If you’re juggling your LinkedIn sales leads with messy spreadsheets, sticky notes, or a dozen browser tabs, you’re not alone. It’s chaotic, things fall through the cracks, and let’s be honest—most “CRM” tools are built for teams twice your size and charge you for features you’ll never use. Leaddelta is refreshingly different. It gives you a way to wrangle your LinkedIn contacts into simple, custom pipelines—without needing a sales ops degree or a week of setup.
This guide is for solo sellers, founders, and anyone who’d rather spend time closing deals than clicking around a clunky dashboard. I’ll walk you through how to set up a custom pipeline in Leaddelta, what actually matters, and where you can skip the fluff.
Why use a custom pipeline for LinkedIn sales?
Let’s get this out of the way: LinkedIn’s own tools for managing leads are…basic. You can tag people, maybe star a few, but keeping track of real sales conversations? Forget it. That’s where a pipeline comes in.
A pipeline lets you: - See exactly where each contact is (new lead, in conversation, demo booked…) - Stop leads from getting lost in the shuffle - Focus on what needs your attention today
Is it worth the effort? Only if you want to actually close deals and not just collect connections. Setting up a custom pipeline in Leaddelta only takes a few minutes, and you can tweak it as you go. Let’s dive in.
Step 1: Get your LinkedIn contacts into Leaddelta
Leaddelta works by connecting to your LinkedIn account and pulling in your first-degree contacts. No, it can’t magically find everyone you’ve ever messaged, and it doesn’t help with cold outreach beyond your network. If you’re expecting a list of 2nd- or 3rd-degree leads, you’re out of luck.
Here’s what to do: 1. Sign up for a Leaddelta account (there’s a free trial, but you’ll probably want a paid plan if you’re serious). 2. Connect your LinkedIn account by following the prompts. Yes, you’ll need to give permission, and no, Leaddelta can’t post on your behalf. 3. Wait a few minutes while your connections sync. It’s usually fast, but if you’ve got thousands of contacts, grab a coffee.
Pro tip: If you’re worried about privacy, Leaddelta can’t see your messages unless you import them. It’s not scraping anything LinkedIn doesn’t allow.
Step 2: Decide what stages you actually need
This is where most people overthink things. You do not need a 10-stage pipeline with fancy acronyms. You need something that matches your real sales process—nothing more.
Common pipeline stages for LinkedIn sales: - New lead (just added or imported) - Contacted (you’ve messaged them) - In conversation (they replied) - Qualified (they’re a real opportunity) - Demo booked / Meeting set - Proposal sent - Closed – Won - Closed – Lost
Be honest: If you never send proposals, skip that stage. If 90% of your deals are quick, maybe just use “Contacted,” “Interested,” and “Closed.” Fewer stages = less busywork.
Step 3: Set up your custom pipeline in Leaddelta
Leaddelta calls these “Boards” or “Pipelines,” depending on which version you’re using. Either way, it’s basically a drag-and-drop Kanban board (think Trello, but for LinkedIn contacts).
To create your pipeline: 1. Go to the “Pipelines” or “Boards” tab in the sidebar. 2. Click “Create Pipeline” or “New Board.” Name it something obvious (e.g., “LinkedIn Sales”). 3. Add your stages as columns. Use the ones you decided on in Step 2. 4. Save.
You can always edit stages later. Don’t stress about getting it perfect—just get started.
Pro tip: Don’t let the default stages boss you around. If Leaddelta suggests something that doesn’t fit, delete it.
Step 4: Add contacts to your pipeline
Here’s where things get real. It’s tempting to dump everyone into the pipeline, but you’ll drown in noise. Start by adding a few high-priority leads so you can test your workflow.
How to add contacts: - In Leaddelta, go to your Connections tab. - Select the people you want to track. - Use the “Add to Pipeline” or “Move to Board” button. - Choose the right stage for where they are now.
You can move people around by dragging and dropping. Don’t overthink it—pipelines are living documents.
What doesn’t work: Don’t waste time tagging everyone with ten different labels. It’s busywork. Stick to the pipeline stages and maybe one or two useful tags (like “Old colleague” or “Webinar attendee”) if you really need them.
Step 5: Keep your pipeline updated (without going nuts)
Here’s the reality: Any system is only as good as how often you use it. The best ones are dead simple to keep updated.
What actually works: - Move leads forward immediately after a key action (sent a message, booked a call, etc.). - Set yourself a weekly reminder to review the pipeline and nudge anyone stuck. - Archive or mark “Closed – Lost” aggressively. Clutter kills focus.
What to ignore: - Don’t obsess over color coding, custom fields, or automation until you’re actually closing deals. You can always add complexity later.
Step 6: Use notes, reminders, and filters (but don’t go overboard)
Leaddelta lets you add notes to contacts, set reminders, and filter your pipeline. All useful—if you don’t let it become a second job.
Best practices: - Jot down one key fact or next step in the notes field (e.g., “Met at SaaS event. Likes cats.”) - Set reminders for real follow-ups, not as a way to avoid making decisions. - Use filters if your pipeline gets crowded, but don’t create so many you can’t find anything.
Pro tip: If you’re spending more time organizing than selling, you’ve lost the plot.
Step 7: Review, refine, and don’t be afraid to start over
Your first pipeline won’t be perfect. That’s normal. The real trick is to keep it simple enough that you actually use it, and tweak as you go.
What to look for: - Are leads getting stuck in one stage? Maybe you need to simplify or rename it. - Is your pipeline empty? Maybe you need to add more prospects—or your process is too strict. - Are you ignoring it? Make it part of your weekly routine, or it’ll become just another abandoned tool.
Honest take: Most people spend way too much time fiddling with CRM features and not enough time actually talking to leads. Don’t fall into that trap.
Final thoughts: Keep it simple, iterate often
Setting up a custom sales pipeline in Leaddelta is about making your life easier, not creating busywork. Start with the basics. Only add complexity if you need it. If your pipeline stops being useful, change it. The goal is to spend less time organizing and more time actually selling.
Now, go set up your pipeline, move a few leads, and see how it feels. Don’t wait for perfect—just start. You can always tweak things next week.