Ever tried herding cats? Managing a B2B deal with a handful of decision-makers, influencers, and random “just looping in” folks feels a lot like that. If you’re juggling multiple stakeholders—each with their own priorities, questions, and attention spans—you know it’s easy for deals to stall, details to get buried, and everyone to lose track of what’s next. This guide’s for sales and account teams who want to keep things moving, avoid email chaos, and bring some order to the madness.
We’ll walk through how to use Flowla to keep everyone on the same page (literally), speed up your deal cycles, and avoid the usual pitfalls. No hype, just the real stuff that works.
Why B2B Deals Get Messy (and Why It Matters)
Before we get into the how-to, let’s be honest about what you’re up against:
- Multiple stakeholders = multiple agendas. There’s rarely one decision-maker. There are champions, blockers, budget folks, IT, legal… the works.
- Long sales cycles. People drop in and out, lose context, or forget what was said last month.
- Info overload. Docs, slides, demos, security forms—spread across endless email threads and shared drives.
- Momentum killers. Waiting on feedback, chasing signatures, or worse: starting from scratch every time someone new joins the thread.
If you’re not actively managing the process, it manages you. That’s where a tool like Flowla can help, but only if you use it right.
Step 1: Map the Stakeholder Landscape
You can’t manage what you can’t see. First, get clear on who’s involved:
- List everyone: Decision-makers, influencers, blockers, end users, buyers, legal, IT, and the “just cc me” crowd.
- Understand their roles: Who approves budgets? Who asks the tough questions? Who can kill the deal?
- Don’t guess: Ask your champion directly, “Who else will weigh in?” and “Who signs off?” People usually appreciate the clarity.
Pro tip: Make this list visible to your internal team, not just in your head.
Step 2: Set Up a Flowla Space for the Deal
Here’s where Flowla actually pulls its weight. Set up a dedicated, shared space for the deal—think of it as a single URL where all stakeholders can see the latest stuff, ask questions, and know what’s next.
What to include in your Flowla space:
- Timeline or checklist of next steps (meetings, reviews, contract dates)
- Key documents: Proposals, decks, demo recordings, security responses
- Contact info: Who’s who on both sides
- Open questions or blockers: Don’t hide them—surfacing issues early is better
- Links to live docs: Not just static PDFs; link out to Google Docs, shared calendars, etc.
What works: People appreciate not having to dig through old emails for the latest version of a doc or the meeting link. If a new stakeholder joins, you can just send the Flowla link; they get the full context without a messy email forward.
What doesn’t: Don’t just dump files into Flowla and call it a day. If it’s cluttered or out of date, people will ignore it. Keep it curated and relevant.
Step 3: Invite Stakeholders (But Don’t Force It)
You want everyone in the loop, but you can’t make people use a tool. Here’s how to handle invites:
- Start with your champions: Show them the Flowla space, explain how it cuts down on repeat questions.
- Offer, don’t demand: “Here’s a shared space with everything in one place—feel free to loop in anyone who needs access.”
- Follow up smartly: If someone asks for a doc, send the Flowla link, not another attachment.
- Respect preferences: Some folks will stick to email. That’s fine—use Flowla as your source of truth and reference it in your replies.
Warning: If you spam everyone with invites or push too hard, people will tune out. Let the value speak for itself.
Step 4: Keep the Flowla Space Alive (and Signal Progress)
A dead portal is almost worse than no portal. Here’s how to keep things moving:
- Update action items and timelines after every call or major update.
- Flag blockers or delays openly, so it’s clear what’s holding things up.
- Send gentle nudges: “Just updated the Flowla space with the latest contract draft—see section 2.”
- Add context for new joiners: “Welcome, Sam! Here’s the background and where we are now.”
What works: Stakeholders who can see the process are less likely to stall it. Transparency helps build trust and makes it harder for blockers to hide behind “I didn’t know.”
What doesn’t: Don’t let the space get stale. If the last update was three weeks ago, people will assume the deal is dead or you’ve dropped the ball.
Step 5: Use Flowla for Q&A and Feedback, Not Just Docs
One of Flowla’s strengths is keeping questions, comments, and feedback visible to everyone—no more side threads or info silos.
- Encourage questions: “If you have questions, drop them in the Flowla space so everyone’s in the loop.”
- Centralize feedback: When someone gives feedback or raises a concern, add it to the relevant section.
- Track decisions: “We agreed on X during the call—see the notes section for details.”
What works: This keeps everyone honest—no more “But I thought we decided…” confusion. It also shortens the “telephone game” effect as feedback moves up and down the chain.
What doesn’t: Don’t expect deep discussions to happen inside Flowla. Use it to document, not to debate. For meaty topics, schedule a call and post the summary and next steps in Flowla.
Step 6: Handle Approvals and Sign-Offs
Complex deals die in the approval phase—this is where a single source of truth really pays off.
- List all approvals needed: Who needs to sign off on what? Budget, legal, IT, etc.
- Track status: “Waiting on legal review” or “Budget approved 6/1.”
- Link to e-signature tools: Keep contracts and signature links right in the Flowla space.
Pro tip: If an approval is dragging, reference the Flowla timeline in your nudge emails. “Per our shared space, we’re just waiting on IT sign-off to move forward.”
Step 7: Close the Loop (and Learn)
Once the deal is done—win or lose—close out the space:
- Archive final docs: Contract, summary, onboarding steps if it’s a win.
- Post-mortem notes: What worked, what didn’t, who was key. Short and sweet.
- Thank stakeholders: Even a quick line in Flowla helps—especially if you’ll work together again.
What works: This makes handoffs to customer success smoother and gives you a record for next time.
What to Ignore (and What to Watch For)
- Don’t overengineer: Flowla’s helpful, but it won’t fix broken products, pricing, or politics. Keep your process simple.
- Don’t expect miracles: Some stakeholders won’t engage, no matter what you do.
- Watch for tool sprawl: Flowla’s great, but if your client has their own portal, pick your battles. Use the path of least resistance.
Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Overthink It
Managing B2B deals with lots of stakeholders will never be frictionless. But using Flowla as your living, shared source of truth cuts down on chaos, keeps everyone aligned, and helps you spot issues before they become deal-killers. Start small, keep your Flowla space tidy, and adapt as you go. The best process is the one your stakeholders actually use—so stay flexible, keep it human, and don’t let the tool become the work.