Understanding Lead Stages

Last updated: December 5, 2025 Author: ArtistHub Team

What are Lead Stages?

Lead stages represent different phases in your sales pipeline. They help you track where each opportunity is in the process, from initial contact to closing the deal.

Default Lead Stages

Your system comes with standard stages, but these can be customized:

1. New

• Description: A lead that has just been discovered or entered into the system
• When to use: First time adding a lead, no contact made yet
• Next steps: Initial outreach, qualification

2. Contacted

• Description: Initial contact has been made with the lead
• When to use: After sending first email, making first call, or initial meeting
• Next steps: Follow up, gauge interest, qualify the opportunity

3. Qualified

• Description: The lead has shown genuine interest and meets your criteria
• When to use: After confirming budget, timeline, and decision-making authority
• Next steps: Prepare proposal, schedule detailed discussion

4. Proposal

• Description: A formal proposal or quote has been sent
• When to use: After submitting pricing, terms, or detailed offer
• Next steps: Follow up on proposal, answer questions, negotiate

5. Negotiation

• Description: Actively discussing terms, pricing, or contract details
• When to use: When both parties are working on finalizing details
• Next steps: Resolve outstanding issues, finalize terms

6. Won

• Description: The lead has been successfully converted to a contract
• When to use: When the deal is closed and contract is signed
• Next steps: Create contract, archive lead, celebrate!

7. Lost

• Description: The opportunity did not result in a contract
• When to use: When the lead explicitly declines or opportunity is no longer viable
• Next steps: Document reason, learn from experience, move on

Customizing Lead Stages

Accessing Stage Settings

1. Go to Settings → Leads
2. Find the "Lead Stages" section
3. Click "Manage Stages" or "Edit Stages"

Adding a New Stage

1. Click "+ Add Stage"
2. Enter the stage name (e.g., "On Hold", "Waiting for Response")
3. Set the order/position in the pipeline
4. Optionally add a description
5. Save the new stage

Editing Existing Stages

1. Click on the stage you want to edit
2. Modify the name, order, or description
3. Save your changes

Deleting Stages

Warning: Deleting a stage will affect all leads currently in that stage. Consider moving leads to another stage first.

1. Click the delete icon next to the stage
2. Confirm the deletion
3. If leads exist in that stage, you'll be prompted to reassign them

Best Practices

1. Keep Stages Meaningful

• Use stages that reflect your actual sales process
• Don't create too many stages (5-7 is usually optimal)
• Make sure each stage has clear criteria

2. Move Leads Progressively

• Don't skip stages unless absolutely necessary
• Each stage should represent real progress
• Use stages to identify bottlenecks

3. Use Stages for Reporting

• Track conversion rates between stages
• Identify where leads get stuck
• Measure time spent in each stage

4. Regular Review

• Periodically review your stages
• Remove stages that aren't useful
• Add stages if your process changes

Stage Workflow Example

Here's a typical workflow:

New → Contacted → Qualified → Proposal → Negotiation → Won
                                              ↓
                                            Lost

Example Timeline

1. Day 1: Lead created in "New" stage
2. Day 2: Initial email sent, move to "Contacted"
3. Day 5: Positive response received, move to "Qualified"
4. Day 10: Proposal sent, move to "Proposal"
5. Day 15: Questions answered, move to "Negotiation"
6. Day 20: Contract signed, move to "Won"

Using Stages in Kanban View

In the Kanban view:

• Each column represents a stage
• Drag and drop leads between columns to change stages
• See at a glance how many leads are in each stage
• Identify stages with too many or too few leads

Using Stages in Filters

You can filter leads by stage:

1. Click the Filter button
2. Select "Stage" from filter options
3. Choose one or more stages to view
4. See only leads in those stages

Stage Analytics

The system tracks:

• Number of leads in each stage
• Average time spent in each stage
• Conversion rate from one stage to the next
• Win rate by stage

Access analytics through:

• Dashboard widgets
• Reports section
• Stage-specific views

Common Questions

Q: Can I have leads in multiple stages?

A: No, each lead can only be in one stage at a time. However, you can create custom fields to track additional statuses.

Q: What happens when I move a lead to "Won"?

A: The lead is marked as successful. You may want to create a contract from it. The lead remains in the system for historical tracking.

Q: Can I recover a lead from "Lost"?

A: Yes, simply move it back to any active stage. The system keeps the history of stage changes.

Q: How do I know which stage a lead should be in?

A: Use clear criteria for each stage. If you're unsure, err on the side of an earlier stage - you can always move it forward.

Related Articles

• Creating Your First Lead
• Using the Kanban Pipeline
• Managing Lead Information

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