Unlocking Nonprofit Success: Salesforce vs. HubSpot

By Samantha Plateroti

From working with nonprofits, we’ve had the battle of Salesforce vs. HubSpot come up time and time again.

We’re here to break it down for you! 

We want to make sure you’re making the best decision for your nonprofit.

At Dijy, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities that nonprofits encounter on a daily basis. That's why we're here to shed some light on why HubSpot just may trump Salesforce when it comes to your org’s needs.

So let's explore the differences in the two CRMs together!

The Salesforce Temptation

So, you're a passionate nonprofit leader on a mission. You've heard of Salesforce's generous offer of free licenses for nonprofits, and it sounds like a dream come true. After all, who doesn't love free stuff, right?

So you’re ready to sign up, thinking you've hit the jackpot. But little do you know, there's a potential storm coming through. Sure, those licenses might be free upfront, but what about the hidden costs lurking beneath the surface?

Before long, you find yourself drowning in maintenance expenses, scrambling to keep your CRM afloat. Hiring a Salesforce Admin can cost your nonprofit anywhere from $70k to $100k/year, oh and make sure they know how to code!

Suddenly, that "free" offer doesn't seem so enticing anymore (yikes)!

The HubSpot Advantage

Enter in: HubSpot for nonprofits.  HubSpot knows that every penny counts for nonprofits, so although they aren’t free upfront, they do offer a 40% discount. So with HubSpot, you can focus on what you do best—making a difference in the world—without worrying about breaking the bank.

But money aside, why HubSpot for nonprofits? What makes this the platform that we recommend to our clients?

User-friendly Platform

Nobody likes clunky software! It makes it hard to learn, it makes it even harder to train your team. With HubSpot’s user-friendly interface, it could be just right for organizations like yours. With HubSpot, you won’t need to spend hours upon hours dealing with software that you can’t manage yourself.

HubSpot is a DIY platform (if you don’t want to DIY, hit up DIJY :)) 

Why do we love HubSpot? It’s easy to navigate, it has drag and drop editors, and it can be completely customized to your org’s needs. You don’t need to be a developer and understand how to code in order to use HubSpot because the automation and workflow tools are easy to use. Also, with the thousands of integrations, you can hook HubSpot up with your other tools to make your tech stack work for you!

The Integrated Marketing Hub

HubSpot is not just a CRM (like Salesforce is). It’s a full-fledged marketing automation tool too! Now comes real development & marketing alignment. With HubSpot's Marketing Hub, you can have your email marketing campaigns in your CRM to engage your supporters and drive impact like never before. You can also send texts, create landing pages for specific campaigns, and even schedule & post to your social media platforms in one place.

Does your website need a refresh? Get on HubSpot’s CMS Hub to build your new site and even help increase your online donations.

It's like having a Swiss army knife for your nonprofit's marketing needs, all in one convenient place.

With Salesforce, you’ll need to integrate with a marketing automation tool in order to do this!

Enhanced Communication Features

Let's talk minutes. HubSpot throws in a generous 2,000 minutes per user for calls every month, included in your subscription! While Salesforce offers 1,000 minutes for $40/month per user That means more opportunities to connect with donors, volunteers, and community partners without worrying about racking up a hefty phone bill.

Is your team reaching out to new supporters or donors? With HubSpot, they’ll be able to create sequences. Another HubSpot W. 

HubSpot sequences allow you to automate personalized outreach to free up your team’s time. They can create multi-step sequences that include phone calls, emails, follow-up tasks, or even social media connections. 

The emails can be made as templates, making it faster to set up and send. These templates should be informative and captivating emails, showcasing your cause and sharing your impact to gradually increase your prospective donor’s understanding & support.

With HubSpot's communication features, you can build stronger relationships, foster deeper connections, and rally support for your cause like never before.

HubSpot > Salesforce

So when it comes to choosing the right CRM for your nonprofit, Dijy recommends HubSpot. With its user-friendly interface, cost-effective solution, Marketing Hub, and killer communication features, it's the secret weapon your organization needs to make a real difference in the world.

💪 At Dijy, we're here to help you every step of the way. From implementation to ongoing support, we've got your back.

Ready to take your nonprofit to the next level? Let's make it happen together! 🚀

Learn more about how Dijy works with nonprofit orgs here.

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment.

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