No. Really. You can trust me!
Sidebar to the Sidebar: Hold onto your wallet when a salesman says any variation of:
- "Honestly/In all honesty."
- "You can trust me."
- "I'm a believer."
- "May I be frank with you?" (Ahh...you haven't been until now?)
Ugh. But I digress.
CRMs really are dead...mostly!
Here's the deal. The standalone Rolodex in the sky is dead.
This was announced definitively in 2013 when the grandaddy CRM of 'em all, Salesforce.com, bought ExactTarget, who had already purchased Pardot.
ExactTarget was an email marketing platform, and Pardot was a process automation platform.
SFDC understood that CRMs are only good if you can take timely action on the data they store; thus, those key acquisitions back in the day.
But Keap had been doing salesforce automation and marketing automation for over a decade before SFDC made its entry into the space.
Automation Is The Name of The Game
Keap (Infusionsoft) was founded when an entrepreneur called them in a panic.
He could not easily split his database between customers and prospects, which resulted in him sending a 30% off promo to his entire list on a multi-thousand dollar course.
He lost a lot of customers who demanded full refunds, and for those he kept, he had to match the promo price, which had a huge impact on his business, thus the frantic call.
So, a company's origin story matters.
Like Keap (Infusionsoft), Zoho was founded by brothers and friends, but they started a little earlier—1996—and they remain headquartered in India. (That's my oldest, Jake, and me having dinner in India in 2018 when I visited him during his semester in Hyderabad. We also visited Jaipur, which I highly recommend.)
But in 1996, Zoho was also a different name—AdventNet—but they were focused on network management solutions. It wasn't until 2009 that they became Zoho with a new focus on SaaS CRMs, which they began working on in 2005.
To this day, Zoho remains headquartered in India, which has historically been a problem for support.
Support Is The Name of The Game
I've been a Mac user since April 2004 because their stuff just works, and I can reach U.S.-based tech support on the phone when I need help.
I've been a customer and partner of Keap since October 2008 because they also make affordable, integrated tools for SMBs, and offer great training and support.
I've been a customer and partner of HubSpot since September 2014 because they also make great software, have great training, and offer 24/7 phone support with smart, savvy support agents.
DO. NOT. UNDERESTIMATE. THE VALUE. OF. GREAT. SUPPORT. It can make or break your business...or at least your sanity.
Scalability Is The Name of The Game
As you grow, will your CRM grow with you, and will it allow you to grow without huge payment penalties?
Zoho still offers a free plan, but things can escalate quickly from there as they now offer five paid versions, which is a bit much, but then the add-ons can start adding up for an SMB.
(Don't even get me started on HubSpot's pricing model now. Good grief! Thank God they make great software, which makes their pricing kinda tolerable, but I digress.)
(Oh, and don't get me started on the crazy pricing gyrations Keap has gone through over the last few years, but I think they've finally calmed down and stabilized that...FINALLY! But I digress yet again.)
The thing to keep in mind here is most SaaS platforms today lure you in with free or low-cost pricing, then make it up as you grow and need to expand your CRM capabilities.
HubSpot has become a huge company by mastering the freemium model, so there's nothing wrong with it, per se, as long as you know how this will affect you as you grow.
Zoho has a lot of little add-ons and upgrades that are included with many other platforms, such as Keap, so dig in before you buy.
Hint: This is why I offer my Process Before Login service. Document and plan before you buy.
At the end of the day, everyone knows I'm biased towards Keap and HubSpot.
However, I have had a Zoho account longer than I've had an Infusionsoft/Keap account, and the reason I use Keap is that since 2008, it has helped me grow my business without adding staff.
Keap is simpler than ever, offering more affordable, transparent pricing.
Keap focuses on what entrepreneurs need and gives to them/us.
Keap is cutting out the fluff.
Keap offers great support.
The Keap ecosystem is seasoned and effective.
Since 2008, Keap has helped me collect the names of subscribers and prospects, nurture them, make sales, deliver my offerings, and stay in touch with them automatically, day or night, rain or shine!
Nobody else does this at this price point, with this type of support, and with this ease of use.
I hope this helps.
Market like you mean it.
Now go sell something.
