Key points in 30 seconds
- A sales pipeline is the list of open opportunities, sorted by sales stage, each with a value and a probability.
- With a small team, the priority is targeting: fewer prospects, better chosen.
- Five to seven sales stages, defined by objective criteria, are enough.
- Automated follow-ups and referral partners make up for the lack of volume.
What is a sales pipeline?
The pipeline is the overview of all open opportunities, sorted by progress: first contact, qualification, proposal, negotiation, signature. Each opportunity has an estimated value, an expected decision date and a next action. Kept up to date, it lets you forecast revenue for the next three months.
1. Target less, target better
Without a large team, every hour of prospecting must go to high-potential accounts. Define your ideal customer profile from your best current customers: sector, size, region, buying trigger. Draw up a list of 100 to 200 accounts and focus your effort on them for a quarter.
2. Define objective sales stages
A stage is not validated on gut feeling but by a fact: "meeting held with the decision-maker", "budget confirmed", "proposal sent". Five to seven stages are enough.
| Stage | Exit criterion | Indicative probability |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | Contact identified within the target | 5% |
| Qualified | Need, budget and timeline confirmed | 20% |
| Meeting | Conversation held with the decision-maker | 35% |
| Proposal | Written offer sent | 50% |
| Negotiation | Customer feedback on the offer | 70% |
| Won / lost | Written decision | 100% / 0% |
Adjust the probabilities with your own data after two or three quarters.
3. Automate what does not require sales talent
Many opportunities are lost through oversight: a quote not followed up, a prospect who never received the promised document. A CRM with automatic follow-ups, email templates and task reminders frees sales reps for the conversations that matter. With Elafy, these follow-ups can also go out via WhatsApp, often a more responsive channel than email.
4. Multiply sources without multiplying sales reps
- Referral partners: accountants, integrators and agencies that serve the same target without competing with you.
- Content: articles and guides that attract already-informed prospects.
- Existing customers: referrals and upsells, often the lowest-cost source.
- Targeted events: few in number, but chosen for the quality of attendees.
5. Manage with four numbers
- Weighted pipeline value (value × probability), compared with the target.
- Conversion rate between each stage.
- Average sales cycle length.
- Number of opportunities with no next action, which should tend towards zero.
Rule of thumb: to hit a quarterly target, the weighted pipeline value at the start of the quarter should be about three times that target. Adjust this multiple to your actual conversion rate.
The 30-minute weekly review
Every week, review the opportunities that changed stage, those that have stalled for more than two weeks and those with no next action. This simple routine has more impact than an extra hire.
An example pipeline for a services SME
| Stage | Exit criterion | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Qualified contact | Need identified and right contact person | 10% |
| Discovery meeting | Problem, budget and timing confirmed | 25% |
| Proposal sent | Proposal presented to the decision-maker | 50% |
| Negotiation | Scope agreed, terms under discussion | 75% |
| Won | Purchase order or contract signed | 100% |
The weighted pipeline is calculated by multiplying each opportunity's value by its probability.
Tools for a small team
A small team does not need complex software. It needs a simple CRM used by everyone that centralises contacts, opportunities and follow-ups; email connected to the CRM, including WhatsApp if your clients use it; and a dashboard with the four key figures. See our comparison Elafy or Salesforce to choose according to your stage.
Mistakes that empty a pipeline
- Stopping prospecting when current projects take up the whole team: three months later, the pipeline is empty.
- Keeping dead opportunities to inflate the pipeline.
- Not setting a dated next step after each exchange.
- Relying on a single acquisition channel.
- Letting each salesperson track deals their own way.
Planning sales time
In an SME, selling is often done by the leader or by people with other responsibilities. Reserve fixed slots: two half-days a week for prospecting and follow-ups, away from production emergencies. Start the week with the pipeline review. This discipline avoids cycles of selling a lot, then nothing at all. Our business development support helps set up this rhythm and the tools that go with it.
Frequently asked questions
How many stages should a sales pipeline have?
Five to seven stages are enough for an SME. Each stage must be validated by an objective fact, such as a meeting held or a proposal sent, not by an impression.
Do you need a CRM to manage a pipeline?
Beyond a few dozen opportunities, yes. A spreadsheet handles neither automatic follow-ups nor interaction history, and quickly becomes a source of oversights.
How do you fill a pipeline without extra sales reps?
By targeting a short list of high-potential accounts, developing referral partners and customer referrals, and publishing content that attracts already-informed prospects.
How many opportunities should a pipeline hold?
Enough to reach the target given your conversion rate. With a 25% rate, you need about four times the revenue target in qualified pipeline.
How often should you clean the pipeline?
Every week during the review, and more thoroughly each month: close opportunities with no activity for 60 days or no next step.