If you’re running sales for a SaaS, agency, or any business with a pipeline, you already know the basics: leads go in, deals (hopefully) come out. But turning that fuzzy “sales funnel” into something you can actually manage—without drowning in spreadsheets or fluff—takes the right tools and habits.
This guide is for sales managers, founders, and anyone tired of guessing where deals get stuck. We’ll go step-by-step through using Withlantern dashboards to keep tabs on your funnel, spot bottlenecks, and actually do something about them. No magic bullets—just real tactics, honest pitfalls, and a few shortcuts that actually work.
Why Sales Funnel Stages Matter (And Where Most People Get It Wrong)
Let’s get this out of the way: most sales dashboards look slick, but don’t tell you much you can act on. The problem isn’t the data—it’s how it’s organized. If your funnel stages don’t match how your team actually sells, your dashboard’s just a pretty graveyard for deals.
Before you even open Withlantern, make sure you’ve nailed down:
- Clear stage definitions: “Qualified,” “Proposal Sent,” and “Negotiation” should mean the same thing to everyone.
- Consistent process: Don’t keep changing your stages every quarter. Pick something and stick with it unless there’s a real reason to change.
- Realistic expectations: No dashboard is going to close deals for you. But it will show you where you’re spinning your wheels.
If you skip this, everything else will be a waste of time. But get it right, and your dashboard becomes a real tool—not just a report you ignore until the board meeting.
Step 1: Map Your Sales Stages Before You Touch the Dashboard
Resist the urge to start clicking around. First, sit down with your sales team (or yourself, if you’re solo) and get brutally honest about your actual sales stages. Not what you wish they were—what really happens.
Typical B2B funnel stages look like:
- Lead Inbound/Prospecting
- Qualified
- Demo/Meeting Set
- Proposal/Quote Sent
- Negotiation
- Closed Won/Lost
Don’t overcomplicate it. Four to seven stages is plenty for most teams. More than that, and you’re just shuffling deals from one vague column to another.
Pro tip: Write one sentence for each stage explaining what has to happen for a deal to move forward. If your team can’t recite them, they’re too fuzzy.
Step 2: Set Up Your Stages in Withlantern
With your stages mapped, now it’s time to put them into Withlantern. This is where the tool actually shines—custom stages are easy, and you’re not locked into someone else’s idea of a “pipeline.”
- Go to Settings: Find the pipeline or funnel section.
- Enter each stage by name, in the order deals move through.
- Set clear triggers for moving deals between stages. (E.g., “Demo completed” = move to Proposal Sent.)
- Add win/loss reasons if that’s an option. It’ll save you a lot of headaches later.
Don’t obsess over colors or icons. Focus on getting the stages right and making sure everyone uses them the same way.
Step 3: Start Tracking Deals—And Don’t Let Things Linger
Now comes the grind: actually moving deals through the funnel. Here’s where dashboards go from “nice to have” to “no excuses.”
- Log every deal at the right stage—no skipping steps because “it’s a sure thing.”
- Update stages as soon as something changes. Stale data is worse than no data.
- Use reminders or automations to nudge reps when deals stall. Withlantern lets you set notifications for deals stuck in a stage too long—use this, but don’t let it become nagging noise.
What to ignore: Don’t waste time on deals that have been “stuck” for months. Either move ’em forward, mark them lost, or archive them. A bloated pipeline is just wishful thinking with a dashboard.
Step 4: Use Withlantern Dashboard Views to Spot Bottlenecks
Here’s where Withlantern’s dashboard features actually help you work smarter, not just stare at charts.
Key Views Worth Your Time
- Stage-by-Stage Deal Counts: Shows exactly how many deals are in each stage. If you see a pileup before “Demo,” you know your team struggles to get meetings booked.
- Average Time in Stage: This matters more than you think. If deals linger forever in “Proposal Sent,” it’s probably a pricing or follow-up problem.
- Conversion Rate Between Stages: Not just “win rate,” but where deals drop off. If you lose 80% between “Qualified” and “Demo,” it’s a lead quality or messaging issue.
- Aging Reports: Deals that’ve gone stale stand out. This is your “clean up or close out” list.
What’s Overrated
- Vanity Metrics: Big numbers on “pipeline value” mean nothing if you can’t convert. Focus on movement through stages, not just totals.
- Overly Fancy Visualizations: Pie charts and donut graphs look cute but often hide more than they reveal. Stick to tables and bar charts—you want clarity, not eye candy.
Step 5: Analyze Patterns and Make Small, Real Changes
Data is only useful if it changes what you do. Here’s how to actually use those dashboard insights:
- Look for jams: If you always have a glut of deals in one stage, dig in. Is it a process issue? Are reps unclear on next steps?
- Check for leaky spots: Huge drop-offs between two stages? Change your messaging, follow-up, or qualification criteria—then watch if the numbers shift.
- Run simple A/B tests: Try a new email template or call script for deals stuck in “Proposal Sent.” If conversion improves, roll it out.
Don’t: Overreact to one bad month or a weird quarter. Trends matter more than blips.
Step 6: Share Only What Matters, and Keep It Simple
It’s tempting to blast dashboard screenshots at the team every Monday. Resist. Instead:
- Pick one or two key numbers (e.g., time in stage, conversion rate) to share regularly.
- Use dashboards for coaching, not shaming. The goal is to find blockers, not assign blame.
- Adjust as you learn: If a stage keeps confusing people, rename it or clarify the definition. The dashboard should evolve with your process—not the other way around.
Common Pitfalls (And How to Dodge Them)
Even with a slick dashboard, people fall into the same traps:
- Overcomplicating the funnel: More stages ≠ more control. Keep it tight.
- Letting deals rot: If a deal hasn’t moved in 30 days, it’s probably dead. Archive and move on.
- Blaming the tool: Withlantern can show you patterns, but it can’t fix a broken sales process. Be honest about what’s really slowing you down.
- Ignoring the “why”: Always look for reasons behind the numbers. If you just stare at charts, nothing improves.
Quick Checklist: Keeping Your Funnel Sane
- [ ] Stages match your real-world sales process
- [ ] Everyone knows when and how to update deal stages
- [ ] Dashboards are reviewed weekly—no surprises
- [ ] Stagnant deals get cleaned out, not ignored
- [ ] Changes are based on patterns, not one-off drama
Final Thoughts: Don’t Overthink It
Dashboards like Withlantern are there to help you see what’s working (and what’s not). Don’t get lost in the weeds or chase every shiny metric. Start simple, focus on real movement through the funnel, and use the insights to make steady, boring improvements. That’s how you actually close more deals—no hype, just habits.
If you’re stuck, go back to basics: Are your stages clear? Is your data current? Is your team actually using the tool? Fix those, and the rest will follow. Keep it simple, iterate, and don’t let the dashboard become just another thing to ignore.