sales

What is a Sales Cadence?

A sequence of touch-points you do to attract a prospect and start an engagement or sale.

What is a Sales Cycle / Sales Process?

A set of specific actions salespeople follow from start to finish to close a new customer.

What are the stages of the Sales Cycle in order?

Research → Outreach → Discovery → Present → Follow Up → Close

Which steps do SDR / BDRs own in the Sales Cycle?

Research, Outreach, Discovery

Which steps do Account Executives own in the Sales Cycle?

Present, Follow Up, Close

How long can a Sales Cycle last?

1 week to 1 year

What is a Sales Funnel?

A visual representation of the sales process — every prospect moves through defined stages toward a final decision.

Why does a sales cycle create a funnel?

Because salespeople lose prospects at each stage of the cycle.

What is a CRM?

A centralized database that manages relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers. Ex. Salesforce, HubSpot.

What is Sales Engagement software?

Tracks interactions between you and prospects and helps execute cadences with automation. Ex. Salesloft, Outreach, HubSpot Sales.

What is Sales Data / Intelligence software?

Collects company and contact data from millions of sources. Ex. LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Apollo, ZoomInfo.

What is the formula for predicting sales?

Efficiency + Effectiveness = Performance

What is the most important daily imperative of a successful salesperson?

Keeping a pipeline full of qualified prospects.

What is SPIN?

A sales methodology by Neil Rackham using a 4-category question framework on sales calls.

What does S stand for in SPIN?

Situation — questions that focus on gathering facts and background.

What does P stand for in SPIN?

Problem — questions that explore the customer's difficulties and dissatisfaction.

What does I stand for in SPIN?

Implication — questions that explore the effects and consequences of the problem, building urgency.

What does N stand for in SPIN?

Need-Payoff — questions that help the customer focus on the solution rather than the problem.

What are the four stages of a discovery call in order?

Preliminaries → Investigating → Demonstrating Capabilities → Obtaining Commitment

When do you use SPIN in a discovery call?

During the Investigation stage.

Where do SDRs use SPIN the most?

Discovery.

What does BANT stand for?

Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline.

What is the correct BANT order to use during a discovery call?

Need → Authority → Timing → Budget (NATB)

What is the Cold Calling formula?

Intro → Reason → Qualify → Ask

What is the Cold Email formula?

Intro → Reason → Value Prop → Ask → Closing

Who do you call in direct cold call outreach?

Someone who is your ideal buyer persona.

Who do you call in a referral cold call?

Someone horizontal to or above your ideal buyer persona.

Is cold calling necessary?

Yes — most companies don't have enough leads and the best prospects expect salespeople to reach out to them.

What is the main reason salespeople fear cold calling?

They don't want to interrupt prospects.

What is the best prospecting technique?

A balance of many different techniques.

What is Step 1 in the Research Process?

Building company lists based on your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).

What is Step 2 in the Research Process?

Building contact lists based on your buyer persona.

What is Step 3 in the Research Process?

Finding contact info for each contact.

What is Step 4 in the Research Process?

Finding relevant ways to personalize outreach.

What is an ICP?

The ideal company you are targeting.

What are the two ways buyer personas are used in sales?

1. To know which people to target at companies. 2. To qualify quicker and sell better based on what you know about that persona.

What is a Value Proposition?

A clear statement of the tangible results a customer gets from using your product or service.

What is a Cold Email?

Part of your outreach cadence that lets you reach important and hard-to-reach people.

What should you avoid using in a prospecting email?

Avoid all of the above.

Why do salespeople use sales data software?

It gives salespeople data about their prospective contacts.

Why do salespeople use sales engagement software?

It helps salespeople execute their cadence with automation.

What is an Account?

The records of all information associated with a prospective or current customer.

What is a Champion?

An internal advocate at the prospect company who supports and promotes your deal.

What ideas do people like more?

Ideas they feel they came up with themselves.

What is the primary social channel in B2B sales?

LinkedIn.

Should you schedule your work in time blocks?

Yes — salespeople are more efficient when they focus on a single activity at a time.

When should you argue with a prospect?

Never — because you can't win.

How do you respond to the objection "I'm not the right person"?

Do you know who the right person is?

What are the 3 differences between B2B and B2C sales?

1. B2B sales cycles are longer. 2. B2B sales are worth more money. 3. B2B sales involve multiple people.

What is the highest ranking position in an organizational structure?

Board of Directors.

What is an SQL?

A Sales Qualified Lead — a prospect who is qualified to buy your product or service.

What is an MQL?

A Marketing Qualified Lead — a prospect identified by marketing as likely to become a customer.

What is Prospecting?

The process of finding and identifying new prospective clients using outbound methods like cold calling, cold email, and social selling.

What is a Buyer Persona?

A profile of the type of person you are targeting at a company based on their role, challenges, and goals.

What factors make a major sale different from a small sale?

Length of the sales cycle, size of customer commitment, risk, and the ongoing relationship.

How should you open a discovery call?

Set the expectations for the call.

What is the difference between a prospect and a lead?

Both describe a potential customer — the terms differ based on who you are talking to.