Lifecycle Stage Definitions in HubSpot

Business Context (Why This Matters)

Lifecycle stages in HubSpot help us:

• Understand where a prospect is in their journey (just entered the system, qualified, in pipeline, or customer).

• Align Marketing → SDR → AE → CS handoffs so no lead gets lost.

• Trigger automatic processes like scoring, routing, and deal creation.

You can view lifecycle stages in HubSpot on any Contact or Company record under the Lifecycle Stage property.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Lead

• Contacts: Created in the system, no deals, not linked to an Opportunity/Customer company.

• Companies: Created in the system, no deals.

2. Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL)

• Contacts: Automatically become MQL when they reach 50+ points in lead scoring (see MQL Scoring Guide).

• Companies: Do not become MQLs.

3. Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)

• Contacts: Move to SQL when a meeting is booked with type Intro Call or SDR Booked – Intro Call, and they are not already an Opportunity, SQL, or Customer. A Discovery Call deal is created automatically.

• Companies: Same as contacts, except only the attending contacts move to SQL. A Discovery stage deal is created.

4. Opportunity

• Contacts: Become Opportunities when their Company moves into Opportunity stage.

• Companies: Move to Opportunity when a deal reaches Solutions Presentation, Proposal & Negotiation, Contract & Legal Review, or Pending Approval.

5. Customer

• Contacts: Become Customers when linked to a Customer company.

• Companies: Move to Customer when a deal is marked Closed/Won (including PFA).

6. Unqualified

• Contacts: Manually marked by SDR/AE or by automation (e.g., wrong role).

• Companies: Manually marked by SDR/AE.

Troubleshooting

Issue 1: A contact is in the wrong stage

• What you see: Contact says SQL, but no meeting exists.

• Fix: Check for incorrect meeting type. If needed, update manually.

• Ask in: #vt4s-hubspot.

• Escalate to: HubSpot Team.

Issue 2: Company stage doesn’t match contact stage

• What you see: Contact is Opportunity, but company is still Lead.

• Fix: Remember companies move when deals move. Check associated deals.

• Ask in: #vt4s-hubspot.

• Escalate to: HubSpot Team.

Issue 3: Contact didn’t move to MQL automatically

• What you see: Contact hit 50+ points but still shows as Lead.

• Fix: Verify scoring activity in HubSpot. If still stuck, escalate.

• Ask in: #vt4s-hubspot.

• Escalate to: HubSpot Team.