A sales pipeline is the list of open opportunities sorted by stage. It tells you what can close, when, and what needs doing today.
The stages
In B2B sales, five stages are enough to start with. Each one needs a clear criterion for moving to the next.
- Contact: we know who they are and what interests them.
- Qualified: they have a need, a budget and a decision-maker.
- Proposal: they have received a quote.
- Negotiation: we fine-tune the terms.
- Closed: won or lost, and why.
The minimum data
For each opportunity: approximate value, expected close date, next action and who owns it. With no next action, the opportunity has stalled.
The weekly routine
- Close opportunities that haven't moved in over a month.
- Review the close dates.
- Give every open opportunity a next action.
From theory to tool. Syncloo prioritises contacts and prepares each action from the data you already have. Find out more.