Using Lead Stages

Using Lead Stages

Lead stages is the mechanism that helps you qualify your leads by differentiating them into different stages. With lead stages, you get an overview of where your leads stand in the lead stages.

Before we go on to learn how to enable Lead Stages, here's a list of definitions to help you get familiar with it.
  1. Stages - Stages denote the position of your leads in the lead life cycle. There are 5 standard lead stages:
    • Raw Leads
    • Marketing Ready
    • Marketing Engaged
    • Marketing Qualified
    • Sales Ready
  2. Rule sets - Rule sets is the compilation of rules. There's a maximum of 5 rules in every lead stage.
  3. Rules - Rules are the parameters in a rule set. There's a maximum of 6 rules in every rule set. It defines the processing of your leads in the lead stages.
  4. Criteria Pattern - Use the criteria pattern to define the conditions that must be met in the rule sets of lead stages. If you want to edit the pattern in which rule sets are used, click the link Change pattern to edit the pattern. The following are things to keep in mind while changing the criteria pattern
    • Enclose the pattern with opening and closing brackets.
    • Use & to group two conditions together.
    • Use | if either condition is appropriate.
  5. Custom Stage - A custom stage is a lead stage that you create. You can create custom stages if you require additional stages in the setup. A maximum of 4 lead custom stages can be created between the standard stages in the lead stages setup.
  6. Freeze Period - The designated time period (in days or months) in which a lead does not progress in the lead stage. Freeze period is set before manually importing the leads into lead stages.

This guide will take you through:

  • How to enable lead stages
  • How to edit a stage
  • How to add a custom lead stage
  • How to add a lead and configure lead stages
  • How to import leads and set stages 

How to enable lead stage

Enabling the lead stages setup will place your leads in different lead stages according to their engagement. You can configure the rules for the stages in the lead stages setup. Enabling the lead stages setup is a one-time action which cannot be revoked or performed again.
  1. From the Navigation Toolbar, click Qualification and choose Lead Stages.
  2. Click Enable to begin using lead stages.

The lead stages set is prefigured with rules for all the standard stages. The rules help you qualify your leads and move the leads forward. However you can edit them as per your requirements and add custom stages as well.

How to edit a stage
  1. Click Edit at the top-right corner of a lead stage.
  2. Select a field, option, and value for the rules that you add to a particular set.
  3. Click Change Pattern to edit the Criteria Pattern of a set.
  4. Click Save and Apply to save the edited changes.


Note:
  • You can add a maximum number of five rule sets per stage and six rules per set.
  • Criteria Pattern value should be enclosed with parentheses. For example, Criteria Pattern: (1&2)

    • How to add a custom stage

    Apart from the standard stages, you can add up to 4 custom stages in the lead stages setup. This helps you to differentiate your leads according to your requirements.
    1. Click Add custom stage found between the standard lead stage sections.
    2. Name your custom stage.
    3. Select a field, option, and value for the rules that you add to a particular set.
    4. Click Change Pattern to edit the Criteria Pattern of a set.
    5. Click Save and Apply to save the custom stage.

    How to add a lead and configure lead stages

    You can add a lead to the lead stages setup. Here's how to do it.
    1. From the Navigation Toolbar, click Lists and choose All Leads.
    2. On the All Leads page, click Add New.
    3. On the Lead basic details page, you can add the basic details about the lead, select the mailing list, and assign tag to the lead
    4. After performing the above actions, click Configure Lead Stages.
    5. Select the lead stage you want your leads to be moved to and set the Freeze period for the lead.
    6. Click Configure to finish configuring lead stage properties.





    How to import leads and set stages

    You can move the imported leads to its respective stage in lead stages. Here's how to do it.
    1. From the Navigation Toolbar, click Lists and choose All Leads.
    2. On the All Leads page, click Import Leads.
    3. Click Import under From Computer to import a file from your computer.
    4. Choose the file to be imported, select the mailing list, and click Upload.


    After uploading the file, you are required to Map your fields and choose how leads will be moved to respective stages under Set stages. There are three ways you can process the leads you import. They are:


    • Apply lead stage rules - Leads will be moved to the respective stages based on the available lead information.
    • Assign a lead stage manually - You can manually move leads to stages that you think are appropriate.
    • Use file data- Leads will be moved to the stage found in the file you import. The file you import must contain the lead stage value for all of the leads. You can use this option when you import multiple leads belonging to different lead stages.

    This is the lead information format to be applied in the file you import.

    Email Address

    First Name

    Middle Name

    Last Name

    Phone Number

    Lead Stage

    johndoe@zylker.com

    John


    Doe

    123456789

     1

    patriciadoyle@zylker.com

    Patricia


    Doyle

    123456779

     3


    Note:
    1. If you choose to apply lead stage rules or assign a lead stage manually while importing the leads, you must set the freeze period for the leads you import.
    2. You are required to specify the number of all lead stages under the column named 'Lead Stage' in the .csv, .xlsx file you import. You can look up the lead stage numbering in the lead stages setup. If the lead stage is numbered incorrectly, the respective lead might not be imported successfully.


    How to use lead stages for segmenting leads
    After you set up lead stages to qualify your leads, you can use lead stage as a criteria to segment your leads.
    1. From the Navigation Toolbar, click Lists and choose Manage Lists.
    2. On the Manage lists page, select a list that you like to segment.
    3. On the summary page of the selected list, click Segments subtab.
    4. Click Create segment from the center of the page.
    5. Select the lead stage for the added criteria.
    6. Click Save to create a segment.
    Click this link to know more about Segments

    How to use lead stages to filter leads based on criteria
    You can refine your search results using advanced search while you filter leads. In the advanced search section, you can add Lead stages as a criteria to search for the leads that belong to a particular lead stage.
    1. From the Navigation Toolbar, click Lists and choose All Leads.
    2. On the All Leads page, click the filter icon found on the top right corner of the page.
    3. Click the link Advanced Search found in the search pop up.
    4. On the Advanced search page, click the Lead stages condition checkbox.
    5. Select the parameter and choose the stage.
    6. Click Search to obtain the search results.










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