Sales pipeline

Your sales pipeline works exactly like a marketing funnel, you just need to know how to optimise it. Build the assets that help your team close: proposals that win, workflows that keep deals moving, and materials that answer objections before they kill opportunities.

Sales pipeline

Introduction

A healthy pipeline doesn’t just happen, it’s built. Marketers often hand leads to sales and hope for the best. The reality is, what happens after the handover determines your revenue.

In this section, I’ll show you how to align marketing with sales using CRM automation, proposal templates, and structured meeting flows. You’ll see how to reduce friction, shorten deal cycles, and measure conversion properly.

The goal is simple: a pipeline you can trust. One that turns interest into impact.

Foundation

The theoretical foundation you need to understand to make this work. Also includes the tools setup that is essential.

Sales pipeline tools

Sales pipeline tools

Deals slip through cracks when your sales stack doesn't work together. These tools keep your pipeline visible, your follow-ups timely, and your process tight.

Sales hub configuration

Sales hub configuration

Sales reps waste hours on admin when HubSpot isn't set up for how they actually work. Configure your workspace so the CRM helps you sell instead of slowing you down.

Build

The core playbooks that drive results. Each one targets a specific outcome and builds on the foundations.

Discovery calls

Discovery calls

A bad discovery call wastes everyone's time. A good one uncovers real needs, builds trust, and positions your solution as the obvious choice before you ever pitch.

Sales sequences

Sales sequences

Following up manually doesn't scale. Automated sequences with the right cadence and messaging keep deals warm without requiring you to remember every prospect.

Proposal templates

Proposal templates

Deals stall when proposals are slow or confusing. Clear structure, smart pricing presentation, and templates that pull from your CRM keep deals moving toward close.

Sales pipeline

resources

Tactical playbooks

Useful additional, not core to the methodology. This is also where I document what I am learning myself.

Hubspot configuration

Hubspot configuration

HubSpot is powerful when configured properly and a mess when it's not. Set up your instance correctly from the start so your data stays clean and your team trusts the system.

Recommended tools

Monday.com

Monday.com

Work OS with boards, automations and dashboards, flexible for marketing and ops when configured with restraint.

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12

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Folk

Folk

Simple CRM for relationships and outreach lists, useful for partnerships and light sales without heavy setup.

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25

per month

Keap

Keap

Small business CRM with email automation and invoicing, good when you want sales and marketing in one light tool.

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299

per month

Salesforce

Salesforce

Enterprise CRM with deep customisation and ecosystem, powerful but requires clear design and governance.

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25

per month

Close

Close

Close is a CRM built specifically for sales teams who live on the phone. Calling, email, and SMS are built directly into the platform so reps can work deals without switching between tools.

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49

per month

HubSpot

HubSpot

All in one CRM with marketing, sales and service, strong when you want one system that teams adopt.

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45

per month

Pipedrive

Pipedrive

Sales focused CRM with clean pipelines and activity tracking, ideal for small teams that value speed.

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24

per month

Surfe

Surfe

Surfe syncs LinkedIn profiles directly into your CRM with one click, capturing contact details, notes, and activities without manual data entry.

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29

per month

Freshcaller

Freshcaller

Freshcaller provides cloud phone system with call routing, IVR, and call management integrated with Freshworks support and CRM tools.

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15

per month

PandaDoc

PandaDoc

PandaDoc creates proposals, quotes, and contracts with content libraries, e-signature, and payment collection for sales teams.

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35

per month

DocuSign

DocuSign

DocuSign provides electronic signature, contract management, and workflow automation with legal validity and extensive integrations for enterprises.

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14

per month

Dropbox Sign

Dropbox Sign

Dropbox Sign provides electronic signatures with simple workflows, templates, and team features integrated with Dropbox for straightforward signing needs.

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17.5

per month

Aircall

Aircall

Aircall provides cloud phone system with CRM integrations, call routing, and analytics for sales and support teams working remotely.

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40

per month

Lemcal

Lemcal

Lemcal provides instant meeting scheduling optimised for speed with one-click booking, availability pools, and sales-focused features.

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9

per month

Calendly

Calendly

Calendly automates meeting scheduling with availability sync, booking pages, payment collection, and workflow integrations for professionals.

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12

per month

Cal.com

Cal.com

Cal.com provides meeting scheduling with calendar sync, booking pages, and workflow automation, available open-source or hosted for teams.

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15

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Sales pipeline

metrics

Qualification rate

The percentage of discovery calls where the prospect is confirmed as a qualified sales opportunity.

Proposal rate

The percentage of qualified opportunities that receive a formal proposal or quote.

Win rate

The percentage of proposals sent that result in a signed contract.

Sales pipeline

books

The 10X rule

The 10X rule

Grant Cardone

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A filter for action and attitude. Use big goals wisely, pair with systems and avoid noisy busyness.

Spin selling

Spin selling

Neil Rackham

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A clear walkthrough of Situation, Problem, Implication, Need payoff with examples that match complex deals.

The Science of Selling

The Science of Selling

David Hoffeld

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Research backed techniques for discovery, framing and closing that marketers can support with better assets.

Sales pipeline

wiki

Proposal rate

The percentage of qualified opportunities that receive a formal proposal or quote.

Lead

Identify individuals who've shown initial interest in your offering, separating them from cold prospects for targeted nurture.

Content upgrade

Offer specific downloadable resources related to blog content to convert readers into leads by providing deeper value on topics they're already interested in.

BANT

Qualify leads systematically by assessing budget, authority, need, and timing to focus sales effort on high-potential opportunities.

Gated content

Require email addresses in exchange for valuable content to generate leads whilst ensuring the asset provides enough value to justify the friction.

Qualification rate

The percentage of discovery calls where the prospect is confirmed as a qualified sales opportunity.

MQL

Flag leads who meet defined engagement or fit criteria, creating a qualified handoff between marketing and sales for efficient follow-up.

Discovery call

Conduct exploratory conversations to understand prospect situations and qualify fit before investing time in demos or proposals that might waste both parties' time.

SQL

Identify prospects that sales has vetted as qualified opportunities, establishing the handoff from marketing to active deal pursuit.

Progressive profiling

Gradually collect information across multiple form submissions rather than overwhelming new leads with long forms that decrease conversion rates.

Sales cadence

Sequence multiple touchpoints across channels and time to increase response rates through persistent but respectful follow-up that prospects don't perceive as harassment.

Closing techniques

Use specific tactics that ask for the sale and overcome final hesitation to convert qualified prospects who need a clear signal that it's time to commit.

Win rate

The percentage of proposals sent that result in a signed contract.

Objection handling

Prepare responses to common purchase concerns to address doubts confidently and move deals forward rather than being surprised by predictable pushback.

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