[GTM glossary](/glossary.md) Sales process

Sales

# Sales process

In short

A sales process is the documented series of steps a team follows to move a prospect from first contact to a closed deal. Each stage has defined activities and exit criteria that say when a deal may advance.

A clear process makes results repeatable and forecastable. It lets managers see where deals stall and helps new reps learn what to do without relying on one star seller's habits.

## Typical stages

* **Prospect:** Identify and contact accounts that fit your ideal customer profile.
* **Qualify:** Confirm need, budget, authority, and timing.
* **Discover:** Understand the problem, stakeholders, and success criteria.
* **Demo and propose:** Show the solution and share pricing.
* **Negotiate and close:** Handle terms, legal, and signature.
* **Hand off:** Transition to onboarding and customer success.

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## How to build one

### Map what buyers do

Base stages on how your customers actually buy, not how you wish they did.

### Define exit criteria

For each stage, list what must be true to advance, such as "decision-maker identified."

### Mirror it in the CRM

Stages and required fields should match the process so data is reliable.

### Review with the team

Ask top reps what they do that is missing from the document.

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## Process vs. methodology

The process defines stages and what happens at each. A sales methodology guides how reps run conversations within those stages. The cycle is how long deals actually take to pass through them.

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## Common mistakes

* **Too many stages:** Complexity leads to inconsistent CRM updates.
* **Vague criteria:** "Interested" is not an exit criterion.
* **Seller-centric stages:** Stages tied to rep activity, not buyer progress, inflate the pipeline.
* **Never updating:** Review it when the product, market, or win patterns change.

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## Example

Say a team moves deals to "proposal" after any pricing mention. Win rate from that stage looks low. Requiring a confirmed decision-maker and budget before the stage fixes the definition, and the forecast improves.

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## Sales process FAQs

**What is a sales process?**

A sales process is the repeatable set of stages and actions a team follows to take a prospect from first contact to a closed deal. Each stage has defined activities and criteria for moving to the next one.

**What are the stages of a sales process?**

Common stages are prospecting, qualification, discovery, demo or proposal, negotiation, close, and handoff to onboarding. Teams adapt the names and number of stages to match how their buyers actually purchase.

**Why is a sales process important?**

It makes results repeatable, gives managers a consistent view of pipeline and where deals stall, supports accurate forecasting, and helps new reps get productive faster without depending on individual habits.

**How is a sales process different from a sales methodology?**

A sales process defines the stages a deal passes through and what must happen at each one. A sales methodology is a framework for how reps think, question, and qualify during those stages. Teams typically use both together.

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## More related phrases

* [Pipeline stages](/glossary/pipeline-stages.md)
* [Sales strategy](/glossary/sales-strategy.md)
* [B2B sales](/glossary/b2b-sales.md)

## Similar phrases

* [Sales cycle](/glossary/sales-cycle.md)  
The sales cycle is the full series of steps and time from first contact with a prospect to a closed deal, repeated for each new customer.
* [Sales stages](/glossary/sales-stages.md)  
Sales stages are the ordered steps a deal moves through, from first contact to closed won or lost, each with clear entry and exit criteria.
* [Sales playbook](/glossary/sales-playbook.md)  
A sales playbook is a documented guide that tells reps how to run each stage of the sales process, from first outreach to close, using proven messaging and tactics.
* [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.
* [Buying process](/glossary/buying-process.md)  
A buying process is the series of steps a company follows to evaluate, approve, and purchase a product, from recognizing a problem to signing a contract.