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<\/a><\/p>\nA good sales process won\u2019t turn you into a robot. What it will do is give you structure when things get messy. It lets you track what works, troubleshoot what doesn\u2019t, and guide buyers through the journey instead of pushing them down a funnel.<\/p>\n
In this post, I\u2019ll break down exactly what a sales process is, why it matters, and how to build one that aligns with the way modern buyers actually buy. Let\u2019s get into it.<\/p>\n
Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> In my experience, a sales process is more than just a checklist. It\u2019s the blueprint that keeps your team aligned, your deals moving, and your pipeline healthy. It\u2019s the system behind the strategy: the repeatable steps that turn cold leads into closed revenue.<\/p>\n A good sales process brings structure to chaos. It helps new reps ramp faster, gives veterans a framework to improve, and gives sales leaders clear data to coach with. Whether you\u2019re prospecting, running discovery, or closing, the process serves as your compass. You\u2019re not guessing what comes next. You\u2019re leading the buyer through a journey with purpose.<\/p>\n At its core, a sales process outlines every stage of your customer conversation<\/strong>, from that first cold touch all the way through to post-sale expansion. And while no two deals are ever the same, having a process means you don\u2019t have to start from scratch every time. It gives your team clarity, consistency, and control over outcomes.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re trying to scale, optimize, or just stop losing deals in the middle of the funnel, your sales process is where you start.<\/p>\n Because sales without structure isn\u2019t just inefficient, it\u2019s unsustainable.<\/p>\n When I first started selling, I was hustling hard but flying blind. Every lead felt like a gamble. Some days, I was closing fast. Other weeks, I couldn\u2019t get a single reply. I had no idea what was actually working because there was no system to track or improve. It wasn\u2019t a strategy. It was survival.<\/p>\n That changed the moment I committed to building a sales process. Suddenly, I had clarity. My team had language. My manager had visibility. And my pipeline had consistency.<\/p>\n A structured sales process turns chaos into a system you can teach, tweak, and scale. It creates checkpoints at every stage, so you know where deals stand, what actions move them forward, and how to course-correct when things stall. It\u2019s how you turn instinct into intelligence.<\/p>\n And the numbers back it up. According to Forecastio\u2019s 2024 analysis<\/a>, organizations that follow a formal sales process report 28% higher revenue than those without one. That lines up with what I\u2019ve seen in the field. After helping a client standardize their process, we watched their win rate climb from 18% to over 25% in just six months.<\/p>\n We didn\u2019t change the product or double the outreach volume. We just aligned around a consistent, testable process.<\/p>\n Beyond the metrics, here\u2019s what a strong sales process gives you:<\/p>\n If you want predictable revenue, scalable training, and real accountability, build a sales process. Then evolve it. That\u2019s how you get repeatable wins, quarter after quarter.<\/p>\n Next, let\u2019s break down what a modern sales process actually looks like.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Prospecting<\/a> isn\u2019t about blasting cold emails into the void or dialing until your voice gives out. It\u2019s about precision: knowing exactly who you\u2019re reaching out to, why they should care, and how you\u2019ll earn their attention in a world full of noise.<\/p>\n Early in my career, I believed that volume would deliver results. I was wrong. Quality over quantity became my mantra. Once I focused on intent-driven prospecting instead of desperate outreach, everything changed: My reply rates improved, calls warmed up before I even spoke, and I stopped wasting time on the wrong targets.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how I approach it now:<\/p>\n I agree with Leadsforge\u2019s recent audit<\/a>: \u201cModern buyers expect personalization, precision, and relevance,\u201d which translates to a 22% higher open rate and significantly improved reply rates.<\/p>\n The best reps I know don\u2019t start with selling. They start with curiosity. That\u2019s prospecting: The art of learning enough about someone to open a meaningful conversation.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve identified promising prospects, the next step is to start the conversation and figure out if they\u2019re truly worth pursuing. Lead qualification<\/a> isn\u2019t about pushing forward just because someone responded. It\u2019s about focusing your energy where it matters most: on opportunities with real potential.<\/p>\n I usually begin with a value-driven message, whether it\u2019s through email, LinkedIn, or a brief phone call. The goal is to explore their challenges, priorities, and buying process. To guide those conversations, I lean on frameworks like BANT<\/a> (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline) or CHAMP<\/a> (Challenges, Authority, Money, Prioritization). These help me quickly evaluate whether the lead fits our ICP and deserves the next step.<\/p>\n And there\u2019s data to back this up. According to UserGems\u2019 April 2025 guide<\/a>, the most effective qualification processes involve gathering multiple signals early on. Things like company size, seniority of the contact, recent funding, past engagement history, and media visibility. Meanwhile, Nimble\u2019s 2025 CRM report<\/a> highlights that scoring leads using both firmographic data and behavioral triggers can significantly boost conversion rates.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how I typically handle this step:<\/p>\n I also apply a simple scoring model in my CRM. This helps me rank leads based on what they say and what they do, like if they opened my email twice, clicked the demo link, or downloaded a case study.<\/p>\n Taking the time to qualify properly might feel slower at first, but it pays off. I\u2019ve seen teams double their email-to-meeting conversion rate just by getting disciplined at this stage. It\u2019s how you stop guessing and start building a real pipeline.<\/p>\n Before any meeting, I treat research like reconnaissance. It\u2019s not just checking a LinkedIn page and calling it a day. It\u2019s about understanding the company\u2019s context: what they care about, where they\u2019re going, and how we fit into that picture. Without this step, you’re not selling solutions, you\u2019re guessing.<\/p>\n When I was new to B2B sales, I\u2019d jump into discovery calls with minimal prep. I\u2019d ask generic questions and get surface-level answers. It wasn\u2019t until I started doing deep, pre-call research that I noticed the shift. Prospects leaned in. They said things like \u201cWow, you actually did your homework.\u201d That\u2019s when deals started moving faster and closing bigger.<\/p>\n My company\u2019s research process focuses on three layers:<\/p>\n According to LinkedIn\u2019s 2024 State of Sales Report<\/a>, 76% of buyers expect sales reps to know their company before reaching out. Sellers who lead with research are 2.3 times more likely to connect with decision-makers. That lines up with what I\u2019ve seen firsthand. Reps who come prepared build credibility fast. Reps who don\u2019t lose the room before the pitch even starts.<\/p>\n Bottom line: Research isn\u2019t a task to check off. It\u2019s your competitive advantage. Know their world better than they do, and you\u2019ll stand out before you even say your name.<\/p>\n A good pitch doesn\u2019t sound like a pitch. It feels like a mirror, where the buyer sees their pain, their goals, and a believable path forward. I learned this the hard way. Early on, I thought pitching was about reciting benefits and features like a checklist. But the more I did that, the more glazed-over looks I got. That changed when I started tailoring my message to what the buyer actually cared about.<\/p>\n Today, my pitch strategy is built around context, not slides. I walk in with three things crystal clear: their business priorities, the problem we solve, and the cost of inaction. I frame the conversation around their<\/em> language, not mine. Instead of \u201cHere\u2019s what we do,\u201d I lead with \u201cHere\u2019s what you told me you\u2019re dealing with, and how others in your space solved it.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019ve found that simplicity and structure win. My pitch framework goes like this:<\/p>\n The best pitches don\u2019t pressure. They create clarity. According to Gong\u2019s analysis<\/a> of over 500,000 sales calls, top-performing reps speak less than 43% of the time during a pitch and ask 2.4x more engaging questions than their lower-performing peers. That statistic tracks with my own experience: Real conversations beat polished monologues every time.<\/p>\n What really matters is this: Your pitch isn\u2019t a presentation. It\u2019s a pivot point. Done right, it moves the prospect from uncertain to curious, and curiosity is where sales momentum begins.<\/p>\n Objections aren\u2019t rejections. They\u2019re a sign of interest, but masked by doubt, risk, or confusion. Once I understood that, I stopped fearing objections and started welcoming them. Because when a buyer pushes back, they\u2019re actually letting you in. You just have to know how to respond without getting defensive or going into pitch mode.<\/p>\n Most objections fall into four buckets: price, priority, fit, and trust. And each one needs a different approach. When someone says, \u201cIt\u2019s too expensive,\u201d they usually mean \u201cI\u2019m not convinced of the ROI.\u201d When they say, \u201cWe\u2019re already working with someone,\u201d it often means \u201cSwitching feels risky.\u201d If you don\u2019t pause to understand the real<\/em> reason behind the words, you\u2019ll either over-talk or underdeliver.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how I handle it:<\/p>\n For example, if a prospect says, \u201cWe\u2019re not sure the timing is right,\u201d I\u2019ll respond with something like, \u201cI hear you. One of our clients said the same thing, but after implementing, they actually accelerated their pipeline by 22% in Q1. Would it help to walk through how they approached it?\u201d<\/p>\n According to Salesforce\u2019s 2023 \u201cState of Sales\u201d report<\/a>, 78% of high-performing sales reps say objection handling is a key differentiator, and reps who frame objections as collaborative problem-solving close deals 36% more often than those who get combative or rigid.<\/p>\n In my own consulting work, I\u2019ve seen this too. One startup I coached reduced stalled deals by 41% just by shifting how their reps responded to the \u201cnot now\u201d objection, turning it into an opportunity to requalify and reschedule with clarity.<\/p>\n Objections<\/a> aren\u2019t walls. They\u2019re doors. The best sellers don\u2019t bulldoze through them \u2014 they knock, listen, and walk through together.<\/p>\n Closing isn\u2019t a magic line or a pressure play. It\u2019s the natural outcome of doing everything else right. If you\u2019ve qualified well, uncovered real pain, delivered value, and handled objections with empathy, then closing is just clarity. Not coercion.<\/p>\n Early in my career, I\u2019d get anxious near the end of the sales cycle. I\u2019d either push too hard or hesitate too long. Neither worked. What I learned is that closing is about helping the buyer make a confident decision, not backing them into one.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t ask for the sale: I confirm alignment. I\u2019ll say, \u201cBased on everything we\u2019ve discussed, does it make sense to move forward?\u201d or \u201cIs there anything holding us back from getting started this month?\u201d These questions shift the dynamic from pitching to partnering. They give the buyer space to be honest while keeping momentum intact.<\/p>\n Timing matters too. I always recap the pain, the impact, and the agreed outcomes before talking next steps. That way, the value is fresh in their mind. If legal or procurement delays pop up, I stay close and communicate frequently, not forcefully. Patience with urgency. That balance matters.<\/p>\n And when a deal goes quiet, I don\u2019t just \u201ccircle back.\u201d I re-spark with context. Something like, \u201cI know timing was tricky last quarter, but I saw your team is hiring in RevOps, usually a sign of process changes. Would it make sense to revisit this?\u201d<\/p>\n According to Gong\u2019s 2024 \u201cClosing the Deal\u201d analysis<\/a>, top-performing reps use collaborative language 48% more often in closing conversations and are 3.1 times more likely to confirm next steps with clear ownership on both sides.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve seen this firsthand. At one SaaS company I advised, we rewrote all closing email templates to center around buyer goals, not product features. Within six weeks, close rates jumped by 19%.<\/p>\n Closing isn\u2019t about being clever. It\u2019s about being clear, aligned, and intentional. If you\u2019ve done the work, the close should feel like the most natural part of the process.<\/p>\n The sales process doesn\u2019t end at \u201cClosed Won.\u201d That\u2019s just where the next opportunity begins.<\/p>\n In my experience, the best reps aren\u2019t obsessed with the finish line. They\u2019re obsessed with the relationship. After the deal is signed, they don\u2019t vanish. They check in. They bring insights. They add value when no one is asking. Because they know the real metric isn\u2019t just revenue: It\u2019s retention, referrals, and expansion.<\/p>\n I always map out a post-sale touchpoint sequence. It starts with a short message the week after onboarding, just to make sure they feel supported. Then I set monthly reminders to send helpful articles, invite them to webinars, or simply ask, \u201cHow are things going?\u201d No pitch. Just presence.<\/p>\n When there\u2019s value alignment, I introduce case studies that relate to their vertical. If I notice usage drop-offs or gaps in product adoption, I bring in success teams early. And if I uncover a new initiative or hire, that\u2019s my cue to explore cross-sell<\/a> opportunities with curiosity, not assumption.<\/p>\n Maintaining engagement after the initial sale is crucial; without it, expansion stalls and customers drift. According to Outreach\u2019s \u201cSales\u202f2024: A Revenue Data Analysis,\u201d<\/a> organizations that embed structured post-sale outreach, like renewal reminders and tailored check-ins, report a significant uptick in both expansion and renewal conversions.<\/p>\n In line with that, I reorganized our account strategy to include proactive QBRs and executive check-ins starting 90 days post-launch. In just six months, this approach boosted our average deal expansion by over 20% and reduced churn by 15%.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the truth: Retention<\/a> is the new acquisition. And the best time to earn your next sale is right after the last one.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n I still remember the first time I tried to \u201cfix\u201d our broken sales process at a SaaS startup I was working with. We had reps closing deals, sure, but it felt chaotic. One rep would book a demo after two touchpoints. Another would need 12. Some prospects went from cold to close in two weeks. Others took four months for the exact same solution.<\/p>\n Sound familiar?<\/p>\n I thought I could solve it by throwing more tools at the problem. Better CRM tracking. Fancier email sequences. More detailed call scripts. But after three months of \u201cimprovements,\u201d our conversion rates actually dropped. Our average deal cycle got longer, not shorter. And the team was more confused than ever.<\/p>\n That\u2019s when I realized something that changed how I approach sales process optimization: You can\u2019t improve what you don\u2019t understand. And you can\u2019t understand what you don\u2019t measure.<\/p>\n Since then, I\u2019ve helped optimize sales processes across industries, from early-stage startups in Brazil to enterprise teams at IBM and 3M. I\u2019ve tracked over 11,519 cold calls, analyzed 335 booked meetings, and studied why 69.1% of my SQLs converted while others stalled in the pipeline.<\/p>\n The patterns became clear. Great sales processes aren\u2019t built on guesswork \u2014 they\u2019re built on data, buyer behavior, and relentless iteration. And the research backs this up: According to a recent Harvard Business Review Analytic Services report, misaligned sales processes are significant barriers to revenue growth<\/a>, with fragmented go-to-market processes leading to missed opportunities and revenue loss.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s exactly how I approach sales process improvement, step by step.<\/p>\n This might sound obvious, but most teams skip this step. They know something\u2019s broken, so they jump straight to solutions. But if you don\u2019t know why<\/em> your process isn\u2019t working, you\u2019ll just create new problems.<\/p>\n I start every sales process audit the same way: I pull the last 20 closed deals and map out exactly what happened, step by step. Not what we think<\/em> happened. What actually happened.<\/p>\n For example, when I worked with a fintech startup that was struggling with long sales cycles, we discovered something surprising. Their fastest-closing deals all had one thing in common: The prospect asked for pricing in the first call. The slower deals? Those prospects wanted to \u201cthink about it\u201d after the demo.<\/p>\n That insight changed everything. We shifted our discovery process to identify pricing-ready prospects early and built a separate track for them. The average deal cycle dropped from six weeks to three.<\/p>\n This approach aligns with research from Salesforce, which found that companies using data to drive decision-making are 58% more likely<\/a> to beat revenue targets than those that don\u2019t. The data doesn\u2019t lie, but you have to collect it first.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what I track in every process audit:<\/p>\n I don\u2019t just look at wins, either. I analyze losses and stalled deals. Often, that\u2019s where you find the biggest process gaps. According to recent research, 86% of B2B purchases<\/a> stall during the buying process, which means our process needs to account for what happens when deals get stuck.<\/p>\n Pro tip:<\/strong> Don\u2019t rely on CRM data alone. I\u2019ve found that CRM data is only about 60% accurate. In addition, shadow your reps, listen to recorded calls, and ask prospects directly what moved them forward or held them back.<\/p>\n Most sales processes are built around what we<\/em> want to do, not how buyers actually buy. That\u2019s backwards.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve sold across five continents, and here\u2019s what I\u2019ve learned: Buyer behavior varies by geography, industry, and company size, but the psychology underneath is remarkably consistent. People want to feel understood before they feel sold to.<\/p>\n This insight is supported by recent research showing that 77% of B2B buyers<\/a> rate their latest purchase as extremely complex or difficult. The complexity isn\u2019t in our products \u2014 it\u2019s in navigating the decision-making process itself.<\/p>\n When I map buyer journeys now, I don\u2019t start with our sales stages. I start with buyer triggers. What happened in their world that made them start looking for a solution? Was it a new hire? A budget approval? A competitive threat? A regulatory change?<\/p>\n For example, when I was selling HR tech to scaling startups, the trigger was almost always the same: They\u2019d just hit 50+ employees and realized their manual onboarding process was breaking. That insight shaped everything: our messaging, our timing, our content strategy.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how I map the real buyer journey:<\/p>\n Trigger \u2192 Awareness \u2192 Research \u2192 Evaluation \u2192 Decision \u2192 Implementation<\/strong><\/p>\n For each stage, I ask:<\/p>\n I\u2019ve found that most B2B buyers follow a 3-2-1 pattern: They\u2019ll look at 3-5 options initially, narrow it down to 2-3 for serious evaluation, then make a final decision between 1-2 vendors. This aligns with Forrester\u2019s finding that buyers rely heavily on self-service and autonomous interactions<\/a> to make buying decisions.<\/p>\n Understanding where you fit in that progression changes how you sell.<\/p>\n The biggest mistake I see:<\/strong> Assuming the first person you talk to is the decision-maker. In my experience, 73% of initial contacts are influencers, not decision-makers. Research shows that the typical buying group for a complex B2B solution involves 6-10 decision makers<\/a>. Your process needs to account for consensus-building, not just individual persuasion.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s where most sales processes get fuzzy. Reps move deals forward based on gut feel rather than clear progression criteria. I\u2019ve seen deals marked as \u201c75% likely to close\u201d that were really \u201cthe prospect was polite on the last call.\u201d<\/p>\n I learned this lesson the hard way when I was tracking a \u201csure thing\u201d deal for three months. The CEO loved our solution. The demos went great. The ROI was clear. Then they hired someone internally to build what we were selling. I missed all the signals because I was focused on enthusiasm instead of commitment.<\/p>\n This problem is more common than most sales leaders realize. According to recent sales research, only 1.5% of cold calls<\/a> result in an appointment, and buyers often prefer to make decisions without engaging sales teams early in the process.<\/p>\n Now, I only advance deals based on prospect actions, not prospect words. Here\u2019s what I mean.<\/p>\n For each stage of my sales process, I define a specific prospect action that signals genuine progression:<\/p>\n This approach has dramatically improved my forecast accuracy. When I track 335 booked meetings and convert 69.1% to SQLs, it\u2019s because I\u2019m only counting meetings where prospects took meaningful action to move forward.<\/p>\n Exit criteria are your insurance policy against wishful thinking. They force you to be honest about deal progression and help new reps avoid the trap of chasing unqualified opportunities.<\/p>\n I learned this from a painful experience early in my career. I spent six weeks nurturing a \u201chot\u201d lead who kept asking for more information, more case studies, more technical details. They seemed engaged, but they never moved forward. Finally, I asked directly: \u201cWhat needs to happen for you to make a decision?\u201d Their answer: \u201cWe\u2019re not making any software purchases this year.\u201d<\/p>\n Six weeks. Wasted. Because I didn\u2019t have clear exit criteria.<\/p>\n This experience taught me something that research confirms: According to recent studies, 91% of B2B companies<\/a> failed to hit their sales quota expectations in 2023, often because sales teams spend time on deals that will never close.<\/p>\n Now, for every stage of my sales process, I define what must happen before a prospect moves to the next stage:<\/p>\n What disqualifies a prospect:<\/p>\n The hardest part? Actually using these criteria. I\u2019ve coached reps who knew their prospect didn\u2019t meet the exit criteria but kept pushing because they \u201chad a good feeling.\u201d Don\u2019t let hope override the process.<\/p>\n When I stick to clear exit criteria, my close rate improves and my sales cycle shortens. Why? Because I stop wasting time on deals that were never going to close.<\/p>\n This is where most sales processes die. Teams build the process, launch it with fanfare, then never measure whether it\u2019s actually working. Six months later, they\u2019re back to chaos.<\/p>\n I treat my sales process like a machine that needs constant tuning. Every month, I analyze:<\/p>\n Velocity Metrics<\/strong><\/p>\n Quality Metrics<\/strong><\/p>\n Team Metrics<\/strong><\/p>\n But here\u2019s what most people miss: I also track leading indicators. Metrics that predict future performance, which McKinsey research<\/a> shows are crucial for optimizing sales operations and driving productivity improvements of 20-30%.<\/p>\n When your sales process is humming, everything feels predictable: 80% of your reps hit quota consistently, new hires ramp quickly, and forecasts are accurate.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve seen this at scale-ups that nail their process early. Everyone knows their role. Handoffs are smooth. Prospects move through the pipeline at a consistent pace.<\/p>\n Key indicators:<\/strong><\/p>\n This is where most teams live. The process works, but not consistently. Some reps crush it, others struggle. You\u2019re constantly testing new approaches.<\/p>\n I spent two years in this phase with a startup client. We\u2019d have a great quarter, then hit a rough patch. We\u2019d change the script, and results would improve temporarily, then plateau again.<\/p>\n According to recent research, 76% of leaders<\/a> attribute improvements in sales performance to their investments in sales enablement, but many organizations still struggle with consistency.<\/p>\n Key indicators:<\/strong><\/p>\n What to do:<\/strong> Pick one variable to test at a time. Maybe it\u2019s email subject lines, or maybe it\u2019s a demo structure. But don\u2019t change everything at once, or you\u2019ll never know what\u2019s working.<\/p>\n This is sales process hell. You\u2019re constantly switching tactics. Reps are confused. Results are unpredictable. Everyone\u2019s frustrated.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve seen teams stuck here for years, chasing the latest sales methodology or tool, thinking that\u2019ll solve their problems. It won\u2019t. You need to go back to basics: Understand your buyer, simplify your process, and measure ruthlessly.<\/p>\n Key indicators:<\/strong><\/p>\n What to do:<\/strong> Stop thrashing. Pick a simple process and stick with it for at least one full quarter. Measure everything. Then iterate gradually.<\/p>\n The goal isn\u2019t perfection \u2014 it\u2019s predictability. When you can accurately forecast your pipeline and consistently hit your numbers, you\u2019ve built something scalable.<\/p>\n And remember: Your sales process is never \u201cdone.\u201d Markets change, buyers evolve, new competitors emerge. As McKinsey research shows, companies that invest in world-class sales-operations functions can realize improvements of 20-30% in sales productivity<\/a>, which means our processes must continuously adapt.<\/p>\n The best sales organizations treat process improvement as an ongoing discipline, not a one-time project.<\/p>\n That\u2019s how you go from chaos to consistency. From hoping for deals to building a predictable revenue machine.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Sales process mapping \u2014 the practice of creating a detailed, typically visual representation or guide of your sales process \u2014 can help make your sales process less abstract and easier to follow.<\/p>\n Sales process map formats and structures tend to vary from organization to organization. For instance, some might elect to map their sales process via a bare-bones flow chart. Others might go with a more engaging infographic, and some might go with an in-depth written guide. Going for a more systematic approach by establishing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is also a solid option.<\/p>\n The degree of detail can also differ by sales org. Some elect to give a more focused, stage-by-stage representation of their processes \u2014 like the example below, covering the lead qualification process \u2014 whereas others might go with a higher-level, more holistic overview of their processes.<\/p>\n Regardless of how you structure it, mapping your sales process is always best practice. I have discovered that sales \u2014 at its core \u2014 is a technical practice, supplemented by finesse and creativity. That means you need to provide your reps with a solid concept of your org\u2019s fundamentals that\u2019s straightforward, thorough, and easy to follow.<\/p>\n In my experience, sales process mapping gives them the kind of baseline framework they can work with, refine their skills within, build upon, and reference throughout a sale.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n I\u2019ll never forget the first time I tried to reverse-engineer a successful sales process. I was working with a SaaS startup that had one rep crushing quota month after month while everyone else struggled. Instead of asking him what he was doing differently, leadership kept throwing more leads at the other reps, hoping volume would solve the problem.<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n Finally, I convinced the team to let me shadow their top performer for a week. What I discovered changed how I think about sales process creation forever. He wasn\u2019t smarter or more charismatic than the others. He just had a system. A repeatable, measurable sequence of actions that moved prospects from curiosity to commitment with surgical precision.<\/p>\n But here\u2019s what really struck me: When I asked him to explain his process, he couldn\u2019t. He\u2019d developed it through trial and error over two years, but he\u2019d never documented it. It lived entirely in his head. When he eventually left the company six months later, that million-dollar process walked out the door with him.<\/p>\n That\u2019s when I realized something fundamental about sales process creation: You can\u2019t scale what you can\u2019t see. And you can\u2019t improve what you haven\u2019t systematized.<\/p>\n Since then, I\u2019ve built sales processes from scratch for startups in Brazil, enterprise teams at IBM and 3M, and consulting firms across five continents. I\u2019ve documented what works across 11,519 cold calls, 335 booked meetings, and over $406K in closed revenue. And through all of that experience, I\u2019ve learned that creating a sales process isn\u2019t about copying what others do. It\u2019s about understanding what drives results in your<\/em> specific context and building a repeatable system around it.<\/p>\n The research backs this up: According to McKinsey, companies that build world-class sales-operations functions can realize one-time improvements of 20-30% in sales productivity<\/a>, with sustained annual increases as high as 5-10% in some cases.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s my step-by-step approach to creating a sales process that actually drives results.<\/p>\n Most teams build sales processes forward, from prospecting to closing. I build them backward. I start with the end goal and work my way back to the beginning.<\/p>\n Why? Because if you don\u2019t know where you\u2019re going, any road will take you there. And in sales, \u201cany road\u201d usually leads to missed quotas and frustrated reps.<\/p>\n When I worked with a fintech startup struggling with long sales cycles, I didn\u2019t start by fixing their prospecting. I started by analyzing their closed deals. What did every winning deal have in common? What actions happened right before prospects said yes? What was the average time from final presentation to signature?<\/p>\n That reverse analysis revealed something powerful: Their fastest-closing deals all had the CFO involved by the demo stage. Their slowest deals? Those where the CFO entered late in the process or not at all.<\/p>\n So we redesigned the entire process around that insight. Instead of targeting IT directors first, we built sequences that reached both IT and finance simultaneously. Average deal cycle dropped from 4.2 months to 2.8 months.<\/p>\n\n
\nWhat is a sales process?<\/strong>
\n <\/p>\nWhy build a sales process?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Sales Process Steps<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"sales](\"http:\/\/www.dietdebunker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Social-media-follow-and-share-buttons-1-20250821-3005195.jpg\")
<\/p>\n1. Prospect.<\/h3>\n
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2. Connect and qualify leads.<\/h3>\n
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Budget:<\/strong>\u00a0Do they have funds allocated or forecasted?
Authority:<\/strong>\u00a0Am I speaking with someone who influences or makes decisions?
Need:<\/strong>\u00a0Is there a clear problem that our solution addresses?
Timeline:<\/strong>\u00a0Are they planning to act soon, or is this for next quarter?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n3. Research the company.<\/h3>\n
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4. Give an effective pitch.<\/h3>\n
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5. Handle objections.<\/h3>\n
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6. Close the deal.<\/h3>\n
7. Nurture and continue to sell.<\/h3>\n
How to Improve Your Sales Process<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Analyze your current sales process.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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2. Outline the buyer\u2019s journey for your target persona.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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3. Define the prospect action that moves them to the next stage.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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4. Define exit criteria for each step of the sales process.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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5. Measure your sales process results.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Level 1: Humming<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Level 2: Experimenting<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Level 3: Thrashing<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Sales Process <\/strong>Mapping<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"sales](\"http:\/\/www.dietdebunker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/sales-process-4-20250214-9973286.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHow to Create a Sales Process<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Start at the end.<\/strong><\/h3>\n