Folk

Overview

Folk represents a new generation of CRM that breaks away from traditional pipeline-centric design. By combining the familiarity of spreadsheet interfaces with the power of a CRM and the convenience of browser-based contact capture, Folk has created a uniquely flexible tool that adapts to how modern teams actually work. Its standout Chrome extension and AI capabilities make it particularly powerful for social selling and relationship-based workflows.

Core Philosophy

Spreadsheet Meets CRM

Folk’s interface innovation:

Traditional CRM	Folk’s Approach
Pipeline-first view	Table-first view
Rigid structure	Flexible schemas
Complex interfaces	Spreadsheet simplicity
Sales-only focus	Multi-use flexibility
Steep learning curve	Instant familiarity

Multi-Use Design

One tool, many workflows:

• Sales pipeline management
• Recruiting and talent tracking
• Partnership development
• Investor relations
• Event attendee management
• Community building

Key Features

folkX Chrome Extension

The killer feature for social selling:

• LinkedIn Integration: Capture profiles with one click
• Email Extraction: Find and verify email addresses
• Gmail Integration: Import contacts from emails
• X (Twitter) Import: Save profiles and threads
• Bulk Actions: Import multiple contacts at once
• Auto-Enrichment: Company and contact data

Spreadsheet Interface

Familiar yet powerful:

• Customizable columns (fields)
• Inline editing
• Bulk operations
• Sort and filter
• Conditional formatting
• Formula support
• CSV import/export

AI-Powered Features

Magic Fields

AI that understands context:

• Extract data from unstructured text
• Summarize long descriptions
• Categorize automatically
• Clean and standardize data
• Generate insights
• Create custom AI fields

Email Personalization

Scale personal outreach:

• AI-written first drafts
• Personalization at scale
• Multiple variants
• Tone adjustment
• Template library
• Performance tracking

Pipeline Management

Visual workflows when needed:

• Kanban board view
• Drag-and-drop stages
• Custom pipelines
• Multiple pipelines
• Stage automation
• Win/loss tracking

Use Case Scenarios

Sales Teams

Folk adapts to sales workflows:

• Lead capture from LinkedIn
• Email sequence automation
• Deal pipeline tracking
• Activity logging
• Team collaboration
• Performance analytics

Recruiting

Perfect for talent acquisition:

• Candidate sourcing
• Application tracking
• Interview pipeline
• Team feedback
• Offer management
• Talent pooling

Fundraising

Investor relations made simple:

• Investor CRM
• Pitch tracking
• Due diligence management
• Update broadcasts
• Document sharing
• Round planning

Partnerships

Business development tool:

• Partner database
• Opportunity tracking
• Contract management
• Collaboration notes
• Integration planning
• Performance tracking

Chrome Extension Deep Dive

LinkedIn Workflow

1. Browse LinkedIn: Normal browsing
2. Click folkX: One-click capture
3. Auto-Import: Profile data extracted
4. Email Finder: Locate contact info
5. Enrichment: Company data added
6. Tagging: Organize immediately

Gmail Integration

• Import contacts from conversations
• Track email engagement
• Sync communication history
• Create contacts from signatures
• Bulk import from inbox
• Link emails to deals

Bulk Import Magic

• Import event attendee lists
• Capture conference speakers
• Save search results
• Import company teams
• Build competitor lists
• Create prospect databases

AI Capabilities

Magic Fields Examples

Create AI-powered fields for:

• Summary: “Summarize this person’s background”
• Relevance: “Why is this contact relevant to us?”
• Outreach Angle: “Suggest a connection point”
• Company Stage: “Categorize company maturity”
• Priority Score: “Rate importance 1-10”
• Next Step: “Suggest next action”

Email AI Assistant

Generate personalized emails:

Input: Contact data + campaign goal
Output: Personalized email draft

Example:
- Uses LinkedIn data
- References recent posts
- Mentions mutual connections
- Matches your tone
- Includes call-to-action

Customization

Field Types

Create any data structure:

• Text fields
• Numbers
• Dates
• Single/multi-select
• People connections
• Tags
• Magic (AI) fields
• Formulas

Views and Filters

Organize your way:

• Save custom views
• Advanced filters
• Quick search
• Tag-based organization
• Smart groups
• Shared team views

Collaboration Features

Team Workspace

Work together effectively:

• Shared contact ownership
• Team activity feed
• @mentions in notes
• Permission controls
• Change history
• Bulk assignments

Communication

Keep everyone aligned:

• Internal notes
• Task assignments
• Update notifications
• Team dashboards
• Shared templates
• Collaboration tags

Pricing Analysis

Plan Comparison

Standard ($20/user/month)

• Unlimited contacts
• All basic features
• Chrome extension
• Email finder
• API access
• Basic support

Premium ($40/user/month)

• Everything in Standard
• Magic fields (AI)
• Advanced permissions
• Priority support
• Custom fields
• Automation features

Custom ($80+/user/month)

• Everything in Premium
• Dedicated support
• Custom integrations
• Advanced security
• SLA guarantees
• Onboarding assistance

Value Proposition

• Significantly cheaper than traditional CRMs
• No limit on contacts
• All features included (no add-ons)
• Transparent pricing
• Quick ROI through efficiency

Implementation

Getting Started (Day 1)

1. Import Contacts: CSV or integrations
2. Install Extension: Chrome/Edge browser
3. Create Pipeline: Match your process
4. Set Up Fields: Customize data model
5. Team Onboarding: Add users
6. First Campaign: Test the workflow

Best Practices

• Start with standard fields
• Use tags liberally
• Create naming conventions
• Document processes
• Regular data cleanup
• Leverage AI fields

Limitations & Workarounds

Reporting Limitations

Folk’s reporting is basic:

• Workaround: Export to spreadsheet tools
• Alternative: Use Zapier to sync with analytics tools
• Future: Reporting improvements on roadmap

Integration Ecosystem

Limited native integrations:

• Current: 20-30 direct integrations
• Workaround: Use Zapier/Make
• API: Build custom integrations
• Growing: New integrations monthly

Mobile Experience

Mobile apps are basic:

• Current: View and basic edit only
• Workaround: Use mobile web
• Future: Native app improvements planned

Folk vs Competitors

vs HubSpot CRM

• Folk: Simpler, spreadsheet interface, better LinkedIn
• HubSpot: More features, marketing tools, free tier

vs Pipedrive

• Folk: More flexible, better for multiple use cases
• Pipedrive: Better pipeline visualization, more sales features

vs Airtable (as CRM)

• Folk: Purpose-built for contacts, better enrichment
• Airtable: More powerful, complex, expensive

vs Notion (as CRM)

• Folk: Dedicated CRM features, contact enrichment
• Notion: More flexible, requires more setup

Success Tips

For Sales Teams

1. Master the Chrome extension
2. Build email templates library
3. Use Magic fields for insights
4. Track all touchpoints
5. Regular pipeline reviews

For Recruiters

1. Create candidate pipelines
2. Use tags for skills
3. Track source effectiveness
4. Build talent pools
5. Automate follow-ups

For Founders

1. Organize by stakeholder type
2. Track last interaction
3. Set follow-up reminders
4. Use for fundraising CRM
5. Maintain cap table contacts

Advanced Features

API Usage

Build custom integrations:

• REST API available
• Webhook support
• Rate limits apply
• Good documentation
• Active developer community

Automation Possibilities

While native automation is limited:

• Use Zapier/Make for workflows
• API for custom automation
• Bulk operations for efficiency
• Smart views for organization
• Quick actions for common tasks

Customer Success Stories

Common Outcomes

• 70% faster contact capture
• 3x more personalized outreach
• 50% reduction in CRM admin time
• 2x improvement in response rates
• 90% user adoption rate

Use Case Examples

• Startup: Managed 500+ investor contacts for Series A
• Recruiter: Filled 20 roles using Folk’s LinkedIn integration
• Agency: Tracked 1000+ client contacts across 10 accounts
• Founder: Built partnership network of 300+ contacts

Future Roadmap

Planned Improvements

• Enhanced reporting
• More integrations
• Workflow automation
• Mobile app upgrades
• Advanced AI features
• Team collaboration tools

Community Requests

• Salesforce migration tools
• Email tracking
• Call logging
• Document management
• Advanced permissions
• Territory management

Migration Guide

Switching to Folk

Import from:

• CSV files
• Google Contacts
• HubSpot
• Pipedrive
• Airtable
• Excel

Data Preparation

1. Clean duplicates first
2. Standardize field names
3. Map custom fields
4. Test with sample data
5. Import in batches
6. Verify relationships

Verdict

Folk shines as a modern CRM that prioritizes user experience and flexibility over feature bloat. Its spreadsheet-like interface removes the intimidation factor of traditional CRMs, while the Chrome extension makes it unbeatable for social selling and LinkedIn-based workflows. The AI-powered features add genuine value without complexity. While it lacks the deep sales features of established CRMs and has limited reporting capabilities, Folk is perfect for small teams that want to get up and running quickly without sacrificing power. Ideal for startups, recruiters, and any team that values simplicity and speed over enterprise features.