This weekend I plan to add new potential prospects to the excel spreadsheet that is my sales pipeline. And I got to thinking - just what information should I capture?

Obviously the contact information. And then few columns that speak to what contact we've had, any material I have sent, if I have sent a proposal and even it I have actually sold and product or service.

But is there anything else?

Jay Conrad Levinson, guerrilla marketing guru, suggests that your spreadsheet should be more than a 100 columns wide.

He recommends that as you get to know your prospects you should keep track of the little details:

- notice their favorite meal and/or beverage
- their birthday
- what college they went to
- favorite sport teams
- places they vacation
- their geographical location
- lists of products they express interest in
- favorite color
- pets

As you are searching the web, reading the paper, watching the news, you'll come across information that pertains to one of your prospects hobbies or preferences. Drop them a note - "just thinking about you when I read this article."

It's a great way to keep your name in front of the prospect without overtly selling a product. Remember, people buy from those they like a trust. Remembering the little details of their life sets you apart from the competition.

So what's in your sale pipeline?