When to add a CRM
A CRM is a shared memory for customer conversations. If there's only one person with only one memory, it solves a problem you don't have yet.
Signals you're ready
One of these being true is enough. None being true means wait.
- More than one person talks to the same customers.
- You've lost or delayed a deal because the context lived in someone's inbox.
- You can no longer say from memory who's waiting on you.
- You need forecasting someone else will read.
Reasons people buy too early
Because a template made the pipeline look real; because an investor asked what your CRM is; because the free tier was offered during onboarding for something else. None of these are the problem the tool solves.
What to do instead, for now
One sheet: company, contact, last touch, next step, owner. Update it after every conversation. When maintaining that sheet becomes the annoying part of your week, you're ready — and you'll import it cleanly.
Choosing one when you are ready
Pick the simplest tool your team will actually update. An unmaintained CRM is worse than a maintained spreadsheet because people trust it.