If your sales pipeline is a mess, you’re not alone. Most teams throw their deals into a mishmash of “leads” and “follow-ups,” then wonder why nothing moves forward—or worse, why deals just disappear. This guide is for sales managers, founders, or anyone who actually wants to see deals move from “maybe” to “won” using Trellus. If you’re tired of sales advice that sounds like it was written by AI, you’ll find this one refreshingly blunt.
Let’s break down, step by step, how to set up your pipeline stages in Trellus so they actually help you close deals (and don’t become yet another thing your team ignores).
1. Get Clear on What a Sales Pipeline Should Do
Before you even open Trellus, ask yourself: what do you need your pipeline to do? Ignore all the fancy diagrams you’ve seen—your pipeline should answer two questions:
- Where is every deal, right now?
- What needs to happen next to move it forward?
That’s it. If your stages don’t make that obvious, you’re setting yourself up for confusion and wasted time.
Pro tip: Most teams use too many stages. “Interested,” “Contacted,” “Waiting,” “Demo scheduled,” “Negotiating,” “Final review,” “Contract sent,” “Verbal yes,” “Closed won”—all sound nice, but do you really need all of them? Probably not.
2. Map Out Your Real Sales Process
Don’t just copy what you saw in a sales blog. Take 20 minutes and write down exactly how deals move forward at your company. Grab a whiteboard or even a napkin, and jot down:
- How do leads come in?
- What are the make-or-break moments?
- Where do deals typically get stuck?
- What’s the actual last step before a deal is “won” or “lost”?
You’ll probably spot bottlenecks or unnecessary steps here. That’s good. The simpler your process, the easier it’ll be to keep Trellus updated—and the less time you’ll spend nagging the team.
What to ignore
- Stages for the sake of reporting (“Q2 Tracking,” “Management Review”)—these just gum up the works.
- Stages that sound good but you can’t define clearly.
- Anything you add “just in case”—if you’re not sure, leave it out. You can always add later.
3. Set Up Your Pipeline Stages in Trellus
Now, open Trellus and head to your pipeline settings. You’ll see default stages like “Lead In,” “Contacted,” and “Closed Won.” Don’t be afraid to delete or rename these.
How to do it:
- Go to “Settings,” then “Pipelines.”
- Either edit the existing pipeline or create a new one.
- Add, remove, or rename stages so they match your real process.
Keep these rules in mind:
- Each stage should be a real, observable step. “Proposal Sent” is clear; “Nurturing” is not.
- Don’t split hairs. If you can’t explain the difference between two stages to a new rep in 30 seconds, combine them.
- Limit yourself to 4-7 stages. Most teams need:
- New Lead
- Qualified
- Demo/Meeting
- Proposal/Quote
- Negotiation
- Closed Won
- Closed Lost
If you sell software, maybe you need “Trial Started” or “Legal Review.” If you sell services, maybe not. Don’t get fancy unless you actually need it.
What works:
Clear, minimal stages make it dead-simple to know what’s next.
What doesn’t:
Building a pipeline that reflects every possible twist and turn. You’ll end up with a graveyard of stale deals nobody wants to clean up.
4. Define What Moves a Deal Forward (and Back)
A pipeline stage without clear criteria is just a bucket. For each stage, write down—somewhere everyone can see—what has to happen before a deal moves forward.
- Example:
- “Qualified” = We’ve spoken to the prospect, and they have a real need and budget.
- “Proposal Sent” = We’ve emailed a formal quote, not just had a conversation.
If you ever catch yourself saying, “Well, maybe this deal is in Negotiation,” that’s a red flag. Nail down your criteria.
Pro tip:
Add these criteria as notes in Trellus, or stick them in a team doc. The goal is to avoid “pipeline drift,” where deals float in the wrong stage for weeks.
5. Train the Team—And Set Expectations
Don’t assume people will magically know how to use the new pipeline. Share your stage definitions, walk through a few real deals, and make it clear:
- Every deal must be in the right stage—no exceptions.
- If you’re not sure, ask (and then update the definitions).
A 20-minute training beats months of confusion and “why isn’t this deal updated?” headaches.
What to ignore:
- Fancy onboarding templates.
- Overly strict rules (“only move a deal on Thursdays”).
- Shaming people for mistakes. Just fix it, move on.
6. Make Pipeline Reviews Useful—Not Painful
Pipeline reviews should be short and focused. Here’s what actually works:
- Look only at deals that haven’t moved in X days (pick a number—7 is good).
- Ask: what’s blocking this deal? What’s the next step?
- Clear out dead deals right away—no “maybes” sitting in the pipeline for months.
What to ignore:
- Endless status updates.
- “Let’s go through every single deal, every time.”
- Reporting for reporting’s sake.
7. Optimize as You Go—Don’t Wait for “Perfect”
You won’t get it right the first time, and that’s fine. Set a reminder to review pipeline stages every month or quarter:
- Are deals bunching up in one stage?
- Is the team ignoring a stage because it’s confusing?
- Are you tracking things that don’t matter?
If so, change it. Don’t worry about breaking things—you’re not launching a rocket.
Pro tip:
Ask reps what’s annoying or unclear. They’ll usually tell you (if you listen).
8. Use Automation (But Don’t Rely on It)
Trellus has automations—reminders, notifications, even stage changes based on triggers. Use these to support your process, not replace thinking.
- Set reminders when deals stall.
- Auto-assign tasks when a deal hits “Proposal Sent.”
- Get notified when a deal is marked “Closed Lost” (so you can learn why).
But:
Don’t let automation hide bad process. If deals keep stalling, no bot will fix that.
9. What to Avoid: Common Pitfalls
- Overengineering: If you need a spreadsheet to explain your pipeline, it’s too complex.
- “Set-and-forget” syndrome: Pipelines need regular clean-up, or they become useless.
- Ignoring feedback: If the team hates using it, they’ll find ways around it.
10. Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Actually Use It
Most sales pipeline setups die because they get too complicated, too fast. Your goal:
- Fewer, clearer stages
- Everyone knows what each stage means
- Regular clean-up
Start simple. See what works. Change what doesn’t. The only “wrong” pipeline is one that nobody uses.
Bottom line:
A sales pipeline in Trellus isn’t magic—it’s just a tool. Set it up so it helps you (not the other way around), and don’t be afraid to tweak as you go. Keep things simple and you’ll actually see results—no hype necessary.