25 Best Digital Marketing Agency Management Software For All Your Needs

Managing a digital marketing agency can feel like herding cats. You’ve got many intelligent, creative people (a.k.a. your team) doing their own thing. Then, your clients often want different things and change their minds, sometimes even after you’ve delivered their finished project. With all this going on, it’s no wonder that many agencies struggle with organization and efficient processes. This is where digital marketing agency management software comes in. This guide will examine how this all-in-one toolkit can help your agency stay organized and deliver better client services. 

Orchestra’s grow your productized service solution will help you achieve these goals. This valuable tool allows agencies to systematically and efficiently develop and manage their productized services to improve organization, streamline operations, and enhance profitability.

10 Tips To Manage A Digital Marketing Agency Efficiently

1. Leverage Agency Management Software Like Orchestra

Orchestra helps you launch your productized service effortlessly with its all-in-one growth toolkit. Designed for creatives ready to scale, Orchestra provides a branded, white-labeled client portal, task management, and real-time analytics, with no coding needed—just your Stripe account.

Whether you’re a designer, developer, or copywriter, Orchestra streamlines your workflow. It lets you collaborate with clients seamlessly while maintaining a private workspace with your team. Add integrations like Slack and webhooks to customize your setup and deliver a branded experience. Elevate your service with a platform built to grow alongside you. Try Orchestra for free to develop your productized service today.

2. Build An Agency Structure That Enables Growth

As you start to scale your agency, it’s essential to have a solid structural foundation in place to support your growth. I understood the value of having sound systems to communicate and track work, even when we were just three people. After that, my first full-time hire was a project manager, who helped keep track of all our clients and manage tasks. Think about where you’re at and where you see your agency heading. As you hire more resources, ensure that your agency structure, systems, and processes allow for growth without severely disrupting organizational hierarchy.

For example, your digital agency may have just two specialists specializing in search engine optimization. As you begin signing new clients and taking on more complex projects, you may need an agency liaison (such as an account manager) to oversee project management. Adapting to a pod agency model may be your best bet.

3. Reassess Your Pricing Structure

Knowing how to charge your clients may not always be the most straightforward task, but it’s essential. To decide on an appropriate agency pricing strategy, ask yourself: is your agency focused on short-term or long-term client projects (or a combination)? How long would these types of projects take? Should my agency consider any contractual clauses (e.g., 50% downpayment)? How do my competitors typically price their services? Are there any opportunities for pricing add-ons or upselling clients? Should my agency charge for client reports?

Agency Tip

Be sure to set your boundaries early when receiving payment. You don’t want to end up in sticky situations such as trying to convince a client to pay on time or even firing a client for payment delinquency. Include payment terms and conditions in your client’s contractual agreement (and stick to them). With a pre-determined pricing structure, you position your agency to send proposals and contracts quickly. But, as your agency continues to scale in size and experience, don’t be afraid to adjust your pricing structure as needed.

4. Narrow Your Niche

What does your agency want to be known for? Trying to be all things to all clients can take time to sustain as your agency continues to grow. If you haven’t already, narrow your services and target a specific niche (or two). That way, you become top-of-mind for prospects seeking your specialized product offering and expertise. Find a niche or two and be great at it. It is far easier to repeat results for similar clients than to be an expert in every field imaginable.

To become a niche agency. Clearly outline your ideal customer profile. Create advertising and inbound marketing strategies that align with prospects’ needs. Research different keyword types to understand user search intent and their pain points. Evaluate competitor websites and social media platforms to decipher who their target market is.

Develop a unique selling proposition and determine whether there are any untapped target markets. Once you decide on a niche, creating repeatable agency processes for that type of client becomes exponentially easier. You’ll be better positioned to scale and build your brand reputation.

5. Develop Standard Operating Procedures

Our onboarding was so messy that we knew we needed better processes. Now, when a client onboards, it's all automated, and each client has a smooth experience. And getting sales was always just a matter of chance. Now, we have a strategic and focused sales process that gives us a steady stream of leads. Consider your agency’s brand reputation begins prospering, and suddenly, you've onboarded ten new clients in one day! It’s excellent news, but it won’t mean much if you try to do everything from scratch and fumble during onboarding.

To avoid unnecessary hassle, create documents and procedures that can be easily customized and sent out when needed. From professional SEO proposals using a pre-built proposal template to client contracts to onboarding checklists and dashboard templates, automated processes save your agency time in the long run. The proper management system is an advance!

6. Invest in Infrastructure

When scaling their agency, Yanira M. Castro, CEO of Humanity Communications, found that the most important thing was to build out the infrastructure. It makes sense because workflow automation is non-negotiable for scaling agencies. As your roster grows, you need proper systems to ensure your agency can keep up with numerous marketing efforts and evolving demands.

I understood the value of having sound systems to communicate and track work, even when we were just three people. Infrastructure building helped us grow because there wasn't wasted time searching for something stuck in one person's email inbox. It also allowed us to become more responsive to clients, which leads to better quality work.

For example, say your client wants to run several large-scale marketing efforts in conjunction (e.g., a Facebook Ads campaign alongside a Mailchimp drip campaign). Relying on unscalable processes (such as tracking metrics through a manual spreadsheet) will only work for so long. Not only is there an increased likelihood of copy-and-paste errors, but there’s also an unnecessary waste of billable hours on tedious work.

7. Monitor Your Finances

Know your numbers! Understand the cost of doing business and delivering the work at your desired level. Once we understood our processes, workflows, and staffing needs for every project and initiative, we could price our services with profitability. Business is business, and you’re in it to make a profit.

To run your marketing agency successfully, you must monitor your financials and performance. As you deliver actionable insights to your clients, monitor your agency KPIs, such as implementing EOS rocks or measuring key retention metrics, to ensure you're keeping your hard-won clients.

8. Recruit the Right Talent

There’s power in diversity and hiring resources with various skill sets. This will bring new perspectives to your agency and ensure proper resource management while scaling. We guarantee that we have the right mix of people and support their individual needs, all while staying focused on the company as a whole. When building a company, you don't want to hire all the same people.

Just like in a recipe, you need different ingredients to make a dish shine. And a part of hiring the right people is trusting them to do their jobs. As CEO of SEOMCR, Simon Thompson, says, “I hire good people with specialist skills that can–annoyingly–do every job better than me.” After all, you have an agency to run and can't stretch yourself thin by focusing on everything.

It may be challenging to pass essential responsibilities on to someone else, but it is the only way an agency can continue to scale. The solution? Focus on hiring resources with the appropriate skill sets and trust them to do the job. That way, you won’t have to worry about micro-managing competent employees or excessive workflow management, which gives you more time to focus on agency operations.

9. Provide Ongoing Employee Training

Scaling your agency also means implementing measures for your employees’ development. As your workforce grows, your staff must be able to manage their workloads at a steady and realistic pace. Here are a few practical steps to ensure your staff is well-equipped to reach their full potential: Identify and nurture employee strengths.

Your employees are valuable assets in terms of their particularities and interests. By understanding their strengths and taking the time to cultivate them, you encourage your employees to bring their best selves to work. This leads to their professional and personal growth, as well as your agency’s. Invest in your employees and watch your agency thrive.

10. Build a Positive Agency Culture

Creating a value-based, inspiring agency culture will attract employees who align with your vision and long-term goals. It’s essential since you want to ensure your staff is on board during your growth trajectory. Our values have run deep through our company culture since we started. This list continues to evolve, strengthen, and serve as our guide.

Your agency team members spend many waking hours at work, so prioritize their job satisfaction. It’s a continual process of enacting your agency’s values (when applicable), encouraging employee engagement, and protecting morale at all costs. As Rodrigo Campos, Founder & CEO of Splurge Media, puts it, “I focus heavily on building the right culture for our business. We spend a significant amount of time together, and this time together needs to be positive, welcoming, collaborative, creative, and innovative.”

Related Reading

• What Is A Productized Service
• How To Productize A Service
• What Is an Agency Management System
• Marketing Agency Client Management
• Agency Metrics
• Agency Operations
• Avoid Common Challenges That Agencies Face
• Agency Collaboration
• Productized Service Examples
• Agency Clients
• Agency Client Relationship
• Best Agency Management Software

25 Best Digital Marketing Agency Management Software For All Your Needs

1. Orchestra: The Ultimate Toolkit for Launching Productized Services

If you want to launch a productized service, Orchestra is the best place to start. This all-in-one growth toolkit is built for creative professionals ready to scale. With Orchestra, you get a branded, white-labeled client portal, task management, and real-time analytics, with no coding needed—just your Stripe account.

Whether you’re a designer, developer, or copywriter, Orchestra streamlines your workflow. It lets you collaborate with clients seamlessly while maintaining a private workspace with your team. Add integrations like Slack and webhooks to customize your setup and deliver a branded experience. Elevate your service with a platform built to grow alongside you. Try Orchestra for free to develop your productized service today.

2. Forecast: Predictive Agency Management Software

Forecast is an agency management tool that offers a wide range of features to manage your projects, resources, time, and budget. Users typically enjoy Forecast for its extensive user interface and forecasting software that supports informed decision-making, but its project planning side could be better. The forecast can benefit agencies investing in a comprehensive solution offering resourcing and financial management support.

Pros 

• Advanced AI technology

• Cloud-based platform

• Real-time data analysis

• Seamless tech stack integration

Cons 

• Occasional software updates

• Customer service can be improved, according to some Forecast reviews

• Initial training required

3. Monday.com: Versatile Project Management Software

Some of the biggest companies in the world, like Hulu and NBC, use Monday.com, and there’s no reason why your agency shouldn’t give it a whirl, either. Monday streamlines workflows and task visualizations. It’s an excellent agency management system tool. You can create boards or visual tables to sync items and updates in real-time.

Status buttons and other presentable options include Gantt charts, maps, forms, Timelines, Calendars, Kanbans, and more. Available on Android and iOS, this highly responsive agency management software tool allows you to manage and collaborate with remote teams easily. You can assign owners for different tasks and let their AI bots focus on mundane matters, reducing the chances of human errors.

Pros 

• Forever free plan available for up to two seats

• Modern, intuitive, and visual dashboard

• Highly customizable

Cons 

• Confusing pricing plans because of per-seat (user) pricing

• Minimum team size of three for paid plans

4. Salesforce: Advanced CRM for Agency Management

Salesforce Cloud CRM is a fantastic piece of software for agency management. Although, as a CRM, it has a wide range of functionality, including a vast number of integrations, one of the areas where it truly shines is managing your communications with existing clients.

Regarding contact management, Salesforce provides a clear overview of your clients, including activity history, key contacts, customer communications, and internal account discussions. It’s easy to access critical customer data, such as their communication history, to gain a complete picture of every client.

It’s also easy to pull in relevant social data from LinkedIn and Facebook so your company can gauge customer sentiment. Salesforce CRM also recognizes that we live in a mobile-first world, and business can be conducted anywhere. That’s why Salesforce Cloud CRM is accompanied by the Salesforce Mobile App, which means you can quickly access critical data before you enter a client meeting—wherever you are.

Pros 

• Total sales pipeline management.

• A high number of integrations are available.

• Advanced reporting and customizable dashboards.

Cons 

• Expensive in comparison to competitors.

• Limited customer support.

5. Notion: Digital Agency Knowledge Base Software

Used by giants like Verizon, McDonald’s, Pixar, and The Wall Street Journal, Notion is a robust agency management software program that you should also use. It is the ultimate workspace organization app designed to empower your teams and give them unprecedented collaborative control over different projects.

From creating product roadmaps to codifying processes and building CRMs, Notion has it all. You can use it to create content calendars, prepare notes and documentation, decide on participants, send out meeting invites, and integrate with other apps. If you are using multiple B2B lead generation strategies, you can also track performance with Notion.

Many leading tech giants have also introduced their Notion integrations, so if you use other apps like Slack, you can integrate them with Notion to track your data across multiple apps. It’s one of the best ways to collaborate with teams, which is why many web design agencies worldwide are already using Notion. It’s one of the best creative agency management software tools out there.

Pros 

• Great note-taking capabilities

• Very easy to use and customize

Cons 

• Lacks advanced project management features

• Keeping multiple projects can get tedious

• Poor security features

6. Hubspot CRM: Free Client Management Software

HubSpot CRM is a customer relationship management platform designed to help businesses grow. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools to help teams manage client relationships and interactions, from tracking leads and deals to managing customer data. It also features automation capabilities to help streamline workflows for sales reps, customer service agents, and marketers.

The platform’s integration capabilities allow businesses to connect HubSpot CRM with various third-party tools, such as email marketing platforms and payment processors. With its intuitive user interface, comprehensive suite of features, and integration capabilities, HubSpot CRM is an ideal tool for businesses of all sizes.

Pros 

• Contact and pipeline management

• Email and prospect tracking

• Email template builder

Cons 

• Expensive pricing plans compared to other client management software

• Lacks intuitive tools for workflow automation

7. Apptivo CRM: Affordable All-in-One CRM Software

Apptivo CRM is an affordable and highly customizable platform that aims to be a one-stop solution for all your business software needs. In addition to essential CRM functionality, it also includes tools for such tasks as accounting, invoicing, and project management. It's easy to use and supports Android and iOS mobile devices.

Pros 

• Comprehensive feature set with various customization options

• Outstanding mobile applications, granular security controls, and 24-hour support

Cons 

• Performance can feel sluggish

• Could use extended APIs

8. Harvest: Time Tracking Software

Harvest is an easy tool for tracking time and expenses. It provides clear reports on time spent on a project and the agency’s billable hours. Harvest’s integration capabilities make it easy to integrate with your current workflow and tech stack.

Pros 

• Clean interface and easy navigation

• Option to generate invoices and share them with clients through email

• Comprehensive integrations (50+)

Cons 

• Per-user pricing can be costly for larger teams

• Customization and reporting capabilities are limited

• The software seems too basic for larger enterprises or those with complex project management needs

9. Zoho CRM: Omnichannel Client Management Software

One of the areas where Zoho CRM stands out as a client management tool is its omnichannel approach. This allows firms to engage with clients via whichever medium they prefer, whether email, telephone, or something else. Zoho CRM has made a great effort to become an all-in-one platform. It allows businesses to monitor lead activity and customer buyer preferences.

You can also view price lists or documents without changing applications - everything your company needs for client management is here. Given that AI is such a hot topic right now, it should come as little surprise to hear that Zoho offers users its assistance. You won’t find ChatGPT levels of intelligence here, but personal assistant Zia Voice can retrieve information, update accounts, and generate performance reports.

It’s certainly a handy addition that improves Zoho’s ease of use. Although there is no free tier with Zoho CRM, a free trial is available. Given that the platform is currently used by more than 150,000 businesses across 180 countries, a free trial may be all you need before you’re convinced this is the right client management software for you.

Pros 

• Workflow automation

• Customization

• Email marketing

Cons 

• Steep learning curve

• Limited customer support

10. Productive: Agency Management Software Built for Digital Agencies

Productive is a well-rounded agency management software with powerful functionality that gives you the tools and data to keep an agency running smoothly. The tool was built by a team with a decade of experience in founding, managing, and scaling a software development shop, so it's especially well-suited to digital agencies.

The tool's features fully satisfy my criteria for agency management tools. In the Sales Pipeline, you'll find client and prospect management (manage deal flow, get sales organized). The Resource Planning feature, time tracker, and task collaboration tools fit the resource and project management criteria I look for in an agency tool or platform.

Billing and invoicing can also be managed straight from the tool, along with valuable reports on profitability and costs to help with finance management. The reporting feature goes quite a bit beyond that, with real-time reports on margins, utilization, and much more, including reports on individual employees' or contractors' history with the company, salary reports, etc. Productive's integrations include Zapier, Jira, Open API, QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Exact.

Pros 

• Customizable Dashboards: Enhanced customization allows users to tailor their workspace to their needs, providing a more personalized and efficient management experience.

• Integrated Financial Management: This feature integrates financial tracking with project management, offering a seamless experience for budget and expense oversight.

• Client Portal: Including a client portal sets Productive.io apart, enhancing client engagement and transparency.

Cons 

• Learning Curve: New users may find the platform slightly complex, requiring time to thoroughly understand and utilize all its features.

• Customization Constraints: While customizable, some users might need more customization options for their specific needs.

11. Freshworks CRM: Customer-Centric Client Management Software

Freshworks CRM makes it easier for teams to track leads, automate marketing campaigns, segment customers into different categories, manage customer data in one place, and quickly build customer relationships.

Businesses can increase revenue and better understand their customers through features like contact management, lead scoring, customer segmentation, task automation, and customer insights. The CRM tool also helps teams stay organized by providing detailed reporting on customer interactions and allowing users to set up rules-based workflows to automate repetitive tasks.

Additionally, Freshworks CRM integrates with popular third-party applications like Google Apps, Zapier, and Mailchimp, making it even easier for teams to get the most out of their customer data!

Pros 

• Pipeline management to visualize the entire sales process organized by stage

• Sales Goals to set and track goals based on revenue or the number of deals

• Drag-and-drop interface

Cons 

• Project management features are only available on expensive plans

• Limited reporting capabilities to customize key metrics

12. Scoro: All-in-One Business Management Software

Scoro project management offers a range of features to help you manage your projects and resources. It’s a good option for service-providing businesses looking for a single platform to manage their day-to-day operations, but it can be difficult to onboard. Users like Scoro because it’s good business management software with many features to help teams collaborate and manage tasks. Since it focuses on project management, time tracking, and invoicing, it can be a good choice for businesses looking to automate daily processes.

Pros 

• Data-focused and detailed, perfect for project managers,

• Offers a continuous and logical flow, from quote to project to invoice to final project delivery, suitable for many different business processes,

• Provides a good onboarding experience,

Cons 

• It is a lot to take in, quite overwhelming at the beginning,

• Moving to Scoro will take quite a bit of time due to the amount of data we will have to transfer and the time it’ll take to introduce our team to Scoro,

• The UI, although modern, could use some improvements to package the amount of data it presents or requires better, like in the many numbers we can enter when working on our quotes,

13. Creatio: Low-Code BPM and CRM Software

Sales Creatio has undergone several name changes but remains a top CRM choice. Its specialty is larger sales organizations, and it does a good job catering to their needs. Creatio also offers tools for business process management (BPM), marketing automation, and help desks, enabling customers to address multiple business objectives in a unified way.

Pros 

• Multifaceted and highly customizable unified business solution

• Rooted in solid CRM functionality

• Creatio CRM helps SMBs streamline processes from lead management to closing

Cons 

• Relatively short trial period

• Hefty feature set

• Customization can be daunting at the outset

14. Teamwork: Project Management Software Built for Client Work

Teamwork is a project management platform built to help agencies manage the entire lifecycle of their client work in one place. Teamwork provides all the features you’d expect, including integrated time tracking, financial management, robust reporting, and free client access, to ensure your projects are delivered on time and within budget.

Forget crossed wires, unread Slacks, and endless emails. Collaborate in real-time with your team and clients to get your questions answered. Keep clients, teammates, and leadership on the same page. Centralize your work, communicate easily with your team, and reduce the complexity of collaboration so your team is free to focus on what they do best.

Pros 

• Free forever plan and low-cost paid plans starting at $5.99 per month

• Deep level of customization

• Easy-to-use automations

Cons 

• A minimum of three users for the low-priced paid plan

• Slower run time once more work gets added

15. Pipedrive: CRM Software Built for Sales

Pipedrive is a CRM system designed to help sales teams increase productivity and close more deals. It offers various features that help streamline the sales process, including contact management, email tracking, call logging, lead scoring, sales forecasting, and automated workflows.

With Pipedrive, a sales team can quickly organize their leads, contacts, and deals to stay focused on essential tasks. The client management app allows users to easily create custom pipelines and automated emails to nurture leads and increase conversions.

Pros 

• Segment leads to create personalized, targeted communication

• Activity reminders and team collaboration

• Revenue forecasting

Cons 

• Limited customization for user permission settings compared to other free client management software

• Project scope and document management tools are paid add-ons

16. Zapier: Automation for Agencies

Zapier isn’t a regular AMS but is excellent for automating tasks between apps. It connects software for you, so you don't need coding skills. For example, you can create a “Zap” to add new leads to your CRM from your website or get a Slack alert when an invoice gets paid.

Pros 

• Free forever plan and low-cost paid plans starting at $5.99 per month

• Deep level of customization

• Easy-to-use automations

Cons 

• A minimum of three users for the low-priced paid plan

• Slower run time once more work gets added

17. Insightly: Affordable CRM Software

Insightly delivers a lot of bang for your CRM buck. It's one of the easiest to use among the tested systems, even if it could be more feature-rich. Importing data is a smooth process. Insightly's built-in reporting engine is AI-powered, providing one-button data export to Microsoft Power BI.

Pros 

• Smooth data input and sharing

• Slick interface that's consistent and easy to pick up

• Highly customizable

Cons 

• Expensive high-end tiers

• Lacks advanced features like custom workflows

18. Screendragon: Agency Management Software for Large Agencies

Screendragon is an agency management software designed to manage projects, people, processes, and profitability in one place. It is easy to use and offers powerful customization. The world’s top agency groups like Omnicom, WPP, and IPG rely on Screendragon to power their agency operations.

Screendragon is seamlessly integrated, offering project management, workflow management, resource management, forecasting, time-tracking, budget management, and asset management. The tool is highly configurable, allowing users to customize forms, dashboards, templates, workflow rules, permissions, notifications, reports, and even the terminology used on the platform.

Screendragon’s integrated budget module enables users to build SOWs and estimates and forecast future revenues and resourcing needs. Reviews and approvals are made simple with features for visual proofing, real-time collaboration, version control, and granular permissions. Screendragon’s advanced automation capabilities facilitate the secure and efficient approval of assets and can adapt quickly to support scaling agencies. Intuitive task management allows users to switch between Kanban boards, interactive Gantt charts, and list views.

Pros 

• Screendragon offers flexibility to deliver a solution fully aligned with the organization’s needs. Brands can create and edit their terminology, templates, forms, workflow rules, notifications, reports, and rates.

• It provides an enterprise-class hosting environment and service levels. Moreover, its sophisticated permission controls ensure that the right people see only the right data at the right time.

Cons 

• Some users encounter occasional system slowness.

19. Bitrix24: Free Client Management Software with CRM Functionality

Although Bitrix24 may be outlined as a CRM tool, it also doubles as a fantastic piece of client management software. The solution is a well-designed collaboration tool for communication and project management. Beyond lead generation, Bitrix is a valuable tool for customer support, making it ideal for client management.

The platform has its own Customer Contact Center, so you can answer client queries and solve problems in real time, whatever channel they come through. Bitrix can also help businesses set up automated support if needed and offers help with creating company websites or setting up a chat network on your homepage.

With AI tools becoming mainstream news thanks to the release of ChatGPT, Bitrix knows that businesses are increasingly expecting AI to play some part in client management. Here, the platform employs AI to help with customer troubleshooting. Still, if human support is needed, a chatbot can gather the relevant customer information before passing it on to a real-life agent.

Pros 

• Comprehensive business suite

• Affordable pricing

• Unlimited contacts with all plans

Cons 

• Very steep learning curve

• It doesn’t support chatbots for sales or support

20. Accelo: Client Management Software for Service Businesses

Thanks to its CRM and management features, Accelo can be a good choice for agencies interested in supporting their entire project lifecycle, from client acquisition to project delivery. However, Accelo’s entry price is less affordable than comparable solutions, such as Productive, which similarly offers integrated sales and management features. Additionally, some users have noted that the tool can be somewhat inflexible.

Pros 

• Easy to learn to use.

• Feature-rich.

• Billing and expenses management capability.

Cons 

• Expensive compared to its competitors.

• Core and Professional plans lack ticket and retainer management features.

• Limited integrations.

21. Airtable: Flexible Project Management Software 

Airtable is a cloud-based collaboration and project management tool that combines an easy-to-use spreadsheet with the power of a database and the flexibility of custom applications. With Airtable, small teams can create highly collaborative workspaces to work together on projects. The platform also integrates with other apps and services like Slack, Zapier, and Dropbox to provide a complete client management system for customer management.

Pros 

• Actions to goals linking functionality to streamline reporting

• Shareable forms to populate records into the Airtable base

Cons 

• Limited sorting and filtering options compared to other client management software tools

• Limited customization options for workspace appearance

22. Bonsai Agency Software: All-in-One Agency Management Solution

Bonsai Agency Software is an all-in-one agency management tool that simplifies agencies' lives. It handles everything from project management to client collaboration so that you can focus more on the creative side and less on admin headaches. This integrated approach makes it easy to organize tasks, track progress, collaborate with your team and clients, and clearly understand how your agency is performing. Bonsai also includes time tracking, client onboarding, resource management, and automated workflows to keep your operations running smoothly and ensure projects stay on schedule and within budget. It offers various visual tools like Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and list views to help you stay organized and see everything at a glance.

Real-time reporting gives insights into profitability, resource utilization, and your agency’s overall health. Additionally, Bonsai simplifies the process of managing agency finances. You can track expenses, send invoices, and handle budgeting in one place. Bonsai is a solid pick if you’re looking for a tool to streamline your agency’s operations and boost productivity.

Pros

• User-friendly interface

• Client-centric focus

• Strong focus on small businesses

Cons

Limited advanced project management features for larger enterprises

Bonsai integrations are fewer compared to some competitors (although Zapier integration expands its possibilities)

23. Less Annoying CRM: Simple CRM for Small Businesses

Less Annoying CRM is an affordable turnkey system for small businesses and sole proprietors. It offers a good collection of essential features and flat-rate pricing, making it among the cheapest products we tested. Its key selling point is ease of use, which is excellent for companies with limited CRM experience. Its user interface is straightforward and approachable. Also, Less Annoying's responsive web UI works on mobile devices and desktop browsers.

Pros 

• One affordable plan

• Plenty of support and help options

• Looks great on mobile

Cons 

• Limited reporting capabilities

• No way to add dedicated leads

24. Workable: Applicant Tracking Software for Recruitment Agencies

Workable is excellent for recruitment agencies. It makes hiring easier with job postings, candidate tracking, and team collaboration. Plus, it uses AI to help you find the right candidates faster.

Pros 

• Comprehensive candidate evaluations: Workable provides all the necessary data for reporting, visualizations, and understanding the basics of hiring strategy and recruiting metrics, enabling a more thorough assessment of candidates

• Swift and straightforward onboarding: The onboarding process with Workable is quick and easy, making it less time-consuming for new users to get started

• User-friendly interface: Workable, intuitive, and easy to use, reducing the need for extensive training for new employees

Cons 

• Incompatibility with virtual conferencing services: Workable does not integrate with Zoom or other virtual conferencing services, making it difficult to schedule interviews

• Email syncing issues: Emails from users' inboxes do not automatically sync or appear immediately on Workable, causing delays in communication

25. FunctionFox: Time Tracking and Project Management Software

FunctionFox offers three different plans with features ranging from basic time tracking and estimating to project scheduling and Gantt charts to customized project intake forms. It can support teams with five or five hundred members. FunctionFox is entirely web-based and compatible with all up-to-date browsers, so users on both Mac and PC can work together seamlessly.

FunctionFox allows for team collaboration through project scheduling, allows allocation of specific tasks through action assignments and to-do lists, and facilitates communication through the project blog. Another great feature is the availability tool, which project managers can use to monitor team capacity and utilize everyone’s time effectively.

FunctionFox is easy to use and made even easier with the tutorials and support provided. They offer dedicated onboarding, and all customer support is unlimited, ongoing, and included in the subscription cost. Their website also includes a help center; the software includes detailed help files.

How To Choose A Digital Marketing Agency Management Software

Pinpointing Your Agency's Pain Points 

Selecting the right digital marketing agency software starts with identifying your biggest hurdles. What isn’t working? How do you need it to work in your agency? The answers will reveal the pains you’re experiencing in your agency. For instance, you may not get paid on time because you have a manual invoicing system. Or you may be running over budget and scope on projects, leaving clients unhappy.

These problems ultimately affect your whole agency. You’re not as profitable as you should be due to invoicing issues. You’re facing friction with clients since you can’t manage their projects correctly. Ultimately, if something hurts your agency, it’s a need you have to confront. By listing your pains, you achieve two objectives. First, you identify the type of software you need for your business.

In the invoicing example, the apparent software might be an invoicing and billing solution. It may even be an all-in-one solution, mainly if your pains stem from failing to link invoicing to actual work done. Second, your pains become your checklist for the digital agency software you consider. If the package doesn’t heal the pain, it’s not worth your money.

Weighing Features Against Pricing

Many software packages you consider operate on the Software as a Service (SaaS) business model. That means you pay a recurring fee, typically monthly, for access to the software. The problem for digital agencies is that they often need to spend more on this software. A staggering 90% of SaaS buyers are overpaying. Overspending swallows up resources and cuts into your bottom line. So, once you know your pain points, your next step is twofold.

Start by stacking those pains against the features offered by a digital agency software you’re considering. If the software solves the problem, it can go onto your shortlist. But that doesn’t mean you should jump straight into buying. Overpaying often happens because agencies invest in software that does what they need and features they don’t require. That leads to the second step—weigh the price against your needs.

An all-singing and all-dancing software may come with an extensive list of features your agency won’t use. You’ll also pay more for those features than you would for a stripped-back software that covers the bases you need it to cover. Think about value in the long term: Is the tool worth what I’m paying now, and will it continue to show that worth in the future?

Review the Reviews

Over two-thirds (67.4%) of online consumers read between one and six reviews before they commit to a purchase. Nearly a quarter (23.7%) read more than that, with 14.6% saying they’ll check out over ten reviews. Join the ranks of these picky consumers when choosing digital agency software. Reviews are your tool for smashing through the marketing speak on a software’s website to get to the meat of what it offers. They come from the most unbiased sources you can find—existing customers who are sharing their experiences.

So, they’re not influenced by the company selling the software, which wants you to buy. As for where to find these reviews, Google is often your best friend. If the software has a Google My Business page, use it to understand what existing clients think. The same goes for social media pages—jump on and check the comments on posts. You’re not just looking for customer feedback here. You also want to see how well the software provider responds to that feedback.

After all, you know that things can go wrong with a service. But if the company tries to make good on mistakes—as you would—you can at least see it offers solid customer outreach. Also, here is a word on testimonials shared by the software developer: They’re helpful but also shared because they’re glowing. You’ll need to dig deeper by looking at neutral sources if you want the full spectrum of customer opinions.

Involve Your Agency's People in the Decision-Making

As the agency owner, your responsibility for choosing digital agency software is solely on your shoulders. That’s not the case. The software you choose will be used throughout your agency. So, there are key stakeholders to consult before making your decision. Consultation starts with anybody who’s above you in the agency. For an owner, that’s not a problem unless you have a board of directors to whom I answer.

But even if you don’t have a board, you’ll want to involve executives or C-suite management in the decision. Your chief financial officer, for instance, will want to know the ins and outs of any invoicing software you choose. Next up—employees. These are the people who will use the software on a day-to-day basis. That’s even the case with an all-in-one agency management solution. Your people still need to use the software to track time, share files, and make tasks as complete. Give those people input into your selection process.

After all, digital agency software that isn’t adopted by your team will be a money sink. Finally, speak to your clients. They may not use the software directly—unless you’re choosing a client portal—but they’ll be impacted by it. You likely won’t speak to them directly about the software you’re considering. Instead, talk to them about their issues with your agency. Much as you thought about your agency’s internal matters when you started your search, your client’s challenges could guide you to the right software.

Create a Change Management Strategy

The introduction of any new software results in changes to how your agency does business. That applies to all types of software in this article—whether service or agency management-related, the software will transform how you do business. Don’t underestimate the impact these changes can have on your agency. According to Gartner, around half of all company changes fail, with only 34% being unqualified successes.

That’s a reasonably poor ratio, so you need a strategy to help you manage the change. You need to have a clear answer—such as “It’ll help us get paid on time”—that you can communicate quickly. Inform your employees that you’ve covered part of this base when getting employees involved in the software selection process. Keep going! Inform your employees about the implementation schedule and any training they must complete. Emphasize the Opportunity—Sometimes, you may find that objections don’t come from the specific department that will use the software. They’ll come from elsewhere, such as departments that interact with those directly affected.

Your goal is to showcase the opportunity for everybody. Communicate why improving one aspect of the agency with new software will positively impact all others. For instance, a new CRM can make it easier for project managers to track client progress and benefit sales and marketing. Be The Role Model—The best way to encourage change is to be part of the change yourself. Show interest in your new software, even if you don’t need it. Act in alignment with the shift—showcasing positivity surrounding it—to serve as a role model for your agency’s people.

Trial Before You Buy

Even after following these tips, you may not feel sure that the digital agency software you’re considering is the right choice. That’s okay. Many software options are out there, so it’s natural to feel overwhelmed when deciding. Free trials are the answer. A trial period can help you answer questions that a software’s marketing doesn’t. They also allow you to familiarize yourself and your people with the software before you commit.

Take your time with these trials, giving each software you’re considering a chance to show its value. Not running multiple trials simultaneously will confuse your people with that approach. Use the trial to its fullest before moving on to the following software. Create reports highlighting the pains the software solved and any issues it failed to heal, and you’ll better understand your options.

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Benefits of Using Digital Marketing Agency Management Software

Centralized Customer Files: Bye-Bye Lost Information

Using agency management software means your agency no longer has to worry about lost customer information. Instead of having client files scattered across multiple platforms, agency management software centralizes all customer data in one location for easy access.  Employees with questions about a particular client can simply pull up their file within the agency management system to retrieve the most current information.

The system keeps track of client and agency communications, so everything runs smoothly. Plus, if your agency ever experiences a disaster, you won’t have to worry about losing all your clients’ vital information. Most agency management systems automatically back up files to the cloud so you can quickly recover your data and get back to serving your customers.

Enhanced E&O Documentation: Reduce Risk and Improve Workflows 

Every insurance agency has to deal with errors and omissions, or E&O.. Still, with agency management software, you can reduce the risk of E&O claims and improve your documentation if a claim does occur. Agency management systems do this by centralizing all client information in one location, so there’s no confusion over files or versions. Everything is organized, up-to-date, and accessible to all authorized employees. Should there be an E&O claim, you’ll have the documentation needed to defend your agency.

Extensive Reporting Capability: Gain Insight into Business Operations 

Insurance agency management software offers extensive reporting capabilities that give insight into your operations. You can generate reports on employee productivity, sales, and your book of business. There are also marketing reports to help you analyze the effectiveness of your campaigns, expiration lists, binder logs, call analysis, production reports, and more.

Automated Policy Downloads and Invoicing: Save Time and Eliminate Errors 

Another significant benefit of an agency management system is automating policy information downloads, invoicing, and other time-consuming tasks. For instance, when using agency management software, you can automatically download policy information from carriers directly into your management system without requiring re-keying. This eliminates the tedious task of handling policy dec pages and ensures accuracy. You can also automate invoicing so that transactions are automatically logged into your system without manual data entry.

Claims Tracking Capability: Easily Monitor the Status of Claims 

Claims tracking features within agency management systems help you monitor the status of claims. This allows your staff to provide superior service to your clients by giving them updated information on their claims. Some carriers even allow you to download claims information directly into your agency management system to eliminate manual updates.

Financial Reporting: Get a Clear Picture of Your Agency’s Finances 

Financial reporting tools within agency management software allow you to access critical information about your agency’s profitability. You can download this information directly into your management system instead of logging into multiple carrier websites to obtain commission reports. You can generate profit, cash flow, accounts receivable, payroll, and payables reports from there.

Third-party Integrations: Boost Your Agency Management Software’s Functionality 

Most agency management systems allow for seamless integrations with your favorite third-party applications. This includes Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and email and voicemail providers. With these integrations, you can easily track all communications and documents related to your clients within your management system. For instance, if you receive a client email, you can quickly pull up their file within the agency management system, respond to their questions, and add pertinent information to their profile all in one place.

Improved Cross-selling and Re-marketing Capabilities: Boost Your Bottom Line 

You can improve your cross-selling and re-marketing capabilities with an agency management system. That’s because these systems centralize all client and prospect information, making it easy to access their histories and identify opportunities for sales.

Increased Profitability: Improve Your Bottom Line 

Using an agency management system can improve your profitability. That’s because the efficiencies gained from using the system reduce overhead costs and create a more organized operation. In addition, by using an agency management system, your clients receive more professional service. When your staff can quickly access organized client files, they can answer questions and address concerns better.

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