Building an outreach routine with a simple CRM for coaches

After 25 years in tech as a trained engineer and software executive, Derrek Cooper launched a leadership coaching practice for senior leaders navigating the human side of AI-driven change.

With a master’s in applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and a coaching credential from Georgetown, he helps VP and C-suite leaders build the clarity, confidence, and calm they need to lead well under sustained pressure.

Looking for an out-of-the-box CRM

In the early months of the practice, Derrek’s contact list was everywhere. Information was scattered across Outlook, Apple Contacts, Google Sheets, and Evernote.

This setup worked for the first three to five clients. Past that, things started slipping, and it became harder to follow up consistently. That was when he decided to look for a CRM.

Derrek knew about Salesforce, and he liked it. He had spent years on Salesforce in his corporate roles. For an enterprise sales team running hundreds of reps, it was the perfect tool.

HubSpot didn’t make the cut for the same reason. It was just too much for a solo practice, and the customization options were endless.

That last bit was actually part of the problem. Derrek is an engineer by training. Give him a configurable tool, and he will configure it.

When Derrek started his practice, he made one decision early: Google was his stack. Gmail, Calendar, Contacts. Whatever CRM he picked had to work natively with Google. That filter cut some CRMs he looked at.

Then a recommendation pointed him to OnePageCRM.

OnePageCRM had native Google integration, and the CRM worked out of the box. He could use it straight away, without having to customize anything.

Relationship-first, not deal-first

The Google integration wasn’t the only thing important to Derrek. He also values relationships.

However, most CRMs are centered around sales deals, and every conversation is tied to an opportunity. Derrek had that experience with Salesforce, and it didn’t fit him.

In OnePageCRM, deals are optional.

Derrek talks to people, records conversations, and only creates a deal when there’s a potential sale to track.

The distinction between a sales opportunity and just a conversation matters more for a coach than for a salesperson. Most of Derrek’s conversations are about whether someone’s a fit, not whether they’re closing this quarter.

An outreach system he actually uses

OnePageCRM not only puts relationships at the center but also builds a follow-up habit.

Derrek’s day starts on the Action Stream. That’s where he sees all of his contacts and what he needs to do for each of them.

“As soon as I log in, I have everything that I need,” says Derrek. “The Action Stream keeps me honest on the number of people that I reach out to every week. That’s just something I rely on every day.”

Derrek also built a small library of email templates. It has week-two summaries, week-three check-ins, and end-of-program wraps.

After each session, Derrek sends his clients a personalized email.

Besides client management, Derrek also uses OnePageCRM for new business development. He tracks every relationship through its entire lifecycle.

For example, when he finds a prospect on LinkedIn, he opens Lead Clipper to add them instantly to the CRM with a follow-up reminder. From there, he figures out what needs to be done next.

The irreplaceable features

However, it’s not just functionality that matters for a one-person coaching business. Derrek appreciates OnePageCRM’s customer service in particular.

The other thing he won’t give up is the Action Stream. He’s tried every to-do app out there, and for projects, plenty of them work. But for putting a face to a name and remembering what to do next, only one fits.