How do you track leads in a CRM?

To track leads in CRM: (1) Capture leads from forms, email, phone, import, (2) Add to CRM with contact info and source, (3) Organize in visual pipeline by stage, (4) Log all interactions (calls, emails, meetings), (5) Set reminders for follow-ups, (6) Move through stages until closed. Lead16 automates most of this process.

What information should you track for each lead?

Track: Contact info (name, email, phone, company), Lead source (where they came from), Current stage in pipeline, Budget/deal size, Timeline (when do they need solution), All interactions (emails, calls, meetings, notes), Next action (follow-up date/task), Score (likelihood to convert), Assigned sales rep.

How do you organize leads in CRM?

Organize leads using: (1) Pipeline stages - Lead, Qualified, Proposal, Negotiation, Closed Won/Lost, (2) Tags - industry, product interest, priority level, (3) Custom fields - budget range, decision maker, competitors considered, (4) Filters - view hot leads, overdue follow-ups, by source.

What is the difference between tracking leads and managing leads?

Tracking = recording lead information and activities (passive data entry). Managing = actively working leads through sales process with reminders, automation, prioritization (active process). Good CRM does both: tracks data automatically AND helps you manage the sales process.

How do you track lead sources in CRM?

Add source field when creating lead: Website, Referral, LinkedIn, Google Ads, Trade Show, Cold Email, etc. Lead16 can auto-detect source from web forms. Track source to measure ROI: which channels send best leads? See conversion rates by source in reports.

How to Track Leads in CRM

To track leads in CRM: capture lead info → add to pipeline → log all interactions → set follow-up reminders → move through stages until closed. Lead16 automates lead capture, email logging, and reminders so you focus on selling. This guide shows the complete lead tracking process.

The 5-Step Lead Tracking Process

1. Capture Lead

Get lead into CRM from any source: web form, email, phone, event, referral

2. Add to Pipeline

Place in appropriate stage based on qualification: New, Qualified, Proposal, etc

3. Log Interactions

Record all emails, calls, meetings with notes and outcomes

4. Set Reminders

Schedule follow-up tasks so you never forget to reach out

5. Close Deal

Move to Closed Won (generate invoice) or Closed Lost (record reason)

Step 1: Capture Leads from Multiple Sources

First, get leads into your CRM. Lead16 captures leads from:

🌐 Website Forms

Embed Lead16 form on your website. Submissions automatically create leads in CRM with source = "Website".

📧 Email Forwarding

Forward emails to leads@lead16.com. Email content parsed, lead created with email address as source = "Email".

📱 Manual Entry

Met someone at event or got business card? Click "New Lead", enter info manually. Set source = "Trade Show" or "Referral".

📊 CSV Import

Have 1000 leads in spreadsheet? Import CSV file. All leads added in bulk with source = "Import".

Step 2: Organize Leads in Visual Pipeline

Once lead is in CRM, add to visual pipeline at appropriate stage:

Stage	Description	Example Actions
New Lead	Unqualified, just entered system	Research company, send intro email
Qualified	Confirmed budget, need, timeline	Schedule demo, discuss requirements
Proposal	Sent quote or proposal	Follow up on questions, negotiate
Negotiation	Discussing terms, pricing, contract	Address objections, finalize details
Closed Won	Deal won, customer signed	Send invoice, onboard customer
Closed Lost	Deal lost, not moving forward	Record reason, add to nurture list

Step 3: Log All Interactions

This is where most people fail. You must log every interaction with leads:

Automatic Logging (Gmail Integration)

Connect Gmail to Lead16. All emails with leads automatically logged to their CRM record. See full conversation history without manual work.

Manual Logging (Calls & Meetings)

After every call or meeting, log to CRM:

Call Log Example:

Date: Jan 15, 2025, 2:30pm
Duration: 23 minutes
Type: Discovery Call
Outcome: Positive

Notes:
- Confirmed budget: $50K annual
- Need solution by Q2 2025
- Main concern: data migration from current system
- Decision makers: Sarah (CEO) + Mike (CTO)
- Competitors: Also evaluating Salesforce

Next Steps:
- Send demo video by Jan 17
- Schedule technical call with Mike for Jan 22
- Follow up on pricing options

Warning: If you don't log activities, you'll forget key details. When teammate takes over lead, they'll have no context. Logging is non-negotiable for effective lead tracking.

Step 4: Set Follow-Up Reminders

After every interaction, schedule next action:

Manual reminders: "Call John on Friday at 10am to discuss pricing"
Automatic reminders: "If no reply in 3 days, send follow-up email"
Recurring tasks: "Check in with Sarah every 2 weeks until ready to buy"

Lead16 sends notifications via email, desktop, and mobile app. You'll never forget a follow-up. For routine follow-ups, use email automation to send sequences automatically.

Step 5: Move Through Pipeline & Close

As lead progresses, drag their card to next stage:

Visual Pipeline View

New Lead (12)

Acme Corp

$50K deal

Qualified (8)

TechStart Inc

$120K deal

Closed Won (3)

When deal closes:

Closed Won: Mark as won. Create invoice from deal in 1 click. Customer info pre-filled.
Closed Lost: Record why lost (too expensive, chose competitor, not ready, etc). Add to long-term nurture list.

What to Track for Each Lead

Minimum required fields:

Contact Information

• Name (first + last)
• Email address
• Phone number
• Company name
• Job title

Sales Information

• Lead source
• Current pipeline stage
• Deal size / budget
• Timeline (when they need solution)
• Assigned sales rep

Qualification Data

• Decision making authority
• Current solution (competitor)
• Pain points / needs
• Budget confirmed? (Yes/No)
• Lead score

Activity History

• All emails sent/received
• Calls logged (date, duration, notes)
• Meetings (date, attendees, outcomes)
• Files shared (proposals, contracts)
• Next scheduled action

Lead Tracking Best Practices

1. Track Lead Source

Always record where lead came from: Website, Referral, LinkedIn, Google Ads, Trade Show, Cold Email. Track source to measure ROI. Which channels send best leads?

2. Log Activities Same Day

Don't wait. Log calls and meetings immediately after they happen. If you wait 2 days, you'll forget important details.

3. Use Tags for Organization

Tag leads by industry, product interest, priority level, competitor being evaluated. Tags make filtering easy: "Show me all enterprise healthcare leads".

4. Set Reminders for Everything

Don't rely on memory. Set reminder for every follow-up. CRM sends notification so you never miss it.

5. Review Stale Leads Weekly

Check for leads stuck in pipeline too long. If lead sits in "Proposal" stage for 30 days with no activity, either follow up aggressively or mark as lost.

How Lead16 Makes Lead Tracking Easy

Lead16 Lead Tracking Features

✓ Automatic capture: Web forms, email forwards, imports → leads created automatically
✓ Visual pipeline: Drag-and-drop to move leads through stages
✓ Gmail sync: All emails automatically logged, no manual work
✓ Activity logging: Log calls, meetings, notes with timestamps
✓ Automatic reminders: Never miss follow-up, get notifications
✓ Lead scoring: Know which leads to prioritize first
✓ Custom fields: Track industry-specific data
✓ Tags & filters: Organize and find leads instantly
✓ Works offline: Track leads from anywhere, even without WiFi

Start Tracking Leads Free

Common Lead Tracking Mistakes

Mistake #1: Not logging activities

Forgetting to log calls and meetings. Results in lost context when teammate takes over or when you follow up months later.

Mistake #2: Using spreadsheets

Tracking leads in Excel/Google Sheets. No reminders, no automation, no email logging. Upgrade to real CRM.

Mistake #3: No follow-up system

Relying on memory to follow up. Results in 79% of leads never getting contacted. Use CRM reminders.

Lead Tracking Metrics to Monitor

Lead Response Time: How fast you contact new leads (target: under 5 minutes)
Activities Per Lead: Avg number of touches before close (typical: 5-7)
Time in Stage: How long leads sit at each pipeline stage
Conversion Rate by Stage: What % of leads move from Qualified → Proposal → Won
Lead Source ROI: Which sources produce leads that actually convert

Getting Started with Lead Tracking

Choose CRM (Lead16, Salesforce, HubSpot)
Import existing leads from spreadsheet or old system
Set up pipeline stages matching your sales process
Connect Gmail for automatic email logging
Train team on logging activities and setting reminders
Review weekly for stuck leads and missed follow-ups

Start Tracking Leads Today

Lead16 makes lead tracking automatic. Free plan includes 50 leads, visual pipeline, Gmail sync, and offline mode.

Get Free Lead Tracking →