CRM

Each Frontend website includes a lightweight CRM (Contact Relationship Manager) that makes it easy to capture contacts, leads, and new subscribers. The CRM provides a simple way to collect and manage contact information without requiring external tools or integrations.

What is the CRM?

Frontend’s CRM is a built-in contact management system designed for:

• Capturing Contacts: Collect information from website visitors
• Managing Leads: Track potential customers and business opportunities
• Subscriber Lists: Build email and SMS subscriber lists
• Contact Forms: Store submissions from contact forms
• Newsletter Signups: Manage newsletter subscribers
• General Inquiries: Collect customer questions and feedback

Contact Fields

Each contact in the CRM can include the following information:

Standard Fields

• Name: The contact’s full name or display name
• Email: Email address for communication
• Phone: Phone number for calls or SMS
• Message: Notes, comments, or the initial message from the contact
• Subscribed: Boolean flag indicating if the contact has opted in to communications

Custom Metafields

Beyond standard fields, you can store additional custom data using metafields:

• Customer preferences or interests
• Source tracking (where the contact came from)
• Lead score or priority level
• Custom tags or categories
• Any other data relevant to your business

Metafields provide flexibility to adapt the CRM to your specific needs without being limited to predefined fields.

Creating Contacts

API Endpoint

Contacts are created by making a POST request to /api/v1/contacts:

POST /api/v1/contacts
{
  "email": "user@example.com",
  "name": "John Doe",
  "phone": "+1-555-0123",
  "message": "Interested in learning more about your services",
  "subscribed": true,
  "customField": "Custom value"
}

Required Fields

To create a contact, you only need to provide email OR phone:

• Minimum requirement: An email address
• Alternative: A phone number
• Optional: Any combination of other fields

This flexibility allows you to capture contacts even with minimal information.

Using Frontend AI

Frontend AI has built-in knowledge of how to use the CRM. Simply instruct the AI to add contact capture functionality:

• “Add a contact form that saves to the CRM”
• “Create a newsletter signup that stores emails in the CRM”
• “Add a subscribe button that saves the user’s email to contacts”
• “Build a lead capture form with name, email, and message fields”

The AI will automatically implement the form and integrate it with the CRM API.

Example Implementations

Newsletter Signup

// AI can create this for you
async function subscribeToNewsletter(email) {
  const response = await fetch('/api/v1/contacts', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      email: email,
      subscribed: true
    })
  });
  return response.json();
}

Contact Form

// AI can create this for you
async function submitContactForm(formData) {
  const response = await fetch('/api/v1/contacts', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      name: formData.name,
      email: formData.email,
      phone: formData.phone,
      message: formData.message,
      subscribed: formData.acceptMarketing
    })
  });
  return response.json();
}

Lead Capture with Metafields

// AI can create this for you
async function captureLead(data) {
  const response = await fetch('/api/v1/contacts', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      name: data.name,
      email: data.email,
      phone: data.phone,
      message: data.inquiry,
      subscribed: data.wantsUpdates,
      source: data.referralSource,      // Custom metafield
      interest: data.productInterest,    // Custom metafield
      budget: data.budgetRange           // Custom metafield
    })
  });
  return response.json();
}

Managing Contacts

Frontend CRM Dashboard

Access your contacts through the Frontend CRM dashboard:

• View all contacts in a table format
• Search and filter contacts
• See contact details and submission dates
• Track which contacts are subscribed
• View custom metafield data

The dashboard provides a clear overview of all contacts captured through your website.

Exporting Contacts

Export your contact list for use in other tools:

• Download contacts as CSV or Excel files
• Import into email marketing platforms
• Integrate with external CRM systems
• Backup contact data
• Analyze contact information

Export functionality makes it easy to use your contact data wherever you need it.

Common Use Cases

Newsletter Subscriptions

Collect email addresses from visitors interested in your newsletter:

• Simple email-only signup forms
• Embedded signup widgets
• Pop-up subscription offers
• Footer newsletter forms

Contact Forms

Allow visitors to reach out with questions or requests:

• General inquiry forms
• Support request forms
• Quote request forms
• Feedback forms

Lead Generation

Capture potential customer information:

• Demo request forms
• Consultation booking
• Product interest forms
• Sales inquiry forms

Event Registration

Collect attendee information for events:

• RSVP forms
• Webinar signups
• Workshop registrations
• Conference attendee lists

Early Access Lists

Build anticipation for new products or launches:

• Beta signup lists
• Product launch notifications
• Waitlist management
• Pre-order interest tracking

Privacy and Compliance

When collecting contact information:

• Obtain Consent: Use the subscribed field to track opt-in status
• Provide Transparency: Clearly explain how contact information will be used
• Honor Unsubscribes: Respect when contacts opt out
• Secure Data: Contact information is stored securely in Frontend Cloud
• Comply with Regulations: Follow GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and other applicable laws

Best Practices

To make the most of the CRM:

• Collect Only What You Need: Don’t ask for excessive information
• Use Clear Labels: Make form fields easy to understand
• Provide Value: Explain what contacts will receive by subscribing
• Confirm Subscriptions: Consider double opt-in for email lists
• Segment Contacts: Use metafields to categorize contacts
• Follow Up Promptly: Respond to inquiries in a timely manner
• Keep Data Clean: Regularly review and update contact information
• Export Regularly: Back up your contact data

Integration with Email Marketing

While Frontend’s CRM captures contacts, you can export them to integrate with email marketing platforms:

• Mailchimp
• ConvertKit
• SendGrid
• Constant Contact
• HubSpot
• ActiveCampaign

Export your contacts and import them into your preferred email marketing tool to send campaigns and newsletters.

CRM vs. CMS

Frontend includes both a CRM and CMS—they serve different purposes:

• CRM: For managing contacts, leads, and subscribers (people who interact with your business)
• CMS: For managing content and data structures (the content and data in your application)

Use the CRM for contact management and the CMS for application data.

Frontend’s lightweight CRM provides everything you need to start capturing and managing contacts without the complexity of enterprise CRM systems. Focus on growing your contact list and nurturing relationships while Frontend handles the technical details.