Pipeline Tracking
A shared view of the sales pipeline used to analyze pipeline efficiency and connect marketing and sales performance.
Definition
A shared view of the sales pipeline used to analyze pipeline efficiency and connect marketing and sales performance.
More context
Pipeline tracking makes the handoffs between marketing and sales measurable: how many leads enter, how they progress, where they stall, and what closes. It’s especially important in B2B where revenue is downstream.
Why it matters
It prevents “lead volume” from hiding poor downstream conversion or process bottlenecks.
How to use it
Define pipeline stages in the CRM, track movement weekly, and use experiments to improve stage-to-stage conversion.
Common pitfalls
Missing stages/definitions, inconsistent updates, or treating pipeline as sales-only instead of a shared system.
Related terms
- CRM — Customer relationship management system. Often the source of truth for leads and conversions (and useful for “combined conversions”).
- KPI Definitions — A shared set of definitions for metrics like “lead” so different teams (e.g. marketing and sales) mean the same thing when they talk about numbers.
- Conversion — A defined action that indicates progress (e.g. lead, signup, purchase). Conversions must have consistent definitions across teams to avoid confusion.
- Owner — The accountable person for a metric, area, task, or experiment. Clear ownership prevents work from stalling.