{"id":27871,"date":"2023-01-05T06:08:34","date_gmt":"2023-01-05T06:08:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/https-bamboobox-ai-blog-demand-generation-sales-pipeline-stages\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T11:21:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T11:21:30","slug":"demand-generation-sales-pipeline-stages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/demand-generation-sales-pipeline-stages\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the Stages of a Sales Pipeline"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your sales pipeline tells you many things about your prospective customers. A thorough understanding of your sales pipeline stages will tell you:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>Where your leads are in the process<\/li>\r\n<li>The number of opportunities that are currently on the table<\/li>\r\n<li>And what you will need to do to close these deals<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/blog-banner-13-scaled-1280x717.png\" alt=\"blog-banner-13\" \/ loading=\"eager\"><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you are aware of the sales pipeline stages and have proper processes in place to navigate through these sales deal stages, you can leverage these insights.<br \/><br \/>So, what are the stages of the sales process?<br \/><br \/>Here&#8217;s a detailed guide to understanding the CRM pipeline stages or sales deal stages. We&#8217;ll also share how b2b business leaders can build and customize their<mark class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\" style=\"background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/blog\/demand-generation-what-is-a-sales-pipeline-how-to-build-one\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"5651\">sales pipeline<\/a><\/mark>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/demand-generation-sales-pipeline-stages\/#7_main_stages_of_a_sales_pipeline\" >7 main stages of a sales pipeline<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/demand-generation-sales-pipeline-stages\/#1_Prospecting\" >1. Prospecting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/demand-generation-sales-pipeline-stages\/#2_Lead_Qualification\" >2. Lead Qualification<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/demand-generation-sales-pipeline-stages\/#3_Demo_Sessions\" >3. Demo Sessions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/demand-generation-sales-pipeline-stages\/#4_Proposal\" >4. Proposal<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/demand-generation-sales-pipeline-stages\/#5_Negotiation_and_Partnership\" >5. Negotiation and Partnership<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/demand-generation-sales-pipeline-stages\/#6_Opportunity_Bagged\" >6. Opportunity Bagged<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/demand-generation-sales-pipeline-stages\/#7_Post_Purchase\" >7. Post Purchase<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/demand-generation-sales-pipeline-stages\/#How_to_Create_Your_Sales_Pipeline\" >How to Create Your Sales Pipeline<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/demand-generation-sales-pipeline-stages\/#Final_Thoughts\" >Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_main_stages_of_a_sales_pipeline\"><\/span><strong>7 main stages of a sales pipeline<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All buyers go through a process from brand discovery to sales. In most cases, these buyers become repeat customers. This journey is further divided into seven sales pipeline stages:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Prospecting\"><\/span>1. Prospecting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the first stage of a sales pipeline, customers discover your business through various mediums such as blog content, ads, etc. It is where you deliver your message by targeting potential prospects based on the <a href=\"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/blog\/buyer-group-size-persona\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"3522\"><mark class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\" style=\"background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);\">buyer persona<\/mark><\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Lead_Qualification\"><\/span>2. Lead Qualification<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At this point, the customers have discovered your offerings. Lead qualification is where prospective customers are interested in learning more about your offerings. Here, you can offer bottom-of-the-funnel content like e-books, whitepapers, webinars, or lead magnets.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Demo_Sessions\"><\/span>3. Demo Sessions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you figure out that the customer is interested in your offerings, you can schedule a demo session to introduce them to your solutions. You can also offer a free trial or live demo where they can explore your products themselves.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Proposal\"><\/span>4. Proposal<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At this stage in the sales pipeline, you can summarize how your company can help solve prospective customers&#8217; needs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your sales teams can demonstrate how your prices deliver more than enough value to offset the engagement cost. It is where you state your strengths and discuss the competitive advantages customers can get while working with you.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Negotiation_and_Partnership\"><\/span>5. Negotiation and Partnership<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is where you discuss the scope of partnership \u2014 diminishing or lucrative. In this stage, customers will ask you to adjust your pricing structure according to their expectations. After weighing the benefits and apprehensions, you reach a mutual agreement with your customers and commit to a beneficial partnership.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Opportunity_Bagged\"><\/span>6. Opportunity Bagged<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also known as close-won, this stage is where your sales executives finally close the deal. The next step is order fulfillment. It is where you need to provide hassle-free onboarding and work toward post-purchase services.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Post_Purchase\"><\/span>7. Post Purchase<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you close the sale and sign the contract, that&#8217;s not the end. Your sales team should consider this stage where you assist customers with post-sales queries. It is where you must invest in exceptional customer service.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You should also regularly monitor the account progress for each customer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This stage helps you cross-sell new offerings to your customers whenever the opportunity arises. Besides, you can also pitch your premium solutions to these customers. It also involves exploring renewal options with prospective customers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, these are the seven typical B2B sales pipeline stages. Now let&#8217;s take a brief look at how you can <a href=\"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/blog\/how-to-build-a-qualified-sales-pipeline\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/blog\/how-to-build-a-qualified-sales-pipeline\/\"><mark class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\" style=\"background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);\">create a sales pipeline<\/mark><\/a> according to your needs and what should be the CRM pipeline stages for the same.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Create_Your_Sales_Pipeline\"><\/span>How to Create Your Sales Pipeline<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You&#8217;ll need your B2B sales pipeline stages to customize it to your organization&#8217;s needs. Before anything else, ensure that you have separate sales pipeline stages representing every stage of the deal. Ensure that you measure these important metrics before you begin.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>Lead sources (where your prospects found you)<\/li>\r\n<li>Industry niche of your customers and if your offerings would align with the same<\/li>\r\n<li>Primary decision makers at the customer&#8217;s end<\/li>\r\n<li>Size and budget of the prospective client<\/li>\r\n<li>The probability of closing the deal<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts\"><\/span>Final Thoughts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While you design the stages of a sales pipeline, ensure that:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>Your pipeline is flexible enough.<\/li>\r\n<li>It can undergo various queries and analyses.<\/li>\r\n<li>Your pipeline helps you find loopholes in your data.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also use various sales management software and CRM platforms to streamline your sales pipeline stages.<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your sales pipeline tells you many things about your prospective customers. A thorough understanding of your sales pipeline stages will tell you: Where your leads are in the process The number of opportunities that are currently on the table And what you will need to do to close these deals When you are aware of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27503,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[94,97],"tags":[115,95,118],"class_list":["post-27871","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-demand-generation","tag-b2b-sales-and-marketing","tag-buying-journey","tag-sales-pipeline"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27871","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27871"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27871\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27871"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bamboobox.ai\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}