Start with five stages
Most coaching sales do not need a long pipeline. Five stages cover it: New lead, Call booked, Call done, Proposal sent, Won. Add a Lost column off to the side so you can see why deals fell through.
Resist adding stages for every small thing. A stage should mean the lead has moved forward in a way you can describe in one sentence.
Give every lead a next step
A lead with no next step is a lead you will forget. When a card moves, write what happens next and the date. If you cannot name a next step, the lead is probably Lost and should move there.
Set a stale limit
Pick how many days a lead can sit in a stage before it needs attention. Seven days works for most one-on-one coaching. The board flags anything older so you can decide to follow up or let it go.
Read the board each morning
Open the board and work from right to left. Start with proposals sent, because those are closest to money. Then calls done, then calls booked. New leads come last, and by then you should have a clear list of who to message.
Track what you learn
When a deal is lost, note the reason in one or two words. After twenty lost deals a pattern shows up, and it usually points to one fix, such as price, timing or unclear results.
