A one-sheet lead log is a single spreadsheet where every enquiry gets one row: when it arrived, where it came from, what it was for, what it could be worth, and what happened. Kept for two months, it answers the question most owners can't: which of the things I pay for actually bring in paying customers?
Why most tracking fails
Tracking usually fails for one of two reasons. Either it is too complicated, so staff skip it on busy days, or it records the start of the story but not the end. A note that says "Google call, Tuesday" without the outcome tells you who called, not who paid.
Platforms add a third problem. Each ad or directory platform counts results in its own favour, often crediting itself for customers who would have found you anyway. Your own log is the referee.
The seven columns
Keep it to seven columns. Every extra column lowers the chance it gets filled in.
| Column | What goes in it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Day the enquiry arrived | 2026-10-14 |
| Source | One choice from a fixed list | Google profile |
| Contact type | Call, text, email, walk-in | Call |
| Service | One choice from your main services | Drain repair |
| Estimated value | Rough value at first contact | $400 |
| Outcome | Booked, quoted, lost, not a fit | Booked |
| Final value | What was invoiced, filled in later | $520 |
Add a customer reference, such as an invoice or job number, if you need to match rows to your accounting later. Avoid storing more personal information than the log needs.
Build the source list carefully
The source column is the heart of the log, and it only works with a fixed list. If staff type freely, you'll end up with "google", "Google Maps", "internet" and "online" all meaning roughly the same thing.
A starting list for a typical Coquitlam trade or local business:
- Google profile (map listing)
- Google search ad
- Website, found through search
- Social media
- Directory or marketplace (name each one you pay for)
- Referral from a customer
- Referral from a trade partner or professional
- Repeat customer
- Sign, vehicle or walk-by
- Unknown
In a spreadsheet, make the column a drop-down so nobody types. Add a new option only when a new channel starts.
How to ask the question
Most source data comes from asking the customer. Ask it the same way every time, early in the conversation:
"Before I forget, how did you hear about us?"
If they say "online", follow with one more question: "Was that on the Google map, an ad, or our website?" Many people can't tell the difference between an ad and a map listing, so treat their answer as useful rather than perfect.
For website enquiries, you can also mark clicks on your phone number or email link as events in Google Analytics; Google's guidance on recommended events explains that these are added deliberately. That tells you how many people tried to contact you from the site, which you can compare with the log.
Keeping it alive on busy days
The log only works if it's filled in when the phone is ringing. Four habits help:
- One owner. Name one person responsible for the log being complete each day, even if several people add rows.
- End-of-day sweep. Ten minutes before closing, compare the log with the day's calls and messages and fill gaps.
- Outcome day. Once a week, update the outcome and final value for older rows. This is the step most often skipped, and the one that makes the log valuable.
- Show it off. Share one number from the log at a weekly team huddle. People keep up things that get looked at.
A note on privacy
A lead log contains personal information, even if it's just a name and a phone number. In BC, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner provides guidance for private organizations on the provincial privacy law. Keep the log in a secured account, limit who can see it and record only what you need. We aren't privacy lawyers, so confirm your obligations with a qualified adviser.
Reading the log after two months
After two full months, sort by source and add up three things for each source: the number of enquiries, the number that became paid work, and the total final value. If a source costs money, divide its monthly cost by the number of paying customers.
An illustrative example for a Coquitlam cleaning business:
| Source | Enquiries | Paid jobs | Final value | Monthly cost | Cost per paying customer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google profile | 46 | 19 | $6,840 | $0 | $0 |
| Search ads | 38 | 12 | $4,560 | $1,200 | $100 |
| Directory A | 14 | 3 | $960 | $600 | $200 |
| Referrals | 11 | 8 | $3,200 | $0 | $0 |
In that example, the directory costs twice as much per paying customer as search ads and produces low-value jobs. That doesn't automatically mean cancel it, because some directory customers may come back for years, but it does mean the renewal deserves a hard look.
Common mistakes
- Crediting the last thing the customer mentioned. If someone saw your van, then searched for you, the log should note the search; but you might add a second note if the van keeps coming up.
- Letting "unknown" grow. If more than about one in five rows says unknown, change how you ask.
- Never filling in final value. Estimated value is a guess; final value is the truth.
- Judging after two weeks. Small numbers swing wildly. Wait for two months of data.
When to move beyond the sheet
The sheet is enough for many small businesses. When you have several staff logging leads, multiple locations, or ad spending large enough that small improvements matter, a structured setup with call tracking and job-software integration becomes worthwhile. Our lead tracking service builds that, starting from whatever log you already keep.
The log also tends to reveal other leaks. If it shows plenty of enquiries but few bookings, run the missed-call leak test or the same-day quotes audit next. For help reading your numbers, see the contact page.
Frequently asked questions
Why a spreadsheet instead of a CRM?
A CRM is better once you have the habit. A spreadsheet is a quick way to build that habit and learn what you need to record, before paying for software.
What if a customer doesn't know how they found us?
Record 'unknown' rather than guessing. If unknown is a big share, ask the question differently, for example 'did you search online, or did someone mention us?'
How long before the log is useful?
Usually two full months, so there is enough paid work in it to compare sources. Some patterns, like a source that never produces anything, show up sooner.
Does this replace Google Analytics?
No. Analytics shows what happens on your website. The log records what happens after someone gets in touch, including phone calls, referrals and walk-ins that analytics never sees.