Lifecycle stages (the funnel)
In one sentence
A lifecycle stage marks where a contact is on the journey from stranger to loyal customer, so you can see your funnel and message each group appropriately.
The six stages
MsgBuddy uses a simple, six-stage funnel:
| Stage | Means | Typical next move |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | A new contact who hasn’t really engaged | Send a welcome / qualify them |
| Engaged | They’ve replied or shown interest | Answer questions, nurture |
| Qualified | A genuine potential buyer | Make an offer, follow up |
| Customer | They’ve bought | Delight, upsell, ask for referrals |
| Dormant | A past customer gone quiet | A gentle re-engagement campaign |
| Lost | Not coming back (for now) | Stop spending effort; keep tidy |
Stages are set by you, not guessed automatically. You (or your team) move a contact along from their profile as the relationship changes. This keeps the funnel honest and under your control.
Where you set it
Open a contact (from People or the Inbox sidebar) and pick their lifecycle stage. Change it any time as things progress.
Why it’s useful
Two big payoffs:
- See your funnel. Analytics can show how many contacts sit in each stage — a quick read on the health of your pipeline.
- Message the right group. Combine stage with tags in a segment: e.g. “Dormant customers in Delhi” → a win-back campaign; “Qualified leads” → an offer.
Lifecycle stage is different from opt-out. A Lost contact might still be opted-in (you could message them); a Customer might have opted out (you must not market to them). Stage = where they are in your funnel; opt-out = whether you’re allowed to reach out. See Opt-out & compliance.
How this connects
Next: explore everything on the contact detail page →.