The 5 Best CRMs for Local Digital Ad Sales

May 20, 2020

Like many other digital tools, customer relationship management software is constantly evolving. It’s up to local publishers, and their in-house sales teams, to stay on top of the latest developments as they navigate the marketplace in search of the very best CRMs for local digital ad sales.

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, the CRM marketplace has blown up in the past few years. Digital publishers today have hundreds of CRMs to choose from, each with its own unique features, capabilities, and price points. According to analysts at Forrester Research, artificial intelligence and automation are improving the way people use CRMs. Although more companies are using CRMs with bots, this kind of highly-sophisticated software can be overwhelming when first onboarding.

To help you sort through the vast landscape of CRM platforms, we created this list of the best CRMs for local digital ad sales. This article will guide you through what makes the most popular platforms unique and how you can optimize each platform’s tools for even better results. Just remember: There is no one-size-fits-all solution here. Use this guide as a jumping off point as you explore the best ways to use CRMs for local digital ad sales.

Top CRMs for Local Digital Ad Sales

1. Ad Sales Genius
A CRM specifically built for advertising, events, and media sales, Ad Sales Genius is a clear favorite among CRMs for local digital ad sales. The software handles media sales, production, and delivery across magazines, publishing, expos, and broadcast. It supports thousands of advertising types and media products, and it’s completely customizable, so it can grow with its users over time. Ad Sales Genius differentiates itself by unifying the entire publishing organization. That means publishers can use the software to generate flat plans and power their online content marketing, while their events teams use the same platform to sell package sponsorships and their marketing teams use the platform to place ads.

2. Streak
Streak calls itself the “CRM for sales.” Local sales reps can use the software to manage sales pipelines inside of Gmail. Streak captures deals and turns Gmail into a fully-featured CRM. Users can quickly add new columns of any type or rearrange the stages in their pipelines. They can then filter all that information into custom views of individual deals. Sales teams will oftentimes choose Streak because of its collaboration features. For example, collaborators can read full emails even if they’re not included in the thread, and Streak can link together communication from separate teams. Tracking tools are also useful, so reps know when to follow up and how often their emails have been viewed. 

3. Salesmate
Local digital ad sales teams that are looking for ways to organize sales processes and win more deals can try Salesmate on for size. The automated sales CRM platform eliminates much of the busywork that goes with digital ad sales and uses modern technology to engage prospects at the most opportune times. Publishers can replace spreadsheets with visual sales pipelines, and set sales and revenue goals for each of their individual reps. Email templates and email tracking are helpful tools for learning how prospects are engaging with emails. A two-way email sync feature ensures that inboxes and the Salesmate platform are always kept in-sync. For larger teams, Salesmate supports lead assignments and automated follow-up sequences to drive better engagement with contacts.

4. Pipedrive
Pipedrive designed its sales CRM and pipeline management software to keep publishers selling. Because advertising and sponsorships are the primary revenue stream for most media and publishing firms, the Pipedrive CRM platform was specifically set up to help sales reps stay laser-focused on the right deals. Pipedrive is full of features that help publishers prioritize deals, track performance, and predict revenue. Sales reps can track calls, emails, and contact histories in one place. Teams can automate their sales efforts to decrease the busywork and administrative tasks that slow them down. Pipedrive says companies using its platform see a 28% average increase in close rates after their first year.

5. Salesforce
Salesforce is a giant in the world of customer relationship management. The company has been around for years, and it has cultivated a reputation as a reliable and innovative platform for businesses in a huge variety of industries. Salesforce is able to unify larger publishers’ marketing, sales, service, and IT teams with a suite of apps. Sales teams, in particular, can use Salesforce’s tools to track and deliver proposals and contracts, along with automating their billing processes. Salesforce makes the most sense for larger digital ad sales teams with robust budgets.

Want to learn more about how to choose the right CRM for your local ad sales team? Reach out to our team here at Broadstreet, and we’ll point you in the right direction.