Managing Leads

The Leads module helps you capture potential customers, track their journey through qualification, and convert them into real opportunities. Build a healthy sales pipeline from the ground up.

The Leads Module

The built-in Leads module comes pre-configured for sales teams:

Lead vs. Person

Understanding when to use each:

Workflow: Lead → Qualify → Convert to Person + Deal

Lead Sources

Track where leads come from using the Lead Source and Lead Source Detail fields:

Lead Source Detail

Use the Lead Source Detail field to capture specific information:

• If source is "Event" → Detail: "SaaS Connect 2026"
• If source is "Referral" → Detail: "Jane Smith at Acme Corp"
• If source is "Advertisement" → Detail: "LinkedIn Campaign Q1"

Custom Sources

Add your own lead sources:

1. Go to Settings > Modules > Leads
2. Edit the Lead Source field
3. Add sources specific to your business

Contact Method & Follow-up

Contact Method

Track the preferred way to reach each lead:

Follow-up Date

Never miss a follow-up:

• Set the Follow-up Date when you make contact
• View all upcoming follow-ups in your task list
• Filter leads by "Follow-up Due Today" or "This Week"
• Get reminders before follow-ups are due

Lead Statuses

Track leads through qualification:

Status Workflow

New → Contacted → Engaged → Qualified → Convert
                    ↓
              Unqualified → Nurture/Archive

Creating Leads

Quick Create

1. Click + New in the Leads module
2. Enter first name, last name, and email
3. Select the lead source
4. Assign to a team member
5. Click Save

From Email

Capture leads directly from email:

1. Open an email from a potential lead
2. Click the dropdown next to Create a Person
3. Select Create a Lead
4. Fields auto-populate:
   • Name from sender
   • Email address
   • Source: "Inbound Email"
   • Notes linked to email thread

From Web Forms

Connect website forms:

1. Set up form integration in Settings > Integrations
2. Map form fields to lead fields
3. Leads auto-create when forms submit

From Import

Bulk import leads:

1. Go to Leads > Import
2. Upload CSV or Excel
3. Map columns to fields
4. Review and import

Lead Qualification

Qualification Criteria

Define what makes a qualified lead:

BANT Framework:

• Budget: Can they afford your solution?
• Authority: Are they the decision maker?
• Need: Do they have a problem you solve?
• Timeline: When do they need a solution?

Lead Scoring

Prioritize leads with scoring:

Manual scoring:

• Add a "Lead Score" number field
• Score based on qualification criteria
• Sort by score to focus on best leads

Automatic scoring:

• Use automation to score based on activities
• Email opens, website visits, form submissions
• Increase score with engagement

Lead Views

Kanban Board

Visual lead pipeline:

• Columns by status
• Drag to update progress
• Quick qualification view

Table View

Spreadsheet format for:

• Bulk editing
• Sorting by source or score
• Data export

My Leads

Personal lead queue:

• Leads assigned to you
• Sorted by priority
• Quick action buttons

Working with Leads

Following Up

Track your outreach:

1. Open a lead
2. Log activities (calls, emails)
3. Set follow-up tasks
4. Update status as you progress

Adding Notes

Capture important context:

• Qualification notes
• Conversation summaries
• Objections and concerns
• Next steps

Email Integration

Emails sync automatically:

• Sent emails link to leads
• Received replies appear in timeline
• Full conversation history

Converting Leads

When a lead qualifies, convert to full records:

The Conversion Process

1. Open a qualified lead
2. Click Convert Lead
3. Review the data mapping:
   • Create a Person record
   • Optionally create an Account
   • Optionally create a Deal
4. Confirm and convert

What Happens During Conversion

After conversion:

• Lead is marked as "Converted"
• Links to new records are created
• Activity history is preserved

Conversion Options

Choose what to create:

• Person only: Simple qualification
• Person + Account: B2B sale
• Person + Account + Deal: Full sales opportunity

Lead Reports

Pipeline Analytics

Track lead performance:

Source Analysis

Understand your best channels:

• Which sources produce most leads?
• Which sources have best conversion?
• What's the cost per qualified lead?

Lead Automation

Auto-Assignment

Distribute leads automatically:

• Round-robin to team
• By territory or region
• By source or product interest

Nurture Sequences

For leads not ready to buy:

1. Create email sequences
2. Trigger based on status
3. Move to qualified when engaged

SLA Alerts

Ensure timely follow-up:

• Alert if lead not contacted within X hours
• Escalate stale leads
• Track response times

Best Practices

Respond Quickly

• Contact new leads within minutes, not days
• First responder often wins

Qualify Early

• Don't waste time on unqualified leads
• Use clear qualification criteria
• Be honest about fit

Track Sources

• Always record lead source
• Analyze source performance
• Invest in what works

Clean Regularly

• Archive unqualified leads
• Merge duplicates
• Update stale information

Convert Promptly

• Don't let qualified leads linger
• Convert as soon as ready
• Create deals to track revenue

Related: Managing People | Managing Accounts | Automation