How to organize your sales pipeline using Superhuman for b2b teams

If your sales pipeline lives in a graveyard of SaaS logins, you’re not alone. Most B2B teams cobble together tools that promise “efficiency” but end up making you jump through hoops just to send a follow-up. If your team already uses email as mission control, why not keep your pipeline there—without adding another clunky CRM? This guide is for B2B teams who want to run their sales pipeline right inside Superhuman, skipping the bloat and focusing on what actually moves deals forward.

Why use Superhuman for pipeline management?

Superhuman is marketed as a fast, focused email client. That’s true. But it’s also a surprisingly useful sales pipeline tool for small B2B teams—especially if you’re allergic to traditional CRMs. Here’s the honest rundown:

What works: - Lightning-fast search and keyboard shortcuts mean you spend less time clicking and more time selling. - Built-in reminders and snoozes help you actually follow up (and not just tell yourself you will). - You’re already living in your inbox—so you don’t have to copy-paste updates into yet another tool.

What doesn’t: - It’s not built for sales reporting, forecasting, or big teams with complex workflows. - There’s no built-in Kanban board or pipeline visualization. - Custom fields? Forget it.

If you need fancy dashboards or a big sales ops team, stick with a real CRM. If you want a lightweight, “good enough” pipeline that stays out of your way, keep reading.

Step 1: Set up your pipeline structure—without a real CRM

Let’s be honest: most B2B pipelines boil down to a few big buckets—new leads, prospects in conversation, deals closing soon, and things that have gone dark. Superhuman can mimic this using plain old folders (labels, if you’re using Gmail) and a little discipline.

How to do it:

  1. Create folders/labels for each pipeline stage
    Name them whatever fits your process. For example:
  2. 1 - New Lead
  3. 2 - Contacted
  4. 3 - Demo Scheduled
  5. 4 - Proposal Sent
  6. 5 - Closed Won
  7. 6 - Closed Lost

  8. Color-code (optional)
    Superhuman pulls Gmail labels, so if you’re on Gmail, add colors in Gmail for quick visual cues.

  9. Pin your pipeline folders/labels
    Keep these visible at the top of your sidebar so you don’t have to scroll.

Pro tip:
Don’t overthink your stages. Fewer buckets = less time dragging emails around.

Step 2: Track deals by threading and labeling

Instead of stuffing your CRM with contacts, just let email threads be your “deal records.” Every deal lives in its own thread (or a set of threads, if you’re dealing with multiple contacts at the same company).

How to do it:

  • When a new lead comes in, immediately label the thread with 1 - New Lead.
  • As the conversation progresses, move the thread forward by changing the label to the next stage.
  • If you’re using Superhuman’s Split feature, you can separate long threads if they drift off-topic.

What to ignore:
There’s no need to create a new label for every company or contact. That’s a recipe for chaos. Keep it simple—let search do the heavy lifting if you need to find something later.

Step 3: Use reminders and snooze to drive real follow-up

Let’s be honest—most deals don’t slip through because you forgot what stage they’re in. They slip because you didn’t follow up. Superhuman’s reminders and snooze are your secret weapon here.

How to do it:

  • After every important email you send (demo invite, proposal, etc.), set a reminder for yourself.
    Example: “If no reply in 3 days, remind me.”
  • For leads that go quiet, snooze their thread to pop back into your inbox in a week.
  • Use keyboard shortcuts (Cmd+Shift+H for remind, H for snooze) to move fast.

Pro tip:
Don’t set reminders for everything—just for emails where you’re expecting an action or response. Otherwise, you’ll drown in notifications.

Step 4: Make pipeline reviews part of your routine

You can’t improve what you never look at. Set aside 15 minutes each week to review your pipeline labels/folders and move threads to the right stage.

How to do it:

  • Open each pipeline folder/label and scan for stuck deals.
  • Use Superhuman’s search (Cmd+K then type) to find all threads by stage, or filter by label.
  • Move deals forward—or, if they’re dead, move them to Closed Lost and let them go.

What works:
This is fast. No updating deal cards or clicking through endless CRM fields.
What doesn’t:
No fancy charts. If you need a visual pipeline, you’ll have to build it elsewhere.

Step 5: Use snippets and templates to save time (but don’t sound like a robot)

One of Superhuman’s best features is snippets—shortcuts for emails you send all the time. This is a lifesaver for B2B sales, but only if you customize them enough so you don’t sound like a bot.

How to do it:

  • Write snippets for your most common emails:
  • Intro/connection
  • Demo scheduling
  • Proposal follow-up
  • “Checking in” nudges
  • Use variables (like the recipient’s name) sparingly—double-check before sending.
  • Personalize every snippet before you hit send. No exceptions.

What to ignore:
Don’t try to automate your whole sales process with snippets. The magic is in making people feel like you actually care.

Step 6: Search is your friend—make peace with it

Superhuman’s search is fast and forgiving. If you need to pull up every deal with Acme Corp, just type “Acme” and you’ll find what you need, label or not.

How to do it:

  • Search by company name, contact, or stage label.
  • Find lost deals by searching for “no reply” or “follow up.”
  • Use Superhuman’s keyboard shortcuts to jump between searches.

Pro tip:
Skip the urge to create dozens of labels or folders. Trust the search bar—it’s faster than any manual system.

Step 7: Loop in teammates—without creating chaos

Superhuman’s not a team CRM, but you can still collaborate. Here’s how to keep your team in sync:

How to do it:

  • Use shared inboxes for group deals (like sales@yourcompany.com).
  • Forward or cc teammates on important threads.
  • Create a shared doc or sheet for notes, deal values, and forecasts (yep, old school but effective).

What works:
Everyone’s in the loop, and you’re not paying for another tool. What doesn’t:
No centralized reporting or team dashboards—if you need that, this setup will feel clunky.

What about integrating with other tools?

You’re probably wondering: “Can I sync this with my CRM or get analytics?” Let’s be real—Superhuman isn’t built for deep integrations. There are third-party tools and browser extensions, but most are awkward or break easily.

What actually works: - Use Zapier or Make to push new leads (from email) into a spreadsheet or CRM, if you need a backup. - Export important threads manually for your records before deals close.

Don’t bother:
Don’t spend hours gluing together complex automations. If you need bi-directional syncing, you’re outgrowing this lightweight setup.

Keep it simple—and iterate

If your team spends more time updating tools than talking to customers, you’re doing it wrong. Superhuman isn’t a magic fix, but it’s a solid way to keep your pipeline moving without adding headaches. Start simple: a few folders, some reminders, and a weekly review. If you need more, you’ll know—don’t force it. The best pipeline is the one your team actually uses.

Now, close that extra tab and get back to selling.