If you’re drowning in spreadsheets, sticky notes, or a half-baked CRM, you know how messy B2B relationships can get. Maybe you’ve got a handful of big accounts and a pile of “wait, who’s that again?” contacts. You want less chaos, more clarity, and a way to keep track of who matters—without spending hours on admin work.
This guide is for anyone who manages B2B relationships: founders, sales folks, partnerships teams, or anyone who’s tired of letting important connections slip through the cracks. We’re going to walk through how to use Getcabal tags to get your relationship management under control, step by step. No fluff, no buzzwords—just practical steps to help you actually get organized.
Why bother with tags in the first place?
Let’s get this out of the way: tags are just labels. But when you use them right, they’re a dead-simple way to slice and dice your relationships so you see what matters—fast.
- Tags help you sort by what’s important: Industry, deal stage, champion, “do not contact”—you decide what to track.
- Way less rigid than “pipelines” or “stages”: You can tag for anything you care about, not just what your CRM designer thought was important.
- Actually useful for B2B, where every account is different: One-size-fits-all fields just don’t cut it.
But here’s what tags are not: magic. They won’t fix bad data, and they won’t work if you slap on 20 random labels you’ll never look at again. Used right, though, they’re the simplest way to make sense of your B2B world.
Step 1: Figure out what you actually want to track
Don’t start by making tags. Start by deciding what you care about. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a junk drawer full of labels you never use.
Ask yourself:
- What do I wish I could see at a glance? (e.g., all current customers, big prospects, folks in “wait and see” mode)
- Are there relationship types or signals I always forget to follow up on? (e.g., partners, ex-customers, “friendly intros”)
- What makes a relationship different in my business? (e.g., market segment, decision-maker, champion, blocker)
Pro tip:
Start small. Three to five tag categories is plenty to begin with. You can always add more once you see what’s actually useful.
Step 2: Map out your first set of tags
Now, turn your “wish list” from Step 1 into actual tags. Write them down somewhere before you touch any software.
Some real-world tag examples:
- Relationship: customer, prospect, partner, ex-customer
- Stage: evaluating, negotiating, closed-won, closed-lost
- Role: champion, decision-maker, blocker, influencer
- Industry/segment: fintech, SaaS, enterprise, agency
- Urgency: high-priority, dormant, follow-up-next-quarter
Notice these are simple, readable, and obvious. If you need to explain what a tag means, it’s probably too complicated.
What to skip:
- Tags that duplicate data you have elsewhere (like company name)
- Overly specific tags you’ll use twice, then forget
- Internal acronyms only you understand
Pro tip:
Review your backlog of contacts or accounts. If you can’t tag at least three of them with something, that tag probably isn’t worth adding right now.
Step 3: Set up your tags in Getcabal
Time to get hands-on. Log into Getcabal. (If you’re not signed up, their onboarding is straightforward, and there’s no credit card required to start.)
Here’s what to do:
- Find the tagging feature: It’s usually right in the contact or account view. Look for a “Tags” or “Labels” section.
- Create your tags: Enter your list from Step 2. Getcabal lets you add as many as you want, but remember—start with the essentials.
- Color-code or group (if available): Some folks find color-coding helpful. Don’t overdo it. If everything is “high priority red,” nothing is.
What works:
- Getcabal’s tagging is fast, and you can bulk-tag contacts. That’s a time-saver.
- Tags show up in filters and search, so you can quickly find “all decision-makers in fintech,” for example.
What to ignore:
- Don’t get sucked into creating 30 tags just because it’s easy. You’ll regret it later when you’re scrolling through the mess.
Step 4: Tag your existing relationships
This is the only “grunt work” step. Bite the bullet and do it—future you will thank you.
How to get through it:
- Start with your most important accounts.
- Don’t try to tag everything at once. Focus on your top 10–20 relationships first.
- Tag as a team, if possible.
- If you work with others, do a quick sync on what each tag means. Consistency beats speed.
- Don’t stress about perfection.
- You can update tags later. The point is to make things more useful, not to create a new source of anxiety.
Pro tip:
If you’re importing data, many systems (including Getcabal) let you upload tags in bulk via CSV. Worth using if you’re moving from another CRM or spreadsheet.
Step 5: Use tags to actually work smarter
Now the fun part. Tags aren’t just for organizing—they’re for action.
Ways to use tags day-to-day:
- Filter your outreach:
Email all “champions” who haven’t been touched in 30 days. - Spot gaps:
See if you have lots of “prospects” but no “decision-makers” tagged—maybe you’re talking to the wrong people. - Plan meetings:
Before a call, pull up everyone tagged as “stakeholder” in that company. - Prioritize follow-up:
Zero in on “high-priority” or “dormant” tags so nothing falls through the cracks.
What works:
- Getcabal’s filters and search play nicely with tags. It’s quick to pull up a list, and you can combine filters to get specific.
- If you have integrations (Slack, email), you can sometimes trigger reminders based on tags.
What doesn’t:
- Don’t expect tags to replace note-taking or real CRM fields for things like contract value or renewal date. Tags are for slicing, not for details.
Step 6: Review and prune your tags (monthly, not yearly)
Tag sprawl is a real thing. Every few weeks, take five minutes to look at your tag list:
- Are you using all your tags? If not, kill the ones you don’t use.
- Are some tags unclear? Rename them so everyone knows what they mean.
- Are you missing tags that would make life easier? Add them—but only if you wish you’d had them last week.
Pro tip:
If you find yourself thinking, “Wait, what does this tag mean again?”—it’s time to simplify.
Step 7: Get your team (or future self) on the same page
Tags are only useful if everyone uses them the same way. Otherwise, you’ll end up with “customer,” “active customer,” and “current client” all floating around.
How to avoid tag chaos:
- Make a quick doc listing your active tags and what they mean. Share it.
- If you’re solo, just keep a note for yourself. You’ll forget in six months—trust me.
- When you add new tags, check if you’re duplicating an old one. Merge or delete as needed.
What to ignore:
- Don’t write a 20-page tagging policy. Just be clear and a little disciplined.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple, keep it useful
Organizing your B2B relationships doesn’t have to be a second job. With a handful of good tags in Getcabal, you can find what you need, avoid dropped balls, and focus on building real relationships—not wrestling with software.
Start with the basics, prune ruthlessly, and let your tag setup evolve as you learn what actually helps you work smarter. Don’t worry about getting it perfect. Just make it work for you.