What data should I track in my CRM?

At minimum, track these fields for every lead: name, phone number, email, what they need (service type or inquiry details), lead source (where they found you), date received, current status (pipeline stage), and any notes from conversations.

Avoid over-tracking. If you have 20 required fields for each lead, your team will not fill them out. Start with the essentials and add fields only when you have a specific reason. The data you do not collect is better than the data you collect but never use.

The most valuable data points over time are lead source (tells you where to invest marketing budget), conversion rate by stage (shows where leads drop off), and response time (reveals if speed is costing you deals). A CRM like Long Drive Leads tracks these automatically.