Pipeline Management

Understanding Your Pipeline

Riafin's built-in CRM helps you track leads from acquisition through conversion. The pipeline consists of six distinct statuses that reflect your progress with each prospect.

The Six Pipeline Stages

1. New Lead

When: Immediately after purchasing or acquiring a lead

Characteristics:

• Lead just added to your CRM
• Initial review and preparation phase
• No contact made yet

Actions:

• Review lead profile and questionnaire
• Research prospect (LinkedIn, etc.)
• Prepare outreach strategy
• Add initial notes and observations

Timeline: First 24-48 hours: Review and prepare

Next Stage: Move to "contacted" after first outreach

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2. Contacted

When: Initial outreach completed

Characteristics:

• First contact attempt made
• Prospect aware of your interest
• Initial impression formed

Actions:

• Log contact method (email, phone, etc.)
• Record response (if any)
• Note prospect's reaction
• Schedule follow-up if no response
• Update with conversation details

Best Practices:

• Contact promptly after acquiring lead
• Personalize your message
• Reference specific matching factors
• Suggest next steps
• Be professional and respectful

Next Stage: Move to "engaging" if prospect responds positively

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3. Engaging

When: Active conversation in progress

Characteristics:

• Prospect has responded
• Back-and-forth communication
• Building relationship
• Assessing fit and interest

Actions:

• Maintain regular communication
• Answer questions promptly
• Provide value and resources
• Schedule consultation if appropriate
• Document all interactions

Best Practices:

• Respond quickly to maintain momentum
• Share relevant case studies or testimonials
• Address concerns proactively
• Build trust and credibility
• Move toward scheduling a meeting

Next Stage: Move to "follow_up" if prospect needs time

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4. Follow Up

When: Prospect needs time or additional information

Characteristics:

• Not ready to commit immediately
• Requires nurturing
• May have objections to address
• Longer sales cycle expected

Actions:

• Set follow-up reminders
• Provide additional resources
• Address specific concerns
• Stay in touch periodically
• Add value with each touchpoint

Follow-Up Schedule:

• Week 1: Initial follow-up
• Week 2: Share valuable resource
• Month 1: Check-in call
• Quarterly: Long-term nurture

Best Practices:

• Don't be pushy
• Add value with each contact
• Track all touchpoints
• Know when to move on
• Consider nurture campaigns

Next Stage: Move back to "engaging" if interest renews, or toward conversion

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5. Converted

When: Prospect becomes a client

Characteristics:

• Service agreement signed
• Engagement officially started
• New client acquired
• Relationship transitions to ongoing service

Actions:

• Update status immediately
• Send welcome/onboarding materials
• Schedule kick-off meeting
• Set up client file
• Request review after 90 days

Post-Conversion:

• Deliver excellent service
• Build long-term relationship
• Ask for referrals
• Request testimonials
• Update profile with success story

Note: This is the goal for every lead in your pipeline.

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6. Closed Lost

When: Prospect does not convert

Characteristics:

• Chose different advisor
• Decided not to proceed
• No longer interested
• Unable to reach agreement

Actions:

• Update status with reason
• Send gracious closing message
• Request feedback (optional)
• Add to long-term nurture list
• Note patterns for improvement

Best Practices:

• Be professional and gracious
• Don't burn bridges
• Ask for feedback politely
• Stay in touch for future needs
• Learn from the experience

Note: Not every lead converts. This is normal.

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Managing Leads in the CRM

Accessing Your Leads

In the Pro Dashboard:

1. Navigate to "Leads" section
2. View all your acquired leads
3. Filter by status
4. Sort by date, name, or other criteria

Updating Lead Status

Advancing to Next Stage:

1. Open lead detail page
2. Click the "Mark as [Next Status]" button (e.g., "Mark as Contacted", "Mark as Engaging")
3. System automatically advances lead to next pipeline stage
4. Add notes about the status change

Status Flow: The system guides leads through the pipeline in sequence: new_lead → contacted → engaging → follow_up → converted

Note: If a lead is marked as "closed_lost", you can restart the flow by marking it as "new_lead" again.

When to Update:

• Immediately after significant interaction
• When prospect moves to next stage
• At key milestones
• Before ending your workday

Adding Notes

Documentation Best Practices:

• Record all touchpoints
• Note key conversation points
• Track promises made
• Document objections raised
• Record personal details

Types of Notes:

• Interaction notes: Calls, emails, meetings
• Research notes: Background information
• Strategy notes: Planned approach
• Progress notes: Milestones reached

Using Comments

Collaboration Features:

• Add comments to leads
• Tag team members (if applicable)
• Track internal discussions
• Maintain communication history

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Pipeline Best Practices

Daily Routine

Morning:

• Review new leads added overnight
• Check leads requiring follow-up today
• Update statuses from previous day
• Plan outreach activities

Throughout Day:

• Update CRM immediately after interactions
• Add notes while memory is fresh
• Move leads to appropriate status
• Schedule follow-up reminders

End of Day:

• Review pipeline health
• Plan tomorrow's activities
• Ensure all updates are saved

Weekly Review

Pipeline Health Check:

• Count leads in each stage
• Identify stalled opportunities
• Plan follow-up activities
• Adjust strategy as needed

Conversion Analysis:

• Review converted leads (what worked?)
• Analyze closed lost (why?)
• Identify patterns
• Optimize your approach

Monthly Review

Performance Metrics:

• Leads acquired this month
• Conversion rate
• Average time to convert
• Revenue from conversions

Strategy Adjustments:

• What's working well?
• What needs improvement?
• Adjust targeting criteria
• Refine messaging

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Common Pipeline Challenges

Challenge: Leads Stuck in "New Lead"

Problem: Not making initial contact Solutions:

• Set calendar reminders to review new leads daily
• Prepare outreach templates in advance
• Batch your initial contacts
• Prioritize by tier or fit

Challenge: No Response to Outreach

Problem: Prospects not replying Solutions:

• Try different contact methods
• Improve subject lines
• Add more value in first message
• Follow up consistently (not aggressively)

Challenge: Stuck in "Engaging"

Problem: Conversation not progressing Solutions:

• Propose specific next steps
• Address unspoken objections
• Create urgency appropriately
• Know when to move to "follow_up"

Challenge: Too Many in "Follow Up"

Problem: Pipeline clogged with nurture leads Solutions:

• Set up nurture campaigns
• Use email automation
• Schedule periodic check-ins
• Focus energy on hot leads

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No External CRM Integrations

Current Status

Riafin CRM is Standalone:

• No integrations with external CRMs
• No Salesforce, HubSpot, or other sync
• All management happens in Riafin dashboard
• Export functionality not currently available

Workaround Options:

• Manual data entry into external CRM
• Use Riafin as primary lead tracker
• Export via copy/paste (limited)
• Request feature for future development

Using Riafin CRM Effectively

Advantages:

• Built specifically for advisor workflow
• Integrated with lead acquisition
• No additional cost
• Simple and focused

Limitations:

• No advanced automation
• No third-party integrations
• Limited reporting
• Basic feature set

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Pipeline Hygiene

Regular Maintenance

Weekly:

• Update all lead statuses
• Add missing notes
• Clear out duplicate entries
• Review stalled leads

Monthly:

• Archive very old leads (>6 months)
• Review conversion metrics
• Clean up notes
• Optimize workflow

Data Quality

Best Practices:

• Update immediately after interactions
• Be detailed in notes
• Use consistent terminology
• Check for accuracy