If you run a business, you know that lead generation and sales don’t happen overnight. It takes strategic planning and nurturing to guide prospects through the customer journey to become satisfied, paying clients.
This process of building relationships and closing deals relies on an effective sales pipeline to keep everything flowing smoothly.
A sales pipeline tracks potential customers from initial contact through purchased sale. It maps out the key stages and activities for converting leads to happy customers.
This provides complete visibility into deal progress so you can analyze performance at each step and refine your approach for better conversions.
However, building and managing an optimized sales pipeline is easier said than done without the right tools.
This is where sales pipeline templates come in super handy!
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover:
- The importance of pipeline management
- Step-by-step guide to build a pipeline
- The power of templates to streamline efficiency
- 13 best template options for any business
- Key factors when choosing a template
- Actionable tips for sales pipeline success
Let’s get started with why sales pipeline management matters.
Why You Need an Effective Sales Pipeline Process
With so many critical business functions competing for your attention, you may wonder why the sales pipeline deserves focus.
Here’s why an optimized pipeline is crucial for growth:
✅ Predict revenue: Forecast sales by tracking deal values and probability
✅ Spot bottlenecks: Identify sticking points slowing conversions
✅ Improve performance: Optimize process by stage with data
✅ Align resources: Focus efforts on hottest leads
✅ Assess rep progress: Manage to key pipeline metrics
✅ Increase efficiency: Reduce redundancies for better productivity
✅ Strengthen relations: Systematize customer communication
According to Steelbrick research, 75% of companies say inconsistent processes undermine sales results.
An efficient pipeline facilitates seamless movement of leads towards becoming delighted customers.
Now let’s explore how to build an effective sales pipeline tailored to your business.
How to Create a Sales Pipeline in 6 Steps
While pre-made templates provide helpful blueprints, you still need a clear methodology adapted to your offerings, customers and strategy.
Follow these six steps to implement a high-performing sales pipeline framework:
Step 1: Map Your Sales Process
First, diagram your typical sales journey from initial contact to satisfied customer.
- Outline your key pipeline stages in order
- Include activities involved to advance leads at each phase
- Set expected timelines per stage
Clearly defining your unique sales process provides the foundation.
Step 2: Identify Actions per Stage
Determine the critical actions your sales reps must take at each step to progress leads.
For example key activities may involve:
- Qualifying buyer needs
- Presenting solutions
- Negotiating contracts
- Onboarding clients
- Providing support
Step 3: Define Clear Criteria for Advancing Leads
Create standardized rules for when leads should transition between stages based on key milestones.
Example criteria may include:
- Contacted sales
- Scheduled discovery call
- Attended webinar
- Submitted proposal
- Signed agreement
Step 4: Implement Tracking Systems
Ensure you implement robust tracking to monitor deals as they evolve through your process.
Essential tracking may include:
- Logging all sales activities and communications
- Capturing deal details and probabilities
- Recording prospect information
- Updating statuses automatically
Step 5: Assign Ownership
Your sales reps working specific opportunities need ownership over managing the deal data and advancing it through the pipeline.
Empower reps by stage, region or other criteria for visibility and accountability.
Step 6: Continuously Review and Optimize
Analyze your pipeline data, conversion rates and forecasts to identify areas for improvement.
As your process, offerings and customers evolve – refine your framework to match.
Companies who excel at sales pipeline management experience 36% faster growth and 15% higher win rates (CSO Insights).
Now that we’ve covered steps for building a robust sales pipeline – let’s discuss how templates can save time and effort.
The Power of Sales Pipeline Templates
While you can build your sales pipeline completely from scratch, I recommend starting with a pre-made template to leverage proven best practices.
Benefits of using sales pipeline templates include:
Visualize the Pipeline Journey
See your sales process mapped out end-to-end so you can easily:
- Identify gaps for improvement
- Track deal progress
- Spot bottlenecks causing delays
- Prioritize resource allocation
Accelerate Setup
Well-designed templates make implementation easy including:
✅ Pre-built pipeline framework
✅ Stage-by-stage guidance
✅ Progress tracking mechanisms
✅ Team collaboration tools
This enables you to hit the ground running instead of building from zero.
Customize With Flexibility
Mature templates allow extensive flexibility to tailor core components like:
✅ Custom stages
✅ Automated status changes
✅ Custom data fields
✅ Notifications and reminders
✅ Charts, graphs and views
Personalize templates to match your existing systems and workflows.
Integrate Data and Tools
Robust templates play well with other software solutions to unify data flows across:
📈 CRMs, marketing and sales tools
📊 Analytics, BI and reporting dashboards
🔀 Productivity tools like email, documents and spreadsheets
Avoid siloed datasets for complete visibility.
Promote Consistency
Templates get all sales reps using a consistent pipeline framework including:
💼 Standardized data tracking
💼 Unified terminology
💼 Regular status changes
💼 Centralized communications
This minimizes confusion from fragmented strategies between individuals.
Harvard Business Review research found consistency fuels 37% higher sales productivity.
Now let’s explore top template options…
13 Best Sales Pipeline Templates
With many sales pipeline templates available from dedicated software solutions and general productivity platforms – I‘ve narrowed it down to the top 13 options to consider based on features, flexibility and ease of use:
1. Jira Pipeline Templates
Jira by Atlassian focuses on advanced work management for technical and development teams.
Benefits include:
- Deep customization options
- Multiple pipeline views like boards and roadmaps
- Timeline tracking
- Robust workflows
- Analytics integrations
However, Jira lacks native CRM and may feel overwhelming for less technical sales teams.
2. Bitrix24 Pipeline
Bitrix24 combines CRM, project management and communication abilities for comprehensive yet easy pipeline management.
Standout features:
- Unified sales platform
- Flexible customization
- Smooth integration ecosystem
- Lead generation toolkit
- Team productivity features
Downside is limited template design flexibility out-of-box.
3. HubSpot Pipeline Manager
As a leader in marketing software, HubSpot CRM offers solid pipeline templates with native integration into other HubSpot tools.
Benefits include:
✅ Conversion probability tracking
✅ Easy creation from Excel data
✅ Email integration and tracking
✅ Free version has robust features
Watch out for upsells and associated lock-in across HubSpot product line.
4. monday.com Pipeline Template
The monday.com work OS has great pipeline templates for visualizing deal journeys with benefits like:
- Centralized data tracking
- Marketing integrations
- Multiple pipeline views
- Automations to trigger actions
- Customizable boards and charts
Downside is monday.com lacks native CRM abilities.
5. Smartsheet Pipeline Manager
Smartsheet offers advanced spreadsheet-based pipeline templates.
Standout features:
- Gantt charts for deals
- Tools to manage proposal process
- Content collaboration abilities
- Workflow automation
- 50+ critical integrations
The spreadsheet format lacks intuitive visual guidance for less analytical teams.
6. ClickUp Sales Pipeline Template
ClickUp provides a straightforward template alternative focused purely on pipeline task management.
Benefits include:
✅ Centralized lead tracking
✅ Custom priority statuses
✅ Enhanced forecasting
✅ Calendar scheduling automation
✅ Great freemium version
But light-weight focus lacks advanced analytics of full-bodied CRM and sales platforms.
7. Spreadsheet.com Template
Living up to its name, Spreadsheet.com has an excellent spreadsheet template for easily tracking sales pipeline data.
Features include:
- Relate deals, clients, contracts
- Sales analysis dashboard
- Custom fields and statuses
- Native mobile apps
- Part of wider productivity platform
Formatting still has spreadsheet limitations compared to interactive templates tools.
8. Airtable Pipeline Manager
Airtable offers a relationship-based database alternative for non-technical users to easily build relational pipeline views.
Benefits include:
- Interactive pipeline cards
- Sales tasks automation
- Custom views to prioritize
- Collaboration features
- Intuitive no-code platform
Airtable lacks ability to scale to enterprise level with limited reporting.
9. Salesmate Templates
Salesmate publishes general purpose pipeline templates ideal for small business sales teams.
Standout features:
- Reflects common best practices
- Qualification scoring
- Forecasting insights
- Performance trends
- Identify process gaps
Templates lack sophistication of enterprise-oriented options.
10. Salesflare Pipeline Template
The Salesflare template takes straightforward Excel approach for easy setup and tracking.
Benefits:
✅ Simple format previews funnel
✅ Custom stages and fields
✅ Set targets and forecasts
✅ Pre-built reporting tab
Tradeoff is limited flexibility and integration capabilities.
11. Asana Pipeline Template
Task wrangling platform Asana allows flexible project management framework to implement custom pipelines.
Features include:
- Custom fields for deal data points
- Flexible table, calendar and board views
- 250+ app integrations
- Scales from individuals to large teams
Some constraints assessing probabilistic forecasting of pipeline deals built-in.
12. Todoist Sales Pipeline
Todoist offers a basic but beginner-friendly template alternative focused purely on task management.
Benefits:
✅ Lead tracking build in
✅ Smooth calendar integrations
✅ Natural language parsing
✅ Great free version
Very lightweight lacking data or features to scale, analyze and optimize enterprise sales.
13. Pipefy Sales Process Template
Pipefy specializes in visual pipeline process building with ready-made sales frameworks.
Benefits:
- Graphical pipeline modeling
- Identify allocation needs
- Custom reporting
- 300+ software integrations
- User-friendly builder
Downside is less robust compared to full-scale CRM and sales platforms.
Key Takeaway: Choose template providing required customization, ease of use and integrations for your current stack.
Now let‘s explore how to select the best template for your unique needs…
How to Choose the Right Sales Pipeline Template
With many excellent template options available, focus on choosing one tailored to your business based on:
1. Integration With Existing Software Stack
If leveraging platforms like Salesforce or HubSpot – prioritize native compatibility for unified workflows.
2. Customization Options
Certain tools allow greater adaptability for stages, notifications, views etc while Excel templates remain static.
3. Team Size and Collaboration Needs
Larger teams require enhanced user permissions, deal hand-offs and oversight for scalability.
4. Complexity Tolerance
Opt for intuitive drag-and-drop editors over sophisticated but dense CRMs based on staff readiness.
5. Industry and Business Requirements
Specialized options exist for financial, manufacturing and professional service industries.
6. Budget Limitations
Luckily free trials and freemium versions accommodate budget constraints for smaller teams.
Take time considering options to find the right template tailored to your pipelines process, people and existing systems.
How to Optimize Your Sales Pipeline Performance
While templates offer jumpstarts – don‘t just set and forget your sales pipeline!
Here are 5 best practices for continually optimizing performance:
1. Involve Your Team in Framework Design
Collaborating with sales reps ensures process mapping actually matches field realities while securing buy-in.
2. Establish SLA‘s for Stage Advancement
Create service level agreements (SLAs) defining expectations for how quickly deals should move from one milestone to the next based on benchmarks.
3. Analyze Data and Trends Regularly
Consistent analysis of pipeline trends, conversion rates and win/loss data identifies areas needing refinement.
4. Customize Over Time As Business Evolves
Revisit templates annually to realign with strategies as offerings and target segments possibly shift.
5. Automate Where Possible
Trigger status advances, notifications and timestamps automatically for efficiency.
Following these guidelines will ensure your sales pipeline framework continues fueling predictable revenue growth long-term.
Take Your Sales Pipeline From Manual to Automated
If generating more leads and closing more deals sounds good – then now is the time to implement an automated sales pipeline template.
While building effective pipelines involves important strategy and planning – the right template handles the busywork seamlessly.
Today‘s options make it easy to visualize your workflow, track deal progress, spot inconsistencies and forecast revenue.
Equipped with this complete guide, you have the blueprint to streamline efficiency, boost conversions and strengthen customer relationships all through sales pipeline templates.
Now discover which option resonates to take your sales execution and predictive abilities to the next level!
