If you've ever tried to cram a bunch of wildly different B2B deals into a single sales pipeline, you know how messy things get. Some leads want a demo right away; others expect legal reviews and weeks of back-and-forth. Solidinbox is built for teams who need more than a one-size-fits-all pipeline. This guide shows you, step by step, how to actually build custom sales pipelines in Solidinbox that match how your customers buy—not just what some template says.
This is for sales managers, ops folks, or anyone tired of spreadsheets and generic CRMs. If you want to keep your team focused and your deals moving (without losing your mind), you’re in the right place.
Step 1: Get Clear on Your B2B Customer Segments
Before you touch any software, figure out what “different customer segments” actually means in your world. If you skip this, your pipelines will be a confusing mess.
Ask yourself:
- What groups do you actually sell to? (e.g., startups, mid-market, enterprise, agencies)
- Do their buying processes really differ? Or are you making it complicated for no reason?
- What are the key stages, blockers, or decision-makers for each segment?
Pro tip: Don’t invent segments just because your product could work for everyone. Focus on the types of customers you actually close.
What works: Clear, practical segments based on how deals actually flow.
What doesn’t: Over-segmentation. Three solid pipelines beat ten barely-used ones.
Step 2: Map Out Each Segment’s Buying Journey
Now, sketch out how each segment moves from “new lead” to “closed-won.” Don’t just copy a generic funnel. Think through:
- How do these customers enter your pipeline? (Inbound demo, outbound cold email, channel partner, etc.)
- What really needs to happen before a deal moves forward? (Technical review, budget approval, contract negotiation)
- Where do deals usually get stuck? Be honest—if legal review always drags, make it a stage.
Do this on paper or a whiteboard first. You want to see the stages and steps for each segment side by side.
What works: Naming stages based on real actions (e.g., “Legal Review,” not “Stage 3”).
What doesn’t: Letting “how you wish deals went” dictate your pipeline. Build for reality.
Step 3: Set Up Custom Pipelines in Solidinbox
Now that you know which segments matter and what their journeys look like, you’re ready to build in Solidinbox. Here’s how:
3.1: Create a New Pipeline for Each Segment
- In Solidinbox, go to your pipeline management area.
- Click “Add Pipeline” (or whatever the button is—Solidinbox changes UI labels sometimes).
- Name your pipeline clearly. Don’t get fancy. “Enterprise Pipeline” or “Agencies” is fine.
Pro tip: If you’re not 100% sure you need a separate pipeline, you probably don’t. You can always split things later.
3.2: Define Custom Stages for Each Pipeline
- For each pipeline, add stages that match the buying journey you mapped out earlier.
- Avoid “Stage 1,” “Stage 2,” etc.—use real words like “Demo Scheduled” or “Security Review.”
- Drag and drop to order your stages in the actual sequence deals follow.
What works: Making a checklist for each stage (“To move from ‘Needs Analysis’ to ‘Proposal Sent,’ sales must X, Y, Z”).
What doesn’t: Copy-pasting the same stages to every pipeline. If they’re identical, you probably just need one pipeline.
3.3: Set Up Fields and Requirements
Not every deal needs the same info. Customize the fields for each pipeline:
- Add custom fields: For example, enterprise deals might require “Procurement Contact” or “RFP Due Date.”
- Make key fields required before moving a deal forward. This helps avoid missing info down the road.
Honest take: Don’t go nuts with required fields. If your reps start gaming the system (“asdf” in every box), you’ve overdone it.
Step 4: Assign Team Members and Set Visibility
Not everyone needs to see or manage every pipeline. In Solidinbox:
- Assign owners: Make sure each pipeline has a clear owner or team.
- Set permissions: Limit who can edit pipelines versus just view them, especially if you have sensitive enterprise deals.
This keeps your salespeople focused and stops them from tripping over deals that don’t matter to them.
What works: Giving teams autonomy over their pipelines—just don’t let everyone run wild.
What doesn’t: Total free-for-all access. “Who moved my deal?” is never fun to hear.
Step 5: Automate the Boring Stuff (But Don’t Overdo It)
Solidinbox has automation features for things like:
- Auto-assigning new leads to the right pipeline based on lead source or company size.
- Triggering reminders when deals sit too long in a stage.
- Sending templated emails when a deal hits key stages.
Set up simple automations that save real time. Ignore the urge to automate every tiny thing, especially if your team doesn’t trust the bots yet.
What works: Automating repetitive stuff your team hates doing.
What doesn’t: Over-automation. If you’re debugging workflows more than selling, scale it back.
Step 6: Test With Real Deals—Then Iterate
- Move a few real deals through your new pipelines. Don’t just test with fake data.
- Ask your team: What’s confusing? What’s missing? Where do deals get stuck?
- Adjust stages, fields, or automation based on actual usage.
Pro tip: Block off time every quarter to review pipelines. If nobody uses a segment, kill it.
What works: Tiny, frequent updates based on feedback.
What doesn’t: Waiting months to fix obvious problems, or “set and forget” pipelines.
When Should You Not Bother With Multiple Pipelines?
- Your sales stages are 95% the same across segments—just use one pipeline with a few extra fields.
- You have fewer than 30 active deals at a time. Simpler is better.
- You’re a solo founder. Don’t create busywork for yourself.
Bottom line: If splitting pipelines adds more clarity than confusion, go for it. Otherwise, keep it simple.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple and Keep Moving
Custom pipelines in Solidinbox are powerful, but they’re not magic. The real trick is building just enough structure to match how your best customers actually buy—then getting out of your own way. Start simple, stay honest about what’s working, and tweak as you go. Don’t get seduced by features you don’t need.
Your future self (and your sales team) will thank you.