{"slug":"pipeline-stages-crm-hygiene","title":"Pipeline Stages and CRM Hygiene — GHL Opportunity Management","tags":["pipeline","crm","ghl","hygiene","opportunity","stages","tracking"],"agent_summary":"Standard pipeline stage definitions for agency acquisition in GHL, CRM hygiene rules, stale deal protocols, and the weekly pipeline review process.","trigger_phrases":["pipeline stages","crm hygiene","ghl pipeline","opportunity stages","sales pipeline management","pipeline review","crm cleanup"],"runnable":false,"markdown":"\n# Pipeline Stages and CRM Hygiene\n\n**Last updated:** 2026-05-12\n\nA pipeline that has not been cleaned in two weeks is not a pipeline — it is a list of wishes. CRM hygiene is the practice of keeping the pipeline accurate so that your forecast is real and your follow-up system actually fires.\n\n---\n\n## Standard Pipeline Stages\n\nUse these stage names in GHL. Every contact with an open opportunity must be in exactly one stage at all times.\n\n### Stage 1 — New Lead\n\n**Definition:** Contact entered the system but has not been contacted or qualified.\n\n**Source:** Inbound form fill, cold SMS reply, cold email reply, referral referral before contact is made.\n\n**Max time in stage:** 24 hours. If not contacted within 24 hours, the lead degrades significantly in quality.\n\n**Actions at this stage:**\n- Attempt first contact within 5 minutes of inbound form fills\n- Tag with source (sms-inbound, email-inbound, referral, etc.)\n- Do not mark as Qualified until you have spoken with them\n\n---\n\n### Stage 2 — Contacted\n\n**Definition:** First contact attempt made, waiting for response.\n\n**Actions at this stage:**\n- Automated follow-up sequence running (or manual follow-up logged)\n- No open task should sit more than 48 hours without a next touchpoint\n\n**Exit criteria:** They respond (move to Qualified or Disqualified) OR they hit 7 days with no reply (move to Long-Term Nurture)\n\n---\n\n### Stage 3 — Qualified\n\n**Definition:** Had a conversation. Scored 9+ on qualification scorecard. Decision-maker confirmed.\n\n**Actions at this stage:**\n- Qualification score entered in contact record\n- Discovery call notes documented\n- Closer call booked or proposal in progress\n\n**Exit criteria:** Call booked (move to Booked) OR disqualified (move to Disqualified)\n\n---\n\n### Stage 4 — Booked\n\n**Definition:** Closer call or demo is scheduled with a confirmed time on the calendar.\n\n**Actions at this stage:**\n- Confirmation SMS/email sent\n- 24-hour reminder and 1-hour reminder set\n- Closer has reviewed the setter's call notes\n\n**Exit criteria:** Call happened (move to Pitched) OR no-show (move to No-Show)\n\n---\n\n### Stage 5 — Pitched\n\n**Definition:** Offer has been presented. Waiting on a decision.\n\n**Actions at this stage:**\n- Follow-up sequence running\n- Decision-maker has been given a deadline (soft or hard)\n- Proposal document sent if applicable\n\n**Max time in stage:** 7 days. If no decision in 7 days without a clear reason, move to Long-Term Nurture.\n\n**Exit criteria:** Closed Won OR Closed Lost OR Long-Term Nurture\n\n---\n\n### Stage 6 — Closed Won\n\n**Definition:** Contract signed and deposit paid.\n\n**Actions at this stage:**\n- Trigger onboarding workflow\n- Remove from all active follow-up sequences\n- Tag with niche, geo, and contract value for reporting\n\n---\n\n### Stage 7 — Closed Lost\n\n**Definition:** Explicitly declined or unresponsive after all follow-up exhausted.\n\n**Actions at this stage:**\n- Add reason tag (price, timing, competitor, disqualified)\n- Add to 90-day re-engagement sequence if loss reason is timing\n- Do not delete from CRM — leads resurface\n\n---\n\n### Stage 8 — No-Show\n\n**Definition:** Booked call missed.\n\n**Actions at this stage:**\n- Trigger no-show recovery workflow (see [[no-show-recovery-sms-workflow]])\n- Move to Booked if rescheduled, Long-Term Nurture if sequence exhausted\n\n---\n\n### Stage 9 — Long-Term Nurture\n\n**Definition:** Not ready now. Timing, budget, or circumstance prevents a decision.\n\n**Actions at this stage:**\n- Monthly touchpoint (value-add email or SMS)\n- No active selling — relationship maintenance only\n- Review quarterly: are any nurture contacts now ready?\n\n---\n\n## CRM Hygiene Rules\n\n### The 48-Hour Rule\nEvery open opportunity must have a next action (task or workflow step) within 48 hours. If a contact has no scheduled next step, someone fell through the cracks.\n\n### No Unnamed Opportunities\nEvery opportunity in the pipeline must have a value entered. \"$0\" opportunities are placeholders, not real pipeline. Estimate if you don't know exactly.\n\n### Stage Stale Limits\n\n| Stage | Max Days Without Movement |\n|---|---|\n| New Lead | 1 day |\n| Contacted | 7 days |\n| Qualified | 5 days |\n| Booked | Day of call (auto-moves) |\n| Pitched | 7 days |\n| No-Show | 5 days (recovery sequence length) |\n\nIf a contact exceeds the stale limit without movement, flag it in the weekly review.\n\n---\n\n## Weekly Pipeline Review (15 Minutes)\n\nRun this every Monday morning:\n\n1. **Filter: Stage = New Lead, older than 24 hours** — These should be zero. If not, someone missed a follow-up.\n2. **Filter: Stage = Contacted, older than 7 days** — Move to Long-Term Nurture or disqualify.\n3. **Filter: Stage = Qualified, no booked call** — Why? Either set the call or move them down.\n4. **Filter: Stage = Pitched, older than 7 days** — Make a decision. Either follow up or move to Closed Lost.\n5. **Count total pipeline value** — Compare to last week. Growing, flat, or shrinking?\n\nThe pipeline review should take 15 minutes if the CRM is clean. If it takes 45 minutes, the hygiene has been neglected.\n\n---\n\n## Tagging Conventions\n\nConsistent tags make reporting and segmentation possible:\n\n| Tag Category | Format | Examples |\n|---|---|---|\n| Source | `src-[channel]` | `src-sms`, `src-email`, `src-referral` |\n| Niche | `niche-[niche]` | `niche-roofing`, `niche-hvac` |\n| Outcome | `[outcome]` | `closed-won`, `closed-lost-price`, `no-show-recovered` |\n| Follow-up | `[sequence]-active` | `nurture-active`, `no-show-active` |\n\nDo not create tags on the fly without a naming convention. Tag sprawl is the most common CRM hygiene failure in small agencies.\n\n---\n\n## Related Topics\n\n- [[qualification-scorecard]]\n- [[close-won-onboarding-workflow]]\n- [[no-show-recovery-sms-workflow]]\n- [[appointment-show-rate-optimization]]\n","html":"

Pipeline Stages and CRM Hygiene

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Last updated: 2026-05-12

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A pipeline that has not been cleaned in two weeks is not a pipeline — it is a list of wishes. CRM hygiene is the practice of keeping the pipeline accurate so that your forecast is real and your follow-up system actually fires.

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Standard Pipeline Stages

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Use these stage names in GHL. Every contact with an open opportunity must be in exactly one stage at all times.

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Stage 1 — New Lead

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Definition: Contact entered the system but has not been contacted or qualified.

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Source: Inbound form fill, cold SMS reply, cold email reply, referral referral before contact is made.

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Max time in stage: 24 hours. If not contacted within 24 hours, the lead degrades significantly in quality.

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Actions at this stage:

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Stage 2 — Contacted

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Definition: First contact attempt made, waiting for response.

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Actions at this stage:

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Exit criteria: They respond (move to Qualified or Disqualified) OR they hit 7 days with no reply (move to Long-Term Nurture)

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Stage 3 — Qualified

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Definition: Had a conversation. Scored 9+ on qualification scorecard. Decision-maker confirmed.

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Actions at this stage:

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Exit criteria: Call booked (move to Booked) OR disqualified (move to Disqualified)

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Stage 4 — Booked

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Definition: Closer call or demo is scheduled with a confirmed time on the calendar.

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Actions at this stage:

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Exit criteria: Call happened (move to Pitched) OR no-show (move to No-Show)

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Stage 5 — Pitched

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Definition: Offer has been presented. Waiting on a decision.

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Actions at this stage:

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Max time in stage: 7 days. If no decision in 7 days without a clear reason, move to Long-Term Nurture.

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Exit criteria: Closed Won OR Closed Lost OR Long-Term Nurture

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Stage 6 — Closed Won

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Definition: Contract signed and deposit paid.

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Actions at this stage:

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Stage 7 — Closed Lost

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Definition: Explicitly declined or unresponsive after all follow-up exhausted.

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Actions at this stage:

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Stage 8 — No-Show

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Definition: Booked call missed.

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Actions at this stage:

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Stage 9 — Long-Term Nurture

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Definition: Not ready now. Timing, budget, or circumstance prevents a decision.

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Actions at this stage:

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CRM Hygiene Rules

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The 48-Hour Rule

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Every open opportunity must have a next action (task or workflow step) within 48 hours. If a contact has no scheduled next step, someone fell through the cracks.

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No Unnamed Opportunities

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Every opportunity in the pipeline must have a value entered. \"$0\" opportunities are placeholders, not real pipeline. Estimate if you don't know exactly.

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Stage Stale Limits

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| Stage | Max Days Without Movement |\n|---|---|\n| New Lead | 1 day |\n| Contacted | 7 days |\n| Qualified | 5 days |\n| Booked | Day of call (auto-moves) |\n| Pitched | 7 days |\n| No-Show | 5 days (recovery sequence length) |

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If a contact exceeds the stale limit without movement, flag it in the weekly review.

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Weekly Pipeline Review (15 Minutes)

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Run this every Monday morning:

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  1. Filter: Stage = New Lead, older than 24 hours — These should be zero. If not, someone missed a follow-up.
    2. \n
  2. Filter: Stage = Contacted, older than 7 days — Move to Long-Term Nurture or disqualify.
    3. \n
  3. Filter: Stage = Qualified, no booked call — Why? Either set the call or move them down.
    4. \n
  4. Filter: Stage = Pitched, older than 7 days — Make a decision. Either follow up or move to Closed Lost.
    5. \n
  5. Count total pipeline value — Compare to last week. Growing, flat, or shrinking?
    6. \n
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The pipeline review should take 15 minutes if the CRM is clean. If it takes 45 minutes, the hygiene has been neglected.

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Tagging Conventions

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Consistent tags make reporting and segmentation possible:

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| Tag Category | Format | Examples |\n|---|---|---|\n| Source | src-[channel] | src-sms, src-email, src-referral |\n| Niche | niche-[niche] | niche-roofing, niche-hvac |\n| Outcome | [outcome] | closed-won, closed-lost-price, no-show-recovered |\n| Follow-up | [sequence]-active | nurture-active, no-show-active |

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Do not create tags on the fly without a naming convention. Tag sprawl is the most common CRM hygiene failure in small agencies.

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Related Topics

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