By S. Jose, Founder, Skipper CRM. Updated 2026-10-30.
A prospect record is one page that holds everything about a person you might sell to. It shows who they are, how to reach them and every conversation you have had. At Skipper, a simple CRM for sellers in Canada and the US, we keep it short so you can find it fast.
What is a prospect record?
A prospect record is the single place where you keep everything about one potential client. Think of the notebook page you would flip to before a call. The difference is that you can search it.
If you are a freelancer or consultant starting out, you may be using phone contacts, a spreadsheet and a few sticky notes. A prospect record pulls that into one spot per person. Our prospect management is built around exactly this.
What should go in a prospect record?
A good prospect record holds three things: who the person is, how to reach them and what you have talked about. Everything else is optional.
Start with this:
- Name, company and role
- Phone number and email
- How you met, or who referred them
- Every conversation, with a date and a short note
- The next follow-up date
- The deal attached, with the products you plan to sell
The conversation log matters most. A note like "Wants a quote after the first of the month" saves you from guessing on your next call. In Skipper, every deal also carries a win probability from 10 to 90%, with sensible defaults for each stage.
What should you leave out of a prospect record?
Leave out anything you will never look at again. Every extra field is one more thing to fill in after a call, and tired people skip fields.
Ask one question about each detail: would this help me decide who to call, or what to say? If the answer is no, drop it. You can always add a detail later, once a conversation shows it matters.
Long forms also make records hard to scan. A short record is one you will actually open.
How do you set up your first prospect record?
You can set up your first prospect record in a few minutes. Here is a simple order to follow:
- Create a free account. It takes under a minute.
- Add your first prospect with a name and contact details.
- Log your last conversation: the date, the type and a short note.
- Set the next follow-up date so the prospect shows up when it is due.
- Add products from your catalog to the deal if a quote is coming.
If your contacts already live in a spreadsheet, import them from a CSV. Skipper maps the columns, spots duplicates and never overwrites what you already have. It can also create a deal for each new prospect.
Quick answers
How many prospect records do I need?
You need one for each person you might sell to. Start with the people you are already talking to. Add the rest as they come up, so you are not entering data for weeks.
Is a prospect the same as a client?
No. A prospect is someone you might sell to. A client has bought. Keep every conversation in one record, so you always know how the relationship started.
Can I update a record from my phone?
Yes. Skipper works on the web and on your phone. Check today's tasks, call a prospect and log the conversation before you have left the car park.
Is a spreadsheet enough?
A spreadsheet works for a handful of prospects. It gets harder once follow-ups pile up. A simple CRM shows what is due today and what is overdue.
Your next step
Pick one prospect you spoke to this week and write down what you talked about. That is your first record. When you are ready to keep them all in one place, Try Skipper free.
Skipper is in early access, so features and pricing may change.