Recommendation for Custom Deal Stages

1. Recommended Custom Deal Stages for Consultants

Consider adopting these stages, which map well to an independent consulting engagement:

1. Identified Opportunity
   • When you first become aware of a potential project. You’ve learned enough to know it’s a specific opportunity, but not the full details yet.
   • Examples: A past client emails about a new project need, you receive an inbound request via your website, or a contact mentions a potential project but you haven’t discussed scope deeply yet.
2. Had Context Discussion
   • You’ve spoken with the client to clarify the project’s background, scope, and needs. You now have enough context to craft a proposal or plan.
   • This indicates you’ve moved beyond initial awareness to a real conversation.
3. Submitted Proposal
   • You delivered a formal proposal (or statement of work) to the client.
   • Next steps typically involve client review, follow-up questions, and negotiation.
4. Contracting
   • The client likes your proposal, and you’re finalizing details—negotiations, contract formalities, legal reviews.
   • Once the contract is signed or purchase order is issued, you move to “Won-Active.”
5. Won – Active
   • You’ve won the deal, and are actively delivering the project or service.
   • Revenue is being generated, and the project is ongoing.
6. Won – Closed
   • The project is completed. This is a final stage for a project that has ended successfully.
   • Helpful for historical tracking: you can see which deals are finished and which remain open.
7. Lost
   • If you do not proceed. Reasons may include:
     • You decided not to submit a proposal.
     • The client went silent or canceled.
     • The client chose another consultant.
   • You might log a “Lost Reason” to analyze patterns (like how many times you lose after sending a proposal, or due to budget issues).
8. On Hold
   • After a proposal, the client may delay the project. They might say, “We’ll revisit in six months.”
   • Use “On Hold” to park it. Set a task or reminder to follow up, preventing the deal from cluttering active proposals.

Note: Some users might add a separate stage—like “Closed for Other Reason”—to differentiate lost opportunities post-proposal vs. those never reaching proposal stage. Adjust these stages as you prefer.

2. How to Customize Your Deal Stages in HubSpot

By default, HubSpot’s pipeline has stages like Appointment Scheduled, Qualified to Buy, etc. Here’s how to edit or replace them with the recommended consultant stages:

1. Open HubSpot Settings
   • Click the Settings gear icon (top right of your HubSpot portal).
2. Go to Deals
   • In the left sidebar, look for Objects → Deals.
3. Select Your Pipeline
   • HubSpot typically starts you off with one default pipeline. Click Edit next to that pipeline.
4. Edit Deal Stages
   • You’ll see a list of default stages.
   • For each stage, you can rename it (e.g., change “Appointment Scheduled” to “Identified Opportunity”).
   • You can delete or reorder stages if you want fewer or more.
   • Click Add stage if you need an extra one (e.g., “On Hold”).
5. Set Probability (Optional)
   • Each stage can have a probability of closing (e.g., “Submitted Proposal” might be 50%, “Contracting” might be 80%).
   • This drives forecasting if you use HubSpot’s deal analytics.
6. Save
   • Once you save, your pipeline now reflects your new stage names or added stages.
   • You can then drag deals into these customized columns in your pipeline view.

3. Using Your New Deal Stages

Once you’ve aligned the pipeline with the recommended consultant stages:

• Move Deals as They Progress: When you get more context on a project, shift from “Identified Opportunity” to “Had Context Discussion,” etc.
• Forecasting: Each stage’s probability helps you predict possible revenue. If you keep accurate stage updates, your pipeline gives a real-time view of near-future income.
• Reporting: You can track how many deals make it to “Submitted Proposal,” how many end up as “Won – Active,” and how many are “Lost.” Over time, this reveals your conversion rates and typical journey from first discovery to project completion.