Lead Funnel Flow
Purpose
This document defines the lead management funnel we will use across the team. The goal is to ensure every lead is tracked consistently, progress is visible, and conversion metrics are reliable.
Funnel Stages (Core)
1. New
o Definition: Fresh leads added to our system (scraped, Google Maps, referrals, inbound, etc.).
o Action: No outreach has been made yet.
o Notes: Always record the source of the lead here.
2. Contacted
o Definition: Outreach initiated (email, call, LinkedIn DM, etc.), awaiting response.
o Possible Outcomes:
§ No reply after X attempts (e.g., 5 touches) → lead will stay in the Contacted Stage with comments
§ Reply received → move to Qualified or Not Qualified.
3. Qualified
o Definition: Lead has responded positively or shows interest. Fit confirmed.
o Activities: First conversations, Q&A, meeting scheduling.
o Possible Outcomes:
§ Meeting successful → move to Opportunity.
§ Meeting fails / lead drops → move to Lost.
4. Opportunity
o Definition: Proposal sent or negotiation underway. This is an active deal.
o Rules:
§ Lead remains here until decision.
§ If stalled beyond X days (e.g., 7–10), review and either follow-up or mark as Lost.
o Possible Outcomes:
§ Won (payment received) → becomes Customer (see below).
§ Rejected / no payment → move to Lost.
5. Lost
o Definition: Lead was a fit but deal did not close.
o Action: Always record a Lost Reason (Budget, Timing, Competitor, Ghosted, etc.).
6. Not Qualified
o Definition: Lead was never a fit (wrong industry, budget, geography, etc.).
o Action: Drop from funnel. No further sales effort.
Out-of-Funnel Status
· Customer (Won)
o Definition: Payment received, deal closed.
o Notes: Customer is no longer part of the lead funnel. They move into Customer Success / Account Management. Metrics like retention, upsell, and lifetime value are handled separately.
Nurture (Optional Side Bucket)
· Definition: Leads that did not respond after outreach attempts but are not dead.
· Action: Add to drip campaigns, newsletters, or periodic re-engagement.
Why This Flow
· Clarity: Every stage is a state, not an action.
· Data hygiene: “Not Qualified” vs “Lost” are kept separate.
· Measurable: Allows tracking of conversion rates across each stage.
· Industry alignment: Matches Salesforce, HubSpot, and Belkins best practices.
Key Metrics
· Contacted → Qualified (% positive response rate).
· Qualified → Opportunity (% booking/meeting success).
· Opportunity → Customer (% close rate).
· Ratio of Lost vs Not Qualified.
· Average time spent in each stage.
Team Guidelines
· Always update stages promptly to keep data live.
· Use Lost Reasons dropdown for every closed lead.
· Never keep unresponsive leads in New; move them to Contacted/Nurture once outreach is attempted.
· Customers must be tracked outside the funnel (separate dashboards).
This flow is now the standard. All leads must follow this process.