Sales Cycle

Affiliate networks are platforms that act as intermediaries between publishers (affiliates) and merchant affiliate programs.

Objection handling is the process of responding to a prospect's concerns or hesitations about a product or service to move a deal forward.

Ad-hoc reporting is the creation of one-off reports to answer specific business questions as they arise, providing instant, targeted insights.

A Representational State Transfer (REST) API is a web service that uses a simple, stateless architecture for systems to communicate online.

A cold email is an initial outreach sent to a potential customer with whom you've had no prior contact, aiming to introduce your business.

A trusted advisor is an expert who builds a deep client relationship by consistently prioritizing their best interests over any single transaction.

A Quarterly Business Review (QBR) is a recurring meeting to assess performance against goals and align on strategy for the next quarter.

An Application Programming Interface (API) is a set of rules that lets different software applications talk to each other and share information.

Logo retention is a key B2B metric that measures a company's ability to retain its customers, or 'logos,' over a specific period.

A soft sell is a low-pressure sales tactic that uses subtle persuasion and relationship-building to gently guide customers toward a purchase.

The 80/20 rule, or Pareto Principle, posits that 80% of results come from just 20% of the effort. It's a key concept for prioritization.

A competitive advantage is a unique edge that allows a business to produce goods or services better or more cheaply than its rivals.

A go-to-market (GTM) strategy is an action plan that outlines how a company will reach target customers and achieve a competitive advantage.

Objection handling in sales is the process of responding to a prospect's concerns about a product or service to move the deal forward.

Inbound lead generation is the process of attracting potential customers to your business with valuable content and tailored experiences.

Accounts Payable (AP) is the money a company owes its suppliers for goods or services bought on credit. It's listed as a current liability.

Net 30 is a common payment term where a client has 30 calendar days from the invoice date to pay for goods or services in full.

Inside sales metrics are quantifiable measures used to track the performance, activities, and effectiveness of an internal sales team.

Mobile app analytics involves collecting and analyzing data from mobile apps to understand user behavior and optimize the app's performance.

Prospecting is the process of identifying potential customers, or prospects, to build a sales pipeline and generate new business opportunities.

A Sales Director leads a sales team, develops strategies, and is responsible for meeting a company's revenue targets.

Account-Based Analytics measures engagement and impact across target accounts, not just individual leads, to guide B2B sales and marketing efforts.

Sales intelligence is technology that gathers and analyzes data to help salespeople find and understand prospects and existing clients.

Outbound sales is when reps proactively contact potential customers through cold calls or emails to generate leads and build a sales pipeline.

Scalability is a company's ability to handle increased workloads or market demands without a drop in performance or a spike in costs.

A lead magnet is a free incentive offered to potential customers in exchange for their contact details, like an email, to generate sales leads.

A Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a system of distributed servers that deliver web content to users based on their geographic location.

Lead qualification is the process of determining which prospects are most likely to become paying customers based on predefined criteria.

Lead generation tactics are the strategies and methods used to attract potential customers and convert them into leads for your sales team.

Upselling is a sales tactic encouraging customers to purchase a higher-end version of a product or related add-ons to boost revenue.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a digital marketing strategy that uses paid tactics to increase a website's visibility in search engine results.

Funnel optimization is the process of improving each stage of the customer journey to maximize conversions and drive revenue growth.

Technographics is data that outlines a company’s technology stack, helping B2B teams identify prospects based on the software and hardware they use.

Network monitoring is the continuous process of tracking a computer network's performance and health to detect and resolve issues proactively.

Buyer’s remorse is the sense of regret or anxiety that can arise after making a purchase, often questioning if it was the right decision.

Pay-per-click (PPC) is an ad model where you pay a fee each time your ad is clicked. It's a method of buying targeted visits to your website.

Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) is the total revenue a business expects from a customer throughout their entire relationship with the company.

ABM orchestration aligns marketing and sales actions across channels to deliver seamless, personalized experiences to high-value accounts.

Dynamic pricing is a strategy where businesses set flexible prices for products or services based on current market demands and other factors.

Account-Based Selling is a B2B strategy where sales and marketing treat high-value accounts as markets of one, using personalized outreach.

Gated content is premium online material, like an ebook or webinar, that users can only access after providing their contact information.

The Challenger Sales Model is a sales approach where reps challenge a customer's thinking by teaching, tailoring, and taking control of the sale.

Channel marketing is a strategy where a company sells its products or services through third-party partners, like resellers or affiliates.

Sales enablement provides sales teams with the necessary tools, content, and information to help them sell more effectively and efficiently.

Sales Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are quantifiable metrics used to measure how effectively a sales team is achieving its key objectives.

Pay-per-click (PPC) is an internet advertising model where businesses pay a fee each time one of their online ads is clicked by a user.

A consumer is an individual or entity that buys products or services for personal use, not for resale. They are the final user in a supply chain.

A/B testing is a method of comparing two versions of something, like a webpage or email, to determine which one performs better with your audience.

A triggered email is an automated message sent to a user in response to a specific action or event, like signing up or making a purchase.

Learn about business process management, including benefits of implementing BPM, steps to effective BPM, common BPM mistakes to avoid, & BPM tools and software.

A cloud-based CRM is a customer relationship management tool hosted online, letting teams access and manage customer data from anywhere.

Average Revenue per Account (ARPA) is the average revenue generated from each customer account, usually measured on a monthly or annual basis.

Data cleansing, or data scrubbing, is the process of detecting and correcting inaccurate records from a dataset to improve data quality.

A System of Record (SoR) is the authoritative data source for a specific type of data. It acts as the single source of truth for an organization.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is a cloud computing service that offers essential compute, storage, and networking resources on-demand.

Lead routing is the automated process of distributing incoming leads to the right sales reps based on predefined criteria.

API security is the practice of protecting application programming interfaces from attacks, preventing data breaches and unauthorized access.

Customer engagement is the ongoing, value-driven relationship a business builds with its customers to foster brand loyalty and awareness.

A Sales Manager leads a sales team, setting goals, analyzing performance, and developing strategies to drive revenue and meet targets.

Multi-threading allows a single CPU core to run multiple independent threads (or tasks) at the same time, boosting efficiency and performance.

Account Click-Through Rate (CTR) is the percentage of individuals from a target account who click on a link in an ad, email, or on a webpage.

Dynamic territories are fluid sales assignments that adjust based on real-time data, ensuring reps can focus on the highest-value accounts.

Order management is the end-to-end process of tracking customer orders from placement to fulfillment, ensuring a seamless customer experience.

A version control system (VCS) tracks changes to files over time, allowing you to recall specific versions and collaborate without conflicts.

A sales pitch is a persuasive presentation of a product or service, aimed at convincing a potential customer to make a purchase.

A complex sale features a long sales cycle, multiple stakeholders, and a high-value transaction, demanding a strategic, consultative approach.

Agile methodology is an iterative approach to project management and software development, focusing on delivering value in small, incremental steps.

The decision stage is where a well-researched buyer chooses a vendor. They compare specific products and pricing before making their final purchase.

Learn about B2C2B, including how B2C2B transforms sales, key strategies for B2C2B success, & differences between B2C2B and B2B2C.

Real-time data is information processed and made available almost instantaneously, enabling immediate analysis and decision-making.

Closed Lost is a sales term for a deal that didn't go through. The prospect decided not to buy, or the sales team disqualified them.

AppExchange is Salesforce's cloud marketplace, offering a vast ecosystem of apps and expert services to extend Salesforce functionality.

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) is the total cost a business spends to gain a new customer. It includes all sales and marketing expenses.

Data encryption translates data into another form, or code, so that only people with access to a secret key or password can read it.

Key accounts are a company's most valuable customers, vital due to their significant revenue contribution and strategic importance for growth.

Data-driven lead generation is the process of using data insights to identify, attract, and convert high-quality leads into customers.

Customer experience (CX) is a customer's total perception of your business, based on every interaction across the entire customer lifecycle.

Data visualization is the practice of translating information into a visual context, like a map or graph, to make data easier to understand.

A nurture campaign is a series of automated messages designed to build relationships with potential customers and guide them toward a purchase.

Performance monitoring involves collecting and analyzing data to track a system's operational health and efficiency, ensuring it meets set standards.

A sales territory is a specific group of customers or a geographic area that a salesperson or sales team is responsible for managing.

Predictive lead scoring uses AI to analyze data and rank leads by their likelihood to convert, helping sales teams prioritize their efforts.

Page views count the total number of times a page on your website is loaded. This metric is a key indicator of your site's overall traffic.

Stress testing is a type of software testing that determines a system's robustness by pushing it beyond its normal operational capacity.

A value chain is the series of business activities required to create and deliver a product or service, from conception to the final customer.

Hot leads are prospective customers who have shown significant interest and are ready to buy, making them a top priority for sales teams.

A marketing attribution model is a framework for assigning credit to the marketing touchpoints that lead a customer to convert.

A talk track is a script that guides sales reps during calls. It ensures they cover key points and maintain a consistent message with prospects.

Learn about bad leads, including identifying bad leads, warning signs of bad leads, impact of bad leads on sales, & strategies to minimize bad leads.

A freemium model offers a product's basic features for free, enticing users to upgrade to a paid version for more advanced capabilities.

Sales and marketing alignment means both teams work in sync, sharing goals and data to boost lead quality, conversions, and company revenue.

Demand capture is the strategy of engaging potential customers who are already actively looking for a solution that your company provides.

Learn about brag book, including crafting your outstanding brag book, essential components of a brag book, & brag book vs. resume: unveiling the differences.

Product recommendations are a marketing strategy that uses customer data to suggest relevant products, boosting sales and customer engagement.

A Target Account List (TAL) is a focused list of high-value companies that a business specifically aims to convert into customers.

The self-service SaaS model allows customers to independently sign up, use, and manage a product without any direct help from the company.

Account-Based Everything (ABE) is a strategy aligning sales, marketing, and success teams to focus on a specific set of high-value accounts.

OAuth is an open standard for access delegation. It lets you grant apps access to your data on other services without sharing your password.

Event tracking is the method of collecting data on specific user actions, or 'events,' on a website or app, such as clicks or downloads.

A drip campaign is a series of automated messages sent to prospects or customers over time to nurture leads and drive engagement.