Business operationsPractical guide · updated for 2026
How to Track Leads in a Simple CRM
Track stages, next action and date, and nothing else at first. A CRM that requires ten fields gets abandoned by week two, and that is how leads get lost.
Have this ready
- A spreadsheet or simple CRM
- Your stage definitions
- A daily review slot
Step by step
- 1Define four or five stages from first contact to paid, and use the same names every time.
- 2Create one record per company or person with source and date added.
- 3Make the next action and its date required fields, so nothing waits without a task.
- 4Log every conversation in one note field, newest first.
- 5Review the board every morning for anything overdue and clear it.
- 6Check weekly which source produces paying customers rather than just replies.
- 7Archive dead leads with a reason so they do not clutter the board.
Want it done with you?
I can walk you through it in a Magic Box, show you the exact clicks, or do it with you and keep the recording. You log in yourself; I never see your password.
Common questions
Spreadsheet or CRM?+
A spreadsheet is fine until several people need the same pipeline. Choose based on who updates it, not on features.
How many stages should I have?+
Four or five. More stages create reporting detail nobody uses.
What is the most useful field?+
The next action date. It is the difference between a list and a pipeline.