What are Lead Stages?
Lead stages are distinct phases in the sales process that a potential customer goes through from the initial point of contact to the final decision. These stages help categorize and organize leads based on their level of engagement, interest, and readiness to make a purchase. By defining these stages, businesses can track the progress of each lead and tailor their approach accordingly.
Why are Lead Stages Important?
Lead stages help you grow your business by organizing potential students' journey from first contact to regular membership.
Personalized Communication
New leads: Share basic studio info
Interested leads: Send class schedules
Trial class attendees: Offer membership benefits
Improved Client Journey
Track progress from curious visitor to dedicated client
Identify where potential students might be dropping off
Efficient Marketing
Focus resources on leads most likely to become members
Tailor promotions based on lead stage (e.g., free trial class, new member discount)
Better Business Insights
Understand which classes or instructors attract the most interest
See how quickly leads move through stages
Increased Conversions
Guide leads smoothly from interest to membership
Reduce the chances of losing potential students
By using lead stages, your studio can build stronger connections, improve class attendance, and boost membership sign-ups.
How Lead Stages Work in Lead Management
Your Lead Management tool uses lead stages to help you organize and track your sales process:
Visualizing Your Pipeline
In the Lead Management tool, you can see all your leads arranged by their stages. It's like seeing all your potential friends grouped by how well you know them. Example: You might see 10 leads in "Just Met," 5 in "Getting to Know Each Other," and 2 in "Becoming Friends."
Moving Leads Through Stages
As you interact with leads, you can easily move them from one stage to another. This helps you keep track of your progress with each lead. Example: After a great phone call with a lead, you might move them from "Just Met" to "Getting to Know Each Other."
Automated Journeys
You can set up automatic actions based on lead stages. This helps you stay in touch with leads without having to remember every step. Example: When a lead moves to "Getting to Know Each Other," the system could automatically send them a welcome email with helpful information.
Customizing Stages
You can add or change lead stages to match your specific sales process. This makes the tool work for your unique business needs. Example: If you have a free trial, you might add a "Trying Our Service" stage between "Getting to Know Each Other" and "Becoming Friends."
Reporting
The Lead Management tool can show you reports based on lead stages. This helps you understand how well your sales process is working. Example: You might see that many leads are getting stuck in "Getting to Know Each Other." This could tell you that you need to improve how you nurture leads at this stage.
Pre-Added Lead Stages
Here we group Lead Stages into common customer lifecycle stages so you can better understand how to use and conceptualize the pre-added stages.
Lead Types
New Lead: A person who has recently shown interest in your services.
Potential: Someone identified as a possible client but hasn't engaged deeply yet.
Qualified: A lead that meets specific criteria and is more likely to convert.
Interested: A lead who has expressed clear interest in your offerings.
Not Interested: A lead who has indicated they're not interested in your services.
Introductory Phases
Intro Active: A person currently in an introductory program or trial period.
Trial Started: Marks the beginning of a trial membership or introductory offer.
Trial Ended: Indicates the completion of a trial period.
Intro Expired: Someone whose introductory period has ended without converting to a regular member.
Active Engagement Stages
Member: An individual with an active, paid membership.
Customer: Someone who has made a purchase or is actively using your services.
Active Non-member: A person engaged with your business but not through a traditional membership (e.g., pay-per-class clients).
Engaged: Shows high interaction levels with your business, services, or community.
Retention Challenges
Suspended: A member whose account is temporarily on hold.
Canceled: A member who has ended their membership.
Terminated: Similar to canceled, but might imply a more permanent or involuntary end to the relationship.
Lapsed Client: A former regular client who hasn't engaged with your business recently.
Lapsed Non-member: A non-member who was previously active but hasn't engaged recently.
Sales Outcomes
Won: A lead successfully converted into a customer or member.
Lost: A lead that didn't convert or a customer who has definitively ended their relationship with your business.
Special Categories
Connected: Might indicate a lead or member who is networked with your business, perhaps through social media or referral programs.
Bad Fit: Identifies individuals who, for various reasons, are not suitable for your services.
Add a New Lead Stage
Follow these steps to add a new Lead Stage option under your Lead Tracker.
From the Main Navigation Menu select Marketing Center
Choose Lead Stages
Select Add a Lead Stage
Enter a Stage name
Choose a Lead State (Active Lead, Lead Won/Closed, Lead Lost/Closed)
Select a Color
Save
Remember:
Active Lead: Currently going through your Sales/Lead Funnel
Lead Won/Closed: The lead was won and led to the desired sales goal
Lead Lost/Closed: The lead was lost and did not lead to a sale
Edit Existing Lead Stage Options
From the Main Navigation Menu select Marketing Center
Choose Lead Stages
Select the three dots on the far right of a Lead Stage
Make changes
Save
Automatic " New Lead" Lead Stage Assignment
To streamline your lead management process, Walla automatically assigns the "New Lead" Stage to leads generated through Walla Lead Forms, Meta, and Google. This automatic addition of the Lead Stage ensures that no new lead slips through the cracks and allows you to quickly identify and engage with fresh prospects.
It's a crucial first step in the lead nurturing process, setting the stage for your sales team to take prompt action and move these leads further down the funnel. You can always manually add the New Lead Stage to clients as well.