Manual Entry

Manual entry in lead management within Salesforce Sales Cloud involves creating and managing leads directly within the Salesforce interface without the use of automated integrations or imports. This approach is typically used when you want to manually input information from sources like business cards, emails, phone calls, or other offline interactions. Here’s a step-by-step explanation of how to manually enter and manage leads in Salesforce Sales Cloud:

1. Access the Leads Tab

• Log in to your Salesforce Sales Cloud instance.
• Navigate to the Leads tab, which can typically be found in the main navigation bar. If it’s not visible, you may need to click on the App Launcher (grid icon) and search for “Leads.”

2. Create a New Lead

• In the Leads tab, click on the New button, usually located at the top of the page.
• This will open the New Lead form where you can manually input lead details.

3. Enter Lead Details

Fill in the necessary information in the lead form. Key fields include:

• Lead Status: Select the current status of the lead (e.g., New, Working, Qualified, Unqualified).
• Lead Source: Indicate where the lead came from (e.g., Phone Inquiry, Event, Referral). This helps in tracking the effectiveness of different lead generation channels.
• Company Name: Enter the name of the company associated with the lead (required).
• First Name and Last Name: Enter the full name of the lead contact (Last Name is required).
• Title: Enter the job title of the lead (e.g., Marketing Manager).
• Email: Provide the lead’s email address.
• Phone: Enter the lead’s phone number.
• Address: Input the lead’s business address if available.
• Website: Include the company’s website URL if relevant.
• Description: Add any additional notes or context about the lead, such as specific needs or follow-up requirements.

4. Assign the Lead

• Lead Owner: By default, the lead is assigned to the user who is creating the lead. You can change the owner to another user or a queue if needed.
• Use Lead Assignment Rules if they are configured to automatically assign the lead based on predefined criteria.

5. Save the Lead

• After filling in the required information, click Save.
• This will save the lead in Salesforce, making it available for further actions such as follow-up, conversion, or nurturing.

6. Follow Up and Manage the Lead

• Once the lead is created, you can start tracking interactions and activities such as calls, emails, and meetings.
• Use the Activities section on the lead record to log calls, send emails, and schedule tasks or meetings.
• Update the Lead Status as you progress through your sales process (e.g., change the status from “New” to “Working” after the first contact).

7. Convert the Lead

• If the lead shows potential and is qualified, you can convert the lead into an Account, Contact, and Opportunity:
• Click the Convert button on the lead record.
• During the conversion process, Salesforce will allow you to create a new Account and Contact or associate the lead with an existing Account/Contact.
• An Opportunity can also be created during conversion to track the potential deal.

8. Tracking and Reporting

• Use Salesforce reports and dashboards to monitor lead performance and pipeline metrics.
• Track how many leads were manually entered, their conversion rates, and the sources that are generating the highest quality leads.

9. Best Practices for Manual Lead Entry

• Ensure Data Accuracy: Double-check information before saving to avoid errors.
• Complete Required Fields: Always fill in required fields to maintain data integrity.
• Consistent Data Entry: Follow consistent naming conventions and formatting to keep data uniform (e.g., using full names, standard phone number formats).
• Qualify Leads: Before entering a lead, ensure they meet basic criteria to qualify as a sales prospect to avoid cluttering your database with low-quality leads.

Manual entry is particularly useful when dealing with one-off leads or when automation isn’t possible. It allows sales teams to capture and track potential sales opportunities in Salesforce efficiently.