How to Create a Lead

Learn how to create leads in your sales pipeline to track potential customers through your sales process. Leads help you manage prospects and convert them into customers.

Before You Begin

• You must be logged in to your account at https://app.joinzipper.com
• You need permission to manage leads (typically organization owners and admins have this permission)
• A workflow created (default workflow is initialized automatically)
• Lead information ready (name, email, phone, source)

Steps

Step 1: Navigate to Leads

1. Log in to your account at https://app.joinzipper.com/auth/login
2. From the dashboard, go to Leads (or CRM → Leads)
3. You'll see your lead workflows and pipelines

What happens next: You'll see your lead management interface.

Step 2: Select Workflow

1. Choose a workflow:

   • Select the workflow you want to add the lead to
   • Default workflow is available automatically
   • Or select a custom workflow you've created

2. View workflow stages:

   • See available stages in the workflow
   • Understand the sales process
   • Choose initial stage for the lead

Note: Workflows define the stages leads move through in your sales process.

Step 3: Open Create Lead

1. On the workflow page, look for Add Lead or Create Lead button
2. Click the button
3. A form will open

What happens next: You'll see fields to enter lead information.

Step 4: Enter Lead Information

1. Name: Enter customer name (required)

   • Full name or display name
   • Example: "John Smith" or "Sarah Johnson"

2. Email: Enter customer email address

   • Must be a valid email address
   • Example: "john@example.com"

3. Phone: Enter customer phone number

   • Phone number format
   • Example: "(555) 123-4567"

4. Source: Enter where the lead came from

   • Example: "Website form", "Referral", "Social media", "Google Ads"
   • Helps track lead sources

5. Stage: Select initial workflow stage

   • Choose the starting stage for this lead
   • Example: "New Lead", "Contacted", "Qualified"
   • Lead starts at this stage

Note: Fill in as much information as possible to track the lead effectively.

Step 5: (Optional) Add Additional Details

1. Metadata: Add additional custom information if available

   • Notes about the lead
   • Additional contact information
   • Custom fields

2. Link to Customer: Link lead to existing customer roster entry if applicable

   • Search for existing customer
   • Link lead to customer record
   • Helps connect leads to customers

Note: Additional details help you track and manage leads more effectively.

Step 6: Save Lead

1. Review all the information:
   • Name is filled in
   • Contact information is correct
   • Source is entered
   • Initial stage is selected
2. Click Save (or Create Lead)
   • The lead will be created
   • You'll see it appear in your pipeline
   • You'll see a confirmation

What happens next: Your lead will be created and:

• Added to your sales pipeline
• Visible in the selected workflow stage
• Trackable through the sales process
• Can be moved between stages
• Journey timeline starts automatically

Tips

• Enter complete information to track leads effectively
• Use consistent source names to track lead sources
• Start leads at appropriate workflow stages
• Link leads to customers when they convert
• Review leads regularly to move them through the pipeline

Troubleshooting

Problem: I don't see the Leads page Solution: Check that:

• You have permission to manage leads
• Leads feature is enabled for your organization
• You're logged into the correct organization

Solution: Contact your organization owner if you need access to leads.

Problem: I can't create a lead Solution: Check that:

• Name is filled in (required)
• Workflow exists and is accessible
• You have permission to manage leads

Solution: Fill in required fields and verify permissions. Check that workflow exists.

Problem: I don't see any workflows Solution: Default workflow is initialized automatically:

• Check that workflows are visible
• Default workflow should be available
• Contact support if workflows aren't showing

Solution: Default workflow should be available automatically. Refresh the page or contact support if needed.

Problem: I can't select a workflow stage Solution: Check that:

• Workflow has stages defined
• Stages are available and active
• Workflow is properly configured

Solution: Verify workflow has stages. Contact support if workflow isn't configured correctly.