Tracking opportunities.
WHAT A PIPELINE IS
A list of live opportunities, with their stage and next action.
WHAT IT IS FOR
Knowing what to do next, and forecasting.
WHAT EACH ENTRY NEEDS
Who What they need Stage Value Expected decision date Next action, with a date
WHY NEXT ACTION MATTERS MOST
Deals without one are dead.
WHAT STAGES SHOULD REFLECT
What the buyer has done, not what you have done.
WHY
Sending a proposal is your action; reading it is theirs.
WHAT GOOD STAGES LOOK LIKE
Problem confirmed Decision process understood Proposal reviewed Terms agreed
WHAT TO REVIEW WEEKLY
Every deal, and whether it moved.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT DEALS THAT HAVE NOT MOVED
Establish why, or close them.
WHY CLOSE THEM
A pipeline full of stalled deals conceals the real position.
WHAT HONESTY IN A PIPELINE PROVIDES
Accurate forecasting, and attention on what is live.
WHAT TO AVOID
Keeping deals for comfort Optimistic dates Stages advanced on hope
WHAT TO MEASURE
How many opportunities become customers How long it takes Where they stall
WHAT STALLING PATTERNS REVEAL
Which part of your process fails.
