How to Use Notion as Your Go-To CRM: 5 Quick Steps

Notion has become an increasingly popular tool for managing all kinds of tasks, and its ability to be adapted as a customer relationship management (CRM) system is gaining attention. Using Notion as a CRM lets businesses keep customer information in one place, track interactions, and organize their workflow all on one platform. For small businesses or freelancers, it’s an easy-to-use and budget-friendly alternative to traditional CRM software, with a simple setup that can be tailored to fit the business’s unique needs.

Notion: Helping Businesses Grow

Notion is a flexible tool that combines note-taking, task management, and sharing information all in one place. It helps businesses stay organized, improve efficiency, and work better as a team. One of its main benefits is how easily it can be adapted to different workflows and needs. With its simple drag-and-drop features, users can create custom databases, project boards, and add to-do lists or calendars.

For businesses looking for a CRM, Notion lets you set up contact databases, manage sales pipelines, and keep track of customer interactions in a way that fits your style. The best part is its flexibility and ease of use. Teams can create different views, like tables, calendars, or Kanban boards, to see the customer journey in the format that works for them. 

Benefits of a CRM System

A CRM system is key for businesses that want to build strong customer relationships. It keeps all customer information in one place and helps organize interactions, leading to improved customer experiences. Here are some of the benefits of using a CRM system and how Notion comes into play:

• Improved Customer Relationships: Having all customer data in one place helps businesses understand and communicate better with customers, leading to stronger relationships and more satisfaction.
• Increased Efficiency: Centralizing customer info in Notion helps avoid the hassle of using multiple tools, making it easier to track interactions, set reminders, and organize tasks, saving time.
• Better Data Management: Storing customer data in one organized place makes it easy to access and manage, helping teams avoid mistakes and stay on top of important information.
• Enhanced Collaboration: Notion lets team members work together easily, allowing them to update customer info, assign tasks, and add notes in real-time for smoother teamwork.
• Scalability: Notion grows with your business. You can easily add new fields, databases, and views to adjust the CRM system as your needs change.

Step-by-Step Guide on Using Notion as a CRM

Notion’s flexibility allows businesses to set up a CRM system tailored to their needs. Follow these steps to create your own custom CRM:

Create a New Page for Your CRM

Start by creating a new page in Notion. This will act as your CRM dashboard, where you can add links to all the related databases and workflows. You can name it “CRM Dashboard” or anything that suits your business.

Set Up Customer Databases

Notion allows you to create databases where you can store customer information. Begin by adding properties such as name, email, phone number, and any other relevant details that will help you track your clients. You can also add properties for the stage of interaction (e.g., lead, negotiation, closed) and keep a log of communication history.

Customize the Properties

To make your CRM more useful, customize the properties in your databases. For example, you can add a “Next Action” field where you can set reminders for follow-ups. Notion allows you to choose different types of fields, like text, date, checkbox, and more, to ensure that your database is as detailed as needed.

Design Different Views

Notion’s database can be displayed in various views like table, Kanban board, calendar, or gallery. You can use the Kanban board to visualize your sales pipeline, with columns such as “Lead,” “In Progress,” and “Closed.” For tracking follow-up dates, use the calendar view. This flexibility allows you to choose the most efficient way to visualize and organize your customer interactions.

Integrate with Other Tools

Notion allows integration with other software tools using platforms like Zapier. You can integrate Notion with email, Google Calendar, or other CRM tools to automate tasks like setting reminders, syncing customer data, or tracking appointments. This saves time and helps keep everything synchronized without manual effort.

Is Notion an Effective CRM Tool?

Notion can be an effective CRM tool, especially for small businesses, freelancers, or teams that need a customizable system without the complexity of traditional CRM software. The simplicity and adaptability of Notion make it a great option for businesses that don’t need advanced CRM features like automated workflows or AI-powered analytics.

For businesses with fewer employees or simpler CRM needs, Notion can be just as effective as more expensive, specialized CRM tools. The ability to customize databases, views, and workflows makes it possible to create a system that aligns with the team’s specific needs.

However, if your business requires advanced reporting, deep analytics, or complex automation features, you may find Notion limiting. Larger enterprises with multiple departments or customer touchpoints may find specialized CRMs like Salesforce or HubSpot more suitable due to their built-in tools and integrations.