You’ve probably come across the terms CRM and CMS as you grow your business’s footprint. These two tools serve different purposes, but both can help your team stay organized and make running your company easier.
So what’s the difference between a CRM and a CMS and which one do you need?
If you’re asking these questions, you’re in luck. In this post, we’ll look at the definition of CRM and CMS, their differences, the needs they address, and why integrating them is essential.
A customer relationship management (CRM) platform is a smart hub for your customer data. It does more than just store customer information. It enables you to understand your customers better, automate outreach, and generate reports so you can streamline your sales processes.
With a CRM, you can create targeted and organized messages to reach and convert more prospects. The result? You create better relationships, gain new customers, and keep them happy and loyal to your brand.
A CRM like Nutshell helps your sales and marketing teams turn leads into closed deals and keep your existing customers satisfied.
A content management system (CMS) is used to create, edit, and publish content on your website with a user-friendly interface that requires no coding skills. A CMS is one of the first tools you need to set up your website.
Think of it as the central hub of your website’s content—from codes and page templates to text and images that site visitors see. A CMS makes it easy for you to update your website with new products, blog posts, or landing pages for your latest campaigns.
Some CMS examples include:
Both CRM and CMS software can help grow your business, but they serve different purposes.
A CRM stores customer information and helps nurture customer relationships, while a CMS enables you to update your website and create pages. Together, they provide a pleasant journey for your prospects and customers.
With a CMS, you can craft user-friendly landing pages for your customers to browse. Did a customer inquire about one of your products? Let your CRM provide more information and exclusive offers to a customer to nurture your relationships.
The table below summarizes the key differences between a CRM and a CMS:
CRM | CMS | |
Benefits |
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Key Features |
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Though the differences between a CRM and CMS are clear, you’re probably still asking yourself, “Which one does my business need?”
There are a few instances where a CMS will suit your needs just fine, such as if you need to:
On the other hand, a CRM is your best option if you need to:
Of course, you may have realized that CRM and CMS platforms aren’t mutually exclusive. You can absolutely use both to advance your business goals and get the results you’re looking for.
What if you want to have website visitors fill out a form with information you can then use to nourish the relationship? A CMS will help you create the perfect website, while a CRM with web form collection enables you to create new leads with each form submission.
How about if you’re thinking about scaling your business? Consider using a CRM and CMS to help you reach more prospects and nurture them to become happy and loyal customers.
Using a CMS and CRM separately can be great, but integrating the two tools can provide even greater value. Integrating your CRM and CMS will provide these benefits to your business:
Explore Nutshell’s integrations with top CMS platforms and beyond.
A CRM and a CMS address different needs. When used and integrated correctly, a CRM and CMS tandem can take your business to new heights.
Consider using Nutshell as your CRM. It’s an affordable and flexible growth platform that you can tweak according to your business’s needs. In addition, you can integrate it with WordPress, Shopify, and other popular CMS platforms.
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