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Easy Free 20 minutes

How to Set Up a Free CRM to Track Leads and Customers

Stop losing leads in text threads and sticky notes. Get organized with a free CRM.

What You'll Need

Steps

1

Choose a free CRM

Pick one based on your comfort level with technology.

  • For simplicity: HubSpot CRM (hubspot.com/crm) — free forever, easy to use
  • For trades: Jobber (jobber.com) — 14-day free trial, built for contractors
  • For spreadsheet lovers: Notion or Airtable — free, very flexible
Tip: HubSpot is genuinely free forever with no catch. Start there if you're not sure.
2

Create your account

Sign up and do the basic setup.

  • Go to your chosen CRM website
  • Click 'Sign Up' or 'Start Free'
  • Enter your email and business name
  • Skip any sales calls — you don't need them to start
3

Add your first 5 contacts

Don't try to import everyone at once. Start small.

  • Think of 5 recent leads or customers
  • Click 'Add Contact' or '+'
  • Enter name, phone, email
  • Add a note about what they needed
Tip: Include your most recent quote that hasn't closed yet. You'll follow up on it later.
4

Set up simple deal stages

Track where each lead is in your process.

  • Look for 'Deals' or 'Pipeline' in the menu
  • Create stages like: New Lead → Quote Sent → Won → Lost
  • Drag your contacts into the right stage
  • This is your visual sales tracker
5

Make it part of your routine

A CRM only works if you use it daily.

  • When a new lead calls: add them immediately
  • After sending a quote: update the stage
  • Set a reminder to check your CRM each morning
  • Review 'Quote Sent' deals weekly — follow up on stale ones

You're Done!

You now have a system to track every lead! No more wondering 'did I follow up with that guy?'

Pro Tips

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