Streak CRM
Streak is a CRM that integrates with your Gmail inbox and helps to organize and manage all of your emails.
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You can add the basic version of Streak CRM to Chrome for free:
Are you struggling to manage communication across your business? Maybe it’s time to invest in a customer relationship manager (CMS).
A CMS is a system built to help manage communication and improve relationships with current and prospective clients.
Streak is a CRM that integrates with your Gmail inbox and helps to organize and manage all of your emails. Benefitting from customizable workflows, Streak allows you and your team to track different processes such as recruitment, sales, and project management. It also offers other efficiency-improving tools such as email tracking, mail merge, and pre-written templates.
Want to know more about Streak CRM? You’re in the right place. Below, we explore the customer relationship manager in more detail.
Streak is a well-designed tool that combines a robust CRM with the simplicity of Gmail. While it may seem basic at first, the tool boasts some powerful features that can improve efficiency and streamline your emails.
Below we explore some of the benefits of Streak in more detail.
One of our favorite things about Streak is that you can use the software to build any type of workflow. A standard CRM is purely used to manage customer relationships, but Streak takes things up a notch and allows you to build workflows for other processes too.
In addition to tracking new leads, Streak can be used to track emails on new projects and manage recruitment. If you can break down a process into steps, you can build it as a workflow in Streak. For instance, you could use the software to streamline content creation, potential resumes, or to manage and prioritize IT support.
As you can build any type of workflow, Streak may be able to replace other tools you’re already using. This could help you to reduce your monthly subscriptions and save a ton of cash.
Streak boasts some impressive collaboration features. For instance, you can create teams, assign different roles for each team, and share multiple pipelines. Once you’ve shared a pipeline, you’ll have a central location for you and your team to view contact information and other details. You can also add comments, set reminders, and assign tasks with due dates – all helping to keep your business running smoothly.
One of the best things about Streak is email power tools. You don’t have to use these but doing so will ensure you get the most from the CRM.
You’ll have access to email tracking, mail merge, a thread splitter, and pre-written emails or snippets. These power tools work within Gmail and provide valuable insight into what you’re doing right and what needs rethinking. Essentially, they’re another tool to help you work more efficiently.
Better still, the tools can be used together. For instance, using snippets and mail merge features together allows you to create and save email templates and then send personalized copies to multiple leads. This can save valuable time and energy over a period of time!
Streak comes with email scheduling and reminders to keep you on top of things. If you receive an email that you’re not ready to reply to yet, use the snooze button to temporarily archive it and bring it back to the top of your inbox a few days later. For instance, if you receive an email on Thursday afternoon that you don’t want to reply to until Friday, you can snooze the message and set it to reappear in the morning.
You can also use Streak to schedule emails to be sent at a later date. For instance, if you’re writing an email in the evening but you don’t want a client to receive it until the morning, you can select a preferred date and time and Streak will send the message automatically.
One of the best things about Streak is that it’s free to use the basic version. We would recommend you invest in a paid plan though to take full advantage of all the key features including mail merge, email tracking, unlimited pipelines, and full CRM features.
With this in mind, the Streak CRM is perfect for freelancers or small business owners looking to get started with CRM.
While Streak has plenty of benefits, there are, of course, a few downfalls to the software. Below, we explore these in more detail.
As Streak is a Gmail plugin, it doesn’t have all of the features found in a dedicated CRM. For instance, the reporting and forecasting functionality is limited and the automation capabilities aren’t as diverse as fully-fledged CRM platforms.
As Streak was built exclusively for Google, it only works with Gmail and relies on the G Suite. Also, you can only use the software on Google Chrome and Safari at present as it doesn’t support other browsers or email providers.
If you’re an Outlook user, this means that Streak might not be ideal for you. However, if you’re already using Gmail, the software will be a handy add-on that allows you to manage your workflow from one central location.
Streak has four pricing plans – Free, Solo, Pro, and Enterprise.
According to the company website, the Free plan is ideal for individuals trying out Streak for an unlimited period of time. With the Free plan, you get private pipelines, 500 boxes, 50 mail merge per day, email tracking and snippets, G Suite integrations, mobile access, auto-boxing, and basic CRM.
Coming in at $15 per user per month, the solo plan is designed for single users and professionals looking for an all-purpose CRM. With this plan, you get private pipelines, 5000 boxes, 800 mail merge per day, email tracking and snippets, G Suite integrations, mobile access, auto-boxing, basic CRM, and email support.
Advertised as the company’s most popular plan, the Pro plan is priced at $49 per user per month. It’s designed for any sized business or team looking for a complete CRM solution. It comes with private pipelines, shared pipelines, unlimited boxes, 1500 mail merges per day, email tracking and snippets, G Suite integrations, mobile access, auto-boxing, advanced CRM, standard API, basic data validation, basic permissions, and email support.
Priced at $129 per user per month, the Enterprise plan is suitable for businesses looking for deep customization and data validation. It comes with private pipelines, shared pipelines, unlimited boxes, 1,500 mail merges per day, email tracking and snippets, G Suite integration, mobile access, auto-boxing, advanced CRM, Webhook API, custom data validation, custom permissions, priority support, and custom billing.
So, now you know what Streak is, but how do you use it? Like most software, Streak can seem a little confusing at first; however, it shouldn’t take you long to get the hang of things thanks to its easy-to-use interface and simple design. Below, we go through step-by-step instructions on how to use Streak CRM or you can also watch the official how to video from Streak:
To get started with Streak you need to install the Streak extension to your browser. Depending on whether you’re using Google Chrome or Safari, this can be downloaded from either the Chrome Web Store or the Safari Extension Gallery. As we mentioned in the ‘cons’ section of the review, you can’t use the software on any other browsers at this stage.
Once Streak is installed, you can start setting up your workflows. As we explored earlier, the software uses pipelines to track different workflows. For instance, you could have one pipeline to organize projects and another to manage leads, or whatever combination suits your business.
Streak is equipped with pre-built templates for different processes, including projects, support tickets, recruitment, and investment deals. If you can’t find a pre-built template to suit your needs, don’t panic! There’s also the option to build your own pipeline from scratch.
Once you’ve set up your pipelines, the next step is to add different stages to them. Essentially, stages are the steps in your workflow, and they show you how a project moves from start to finish. If you’re not sure what stages you need at the start, that’s fine – you can add and remove stages as you go. Each stage can be color customized for easy reference, which is a nice touch.
Once your workflow is set up, you’ll need to decide which information you want to record so that it can be organized conveniently. This information is displayed in columns, which you can add, delete, or move as needed. You can customize fields with checkboxes, dropdown, date, or freeform columns, allowing you to collect almost any type of contact data.
Streak has recently introduced something they call ‘Magic Columns’. These columns are automatically generated using data collected by Streak. For instance, you could introduce a Magic Column with the ‘last received email’ dates, showing you exactly how responsive a client or contact is.
On Streak, all the data from your customers is stored in a centralized location known as a ‘box’. Boxes appear in your pipeline as a single line and can be added, deleted, or moved through the different stages of your pipeline.
When an email comes in, you’ll need to assign it to a box as soon as possible. Until you have done this, the email won’t appear in Streak and you won’t be able to start tracking the information. Depending on what works best for you, you can add emails from an email thread, when you’re composing a new email, or directly from your inbox.
Once you’ve assigned your boxes, the final step is to manage them. If you want to view more information about a client or contact, you can click through to view the box. You’ll then be able to see all the associated files, notes, emails, and call logs.
When managing your boxes, you can assign upcoming tasks, set up reminders, and see changes made using the timeline feature. You can customize the layout of the box according to your needs, which is ideal for those storing large amounts of information.
With multiple plans available, Streak is suitable for a wide range of freelancers and businesses. As the software works with Gmail and the G Suite, it’s obviously best for users that are already using Gmail. However, if you’re happy to make the switch from Outlook or another email provider, Streak could work for you too!
Overall, the software is affordable, has great customization options, and integrates seamlessly with the rest of the G Suite. It provides a central place to store all of your contact information and allows you to efficiently manage each interaction. There’s also the option to collaborate with your team if needed and work through the pipelines together.
Of course, Streak doesn’t boast all the features of a full-fledged CRM. This means that it may not be suitable for larger companies that need in-depth reporting or advanced workflow automation. Before ruling it out, though, have a read through the pros, cons, and what you get with each pricing plan – you may be surprised!
If your business isn’t overly complicated, Streak may well suit your needs. If you’re looking to manage different workflows, including project management, sales, and recruitment, and make your business more efficient, Streak CRM is well worth checking out.
Unsure whether the software is for you? Spend a few weeks trialing the free plan. If you enjoy the basic features but feel you’d benefit from a few more, upgrade your plan as necessary.
Add the basic version of Streak CRM to Chrome for free or sign up for a paid account here:
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