Let’s talk about setting up a CRM – HubSpot: The Forever Free Plan.
Sounds like a daunting task, right? After diving in, I learned that getting started with a CRM like HubSpot doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and it doesn’t have to take weeks. In fact, with a little guidance and some help from your favourite AI sidekick ChatGPT , you can get up and running quicker than you think.
Here’s a basic setup to help you get started without the headache—and with enough structure to make managing your relationships easier.
Step 1: Import Your Contacts
Start by pulling together your existing contacts—clients, referral partners, people you’ve met at networking events, coffee chats, and anyone you want to keep in touch with. You can import your list into HubSpot using a simple spreadsheet or CSV file. The trick is to add some useful columns (aka “properties”) that help you track the journey of each contact.
At the very least, you’ll want:
- First name
- Last name
- Phone (if you have it)
- Company or business name
- A custom property, I recommend: Lead Journey Stage
This “Lead Journey Stage” property is where the magic starts. It helps you know where someone is in your relationship pipeline. Maybe you’ve had a discovery call, maybe they’re a past client, or maybe you’re hoping to collaborate in the future. Labeling this clearly keeps your brain from having to remember it all.
Step 2: Create Views Based on Where People Are
Once your contacts are in and you’ve tagged them with a Lead Journey Stage, you can create filtered views in HubSpot to sort and see only the people you need to follow up with. For example:
- New Connections
- Clarity Call Completed
- Referral Partners
- Active Clients
This is one of the simplest ways to feel on top of your network. You don’t have to scroll endlessly or forget who you promised to check in with.
Step 3: Build Workflows (Even if They’re Manual for Now)
Even if you’re using the free version of HubSpot, you can still create some basic workflows using tasks and reminders. Think of this like a mini operating system for your relationships:
- Had a discovery call? → Create a follow-up task.
- Sent a proposal? → Set a reminder to check in next week.
- Need to onboard someone? → Use a checklist.
If you upgrade to the Starter Plan, you unlock automation like emails, task creation, and follow-up flows—very handy if you’re juggling a lot or if follow-through tends to slip through the cracks.
Step 4: Prep Your Canned Emails and Snippets
You don’t need to rewrite the same follow-up email 20 times. Draft a few reusable snippets or templates for:
- Discovery Call follow-up
- Onboarding instructions
- Thank-you notes
- “Haven’t heard from you in a while” check-ins
These small efficiencies will save you so much time—and brainpower—every week.
You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
This is where I want to emphasize something important: setting up systems like this can feel like a full-time job. But if you have someone helping you—whether that’s me, ChatGPT, or a combination—it doesn’t have to be a burden.
You can delegate the setup, get help drafting your workflows or emails, and even have someone help manage it on an ongoing basis. The key is to put something simple in place that helps you stay connected with the people in your business.
And once it’s in place, you’ll wonder how you lived without it.
–
If you’ve been meaning to set up a system to track leads, follow up more consistently, or just feel more organized in your business—this is your nudge.
And if you’d rather not DIY it, or just need a hand sorting out the setup, I can help with that too.
📩 Hit reply or book a quick call here.