If you’re tired of sales software that promises the moon and delivers a glorified spreadsheet, you’re not alone. This guide is for folks who want practical ways to manage and actually improve their sales pipeline—without getting buried in busywork or sales jargon. We’ll walk through using Valuecore to keep your pipeline moving, spot what’s working, and (just as importantly) ignore what isn’t.
Let’s skip the hype and get into the real stuff.
1. Get Set Up Right—Don’t Skip This
Before you start fiddling with features, get the basics dialed in. If you rush setup, you’ll regret it later. Here’s what matters:
- Import your contacts and deals. Valuecore lets you bring in data from spreadsheets or other CRMs. Take the time to clean this up first. Duplicate contacts and old dead deals just clutter things.
- Map your sales stages. Don’t just use the defaults. Are your stages “Qualified,” “Demo,” “Proposal,” “Closed”? Or do you need more (or fewer)? Match these to your real-world process.
- Set up custom fields only if you need them. Valuecore is flexible, but don’t go wild making fields for every little thing. The more you add, the more work for your team.
Pro Tip: If you’re switching from another tool, do a dry run with a few deals before migrating everything. Valuecore’s import is decent, but nothing’s perfect.
2. Build a Pipeline View That Makes Sense
Most sales tools drown you in dashboards. Valuecore tries to keep it clean, but you’ll still want to tweak it:
- Focus on what matters. Set your main pipeline view to show current deals, expected close dates, and deal value. Hide fields you never look at.
- Create filters for real situations. Examples: “Deals closing this month,” “Stuck >30 days,” or “No next step.” Don’t overdo it—three to five saved views is plenty.
- Color-code or tag deals if it helps. But don’t get obsessed with pretty charts. If you can’t explain what a color means to a new hire, you probably don’t need it.
What to ignore: Unless you’re managing a giant team, skip the heavily customizable “widgets.” They look cool in demos, but you’ll spend more time setting them up than using them.
3. Actually Use Valuecore—Every Day
Here’s where most people blow it: they buy a tool, set it up, then barely touch it. To get value, you have to work the pipeline daily.
- Update deal stages as things move. Don’t let deals pile up in “Proposal” for weeks. Move them forward—or out.
- Set next steps on every deal. If a deal doesn’t have a next action and owner, it’s as good as dead.
- Add notes right away. Valuecore’s note feature is basic but fast. Log calls, email recaps, and objections while they’re fresh. You’ll thank yourself later.
- Use reminders, but don’t overdo automated emails. A nudge to follow up is helpful. Valuecore’s automation can be useful, but prospects spot a canned email a mile away.
Pro Tip: Block 15 minutes every day (not just Fridays) to clean up your pipeline. It’s boring, but it beats getting blindsided at the end of the month.
4. Make the Most of Valuecore’s Reporting—But Don’t Chase Vanity Metrics
Valuecore has plenty of reports: win rates, pipeline value, forecast accuracy, and so on. Here’s how to use them without drowning:
- Track conversion rates between stages. This shows where deals die. If 80% of your demos never get a proposal, you’ve got a demo problem, not a pricing one.
- Pipeline velocity matters more than total value. How fast do deals move? Are they stuck? Valuecore can show average days per stage—watch this.
- Forecasts are guesses, not guarantees. Valuecore’s forecasting is better than most, but it’s still based on the data you enter. Garbage in, garbage out.
- Ignore “engagement scores” unless you know what’s behind them. Some tools claim to show how “engaged” a prospect is based on email opens or clicks. That’s not the same as real interest.
What’s overrated: Fancy dashboards for execs. If your team doesn’t look at a report weekly, it’s probably just for show.
5. Automate the Right Things (But Not Everything)
Valuecore has automation features, but you need to be strategic:
- Automate reminders and follow-ups for cold deals. For deals that are quiet, an automatic nudge is fine.
- Use templates for repetitive emails. Intro messages, meeting confirms—sure. But personalize anything important.
- Don’t automate relationship-building. No tool can fake genuine interest or solve a complex objection. Use automation to save time, not to replace yourself.
Pro Tip: Every quarter, review what you’ve automated. If nobody uses a workflow, kill it.
6. Collaborate Without Creating Noise
Sales is a team sport, but too many tools turn “collaboration” into endless notifications.
- Tag teammates only when you really need them. Use Valuecore’s @mentions for handoffs or specific questions—not every update.
- Share notes, not just deal status. Valuecore lets you attach files or notes. This is where real context lives.
- Don’t force everyone into the tool for every update. Sometimes, a quick chat or call is faster.
What to ignore: Group chat features built into sales tools. Use Slack or email for broader discussions. Valuecore’s built-in chat is fine, but don’t let it become another place to miss messages.
7. Review and Refine—Keep It Simple
The golden rule: don’t let your process get bloated. Every quarter (or even monthly if you’re ambitious):
- Audit your pipeline. Archive old deals. Trim custom fields. Delete unused saved views.
- Ask your team what’s working (and what isn’t). If everyone avoids a certain feature, drop it.
- Try one new thing at a time. If Valuecore launches a shiny new integration, pilot it with a few deals before rolling it out.
Pro Tip: The best pipeline is one you’ll actually use. Fancy features mean nothing if your team avoids the tool.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Skip
What works: - Clean, honest pipeline views - Regular maintenance and updates - Simple automation for reminders
What doesn’t: - Over-customizing everything - Chasing meaningless metrics - Relying on automation to build real relationships
What to skip: - Endless dashboards - Group chat features inside the CRM - “Engagement” scores with no clear logic
Keep It Simple—And Iterate
You don’t need every bell and whistle to manage a strong sales pipeline. Start with a clean setup, keep your process simple, and actually use the tool every day. Valuecore is solid if you stay focused on what matters: real deals, real next steps, and clear reporting.
If something isn’t working, change it. If you’re spending more time in Valuecore than talking to prospects, you’re doing it wrong. The best pipeline is the one you’ll keep up with—so start simple, watch what works, and tweak as you go.