Lead Lifecycle - Project Details / Task List
Tag: lead-lifecycle
Total Hours: 30h
Structure: Single Milestone (<=50h)
Milestone: Lead Lifecycle
Description: A strategic and technical implementation project that designs and deploys a lead lifecycle structure in the CRM with clearly defined stages, automated transitions, and timestamp tracking to monitor how leads move through the funnel.
Task List: (Lead Lifecycle) 1. Discovery & Stage Definition
Contains: Parts 1-2
| Task | Est | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Conduct Stakeholder Interviews | 2h | Meet with key stakeholders (marketing, sales, RevOps) to understand current pain points, business objectives, and how they conceptualize the lead funnel today. End state: Documented requirements and stakeholder alignment on project goals. • Schedule 30-45 min interviews with VP Marketing, VP Sales, and RevOps lead • Document how each team currently defines "qualified" leads and hand-off points • Identify existing friction points in lead hand-offs between teams • Gather any existing documentation on sales/marketing processes or SLAs • Capture terminology preferences and any industry frameworks they reference (Forrester/SiriusDecisions, Winning by Design) |
| 2. Audit Current CRM Lead Data and Configuration | 2h | Assess how leads are currently tracked in the CRM, including existing status fields, automation rules, and data quality. End state: Gap analysis showing what exists vs. what's needed. • Pull report of all leads by current status values (identify messy/inconsistent statuses) • Document existing lead status picklist values and their definitions (if any) • Check for existing automation rules that update lead status • Identify if stage timestamp fields exist (e.g., MQL Date, SQL Date) • Assess data quality: duplicate leads, leads with no status, leads stuck in limbo stages • Quantify the gap (e.g., "60% of leads have no clear status, no timestamp tracking exists") |
| 3. Document Current State Process Map | 2h | Map the actual current lead flow from creation to closed-won (or disqualified), including all hand-off points and decision criteria. End state: Visual process map of current state with pain points identified. • Create flowchart showing lead sources and entry points • Map current hand-off triggers between marketing and sales • Identify where leads fall through the cracks (common leakage points) • Document manual processes that should be automated • Flag inconsistencies between how different reps handle lead progression |
| 4. Design Stage Architecture | 2h | Define the lifecycle stages that leads will move through, aligned with industry best practices and stakeholder input. End state: Approved list of 5-7 lead stages with clear naming. • Review industry frameworks (Forrester Demand Waterfall, Winning by Design Bowtie) • Propose stage structure (e.g., New, Marketing Qualified, Sales Accepted, Working, Meeting Set, Opportunity Created, Disqualified) • Limit stages to 5-7 maximum to avoid overcomplexity • Ensure stages are action-oriented and measurable • Present stage proposal to stakeholders for approval |
| 5. Document Stage Entry Criteria | 2h | Define the specific, objective criteria required for a lead to enter each stage. End state: Written criteria document that leaves no room for interpretation. • Define MQL criteria (e.g., specific actions like demo request, content download + ICP fit) • Define Sales Accepted criteria (e.g., ICP verified, valid contact info, budget timeline confirmed) • Define Working/Engaged criteria (e.g., sales rep has made contact, discovery scheduled) • Define Meeting Set criteria (e.g., confirmed meeting on calendar with decision-maker) • Define Disqualified criteria and sub-reasons (bad fit, no budget, competitor, bad data) • Get sign-off from both marketing and sales leadership on criteria |
| 6. Establish Stage Transition Rules | 1.5h | Define what triggers a lead to move from one stage to the next, including both automated triggers and manual updates. End state: Documented transition logic ready for CRM configuration. • Map which transitions should be automated (e.g., form submission triggers MQL) • Map which transitions require manual rep action (e.g., Sales Accepted after review) • Define time-based rules (e.g., auto-disqualify after 90 days of no activity) • Document reverse transitions (e.g., Working back to Nurture if discovery cancelled) • Specify what data updates are required at each transition (fields to populate) |
Task List: (Lead Lifecycle) 2. Implementation & Rollout
Contains: Parts 3-4
| Task | Est | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 7. Create Lead Status Fields and Picklist Values | 2h | Configure the CRM with the defined lead status picklist and any supporting fields. End state: Lead Status field updated with new values, old values deprecated. • Create or update Lead Status picklist with approved values • Add Lead Stage field if using stage vs. status distinction • Create "Previous Status" field for transition tracking (optional) • Deprecate or merge old status values (create mapping for data migration) • Test field visibility across user profiles |
| 8. Create Stage Timestamp Fields | 2h | Build timestamp fields to capture when leads enter each stage, enabling velocity and time-in-stage reporting. End state: Date/time fields for each stage that auto-populate on transition. • Create date/time field for each stage (e.g., MQL_Date__c, SAL_Date__c, SQL_Date__c) • Create formula fields for time-in-stage calculations (e.g., Days_in_MQL__c) • Consider creating a "First Stage Hit" vs. "Most Recent Stage Hit" distinction • Test timestamp field updates in sandbox • Document field API names for reporting and integration use |
| 9. Build Automation Rules for Stage Transitions | 3.5h | Configure automation (Salesforce Flow, HubSpot Workflows) to automatically update lead status and timestamp fields based on defined triggers. End state: Automated transitions working for all defined trigger scenarios. • Build automation for inbound lead creation (source-based initial status) • Build automation for MQL qualification (form submissions, lead score threshold) • Build automation for time-based transitions (stale lead disqualification) • Build automation for timestamp population on each stage change • Configure notifications/alerts for sales on key transitions (new MQL assigned) • Test all automation paths with sample records |
| 10. Integrate Marketing Automation Platform | 2.5h | Ensure lead status and lifecycle data syncs correctly between CRM and marketing automation platform. End state: Bidirectional sync working with no data conflicts. • Map CRM Lead Status field to MAP lifecycle stage field • Configure sync direction for each field (CRM-wins vs. MAP-wins) • Set up sync filters to prevent bad data from syncing • Test sync with new leads and status changes • Document sync logic for future troubleshooting |
| 11. Test Lifecycle Implementation with Pilot Group | 2h | Run the new lifecycle with a small group of leads and reps to validate all transitions, automations, and reporting work correctly. End state: Pilot validated with issues identified and resolved. • Select 50-100 leads across various stages for pilot testing • Assign 2-3 reps to work pilot leads using new lifecycle • Monitor for automation failures or unexpected behavior • Gather rep feedback on usability and stage definitions • Fix issues identified during pilot before full rollout |
| 12. Build Lifecycle Reporting and Dashboards | 3h | Create reports and dashboards showing lead funnel metrics, conversion rates, and velocity. End state: Live dashboard accessible to sales and marketing leadership. • Build conversion rate report (MQL to SAL, SAL to SQL, SQL to Opp, Opp to CW) • Build velocity report (average days in each stage) • Build volume report (leads by stage over time) • Build leakage report (disqualified leads by reason) • Create executive dashboard with key lifecycle KPIs • Set up scheduled report delivery to leadership |
| 13. Train Sales and Marketing Teams | 2h | Train all users on the new lifecycle stages, definitions, and their responsibilities for updating lead status. End state: All users trained and reference documentation delivered. • Schedule 30-45 min training session for sales team • Schedule 30-45 min training session for marketing team • Cover: stage definitions, transition criteria, how to update status, what's automated • Create quick-reference guide (1-pager) for reps • Create FAQ document addressing common scenarios • Record training session for future onboarding |
| 14. Rollout and Handoff to Client | 2.5h | Deploy the lifecycle to all users, transition ownership to client RevOps, and establish ongoing governance process. End state: Client self-sufficient with documentation and governance cadence. • Communicate go-live to all users with key changes summary • Deprecate old status values (lock down or remove after transition period) • Deliver complete documentation package (stage definitions, automation logic, troubleshooting) • Transfer admin access and credentials to client RevOps • Establish quarterly review cadence to revisit stage definitions • Schedule 30-day check-in to address post-go-live questions |
Summary
- Total Task Lists: 2 (consolidated from 4 Parts)
- Total Tasks: 14 (one per Step)
- Total Hours: 30h
- Generated from: playbook_lead-lifecycle.md
- Generated on: 2025-12-31