OPERATIONAL RULES
Every Opportunity Needs a Next Step
Every opportunity in the pipeline must have a next step defined, with an owner and a due date. An opportunity with no scheduled activity is an opportunity that is being neglected. Next steps make the pipeline active and actionable - without them, opportunities stall and opportunities are lost silently.
Observance of the Rule
- No opportunity goes cold without a visible, attributable reason.
- Sales managers can audit pipeline health at a glance without chasing updates.
- Forecasts are more reliable because every opportunity has a defined path forward.
- Accountability is built into the process rather than enforced through meetings.
Violation of the Rule
- Opportunities stall silently with no visibility into why.
- Sales managers must chase verbal updates instead of relying on the system.
- Opportunities are lost without a clear point of failure to learn from.
- Pipeline reviews become reactive conversations rather than proactive audits.
SALESPERSON
Execution
- Before leaving any opportunity record, ensure there is an open activity scheduled with a due date.
- When you complete an activity, mark it done in the CRM and immediately schedule the next one before closing the record.
- Never leave an opportunity in the pipeline with no scheduled activity unless it is marked Lost.
SALES MANAGER
Execution
- Regularly audit the pipeline for opportunities with no open scheduled activity.
- When an opportunity has no next step, tag the assigned salesperson within the opportunity in the CRM and ask what the next step is or whether they need help - do not ask outside of the CRM.
- Do not accept verbal next steps - the activity must exist in the CRM.
CRM ADMINISTRATOR
Execution
- Configure automated alerts to notify you when an opportunity has no open activity scheduled, so violations are caught without manual auditing.
- Set up data validation rules that prevent an opportunity from progressing to the next stage if no activity has been completed or scheduled.