Ever stared at your CRM dashboard and wondered, “What on earth am I supposed to be tracking here?” Look, we’ve all been there – drowning in data that feels more like clutter than useful info. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Let’s tackle this together and make your CRM actually work for you.

Here’s the thing – your CRM’s main job is to keep leads, deals, follow-ups, and customer history neatly organised so you’re not chasing your tail or missing golden opportunities. And honestly, cutting through the clutter saves you time and helps you close deals faster. So, let’s cut to the chase and focus on what really matters.

That’s where Cleartwo comes in. They help you cut through the noise with a simple, straightforward approach to your CRM data. No jargon, just clear steps so you get the insights you need – and can finally say goodbye to that CRM chaos.

A tidy CRM setup makes tracking leads, deals, and follow-ups a breeze – here’s a look at a clean dashboard.

What Data Your CRM Really Needs to Track

First things first, let’s focus on the real essentials. Some CRM fields matter a lot for your sales and marketing success; others just weigh you down. So, ask yourself: what’s really moving the needle? Aim to track:

• Leads: where they came from, how hot they are, and what stage they’re at (new, contacted, qualified)
• Deals: their current status in your sales pipeline, estimated value, and likelihood of closing
• Follow-ups: reminders for calls or emails, response rates, and task completion
• Customer history: past purchases, interactions, and satisfaction scores like NPS (Net Promoter Score, which measures how happy your customers are)

Tracking these keeps you focused on the customer journey and stops you wasting time on info that doesn’t help seal the deal.

Leads: The Starting Point

Think of leads as the seeds of your business growth. Knowing where each lead comes from (like your website, social media, or events) helps you figure out which marketing picks up steam. Also, give each lead a “score” based on how interested they seem – it helps prioritise who to chase first instead of treating everyone like they’re ready to buy yesterday. What’s been your biggest headache with leads?

Deals: Your Pipeline’s Life Blood

Deals in the CRM should track not just the value but where they actually are in the sales journey. Are they a few emails away from closing, or more like a vague maybe in six months? Keeping this info up to date means you can forecast revenue and spot pipeline clog-ups early. No more guessing games!

Follow-Ups: Because Ghosting Costs You Money

Follow-ups aren’t just reminders; they include measuring how quickly your team gets back to prospects and how often those follow-ups actually get a response. If you haven’t heard back, it might be time for a different tactic, not just another boring email. Trust me, your inbox (and your wallet) will thank you.

Customer History: Your Secret Weapon

Keeping a clear record of past purchases, support calls, and feedback scores tells you who your loyal customers are – and what keeps them coming back. Plus, spotting problems early (like unhappy customers) can save you lost revenue down the track. Between you and me, nothing beats happy customers for steady growth.

What to Ignore (So Your CRM Doesn’t Drive You Crazy)

Okay, here’s the juicy bit – what do you NOT need? A cluttered CRM is the worst. It’s like a junk drawer full of useless bits that just slows you down and makes your reports nonsense. Cut out:

• Duplicate or unused fields that just take up space
• Unnecessary personal details like hobbies or “favourite colour” (unless seriously relevant)
• Old feedback and outdated info that haven’t been reviewed in forever
• Excessive departmental data that don’t link to sales or marketing efforts
• Multiple similar fields with confusing overlaps (think: five different phone number boxes!)
• Old emails and unverified contacts cluttering your lists
• Anything that’s not tied to a clear business outcome or action

Less is more. Keep the basics clean and useful, and your CRM will actually feel like a tool, not a headache.

How to Clean Up Your CRM and Keep It That Way

So, you know what to track and what to bin. Great! Now, how do you get there without losing your mind?

1. Audit your fields: Export your CRM data and list every field. Delete or merge ones rarely or never used.
2. Set mandatory picklists: Use dropdown menus for key info like lead source or deal stage to keep data consistent.
3. Automate where possible: Set up lead scoring and automatic reminders so you’re not manually chasing follow-ups.
4. Schedule regular hygiene checks: Quarterly is good – clean duplicates, outdated records, and fix errors.

These steps might sound technical, but it’s honestly more about being methodical than being a tech wizard. If you like practical hands-on guides, check out this CRM cleanup guide to make the process manageable. Remember, one step at a time—you’ve got this!

Tools and Metrics to Help You Stay on Track

Not all CRMs are created equal. If you’re still using one that feels like dial-up internet in a fibre world, consider upgrading. Systems like HubSpot or Nutshell are user-friendly, powerful, and great for small businesses.

Also, keep an eye on key metrics that really matter (and if acronyms scare you, no stress—I’ll break them down):

• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): basically, how much you spend to get a new customer in the door
• Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): the total value a customer brings you over time
• Lead conversion rate: how many leads actually become customers
• Deal win rate: how often you close deals you’re working on
• Follow-up response time: how quickly your team gets back to prospects

Tracking these not only shows you what’s working, but gives you early warning signals when something’s off. It’s like having a crystal ball without all the hocus pocus.

Quick Checklist: What Your CRM Should Track vs Ignore

• Lead source and score
• Deal value and stage
• Follow-up tasks and response rates
• Customer purchases and feedback
• Remove duplicate records
• Bin irrelevant personal details
• Delete outdated feedback

Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry, you’ve got this. Start small, clean one section at a time, and celebrate each win. It’s all about making your CRM work for you, not the other way around.

For a helping hand, Cleartwo offers straightforward support to clean up and organise your CRM so you can spend less time sorting data and more time closing deals. Reach out to Cleartwo to find out how simple CRM data management can be.