Guide
Gifting pipeline: structure a 5-step Kanban
A gifting Kanban doesn't need ten columns. Five stages cover 90% of D2C micro-influencer campaigns — from first contact to published post.
Seedlane's 5 columns
Each column maps to an operational decision, not a vague admin status:
- To contact — validated shortlist, first message to send
- Negotiation — deal in progress (product, timeline, post format)
- Product sent — package shipped, tracking logged
- Awaiting post — active publication window, follow-ups allowed
- Done — post URL + date, ready for reporting
Rules for moving cards
Without rules, a Kanban becomes a colored spreadsheet. Simple guardrails:
Drag & drop should reflect field reality — not project manager optimism.
- Move to "Product sent" only when tracking or ship date is set
- "Awaiting post" once creator confirms receipt
- "Done" only with URL or proof of publication
Metrics to read on the board
Your operational North Star isn't creators contacted — it's post rate after shipment:
- Ratio "Done" / "Product sent" over 30 days
- Average age in "Awaiting post" (detects missed follow-ups)
- Volume in "To contact" (gifting sales pipeline)
Why not a classic influencer CRM?
CRMs like Grin or Aspire target discovery, paid deals, and large-scale campaigns. Expensive for a 1–3 person team doing mostly product gifting.
Seedlane embraces narrow focus: gifting Kanban, shipment fields, CSV import — without enterprise learning curve.