Most founders think they need a fancy CRM and a $200/month sales stack to close deals. They don’t.

If you’re still handling sales yourself, you just need a few solid tools to track leads, follow up like a pro, and keep conversations moving—without the bloat or the price tag.

After years of testing tools (and getting burned by a few), here’s the lean sales stack I recommend for bootstrapped founders who don’t want to waste money.

Trello as a CRM – Track Deals Without the Bloat 

Everyone starts with HubSpot because it’s “free”—until it isn’t. Before you know it, you’re stuck in upgrade hell. HubSpot tries to be everything to everybody, which is great if you’re a big company. But for a scrappy founder, it’s overkill.

Trello keeps it simple. Create a board with columns like *New Lead, Contacted, Follow-Up, Proposal Sent, Closed*, and drag deals along as they progress. No complexity, no nonsense.

Boomerang for Email Tracking – Follow Up Like a Pro 

Most sales don’t die because of price—they die because you didn’t follow up.

Boomerang tells you when someone opens your email, so you can time your follow-ups perfectly. It also lets you schedule emails ahead of time, so you never forget to nudge a lead at the right moment.

Fireflies.ai – Remember What Actually Happened on Calls 

Ever leave a call thinking, *That went great!* and then completely forget what was actually said?

Fireflies.ai records and transcribes Zoom calls so you can focus on the conversation instead of scrambling for notes. It’s like an AI assistant for your memory.

Zoom – Because Sales Still Happen Face-to-Face (Sort Of) 

Email is great, but if you’re closing bigger deals, face time matters.

Zoom is free, easy, and widely used. Just turn on your camera—people buy from people, not faceless voices.

Google Docs + Stripe – The Bootstrapper’s Proposal Stack 

Forget fancy proposal software. A well-written Google Doc does the job.

Drop in your scope, price, and a “Reply with ‘yes’ to move forward” line, and you’re done. Pair that with a Stripe invoice for frictionless payments. Simple, free, and effective.

Upgrade Options: Better Proposals & FreshBooks 

If you want something more polished, **Better Proposals** has sleek templates, e-signatures, and tracking. I tried it and liked it, but honestly? Google Docs is faster, and most clients don’t need the bells and whistles.

If you’re doing high-volume proposals, **FreshBooks** is a solid step up. It integrates proposals and invoices in one place, which can be nice as you grow. But if you’re just starting out, it’s an extra expense you probably don’t need.

Calendar Scheduling – Make It Easy to Book Calls 

Don’t waste time on back-and-forth emails.

Calendly is the go-to, but if you want a **cheaper alternative, TidyCal** is a one-time payment instead of a subscription. It’s a solid upgrade over just using Google Calendar manually.

If you’re booking high-volume calls or need team scheduling, **Acuity Scheduling** is a good next step.

Final Thought 

You don’t need an expensive, bloated sales stack to close deals. Start lean, keep it simple, and upgrade only when your current setup starts slowing you down.

What’s your go-to budget-friendly sales tool?