# Lead stage mapping template > A copyable template that maps your sales stages to the events you send Meta through the Conversions API, with filled examples for real estate and education. - **Author**: Marxx - **Published**: 2026-11-07 - **Category**: Lead generation - **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-templates/lead-stage-map-template --- A lead stage map is a short table that lists each stage in your sales process, what it means, who moves a lead there and which event, if any, you send to Meta for it. Fill it in once before you connect the [Conversions API](/glossary/conversions-api), so your team and Meta use the same words. ## Why map stages before sending them Meta only learns from the events you send. If one caller marks a lead "Qualified" after a chat and another only after a site visit, Meta gets mixed signals. A written map fixes the meaning of each stage before any data flows. Meta's CRM setup lets you send your own stage names as events, matched to each lead by its lead ID. The [Conversions API setup guide](/guides/how-to-set-up-meta-conversions-api) covers the connection. This page covers the thinking. ## The template ``` LEAD STAGE MAP: [Brand / client] Updated: [date] No Stage name Means (one line) Moved by Send to Meta? Event name 1 New Form submitted Automatic No (Meta has it) - 2 Contacted First real call or message Caller [Yes/No] [Contacted] 3 Qualified Passes [your rule] Caller Yes [Qualified] 4 [Mid stage] [visit / demo / counselling] [who] [Yes/No] [name] 5 Won [Paid / booked / signed] [who] Yes [Won] 6 Lost + reason from list below Anyone No - Lost reasons: [No answer] [Wrong number] [No budget] [Bought elsewhere] [Not interested] [Outside service area] Rules - Stage names never change once events are flowing. - A lead can skip a stage, but never moves back silently: add a note. - The stage Meta should find more of: [Qualified / Won]. ``` ## Example: real estate Say a fictional developer, Lakeview Homes, sells 2 and 3 BHK flats in Pune from Meta lead ads. ``` LEAD STAGE MAP: Lakeview Homes Updated: 6 Nov No Stage name Means Moved by Send? Event name 1 New Form submitted Automatic No - 2 Contacted First call attempt answered Caller Yes Contacted 3 Qualified Budget INR 70L+, buying in 6 mo Caller Yes Qualified 4 Site visit done Visited the sample flat Site manager Yes Site visit 5 Booked Booking amount paid Sales head Yes Booked 6 Lost + reason Anyone No - The stage Meta should find more of: Site visit ``` Why "Site visit" and not "Booked"? Flats take months to sell, so bookings are few and slow. Site visits come within days and in larger numbers, so Meta gets enough signal to learn from. ## Example: education Say a fictional coaching institute, BrightPath Academy, runs counselling-call lead ads. ``` LEAD STAGE MAP: BrightPath Academy Updated: 6 Nov No Stage name Means Moved by Send? Event name 1 New Form submitted Automatic No - 2 Contacted Parent or student reached Counsellor No - 3 Counselling done 20-min call completed Counsellor Yes Counselling done 4 Application Form + registration fee paid Admissions Yes Application 5 Enrolled First instalment paid Admissions Yes Enrolled 6 Lost + reason Anyone No - The stage Meta should find more of: Application ``` Names, rules and amounts are made up. ## Tips 1. **Pick one stage for Meta to find more of.** Choose the deepest stage that still happens often each week. 2. **Write the one-line meaning.** It settles arguments between callers. 3. **Freeze the names.** Renaming "Qualified" to "Hot" breaks the history Meta has learned from. 4. **Keep Lost reasons to a short list,** so you can count them. We make Marxx. If Conversions API lead stages are set up for a client, marking a Meta lead contacted from Slack sends the same update to Meta as doing it in Marxx. See [Marxx leads](/features/leads) and our [Slack lead notifications guide](/guides/how-to-get-facebook-lead-notifications-in-slack). ## FAQ ### Do I need to send every stage to Meta? No. Send the stages that show quality. Many teams send Qualified and their main mid-funnel stage, and leave Contacted and Lost out. ### Can two businesses share one stage map? Only if they sell the same way. An agency should keep one map per client. ### When should I change the map? Rarely, and only with a note of the date. Add a new stage rather than renaming an old one. --- - [More Lead generation articles](https://marxx.ai/library-templates/category/lead-generation) - [All articles](https://marxx.ai/library-templates)