CRM software

Unlock Savings: Best Time To Buy on CRM software with sale alerts

Marco Blaze

09 Jun 2025 — 8 min read

Unlock Savings: Best Time To Buy CRM Software with Sale Alerts

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software has become an indispensable tool for businesses of all sizes. It streamlines sales processes, improves customer service, and provides valuable insights into customer behavior. However, the cost of CRM software can be a significant investment, especially for startups and small businesses. Understanding when to buy and leveraging sale alerts can significantly reduce this cost, allowing you to access powerful CRM features without breaking the bank. This article provides a comprehensive guide on identifying the best times to purchase CRM software and how to effectively use sale alerts to maximize your savings.

Why Timing Matters When Buying CRM Software

Purchasing CRM software isn't just about finding the right features; it's also about finding the right price. Like many other software solutions, CRM vendors often offer promotions, discounts, and special deals during specific periods. Being aware of these opportunities can translate into substantial savings.

Here's why timing your CRM purchase is crucial:

Budget Optimization: Reduced costs free up resources for other essential business activities like marketing, employee training, or product development.
Access to Premium Features: Savings can enable you to afford a higher-tier CRM package with more advanced features that might otherwise be out of reach.
Negotiation Leverage: Knowing when vendors are likely to offer discounts can give you leverage during price negotiations.
Reduced Financial Risk: Lower initial costs reduce the financial risk associated with implementing a new CRM system, particularly for smaller businesses with limited budgets.

Identifying Peak Sales Periods for CRM Software

Certain times of the year are traditionally more conducive to finding CRM software deals. These periods are often linked to specific industry trends, fiscal cycles, and marketing strategies.

1. End of the Fiscal Year (EOFY):

Timeframe: Generally, late November through December (for companies with a December fiscal year-end).
Why: CRM vendors, like most businesses, often face pressure to meet annual sales targets. As the fiscal year draws to a close, they are more likely to offer significant discounts to close deals and boost their sales figures. Sales representatives are often incentivized to offer lower prices to achieve their quotas.
What to Look For: Expect aggressive discounts, bundled packages, extended trial periods, and waived implementation fees.

2. Black Friday and Cyber Monday:

Timeframe: The Friday and Monday following Thanksgiving in the United States (late November).
Why: These are major retail events known for deep discounts across various industries, including software. While not exclusively focused on business software, many CRM vendors participate to attract new customers.
What to Look For: Limited-time flash sales, significant percentage-based discounts (e.g., 20-50% off), and special offers on specific CRM plans. Note that deals can be very short lived.

3. End of Quarter (EOQ):

Timeframe: The last month of each quarter (March, June, September, December).
Why: Similar to EOFY, sales teams face pressure to meet quarterly targets, increasing their willingness to offer discounts and negotiate favorable terms.
What to Look For: Smaller discounts than EOFY but still significant savings opportunities, particularly for subscription-based CRM plans.

4. Summer Sales:

Timeframe: June to August.
Why: While not as prominent as EOFY or Black Friday, some vendors offer summer promotions, often targeting businesses looking to implement new systems during the slower summer months.
What to Look For: Focused on specific industries or types of businesses, like educational institutions.

5. New Product Launches:

Timeframe: Varies depending on the vendor's product roadmap.
Why: To encourage adoption of new features or versions, vendors may offer introductory discounts or special promotions for a limited time.
What to Look For: Discounts on new plans or add-ons, free trials of new features, or bundled packages including the latest releases.

6. Industry-Specific Events and Trade Shows:

Timeframe: Varies depending on the event schedule.
Why: Vendors often offer exclusive discounts and promotions to attendees of industry events and trade shows to generate leads and showcase their solutions.
What to Look For: On-site discounts, special promotions for attendees, and opportunities to negotiate custom pricing.

Leveraging Sale Alerts: Your Key to Proactive Savings

While knowing the peak sales periods is helpful, relying solely on them can be limiting. Sale alerts provide a proactive way to track price changes and identify deals as they become available, regardless of the time of year.

1. Understanding Sale Alerts:

Sale alerts are notifications that inform you about price drops, discounts, and special offers on specific products or services, including CRM software. They can be delivered via email, SMS, or push notifications.

2. Setting Up Effective Sale Alerts:

Identify Target CRM Solutions: Research and identify the CRM software solutions that align with your business needs and budget. Create a shortlist of 2-3 potential options.
Use Price Tracking Tools: Utilize dedicated price tracking websites or browser extensions that monitor the prices of your chosen CRM solutions and send you alerts when prices drop. Examples include:
- Google Shopping: Allows you to track the prices of products across multiple retailers. While primarily for physical goods, it can sometimes track software subscriptions.
- CamelCamelCamel: Primarily for Amazon, but can be helpful if the CRM you are interested in is offered as a subscription on Amazon Marketplace.
- Visualping: Monitors website changes, including price changes, and sends you alerts. You will need to manually configure it to track the relevant pages on the CRM vendor's website.
Subscribe to Vendor Newsletters: Sign up for email newsletters from the CRM vendors you are interested in. These newsletters often contain exclusive discounts, promotions, and early access to sales events.
Follow Vendors on Social Media: Follow your target CRM vendors on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. They often announce flash sales, limited-time offers, and other promotions on social media.
Check Deal Websites and Forums: Regularly check deal websites and online forums dedicated to software discounts and promotions. These platforms often aggregate deals from various vendors, making it easier to find the best offers. Examples include:
- Slickdeals: A community-driven website where users share deals and discounts on various products and services.
- Reddit: Subreddits like r/softwaredeals often feature software promotions and discounts.
- Product Hunt: While focused on new product launches, Product Hunt sometimes features deals and promotions on existing software.

3. Configuring Your Sale Alerts:

Set Realistic Price Targets: Determine the maximum price you are willing to pay for your chosen CRM solution. This will help you filter out irrelevant alerts and focus on the most attractive deals.
Specify Alert Frequency: Choose how often you want to receive sale alerts. Too many alerts can be overwhelming, while too few may cause you to miss out on good deals.
Customize Alert Delivery Methods: Select the delivery methods that best suit your preferences. Email alerts are suitable for less urgent notifications, while SMS or push notifications are ideal for time-sensitive deals.
Monitor and Adjust Alerts: Regularly monitor your sale alerts and adjust your settings as needed. If you are not receiving relevant alerts, try refining your search criteria or adjusting your price targets.

Beyond Sale Alerts: Other Strategies for Securing CRM Discounts

In addition to leveraging sale alerts and timing your purchase, consider these additional strategies to further reduce the cost of CRM software:

1. Negotiate Directly with Vendors:

Research Competitors: Gather information about competing CRM solutions and their pricing. This will give you leverage during negotiations.
Highlight Your Needs: Clearly articulate your business needs and requirements. Vendors may be willing to offer discounts or customized pricing based on your specific circumstances.
Be Prepared to Walk Away: Don't be afraid to walk away from a deal if you are not satisfied with the price. Vendors are often willing to negotiate further to avoid losing a potential customer.
Ask About Bundled Packages: Inquire about bundled packages that include multiple features or services. These packages often offer significant discounts compared to purchasing individual components.
Inquire About Multi-Year Contracts: Committing to a multi-year contract can often result in a lower per-year price. This is a good option if you are confident in the CRM solution and plan to use it long-term.
Mention Budget Constraints: Be transparent about your budget limitations. Vendors may be able to offer alternative pricing options or payment plans to accommodate your financial situation.

2. Explore Free CRM Options:

Limited Functionality: Be aware that free CRM options often have limited functionality and may not be suitable for businesses with complex needs.
Consider Upgrades: Start with a free CRM and upgrade to a paid plan as your business grows and your needs evolve.
Popular Options: Some popular free CRM options include HubSpot CRM, Zoho CRM Free, and Bitrix24.

3. Consider Open-Source CRM Solutions:

Flexibility and Customization: Open-source CRM solutions offer greater flexibility and customization options compared to proprietary software.
Technical Expertise: Implementing and maintaining open-source CRM requires technical expertise, either in-house or through a third-party provider.
Cost Savings: While the software itself is free, you will need to factor in the costs of implementation, customization, and ongoing maintenance.
Popular Options: Some popular open-source CRM solutions include SuiteCRM and Odoo.

4. Take Advantage of Free Trials:

Evaluate Features and Functionality: Free trials allow you to thoroughly evaluate the features and functionality of a CRM solution before committing to a purchase.
Negotiate During Trial: Use the trial period to negotiate pricing with the vendor.
Maximize Trial Period: Extend the trial period if possible to gain a deeper understanding of the CRM system.

5. Look for Startup Discounts:

Eligibility Requirements: Many CRM vendors offer discounts specifically for startups and small businesses. Check the eligibility requirements carefully.
Demonstrate Potential: Highlight your company's growth potential and how the CRM will help you achieve your goals.
Examples: Some CRM vendors that offer startup discounts include Pipedrive and Freshsales.

Implementing Your CRM Purchase Strategy

Once you have identified the best times to buy, set up sale alerts, and explored other discount strategies, it's time to implement your purchase strategy.

1. Research and Compare CRM Solutions:

Define Your Needs: Clearly define your business needs and requirements before starting your research.
Read Reviews and Testimonials: Read online reviews and testimonials from other users to get a sense of the CRM solution's strengths and weaknesses.
Attend Webinars and Demos: Attend webinars and demos to see the CRM solution in action and ask questions.

2. Plan Your Budget:

Consider Total Cost of Ownership: Factor in the costs of implementation, training, customization, and ongoing maintenance in addition to the subscription fees.
Allocate Sufficient Resources: Allocate sufficient resources to ensure a successful CRM implementation.

3. Prepare for Implementation:

Data Migration: Plan for data migration from your existing systems to the new CRM.
Employee Training: Provide adequate training to your employees on how to use the CRM effectively.
Set Realistic Expectations: Set realistic expectations for the implementation process and the benefits you can expect to achieve.

4. Monitor and Evaluate:

Track Key Metrics: Track key metrics such as sales conversion rates, customer satisfaction, and employee productivity.
Regularly Evaluate Performance: Regularly evaluate the performance of the CRM system and make adjustments as needed.
Seek Feedback: Seek feedback from your employees and customers to identify areas for improvement.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

While pursuing cost savings is important, avoid these common pitfalls when buying CRM software:

Prioritizing Price Over Functionality: Don't choose a CRM solution solely based on price. Ensure that it meets your business needs and requirements.
Ignoring Implementation Costs: Don't underestimate the costs of implementation, training, and customization.
Neglecting Data Migration: Failing to plan for data migration can lead to data loss and integration issues.
Insufficient Employee Training: Without proper training, your employees may not be able to use the CRM effectively, negating the benefits of the system.
Lack of Long-Term Planning: Choose a CRM solution that can scale with your business as it grows.
Overlooking Integration: Ensure the CRM integrates seamlessly with your other business systems, such as your accounting software and marketing automation platform.

Conclusion: Smart Timing, Smart Savings

Investing in CRM software is a significant decision that can have a profound impact on your business's success. By strategically timing your purchase, leveraging sale alerts, and exploring other discount strategies, you can significantly reduce the cost of CRM software and maximize your return on investment. Remember to prioritize functionality, plan for implementation, and provide adequate training to ensure a successful CRM deployment. With careful planning and diligent research, you can unlock the power of CRM without breaking the bank. Embrace the proactive approach to CRM acquisition, and watch your savings grow alongside your business. The tools and knowledge are at your fingertips – seize the opportunity to optimize your CRM investment today.