How To Choose The Right CRM For Your Creative Business
If you’ve ever gone down the rabbit hole of CRM tools and thought, “Why are there SO many options?” — you’re not alone.
HoneyBook. Dubsado. 17hats. Clientjoy. Keap. HubSpot. Salesforce. And somehow… more keep popping up.
I’m Lauren from The Smarter Creative, and I help creative entrepreneurs work smarter inside their businesses instead of harder. One of the biggest system decisions I help clients make is choosing the right CRM — because the right one can completely change how your business runs behind the scenes.
Today, I’m breaking down what a CRM actually is and the four most important things to look for when choosing one — especially if you’re a service-based business.
First things first: what is a CRM?
CRM stands for Client Relationship Management.
At its core, a CRM is the place where you:
- Track your clients and leads
- See how you’re serving them
- Manage contracts, invoices, forms, and emails
- Understand your sales and client history
CRMs are used by both service-based and product-based businesses. Even if you sell products through tools like Square, a CRM can show you things like purchase history, average spend, and lifetime value.
That said, most of my examples here are geared toward service-based businesses, since that’s who I specialize in working with — but the decision-making framework still applies no matter what you sell.
1. User experience: does this system work for your brain?
This one matters more than people realize.
Ask yourself:
- Do you like how the system looks?
- Is it intuitive, or does it feel overwhelming?
- Can you customize it?
If a CRM feels clunky, confusing, or visually overstimulating, you’ll avoid using it — no matter how powerful it is.
Every CRM has a learning curve (it is a new way of organizing information), but some are easier to jump into than others.
For example:
- HoneyBook is known for being very beginner-friendly and guiding you step-by-step
- Clientjoy is simple and easy to navigate
- Dubsado is incredibly powerful, but has a steeper setup curve upfront
I’m a certified Dubsado specialist, and one reason my business exists is because Dubsado can feel intense at first. The flip side? Once it’s set up, it makes so much sense and is very easy to use day-to-day.
Only you can decide which system fits how your brain works — and that’s okay.
2. Does it actually do what you need it to do?
Before choosing a CRM, get clear on what you need it to handle.
Some questions to consider:
- Do you need contracts and invoices?
- Appointment scheduling?
- Forms and questionnaires?
- A client portal?
- Payment plans or packages?
If you could automate your ideal client experience, what would that look like?
Some CRMs are industry-specific, which can be a huge advantage. For example:
- Photography CRMs often include gallery delivery
- Practice (practice.io) is built specifically for coaches and excels at package-based services
Practice shines if you sell session packages and want clients to clearly see how many sessions they have left — which not every CRM handles well.
Another big consideration: email marketing.
Some CRMs (like Keap) combine CRM + email marketing in one system. The benefit? You can see exactly who clicked, who converted, and how everything connects.
The downside? Cost. CRMs that include email marketing tend to jump from ~$40–$50/month to $200+ per month.
There’s no wrong answer here — it’s about deciding whether you want:
- One all-in-one system
- Or separate tools that talk to each other
3. Will this CRM grow with you?
I always encourage clients to think 6 months to 3 years ahead.
Ask yourself:
- Are you planning to expand your services?
- Add packages or retainers?
- Grow a team?
You don’t want to invest time setting up a CRM only to outgrow it in a year.
Even if you don’t need all the features today, choosing a system you can grow into gives you room to scale without rebuilding everything from scratch.
This is especially important if you plan to hire:
- Admin support
- A sales team
- Contractors who need limited access
Different CRMs handle multi-user access very differently, so pay attention to:
- What teammates can see
- What actions they can take
- Whether permissions are customizable
You’re building something — make sure your systems can grow with you.
4. Longevity matters more than you think
This one is often overlooked.
How long has the CRM been around? And are they actively improving the platform?
I’ve personally used a tool that shut down with only a few months’ notice. While they gave users time to export data, losing a core system is stressful — especially when your business relies on it.
A few things I watch for:
- How long the company has been operating
- Size and engagement of their user base
- Whether they use their own software internally
If a company is selling you a CRM but using a different one to manage their leads — that’s a red flag to me.
There’s no guarantee any tool will exist forever, but longevity and active development are good signs.
My favorite CRM tools (and who they’re best for)
Zao
Zao is one of my top favorite CRM tools — and not just because I’m a certified specialist. It’s a powerful, flexible system that can handle a lot of complexity for service-based businesses. Zao really shines if you want deep customization and the ability to design your systems your way. It does have a learning curve upfront, but once it’s set up, it’s incredibly efficient to use day-to-day.
Dubsado
Another favorite for service-based businesses that want robust automation and customization. Dubsado is powerful, flexible, and scalable — but it does require thoughtful setup to really shine.
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HoneyBook
A beautiful, beginner-friendly option that guides you through a proven client flow. Less customizable than Zao or Dubsado, but incredibly easy to use and very intuitive.
👉 Get 20% off your first year with my link.
Practice (practice.io)
An excellent CRM for coaches. The client portal, chat features, and package tracking are standout features — especially if you sell session-based packages.
👉 Use code TSC (monthly) or TSC1 (annual) for a discount.
Each of these tools is reasonably priced and worth the investment if you’re ready to get organized.
Final thoughts
There is no “perfect” CRM — only the one that works best for you, your clients, and your future goals.
Getting your client information, contracts, invoices, and sales data into one place can completely transform how your business runs behind the scenes.
If you want help choosing or setting up the right CRM, I’d love to support you.
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With systems (and intention) on your side,
Lauren ✨
