Create the contact
Go to Add Contact.
Enter name (e.g., “Josh Test 12”).
Enter email (e.g., “jspan…[email protected]”).
(Optional) Skip phone if it conflicts with an existing record.
Click Save.
Mark it as a Direct Lead
Open the contact you just created.
In Tags, add Direct Lead (or the tag labeled “Direct”).
This tells the system it’s not from Google Ads and not a past customer (e.g., networking, referral, bid).
Let the automation classify & sync (two options)
Normal flow: Wait ~5 minutes. The automation will detect the lead type (AdWords/Past/Direct) and push it to Airtable with the right tags.
Fast-forward: If you don’t want to wait, open the workflow queue item for this contact, click Skip, then Move All (or equivalent). This fires the webhook immediately and sends the record to Airtable.
Confirm in Airtable
Open Airtable and verify the new lead has appeared with the Direct Lead tag/type.
Qualify when ready
Back in the CRM, add the Qualified tag (e.g., when you’re ready to send a proposal).
Confirm Airtable updates to reflect Qualified.
Add notes
In the contact’s notes, add any context (e.g., “Referred by Will”).
Save to push notes to Airtable as well.
Work the lead normally
Continue managing the lead inside your CRM (calls, proposals, follow-ups). Airtable stays in sync, but you can operate entirely from the CRM if you prefer.