How to use Nutshell CRM to Close More Deals in 2026

Are you drowning in sticky notes and missed sales calls?

It is hard to keep track of every lead when your data is scattered.

This chaos hurts your business.

You lose money every time a potential customer slips through the cracks.

Your team wastes hours on data entry instead of selling.

Nutshell CRM is the answer. It brings your team, emails, and deals together in one simple tool.

This guide shows you exactly how to use Nutshell to stop the mess and start closing more deals.

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Stop letting leads slip through the cracks! Nutshell’s CRM and email marketing platform help you build stronger relationships and close more deals.

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Nutshell CRM Tutorial

Mastering Nutshell is simple.

You do not need to be a computer expert to use it.

We will show you the most important tools step by Step.

Follow this guide to set up your account and start selling immediately.

How to Use Sales Automation

Sales automation stops you from doing the same boring tasks over and over.

It handles data entry and assigns leads for you.

Andy Fowler helped create Nutshell so teams can stop fighting software and start selling.

This means every user spends less time clicking buttons and more time talking to people.

Step 1: Define Your Pipeline Stages

Before you automate, you must know your steps.

A pipeline is just the path a customer takes to buy from you.

• Look for the Nutshell logo in the top corner to make sure you are on the main dashboard.
• Go to Company Settings and select Pipelines.
• Click New Pipeline to start fresh.
• Name your stages clearly. You can use names like “New Lead” or “Proposal Sent.”
• Please keep it simple so you do not confuse your team.

Step 2: Set Up Lead Assignment Rules

You do not want leads sitting in a pile.

You also do not want salespeople sitting around waiting for work.

Nutshell can pass leads to the right person instantly.

• Inside your pipeline settings, look for the Assignment section.
• Create a rule based on the lead’s data.
• For example, tell the system to assign all local leads to Sarah.
• Check the small blue square box to apply the rule to all new leads.
• Set a fallback rule so no lead gets lost.

Step 3: Automate Stage Tasks

Nutshell can tell your team exactly what to do at each Step.

It is like having a light bulb moment every time you open a deal.

• Click on a specific stage in your pipeline editor.
• Look for the Tasks section on the screen.
• Add specific actions like “Call customer” or “Send pricing sheet.”
• Set due dates for each task.
• Now, the rep gets an automatic reminder when a deal reaches this stage.

Mastering Pipeline Management

A messy pipeline kills sales.

If you cannot see where your deals are, you cannot close them.

Nutshell gives you a visual map to help you manage every opportunity.

It puts everything on a clean white background so you can focus on the work that matters.

Step 1: Build Your Custom Pipeline

Your business is unique. Your pipeline should match how you actually sell.

• Navigate to the Sales dashboard in your account.
• Click Edit Pipeline or Create New if you have not yet created one.
• Drag and drop the stages to put them in the right order.
• Add “Confidence” percentages to each stage.
• This helps your group estimate how much money the team will make.

Step 2: Add Guidance for Your Team

New hires often struggle to know what to do next.

You can put instructions right inside the CRM.

• Open a stage in the pipeline editor.
• Find the Guidance text box.
• Write short, clear tips for your reps.
• Look for the white WebFX logo in the integration settings if you need extra marketing help.
• These tips appear on the screen whenever a deal enters this stage.

Step 3: Manage Deals with Board View

The Board view is the easiest way to move deals forward.

It looks like a set of cards.

• Click the Board icon at the top of your leads page.
• You will see columns for each stage of your pipeline.
• Click and hold a lead card to drag it to the next column.
• Watch for the yellow circle alert to indicate whether a task is overdue.
• Mark a deal as “Won” or “Lost” by dragging it to the bottom.

Setting Up Email Automation

Writing the same follow-up email ten times a day is a waste of time.

Email automation sends personal messages on your behalf.

This helps your group of people sitting in the sales department save time.

These look like real emails, not robotic marketing blasts.

Step 1: Create Your Email Templates

You need a good message before you can automate it.

• Go to your Email tab and select Templates.
• Click Create New Template.
• Write your subject line and body text.
• Ensure your company logo on a white background looks clear in the email signature.
• Use “placeholders” for names, so Nutshell fills them in automatically.
• Save the template with a name you will remember.

Step 2: Link Emails to Pipeline Stages

Now you tell Nutshell when to send your message.

You do not want your team just sitting around a table waiting to hit send manually.

• Go back to Company Settings and then Pipelines.
• Choose the stageat whiche you want the email tobe sentd.
• You might see the blue and white webfx option here if you use that tool for data.
• Find the Personal email sequences section.
• Click the + button to add an automation block.

Step 3: Configure Timing and Triggers

You do not want to bombard people instantly.

You can set this up from your office desk or a table with a light at home.

• Select the template you created in Step.
• Look for the green square and a yellow icon if there is a warning about your dates.
• Set the delay to “Immediately” or “Wait 2 days.”
• Decide when the emails stop, like when a customer replies.
• Click Save to finish the setup.

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Conclusion

Nutshell CRM makes selling easier for everyone.

You no longer need to fight with messy spreadsheets.

You built a clear pipeline to see exactly where your money is coming from.

This tool brings order to your business chaos.

Your team can stop worrying about data entry and focus on closing deals.

Just open the app, look for the nushell logo, and get to work.

Start using these features today to grow your sales without the stress.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Facts about Nutshell

• Getting Started: Hooking up your email and calendar to Nutshell is one of the first things you should do to start selling.
• Importing Info: You can bring in your contact lists from spreadsheets, address books, or other software easily.
• Organization: Nutshell sorts your information into three main groups: companies, people, and leads.
• Leads: A “lead” is just a name for a sales opportunity you want to keep track of.
• Custom Paths: You can build special steps (pipelines) that match exactly how your team sells things.
• Usability: The best software is the one your team will actually want to use, and Nutshell is built to be simple for everyone.
• Reports: You can use Nutshell’s reports to look closely at your sales numbers and important contact details.
• Permissions: You can change settings to control exactly which team members are allowed to see certain information.
• Dashboards: You can change your main screen (dashboard) to show important scores, like how much you have sold versus your goal.
• Custom Fields: You can create your own labels and tags to keep your data organized the way you like it.
• Tailoring: When you set up the software to match your specific goals, your team will work faster and better.
• Workflow: You can set up your dashboard to fit the work you do every single day.
• Clean Data: It is important to have rules for how you type in names so your list stays neat and correct.
• History: You can track every time you talk to a client so you have a full history of your relationship.
• Goals: detailed goals help your team understand why using the software helps them.
• Syncing: When you connect Google or Microsoft Outlook, your emails and appointments save to Nutshell automatically.
• Checking Data: You should check your lists often to fix mistakes or delete names that are listed twice.
• Personalization: Use the history you have on customers to write emails that feel personal to them.
• Automation: You can set up Nutshell to do boring tasks for you, like sending reminders or follow-up emails.
• Metrics: Keep an eye on important numbers, like how many people buy from you and how many stop buying.
• Success Tips: To get the best results, focus on keeping data clean, using automation, and making sure the whole team works together.
• Audits: Every few months, look through your data to remove bad info or duplicates.
• Speed: Watch how fast you are closing deals and how often you win to see how your team is doing.
• Integrations: Start by connecting the most important tools you use, then add others later using tools like Zapier.
• Teamwork: Use shared screens and “@mentions” to talk clearly with your team inside the app.
• Guided Import: Nutshell has a helpful tool that guides you through uploading your contacts from other places.
• Zero-Touch: If you connect your email, the system logs your activity without you having to click anything.
• Security: Protect your customer’s private info by using strong passwords (two-factor authentication) and user limits.
• Native Tools: It is usually best to use Nutshell’s built-in connections before trying to use outside connectors.
• Timeline: You can record phone calls, meetings, and notes right on a contact’s profile page.
• Collaboration: Working together in the app helps everyone communicate better and get more done.
• Teams: You can group your workers into teams inside the app to see how productive they are.