How to Define SaaS Sales Pipeline Stages That Improve Win Rates
A well-defined sales pipeline typically has 5-7 stages: Lead Qualified, Discovery, Demo/Evaluation, Proposal Sent, Negotiation, Closed Won, and Closed Lost. Each stage should have clear entry criteria, required actions, and exit conditions. Companies with standardized pipeline definitions see 28% higher win rates because reps focus on the right activities at each stage and managers can identify bottlenecks early.