[GTM glossary](/glossary.md) MEDDIC Sales # MEDDIC (MEDDIC) In short MEDDIC is a sales qualification framework that helps reps judge whether a complex deal is real and winnable. The letters stand for metrics, economic buyer, decision criteria, decision process, identify pain, and champion. Teams use it mostly in enterprise and mid-market B2B sales, where several stakeholders and a long cycle make gut feel unreliable. Each letter is a question the rep must be able to answer with evidence, not hope. ## What each letter means ### Metrics The measurable business result the buyer wants, such as lower cost per hire or faster onboarding. Metrics turn a vague wish into a number that justifies the spend. ### Economic buyer The person with final budget authority. If you have not spoken to them, you do not know whether the deal can close. ### Decision criteria The requirements the buyer will use to compare options: features, security, price, integrations, and support. ### Decision process The steps, people, and dates between now and signature, including legal and procurement review. ### Identify pain The specific problem that creates urgency. No pain usually means no deal, or a deal that slips for months. ### Champion An internal advocate with influence who wants you to win and will sell on your behalf when you are not in the room. --- ## How to use MEDDIC in practice Treat the six letters as a checklist inside your CRM opportunity record. Add one field or note per letter and require evidence, such as a quoted number from a call or the name of the approver. Review gaps in pipeline meetings. A deal with a strong champion but no known economic buyer is not a commit-level deal, and the next step is clear: get access to that person. * **Example:** Say a rep has a pain and a champion but cannot state the decision process. The rep asks the champion to walk through every approval step and writes them down before forecasting the deal. --- ## Common MEDDIC mistakes * **Filling fields for show:** Entries like "TBD" or guesses defeat the purpose. Only log what the buyer confirmed. * **Treating it as a script:** It is a qualification lens, not a list of questions to read out on a call. * **Confusing user and champion:** A friendly user without influence is not a champion. * **Using it on small deals:** For short, single-buyer sales it adds overhead without adding accuracy. --- ## MEDDIC vs. MEDDPICC MEDDPICC extends MEDDIC with paper process and competition. Use MEDDIC as the core and add those two when deals regularly stall in legal or face a rival. --- ## MEDDIC FAQs **What does MEDDIC stand for in sales?** MEDDIC stands for metrics, economic buyer, decision criteria, decision process, identify pain, and champion. Reps use these six elements to test whether a complex B2B opportunity is qualified, understood, and likely to reach a signed contract. **Is MEDDIC only for enterprise sales?** It works best in enterprise and complex mid-market sales with several stakeholders and long cycles. For short, low-price deals with one buyer, the six-part checklist usually adds more process than insight, so lighter qualification is a better fit. **How do you use MEDDIC in a CRM?** Add a field or structured note for each of the six elements on the opportunity record. Require evidence from the buyer, review gaps in pipeline meetings, and block late-stage progression when key items such as economic buyer or decision process are unknown. Share term --- ## More related phrases * [CHAMP](/glossary/champ.md) * [GPCTBA/C&I](/glossary/gpctba-c-and-i.md) * [Command of the Message](/glossary/command-of-the-message.md) ## Similar phrases * [BANT (BANT)](/glossary/bant.md) BANT is a sales qualification framework that checks four things on a lead: budget, authority, need, and timeline, before investing time in the deal. * [MEDDPICC (MEDDPICC)](/glossary/meddpicc.md) MEDDPICC extends the MEDDIC qualification framework with paper process and competition, giving reps eight checks to test whether a complex deal will close. * [Economic buyer](/glossary/economic-buyer.md) An economic buyer is the person with final authority over budget for a purchase, who can approve spending and overrule other stakeholders on a deal. * [Sales methodology](/glossary/sales-methodology.md) A sales methodology is a structured framework that guides how reps qualify, engage, and close buyers, giving the team a shared language and approach. * [Champion](/glossary/champion.md) A champion is a person inside a buyer's company who supports your solution, sells it internally, and helps you move the deal forward.