itsual Pipeline Management
Overview
Pipeline management turns a list of opportunities into a predictable revenue system. Accuracy of stages, next steps, and close dates matters more than optimistic volume.
When to Use
- Weekly pipeline reviews
- Forecast calls and board reporting
- Deal coaching and stage progression
- Diagnosing conversion bottlenecks
Core Practices
- Define stages with exit criteria, not vague labels
- Require next steps and close plans on active deals
- Inspect risks: single-threaded, no economic buyer, no timeline
- Separate commit / best case / pipeline categories honestly
- Track stage conversion rates and cycle time
- Clean stale deals ruthlessly
Principles
- Hygiene is a leading indicator of forecast quality
- Hope is not a stage exit criterion
- Managers inspect process, not only outcomes
- Pipeline coverage targets should reflect real conversion math
Verification
- Stages have clear exit criteria
- Forecast categories are evidence-based
- Stale and zombie deals are addressed