Having a sales process is important, and having it written down helps everybody. Having a visual model helps sales leaders coach to the process. You have a common language. Your managers can ask sales people where various prospects are in the sales process, what stage they’re at, why we think they’re at that stage. The other thing a sales process allows us to do is communicate to new people that have come on board with you quickly what it looks like to take a client through the journey from first contact to closed.

Sales process is important for all types of business. It’s certainly important for a company that’s doing complex sales, and going for a big final sale, where you have to hit certain milestones, and hit certain stages, and cross certain thresholds, and communicate with the right people. It’s also important for a company that’s in more of a commoditized type of market, like building material sales to contractors. In that world, a sales process is important because it will allow you to take a prospect through the stages from trial purchase, to growing the share of wallet, to the point where they’re nearly exclusive with you.

If want to build your sales process, grab a time on my calendar and I’ll share with you some pointers and tips to help you get started!