Build Your Freelance Client Hub: A Simple Notion CRM Guide

Tired of sticky notes, messy spreadsheets, or forgetting client details? A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool can help. And good news: you can build a great one right inside Notion, for free!

This guide shows you how. You'll learn to track clients, projects, and tasks all in one place.

Why Notion for a CRM?

• Flexible: You can build it exactly how you want.
• All-in-One: Keep notes, tasks, client info, and project details together.
• Free (to start): The free plan is powerful enough for most freelancers.
• Easy to Learn: Notion is user-friendly.

Let's get started!

Step 1: Create Your Clients Database

This is where you'll store information about each client.

1. Open Notion.
2. Create a new page. Call it "Freelance CRM" or "Client Hub."
3. On this new page, type /table and select Table - Full page.
4. Name this database "Clients."

Now, let's add some important properties (columns) for your clients:

• Client Name (Title Property): Notion creates this by default. This is your main identifier.
  • Example: Acme Corp
• Status (Select Property): Tracks where the client is in your pipeline.
  • Click the + sign to add a new column.
  • Name it "Status."
  • Change Property Type to "Select."
  • Add options like: Lead, Contacted, Proposal Sent, Active, On Hold, Past Client.
  • Example: For Acme Corp, you might select Active.
• Contact Person (Text Property): The main person you talk to.
  • Example: John Doe
• Email (Email Property): Their email address.
  • Example: john.doe@acme.com
• Phone (Phone Property): Their phone number.
  • Example: 555-1234
• Services (Multi-select Property): What services you offer them.
  • Add options like: Web Design, Copywriting, Social Media, Consulting.
  • Example: For Acme Corp, you might select Web Design and Consulting.
• Last Contacted (Date Property): When you last talked.
  • Example: Select today's date.

Your Clients database might look like this now:

Step 2: Create Your Projects Database

Most clients will have one or more projects. Let's track these.

1. Go back to your main "Freelance CRM" page. (If you made "Clients" a full-page database, create a new page for this step, or go to your Notion sidebar and add a new page there. You can then link it later on your dashboard.)
2. Type /table and select Table - Full page.
3. Name this database "Projects."

Add these properties:

• Project Name (Title Property): The name of the project.
  • Example: Acme Corp Website Redesign
• Client (Relation Property): This is key! It links projects to clients.
  • Click +, name it "Client."
  • Change Property Type to "Relation."
  • Select the "Clients" database you just created.
  • Click "Add Relation."
  • Now, for Acme Corp Website Redesign, you can click in this cell and select Acme Corp from your Clients database.
• Status (Select Property): The project's current status.
  • Add options like: Planning, In Progress, Review, Completed, Billed.
  • Example: In Progress
• Due Date (Date Property): When the project is due.
  • Example: Select a date three weeks from now.
• Project Value (Number Property): How much the project is worth.
  • Set the number format to your currency.
  • Example: 1500
• Services (Rollup Property - Optional but useful): Automatically pull services from the linked Client.
  • Click +, name it "Client Services."
  • Change Property Type to "Rollup."
  • For "Relation," select "Client."
  • For "Property," select "Services" (from the Clients database).
  • For "Calculate," select "Show original."

Your Projects database might look like this:

Magic! If you go back to your "Clients" database and look at "Acme Corp," you'll now see a new "Projects" column. This column shows all projects linked to Acme Corp. Notion did this automatically when you created the relation!

Step 3: Create Your Tasks Database

Projects are made of smaller tasks.

1. Create another new full-page table database. Call it "Tasks."
2. Add these properties:

• Task Name (Title Property): What needs to be done.
  • Example: Draft Homepage Mockup
• Project (Relation Property): Link this task to a project.
  • Select the "Projects" database for the relation.
  • Example: For Draft Homepage Mockup, select Acme Corp Website Redesign.
• Status (Select Property): The task's status.
  • Add options like: To Do, Doing, Done, Blocked.
  • Example: To Do
• Due Date (Date Property): When this specific task is due.
  • Example: Select a date for next week.
• Priority (Select Property): How important is this task?
  • Add options like: High, Medium, Low.
  • Example: High

Your Tasks database example:

Again, if you go to your "Projects" database, you'll now see a "Tasks" column showing all tasks linked to each project.

Step 4: Build Your Dashboard

Now, let's bring it all together on your main "Freelance CRM" page. This page will be your command center.

1. Go to your "Freelance CRM" page (or create a new page for your dashboard if you made the databases full-page elsewhere).
2. Delete any /table blocks you created earlier if they were just placeholders.

On your dashboard page, let's add views of your databases:

• Upcoming Tasks:
  • Type /linked view of database.
  • Select your "Tasks" database.
  • Choose a "List" or "Table" view.
  • Filter: Click "Filter," then "Add advanced filter."
    • Set "Status" is not "Done."
    • Add another filter: "Due Date" is "On or before" -> "Today" (or "This Week").
  • Sort: Click "Sort."
    • Sort by "Due Date" Ascending.
  • Give this view a title, like " My Tasks This Week".
• Projects Kanban Board:
  • Type /linked view of database.
  • Select your "Projects" database.
  • Choose the "Board" view.
  • Notion will likely ask you to "Group by Status." If not, click the "..." menu on the view, then "Group," and select "Status."
  • You can drag and drop projects between status columns!
  • Give this view a title, like "Projects Overview".
• Active Clients List:
  • Type /linked view of database.
  • Select your "Clients" database.
  • Choose a "Table" or "Gallery" view.
  • Filter: Click "Filter."
    • Set "Status" is "Active."
  • Give this view a title, like "🫂 Active Clients".

Example Dashboard Layout:

Freelance CRM Dashboard 

My Tasks This Week
[Linked View of Tasks Database - List/Calendar showing upcoming/overdue tasks]

---

Projects Overview
[Linked View of Projects Database - Kanban Board grouped by Status]

---

🫂 Active Clients
[Linked View of Clients Database - Table filtered for "Active" status]

---
(Optional: Quick links to your full databases)
🔗 [[Clients]]
🔗 [[Projects]]
🔗 [[Tasks]]

Use with caution

Step 5: Using Your New CRM

• New Lead? Add them to the "Clients" database with status "Lead."
• Won a Project? Change client status to "Active." Create a new entry in the "Projects" database and link it to the client.
• Starting Work? Break down the project into smaller steps in the "Tasks" database. Link each task to its project.
• Daily Check-in: Look at your dashboard to see what tasks are due and project statuses.
• Client Page Deep Dive: Open a client's page from the "Clients" database. You will see all their linked projects and (if you add another rollup) even their linked tasks, all in one place!

Pro Tips to Make It Even Better:

1. Templates: Create templates for new clients or projects.
   • In your "Clients" or "Projects" database, click the dropdown arrow next to the "New" button, then "New template."
   • Pre-fill common information or add a checklist of standard onboarding tasks inside the page content of the template.
2. Formulas: Add formulas for things like "Days Until Due" or "Project Progress %" (this is more advanced but very powerful).
3. Reminders: Set reminders on tasks or project due dates. Click the date property, and you'll see an option to add a reminder.
4. Icons and Covers: Make your dashboard visually appealing with icons for each database and cover images for your main CRM page.

You Did It!

You now have a basic but powerful Notion CRM. It will help you stay organized, manage your client work better, and feel more in control of your freelance business.

Remember, the best CRM is the one you actually use. So, start simple, use it consistently, and tweak it as you go. Notion's flexibility means your CRM can grow with you! Happy freelancing!

This content is AI-assisted and reviewed for accuracy, but errors may occur. Always consult a legal/financial professional before making business decisions. nrold.com is not liable for any actions taken based on this information.