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Pipeline Design: Stage Definitions

Day 20 of 30 · B2B Sales 2026 Masterclass

Write entry/exit criteria and required fields per stage so your pipeline is not opinion-based.

Learning Goal

  • Create stage list with entry/exit criteria.
  • Define required fields per stage.
  • Publish a one-page pipeline checklist.

Why It Matters

  • Without definitions, stage meaning is person-dependent.
  • Without fields, no reporting/automation.
  • Unified forecast and faster risk signaling.

Explanation

Entry/exit

  • Entry: what must be true to enter (e.g., ICP + pain + decision maker).
  • Exit: proof of progression (e.g., decision process known, paper process started).

Required fields

  • Next step + date + owner.
  • Source, value, probability (optional), lost reason (if dropped).

Examples

Good: Each stage has entry/exit criteria + required fields.

Bad: “I put it here after a call if I feel like it.”

Guided Exercise (10–15 minutes)

  1. List stages (Lead, SQL, Discovery, Proposal, Negotiation, Close).
  2. Write entry/exit for each.
  3. List required fields.

Independent Exercise (5–10 minutes)

Fill required fields on 5 live deals; fix gaps.

Self-check

  • Stage definitions done.
  • Entry/exit defined.
  • Required fields listed.
  • Applied to 5 deals.

Optional Deep Dive