CRM Setup
Setting up lead sources
Designing a lead source list you can actually report on, and keeping it that way.
Last updated September 2, 2026
Lead sources answer "where does our business come from?". They are defined once for the organisation, so every tribe picks from the same list and the network can be added up.
Designing the list
Aim for something you could read out in one breath — usually eight to twelve entries. Each one should be a channel you could decide to spend more or less on: Website, Referral, Trade show, Walk-in, Cold outreach, Repeat customer.
THE FAILURE IS ALWAYS THE SAME
Forty sources, half of them one-offs like "Expo 2027" or "Dave's mate". Every number splits into slivers and no trend is visible. Keep campaigns and events as tags; keep the channel as the source.
Managing it over time
- Add a source only when a genuinely new channel starts producing business.
- Renaming one renames it everywhere, including on historical records — so reports about last year change wording too.
- Removing one leaves the records that used it needing a new source; expect to reassign them.
Making the list get used
Filter for accounts with no lead source once a month. It is the single habit that decides whether your ROI reporting is worth reading — a large unattributed figure understates every other row.