Drop Funnel

Okay, real talk – I used to track client deals on:

• Sticky notes (that fell off)
• Random spreadsheet tabs (never updated)
• Email threads (buried under 200 unreads)

Then I lost a $8,500 project because I forgot to follow up for THREE WEEKS. That’s when I finally got serious about GoHighLevel pipelines.

Here’s what actually worked after months of facepalms, cuss words, and finally – breakthroughs.

Phase 1: My Dumb Mistakes (So You Don’t Repeat Them)

Mistake #1: Created 12 “perfect” stages

• Reality: My team ignored half of them

Mistake #2: Made fields for EVERY possible data point

• Reality: Nobody filled them out

Mistake #3: Didn’t train my VA on how to update

• Reality: Pipeline became a ghost town

The “Oh Sh*t” Moment That Changed Everything

One Tuesday morning, three clients asked about proposals I’d “definitely sent last week” (I hadn’t). That’s when I:

1. Deleted 60% of my custom fields
2. Renamed stages to match how we actually talk:
   • “New Lead” → “Just Came In”
   • “Contract Sent” → “Paperwork Out”
3. Set up THREE automatic actions that saved my ass

3 Automations That Actually Get Used

1. When a lead books a call:
   • Moves to “Chat Scheduled” stage
   • Sends my VA a Slack alert
2. After proposal sits for 3 days:
   • Texts me: “Yo – follow up on [Client Name]”
   • Adds calendar reminder
3. When deal goes cold (7+ days):
   • Shoves it in my “Broken Deals” view
   • Auto-sends re-engagement email

My Ugly (But Effective) Pipeline System

Stage 1: Just Came In

• Auto-tagged by lead source

Stage 2: First Chat Done

• Requires “Next Steps” note

Stage 3: Proposal Out

• Links to Google Doc
• Deadline date set

Stage 4: Negotiating

• Dollar amount required
• Auto-calculates commission

Stage 5: Closed (Won/Lost)

• Won = onboarding checklist starts
• Lost = survey sent

Friday Ritual That Saves Me

Every Friday at 3:30 PM (with an iced coffee):

1. Scan “Stale Deals” view
2. Check for missing client info
3. Move dead deals to “Lost”
4. Celebrate wins (important!)

Takes 20 minutes but keeps the pipeline REAL.

Where GoHighLevel Still Annoys Me

Let’s not pretend it’s perfect:

• Mobile pipeline view is tragic
• Some clicks feel unnecessary
• Custom reports could be simpler

But compared to:

• Salesforce (overkill)
• Spreadsheets (chaos)
• My memory (unreliable)

It’s the least bad option.

Who Should Bother With This?

✔️ If you lose track of client conversations
✔️ If deals fall through cracks regularly
✔️ If your team asks “What’s next?” too often

Skip it if:
✖ You get 2 leads a month
✖ You enjoy email chaos
✖ “Systems” make you twitch

Final Advice From My Many Screwups

1. Start stupid simple – you can add complexity later
2. Make it match your actual workflow – not some guru’s
3. Commit for 30 days – first 2 weeks will feel clunky

Want to see my exact setup? I’ll share screenshots – just reply and ask.

• Martin

PS: That $8,500 client I lost? They came back 4 months later when they saw we’d gotten organized. Systems matter.

PPS: If your current “pipeline” is Post-its and prayers, do yourself a favor – set this up Friday afternoon. Future you will be so grateful.