If your sales pipeline feels like a black box and you’re sick of chasing deals that are already dead, this one’s for you. Managing and updating deal stages in your CRM shouldn’t feel like busywork. But let’s be honest: unless your process and your tool actually work for you, they’ll just collect dust.
This guide walks you step-by-step through how to use Rb2b to manage and update deal stages. We’ll skip the salesy nonsense and stick to what actually helps you see what’s happening—and what’s not—in your sales pipeline.
Why Deal Stages Matter (If You Care About Closing Deals)
Deal stages aren’t just boxes to tick. When they’re set up right and updated properly, they give you a real-time view of where your money is stuck, what’s about to close, and which reps need help.
But most teams get stuck here: - Too many stages, so nobody’s sure what’s what. - Vague definitions (“Proposal Sent”... but to who? When?). - Stages that don’t match how your team actually sells.
If you want real pipeline visibility, deal stages have to mean something—both to your team and your CRM.
Step 1: Map Your Real Sales Process (Not What You Wish It Was)
Before you touch Rb2b, figure out the actual steps deals go through at your company. Not the “ideal” process from the playbook—the messy reality.
Ask your team: - What’s the first sign a lead is real? - What specific thing has to happen for a deal to move forward? - Where do deals get stuck or lost most often?
Pro tip: Whiteboard it. Use sticky notes. Don’t get hung up on names yet—focus on actions and handoffs.
Ignore: Copying someone else’s deal stages. Your sales process is unique. It should match how you actually work.
Step 2: Translate Your Process into Deal Stages in Rb2b
Now that you have your sales process mapped, it’s time to reflect that in Rb2b. Here’s what matters:
- Keep it simple. Five to seven stages is usually enough. Any more and updates become a chore.
- Make each stage mean something actionable. “Qualified” should mean someone did something—not just a gut feeling.
- Define entry and exit criteria. Every rep should know exactly when to move a deal forward (or backward).
Example of solid deal stages: - New Lead (entered by SDR, basic info captured) - Discovery Scheduled (actual meeting on the calendar) - Proposal Sent (doc sent, not just promised) - Negotiation (specific back-and-forth, not just “waiting”) - Verbal Commit - Closed Won - Closed Lost
In Rb2b: - Go to your pipeline settings. - Edit existing stages or add new ones to match your process. - Add descriptions or notes for each stage—spend the extra 10 minutes now to save hours of confusion later.
Step 3: Set Up Required Fields and Automations (But Don’t Overdo It)
Rb2b lets you require certain info before a deal moves stages. This can help, but don’t go nuts.
What works: - Requiring a meeting date before moving to “Discovery Scheduled.” - Forcing reps to log the proposal link before “Proposal Sent.”
What doesn’t: - Making reps fill out 15 fields every time. They’ll hate it, and you’ll end up with junk data.
Pro tip: Use automations for the boring stuff (like auto-assigning follow-up tasks) but keep manual updates for things that need human judgment.
Step 4: Train Your Team—And Get Buy-In
Even the best deal stages are useless if nobody uses them. Here’s what actually gets adoption:
- Walk through real deals. Show how they move from stage to stage in Rb2b. Don’t just send out a slide deck.
- Explain the “why.” Make it clear how updating stages helps reps close more, not just make management happy.
- Set expectations. Updating deal stages is part of the job, not “extra work.”
Ignore: Hoping everyone will magically use the new process because it’s documented somewhere.
Step 5: Make Deal Stage Updates a Habit (Not a One-Off)
Pipeline visibility is a moving target. Here’s how to keep it accurate:
- Set a regular cadence. Weekly pipeline reviews work best. Review every deal’s stage and what’s needed to move it.
- Make it visible. Use Rb2b’s dashboard to display deals by stage. Don’t hide this in a report nobody reads.
- Call out stale deals. If something’s been in “Proposal Sent” for 60 days, it’s probably dead. Move it or close it.
What works: - Short, focused pipeline meetings (30 minutes, max). - Managers asking “What’s blocking this deal from moving forward?”
What doesn’t: - Letting deals stagnate because “you never know—maybe they’ll come back.”
Step 6: Audit and Refine Your Stages (Quarterly, at Least)
Your sales process will change. Stages that made sense six months ago might not fit now.
- Quarterly review: Look for stages where deals pile up or skip ahead. That’s a sign your definitions are off.
- Ask your team: Which stages are confusing? Where do you fudge updates just to move things along?
- Tweak, don’t overhaul: Adjust definitions or remove unnecessary stages, but resist the urge to reinvent the wheel every time.
Ignore: Making changes just because a new VP wants to “align with industry best practices.” Stick with what works for your team.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Too many stages: More isn’t better. It just adds noise.
- Vague criteria: If “Negotiation” means different things to different people, you’ll get garbage data.
- Never closing lost deals: Be honest—move deals out when they’re dead. Your pipeline health depends on it.
- Relying on automation for everything: Some updates need human judgment. Don’t try to automate the art of selling.
Real Talk: What Actually Improves Pipeline Visibility
If you want to know what’s really going on with your deals, focus on these:
- Clear, simple stages that match reality.
- Regular, honest updates—no sandbagging, no wishful thinking.
- A culture where closing lost deals isn’t “failure”—it’s just part of the process.
Rb2b gives you the tools, but you still have to do the work. No CRM will fix a broken sales process or make your team care about updates.
Keep It Simple. Iterate as You Go.
You don’t need a perfect pipeline out of the gate. Set up clear, actionable deal stages in Rb2b, get your team on board, and actually use the data. If something feels off, change it.
Don’t let the process get in the way of selling—or seeing what’s really happening. Start simple, keep it honest, and tweak as you learn. That’s how you get real pipeline visibility—and better results.