Yes, we’re really recommending a Google Sheet in 2026

Yes, we’re really recommending a Google Sheet in 2026

Wait, what? Have we lost the plot?

It’s 2026. We’re in the age of AI assistants, tech bros talking about their agentic mega workflows with endless connectors, and automation that can practically read your mind.

And here we are, about to recommend you download a Google Sheet.

BD list building by spreadsheet, has Make the Break finally lost its marbles?

Not quite. Let me explain.

We’re massive believers in the power of proper CRM systems. We champion AI tools that make sales teams more efficient. We’ve written extensively about why you need to move away from spreadsheets for managing your pipeline.

But, there’s still one job that no automation, no AI, and no fancy tech can do for you, though.

That job? Getting the information out of your head in the first place.

When pressure hits, you need a plan

You’re looking at the quarter ahead and targets have been set. Maybe the market’s shifted against you. Maybe that warm pipeline you inherited isn’t quite what you thought. Or maybe you’re just feeling the squeeze to perform.

This is when the temptation to panic sets in. People start throwing spaghetti at the wall with automated LinkedIn outreach, spray-and-pray email campaigns, or worse – doing nothing at all because the mountain feels too big to climb.

Stop. Take a breath. What you need right now isn’t more noise. You need a plan. And that plan starts with one simple principle we’ve been banging on about for years

Build the List and Hit the List.

The spreadsheet we’re recommending isn’t your final system. It’s not where you’ll manage your pipeline or track your deals. Think of it as the extraction tool – the place where you brain-dump every possible sales opportunity that exists inside your business, your network, and your market right now.

This doesn’t have to be a solo mission either. BD list building is your chance to gather intel from across the business. Your marketing team knows which content is getting traction. Your delivery team knows which clients are thriving. Your finance team knows who’s been slow to pay recently. Get them involved. Pull those nuggets of information together and weight the game in your favour as much as possible before you even pick up the phone or send that first DM.

How to use it

Here’s how this works. The sheet has different tabs for different categories of opportunity. We can loosely group these lists into three categories:

Warm opportunities (Lost pitches, lost clients, inbound enquiries that went cold): These are the people who already know you exist. They’ve been through some form of qualification. Maybe they chose someone else 18 months ago and that relationship has gone south. Maybe they downloaded something from your website and ghosted you. Get these names down first – they’re your highest-probability targets.

Network opportunities (People you’ve met at events, contacts who’ve moved roles): You know that box of business cards gathering dust? That stack of LinkedIn connections you never followed up with? Time to put them to work. These conversations aren’t cold – you’ve already met these people, or you have a shared connection.

Look-alike opportunities (Companies similar to your best clients): Who are you loving working with right now? What makes them great? Now, who else looks like them? Industry awards shortlists, media “ones to watch” features, funded companies announcements – these are all goldmines for building target lists fast. This is also where AI can actually play a useful role in doing market research and list building for you.

The beauty of lists is twofold. First, they create focus when everything feels overwhelming. Second, they breed repetition. When you’re having similar conversations with similar prospects, you get better fast. You pick up industry nuances, refine your pitch, and spot patterns that help you qualify in or out more efficiently.

This is a launch pad, not a landing spot

Right, here’s where we get serious for a moment. This Google Sheet is temporary. It’s a static resource. Its job is to capture everything bouncing around in your head and get it into one place so you can see the full picture.

But as soon as you’ve done that brain dump, you need to move. Get those contacts into your CRM. Get your activities logged in your CRM. Get your pipeline building in your CRM.

Why? Because Jackie’s written the definitive guide on this, but the short version is: spreadsheets don’t scale, they don’t create accountability, and they don’t give you the visibility you need to actually manage a sales process.

Your CRM is where the real work happens. It’s where you track deal stages, assign tasks, set follow-up reminders, and most importantly, where your manager can see what’s actually going on without having to chase you for updates.

The sheet gets you from zero to one. Your CRM takes you from one to done.

Focus equals results

When you’re under pressure, the temptation is to do everything at once. Blast out connection requests. Send generic emails to thousands of prospects. Hope something sticks.

Resist that urge. The companies we’ve seen pull themselves out of tight spots don’t do it by casting wider nets. They do it by going deeper in the right places. They build specific lists. They work them systematically. They track what works and do more of it.

That’s what this sheet enables. It’s the starting gun, not the finish line. Build your lists. Get them into your CRM. Then hit them hard with focused, relevant outreach that actually moves the needle.

Ready to get building?

Download your free copy of the Build the List template and start mapping out your opportunities. It might feel old-school, but sometimes the simplest tools are the ones that actually get you moving.

Because right now, you don’t need another webinar on sales automation. You need to build a list and work it. Everything else comes after.

Get your copy of our BD ‘Build the List’ template here.