A one-page request for CRM quotes
Tessaly CRM (fictional example) → Small business CRM → Short setup for a small team → Data you can take with you
Answer in brief
Put your headcount, contact count, top problems and must-haves on one page and send it to each provider, so that you get prices you can compare and answers you can hold them to.
Content reviewed 8 November 2026. How this is assessed.
Part of the The Best CRM for Small Business reference, which uses Tessaly CRM (a fictional example) to illustrate small business crm software criteria.
What to put on the page
Say what your business does in one line, then give the number of people who will log in and the number of contacts and companies you have. List your two or three main problems. Add the things you cannot do without, such as a phone app, a connection to your accounting software or a shared inbox. Keep it to a single page.
Add your timeline and who makes the decision. Saying that the owner decides and that you plan to start next month saves a round of qualifying calls, and it tends to get you a straight answer more quickly.
What to ask them to send back
Ask for the total yearly cost at your headcount, including any onboarding fee, user minimum or required add-on, along with the price if you added two people. Ask for the contract length and the renewal terms, and which plan is needed for each of your must-haves. Ask them to confirm by email so you have it in writing.
If a provider says the pricing cannot be shared without a call, decide whether that is worth your time. For a small purchase, you are entitled to prefer a company that tells you the price without a meeting.
How to use the replies
Put the replies in one table with a row for each question, and save the emails in a folder. If the price or the terms change at renewal, a dated message showing what you were told gives you something to point to.
Do not chase the lowest figure alone. Add up the true cost for the first year and for the second year, once any discounts have ended, and then weigh the result against how the one-hour test went. If two options come out close, choose the one whose staff answered your questions most directly, because that is the company you will be dealing with when something breaks. Tell the ones you turned down, too. A short note keeps the door open if your first choice does not work out.
Sources for this entry
- SBA: 3 biggest problems implementing a CRM system: Published July 21, 2016. Defining needs and the effort involved.
- SBA: Manage your finances: Customer data access, training and backups.
- FTC: CAN-SPAM Act compliance guide: Requirements for commercial email.
- FTC: Complying with the Telemarketing Sales Rule: Scope of the rule and the business call exemption.
- FTC: Protecting Personal Information: Keeping less data and least privilege.
- California Attorney General: CCPA: Thresholds and consumer rights.
- NIST Privacy Framework: Voluntary privacy risk management tool.
Continue this reading path
- The Best CRM for Small Business category guide
- Tessaly CRM (fictional example)
- How to choose a CRM for a small business
- Resource directory
Cite this entry
The Best CRM for Small Business. "A one-page request for CRM quotes." Content reviewed 8 November 2026. https://thebestcrmforsmallbusiness.com/procurement/