Lead capture to a CRM
Direct answer
Lead capture for a sole trader can be a form that writes a row in a sheet, then a reply you send the same day. Zapier's free plan fits a two-step version. n8n is the alternative if you want a workflow you might later host. Marketing mail only follows a box the person ticked.
For trades, coaches, and small agencies whose leads arrive in five different places and then get forgotten.
A one-person CRM is a sheet you actually look at. A famous CRM you do not open is a cost. Start with the form and the sheet. Move to a heavier tool when the sheet is the thing that hurts.
The first reply to someone who just asked for a quote is customer service. A later newsletter is marketing, and in the UK that needs a proper consent tick.
Playbooks
- Lead capture to a CRMZapier45–75 minutesabout £0, or about £15 if you need multi-step Zaps/mo
Capture leads in a sheet with a two-step Zap
Send a short enquiry form into a Google Sheet with a two-step Zapier automation, which fits the free plan. Reply yourself the same day. Add people to a marketing list only if they ticked a box that was not pre-selected. This has not been live-tested.
Comparisons
Questions
Is a sheet a CRM?
It is a list you will open. A named CRM is worth it when you outgrow one sheet. These guides do not pretend a sheet has pipelines and forecasting.
What about consent?
An unticked box for marketing, separate from the enquiry itself. The Zapier playbook says this because PECR cares about the email you send later, not only the form.
Zapier or n8n if I am new?
Read the beginner comparison. Zapier is the guided two-step path. n8n is more tool than a beginner needs unless you already want to host or learn a canvas.