A lot of sales teams stay busy—but are they truly effective? In this post, we’re breaking down what it takes to build the right sales process. One that aligns with your ideal customer, scales across a team, and ultimately closes more deals.
Why You Need a Sales Process (Yes, Even If You Hate Structure)
Many sales professionals resist structure. It feels restrictive—especially if you’re confident in your skills. But here’s the truth: no structure means no repeatable success.
Without a clear process, new hires struggle to win. Even seasoned pros can veer off course. Every company has its own unique “recipe” for winning deals. If your team doesn’t know the ingredients, they can’t cook up results.
Start With the Customer—Not the Product
It’s tempting to begin building your sales process around product knowledge. But that’s a mistake.
Start by identifying your ideal customer—the person you’re truly built to serve. Only then should you work backward to align your product knowledge, messaging, and outreach.
Create a Bullseye: Who to Target (and Who to Avoid)
One of the best exercises? Build a target bullseye.
- Center: Your ideal prospects (10/10 fit).
- Middle ring: Acceptable prospects (6–7/10 fit).
- Outer ring: The ones to avoid.
Be as clear about who not to pursue as you are about who to pursue. Saying yes to the wrong customer means saying no to better ones.
How Detailed Should Your CRM Sales Process Be?
Overcomplicated CRMs can paralyze reps. One company had 18 steps in their pipeline—and reps spent more time updating fields than selling.
On the flip side, a two-step process is far too vague. Aim for a 5–6 step process, clearly defined, and supported by quality notes. Everyone should speak the same sales language—and forecasting should reflect reality, not wishful thinking.
Qualify Like a Pro: The 6-of-9 Rule
Once you identify your ideal target, your first interaction shouldn’t be about pitching. It’s about qualifying.
Use a qualification grid—Meridith uses nine key qualifiers, and a lead must hit at least six before she moves forward. This keeps her pipeline full of quality opportunities, not dead weight.
Marketing Comes First: Be Known Before You Call
Cold calls aren’t dead—but cold relationships are. In today’s market, your reputation must arrive before you do.
Before reaching out, ask:
- Where does this prospect get their information?
- What content can I put out to get on their radar?
- Can I use AI tools or sentiment analysis to understand their needs?
Marketing is now the warm-up act for sales. Ignore it, and your calls will fall flat.
Is This Prospect Worth Your Time?
Think of your pipeline like your calendar: there’s only so much room.
If you say yes to the wrong prospect, you say no to the right one. Meridith likens it to fitness—if you only have 20 minutes, do you run or lift weights? Choose the option with the bigger bang for your buck.
The same goes for prospects. Grade them, qualify them, and don’t waste time on maybe’s.
Don’t Skip the Follow-Up (It’s Where Most Deals Die)
Your follow-up isn’t about pushing. It’s about reinforcing the problem you solve.
Too many reps follow up with “Just checking in” or “Here’s more about our product.” That’s not helpful. Instead, remind the customer:
- What problem they said they had
- Why it matters now
- What success could look like
Follow-up should be value-driven and personalized—not spam.
Is There One Right Sales Process for Everyone?
No, but that doesn’t mean chaos should rule.
If someone joins your team, they follow your process. If they blow their goals out of the water, they can innovate. But underperformers? They don’t get to freelance. You start with the defined process, then tweak once the baseline is achieved.
Use Process to Diagnose, Not Dictate
When reps underperform, don’t scrap the entire process. Dig into where they’re struggling.
- Is it qualification?
- Is it messaging?
- Is it follow-up?
Stay focused on coaching within the framework, not reinventing it. Success usually depends on one or two steps—not the whole process.
BANT Isn’t Dead, But It’s Evolved
The old-school BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timing) still holds value—but it’s not enough.
Modern sales requires a deeper understanding of:
- Strategic priorities
- Decision dynamics
- Competitive alternatives
- Follow-up cadence
In other words, it’s BANT on steroids. Customize your process to reflect today’s complex, multi-touch buying journeys.
Sales Success Leaves Clues
As Tony Robbins says, “Success leaves clues.” The sales process is one of them.
Think of it like buying a franchise: the recipe already works—why reinvent it? Top performers analyze their wins and losses, adapt fast, and follow what works. They don’t rely on scripts—they follow signals. They stay curious.
Busy ≠ Productive
At the end of the day, building the right sales process isn’t about cramming more into your day. It’s about being intentional, strategic, and repeatable.
Sales isn’t a guessing game. It’s a science—one built on clarity, consistency, and continuous improvement.
Lightning Round: Top 10 Ways to Invest in Your Sales Education
Question: Liona from Boston, MA asks, “My team is hitting their goals—collectively—some are over achievers, some are not performing. My boss is all over me— she thinks I need to establish a process for sales, getting everyone to be working an actual set of behaviors. What do you think?”
Book: Mastering the Sales Process by Jay Butler