A simple CRM in Google Sheets: the exact columns so you never lose a lead

Most leads aren't lost because you're bad at selling. They're lost because nobody wrote down "call him Thursday." Someone reaches out, you say "I'll send the quote," daily work takes over, and two weeks later they've signed with someone else. That's not a talent problem — it's a memory problem.

The good news: you don't need paid software to fix it. A single Google Sheet, with the right columns, does the job for a small business. It's free, you open it from your phone or laptop, and if you build it properly it tells you on its own who to call today. I'll show you exactly which columns I use and, more importantly, which column actually stops the leak.

Why you lose leads (and why it isn't a sales problem)

The leak doesn't come from your price or your pitch. It comes from relying on memory. Someone messages you on WhatsApp, you reply, then ten other things happen and you're left with a vague sense that "I need to get back to someone." Without a place where it's written down in black and white, your brain drops the thread.

A well-built sheet turns memory into a checklist. You don't have to remember anything: open the file in the morning, sort by the next-contact date, and you're looking at exactly who's waiting to hear from you. That's the whole trick. You don't need artificial intelligence — you need a column with a date in it.

The columns I use, one by one

I keep it simple. One row = one lead. These are the columns:

• First contact date — when they showed up
• Name / company — who I'm talking to
• Source — where they came from (referral, Google, Instagram, cold call)
• Contact — phone, email, or a direct WhatsApp link
• What they want — one sentence about the need ("site for a salon," "menu redesign")
• Status — New, Contacted, Quote sent, Waiting, Won, Lost
• Next step — what I concretely have to do
• Follow-up date — when I do that step
• Estimated value — what it's worth
• Notes — any detail that helps the next conversation

Ten columns, not one more. Add twenty and you'll stop filling it in, and the sheet dies within a week.

The column that stops the leak: "Next step" + "Date"

If you take one thing from this article, this is it. Every live lead must always have a next step and a date you'll do it on. Not "I'll call sometime," but "send the quote on July 14."

The rule is simple: if a row has no date in the follow-up column, that lead is effectively forgotten. So you never end a conversation without putting a date there — even if it's "reconfirm in a month."

In the morning you sort the sheet by the follow-up date, oldest first. Everything dated today or earlier is your call list. That's it. You miss no one, because the system — not your memory — keeps track.

Three Google Sheets tricks that bring the table to life

Sheets has a few features that turn the table from a dead list into a small system:

• A dropdown for Status. Select the Status column, go to Data > Data validation, and set a fixed list. No more typing by hand — you just pick. The data stays clean and filters work properly.

• Conditional formatting. Color rows red when the follow-up date has passed. Format > Conditional formatting, a rule for "date is before today." Open the file and overdue leads jump out at you.

• Filter views. With a filter you see only New and Quote sent — the warm leads — without won or lost ones distracting you.

Ten minutes to set up, then the table works for you.

Mistakes to avoid

I've seen the same traps with many business owners:

• Too many columns. The more complex it is, the less often you update it. Start minimal, add only what you actually use.

• One row per call instead of one row per lead. Keep a single row per person and put the history in Notes. Otherwise everything duplicates.

• No "Lost" status and no reason. Note why you lost ("too expensive," "chose someone else"). After a few months you'll see the pattern and adjust your offer.

• Not opening it daily. A CRM you don't fill in isn't a CRM, it's a graveyard of contacts. Five minutes each morning make all the difference.

Simple discipline beats a complicated tool every time.

When the sheet isn't enough anymore

Google Sheets is perfect at the start and holds up surprisingly long. The signs you've outgrown it: several people work in it at once and step on each other, you want automatic follow-up messages, or you need reports you're building by hand and it hurts.

That's when a real CRM or a small system built for your need pays off. At MPO Web Studio we work remotely across the whole country and we start from what you already have — we won't sell you a bloated tool you don't need. We can even build you a free demo so you can see it before paying anything.

If you'd like a second pair of eyes on your sheet or want to talk about a step forward, message us on WhatsApp. A short note is enough.