How to Improve Your Sales Pipeline
Strategies to increase pipeline velocity, conversion, and predictability
A healthy sales pipeline is the foundation of predictable revenue. But most pipelines suffer from bloat, leakage, and unpredictability. This guide shows you how to diagnose pipeline problems and implement fixes that improve velocity, conversion, and forecast accuracy.
Steps in this guide
Audit Your Current Pipeline
Start by understanding your pipeline's current health. Calculate key metrics and identify where deals stall or leak out.
Tips:
- Calculate conversion rates between each stage
- Identify average time in each stage
- Find where deals most commonly die
- Segment by source, size, and segment for patterns
Define Clear Stage Criteria
Ensure everyone agrees on what qualifies a deal for each pipeline stage. Vague criteria lead to bloated, inaccurate pipelines.
Tips:
- Document specific entry criteria for each stage
- Require validation activities (not just rep judgment)
- Train reps on stage definitions
- Audit stage accuracy regularly
Increase Top-of-Funnel Quality
Pipeline problems often start with lead quality. Focus on generating leads that actually convert, not just high volume.
Tips:
- Tighten lead qualification criteria
- Use visitor identification for warm leads
- Prioritize intent signals over demographic fit alone
- Reject bad-fit leads early (it's okay to say no)
Accelerate Pipeline Velocity
Speed up how quickly deals move through stages. Faster velocity means more revenue in less time.
Tips:
- Reduce time to first response (under 1 hour)
- Create urgency with time-limited offers
- Remove friction from evaluation process
- Provide self-service resources for buyer research
Plug Pipeline Leaks
Identify and fix the stages where deals commonly die. Often there are systemic issues that can be addressed.
Tips:
- Analyze lost deal reasons by stage
- Create content to address common objections
- Implement multi-threading to avoid single-threaded risk
- Re-engage stalled deals with new value adds
Improve Win Rates
Focus on converting more of the opportunities you already have. Often this provides higher ROI than generating more leads.
Tips:
- Analyze what top performers do differently
- Create sales enablement content for objections
- Implement deal coaching for strategic opportunities
- Use competitive intelligence effectively
Implement Pipeline Reviews
Regular pipeline reviews catch problems early and drive accountability. Make them consistent and actionable.
Tips:
- Weekly pipeline reviews with every rep
- Focus on next actions, not just deal updates
- Call out stalled and at-risk deals
- Track accuracy of rep forecasts over time
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ✕Focusing only on adding more leads (top of funnel)
- ✕Letting stale opportunities sit in pipeline forever
- ✕Inconsistent stage definitions across the team
- ✕Skipping pipeline reviews or making them too casual
- ✕Not tracking win/loss reasons systematically
Pro Tips
- ★Clean your pipeline monthly—remove deals that aren't real
- ★Website visitor identification helps prioritize based on real engagement
- ★Multi-thread every deal with 3+ contacts to reduce risk
- ★Speed is your competitive advantage—respond fast, move fast
Tools You'll Need
Salesforce/HubSpot
CRM for pipeline management
Gong/Chorus
Conversation intelligence for deal coaching
Clari
Revenue intelligence and forecasting
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a healthy pipeline coverage ratio?
Most sales teams target 3-4x pipeline coverage (pipeline value vs. quota). But quality matters more than quantity—a smaller, cleaner pipeline often outperforms a bloated one.
How do I calculate pipeline velocity?
Pipeline velocity = (Number of opportunities × Win rate × Average deal size) ÷ Sales cycle length. Improve any of these variables to increase velocity.
How often should I clean my pipeline?
Monthly at minimum. Remove opportunities that haven't progressed in 2x your average stage time. It's better to have accurate data than inflated pipeline numbers.
Ready to put this into practice?
Start identifying your website visitors with Bullseye.
More How-To Guides
How to Identify Website Visitors
Turn anonymous traffic into known leads with website visitor identification
How to Generate B2B Leads
Proven strategies to fill your pipeline with qualified business leads
How to Set Up Lead Scoring
Prioritize your best leads with a data-driven scoring model
How to Run an ABM Campaign
Execute account-based marketing campaigns that drive pipeline