Sales Development

Deal closing is the final step in a sales cycle. It's when a prospect signs a contract and officially converts into a paying customer.

Learn about B2B, including what is it, its key elements, the benefits of B2B partnerships, the differences between B2B and B2C, and strategies for effective marketing.

CI/CD, or Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery, automates software builds, tests, and deployments for faster, more reliable releases.

Generic keywords are broad search terms that lack specific details like brand or location. They attract a wide audience with less specific intent.

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

Sales Engineers blend deep technical knowledge with sales acumen, demonstrating a product's value and solving customer problems to drive revenue.

Data security protects digital information from unauthorized access, corruption, or theft throughout its entire lifecycle.

Learn about big data, including understanding big data characteristics, benefits of leveraging big data, & challenges in managing big data.

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

Content syndication is the process of republishing your web content on third-party sites to reach a much wider audience.

Learn about B2B intent data providers, including evaluating intent data quality, leveraging intent data for growth, & B2B intent data: key providers comparison.

Payment processors are companies that handle card transactions, connecting merchants with the banks needed to complete a sale.

A draw on commission is an advance payment a salesperson receives against future earnings, which is later repaid from earned commissions.

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

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.

Customer retention refers to the strategies and activities a company uses to prevent customer churn and encourage them to continue buying.

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others reflect correct behavior for a given situation.

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

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

The C-suite, or C-level, refers to a company's most senior executives. Their titles usually start with 'Chief,' such as CEO, CFO, or CTO.

Customer Retention Rate (CRR) is the metric that measures the percentage of customers a company has kept over a specific period of time.

Cold calling is a sales technique where reps contact potential customers who have had no prior interaction with their company or product.

Intent data tracks a user's online behavior—like searches and site visits—to identify signals that they are ready to make a purchase.

Closing ratio is a key sales metric that shows the percentage of leads or proposals that result in a successful sale.

Going dark is when a once-responsive prospect suddenly stops all communication, leaving you wondering what went wrong.

A Content Management System (CMS) is software for creating, managing, and modifying website content without needing specialized technical skills.

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.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) uses software bots to mimic human actions and automate repetitive, rules-based tasks on digital systems.

Supply Chain Management oversees the entire production flow of a good or service, from raw materials to final delivery to the consumer.

Marketing Operations (MOps) is the engine of a marketing team, managing the technology, processes, and people to run campaigns effectively.

Customer segmentation is dividing customers into groups based on shared traits. This allows for more targeted and effective marketing efforts.

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

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

Learn about ballpark, including estimating with ballpark figures, understanding ballpark estimates in sales, & ballpark estimates vs. precise quotes.

A Salesforce Administrator is a certified professional who manages and customizes the Salesforce platform to meet a company's specific business needs.

A Software Development Kit (SDK) is a set of tools that allows developers to create applications for a specific software package or platform.

Database management is the process of organizing, storing, and maintaining data in a database to ensure its accuracy, security, and availability.

Your email deliverability rate is the percentage of sent emails that successfully land in a recipient's inbox, rather than bouncing or going to spam.

Contact discovery is the process of finding accurate contact details for potential leads, including names, emails, phone numbers, and job titles.

Sales performance metrics are key data points that measure a sales team's effectiveness in achieving its goals and driving revenue.

Learn about business continuity, including understanding key components, steps to ensure continuity, common challenges, & best practices.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are measurable values that demonstrate how effectively a company is achieving its key business objectives.

Cold calling is a sales tactic where reps contact potential customers by phone who haven't previously expressed interest in their product or service.

A small to medium-sized business (SMB) is a company whose employee count and annual revenue fall below certain industry-specific thresholds.

Consumer Relationship Management (CRM) is a strategy for managing all of a company's relationships and interactions with its customers.

Net Revenue Retention (NRR) is the percentage of recurring revenue kept from existing customers, including upsells, downgrades, and churn.

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

Marketo is a marketing automation platform used by B2B marketers to manage lead generation, nurturing, email marketing, and analytics.

Sales forecast accuracy is a key metric that compares your predicted sales revenue against the actual sales revenue you ultimately achieve.

A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is a tool that centralizes customer data to help manage interactions and nurture relationships.

A weighted sales pipeline forecasts revenue by assigning a closing probability to each deal, giving a more accurate picture of potential income.

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

A performance plan is a formal document outlining an employee's goals, expectations, and metrics for success over a specific period.

Sales territory planning is the process of dividing customers into geographic areas to be assigned to specific sales reps or teams.

Product-market fit is when a product meets the needs of a strong market, leading to high demand, customer satisfaction, and organic growth.

Customer churn rate is the percentage of subscribers or customers who cancel their service with a company during a given time frame.

Functional testing verifies that software performs its intended functions as specified in the requirements, ensuring it works as users expect.

Sales automation uses software to streamline and automate repetitive, manual sales tasks, freeing up reps to focus on selling.

The customer lifecycle is the journey a person takes from first becoming aware of your brand to becoming a loyal, repeat customer.

"Smile and dial" is a high-volume sales tactic where reps make numerous cold calls from a list, often with little to no prior research.

Consultative selling is an approach where salespeople act as expert advisors, diagnosing customer needs to provide the most suitable solutions.

A Sales Qualified Lead (SQL) is a prospect vetted by marketing and sales, deemed ready for a direct sales pitch after showing intent to buy.

A firewall is a digital barrier that protects a network by monitoring and controlling traffic, blocking unauthorized access and malicious content.

NoSQL ("Not only SQL") databases offer a flexible alternative to relational models, excelling at managing large and unstructured data sets.

Overcoming objections is the process of addressing and resolving a prospect's concerns or hesitations to move a sale forward.

Customer Success is a business strategy focused on proactively helping customers achieve their goals with your product or service.

Direct mail is a marketing method where businesses send physical promotional materials directly to potential customers' mailboxes.

LinkedIn InMail messages are a premium feature that lets you directly message any LinkedIn member, even if you're not connected to them.

Cloud storage is a service model where data is stored on remote servers and accessed from the internet, rather than on a local drive.

Customer loyalty is a customer’s devotion to a brand, shown by their repeat purchases and engagement, driven by positive experiences and trust.

Digital contracts are legally binding agreements created, signed, and stored electronically, offering a faster, more secure alternative to paper.

Learn about business to customer, including maximizing B2C sales strategies, B2C vs. B2B: unveiling differences, & core principles of B2C success.

Learn about B2B data platform, including key benefits of B2B data platforms, choosing the right B2B data platform, challenges in implementing B2B data platforms.

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

An objection is an explicit expression by a prospect that presents a barrier to moving forward in the sales process.

A touchpoint is any time a potential or existing customer comes in contact with your brand, from seeing an ad to receiving an email.

Mobile compatibility ensures your site or app works flawlessly on mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets, for a seamless user experience.

Warm outreach is contacting prospects with whom you have a pre-existing connection, like a mutual contact, making your message more personal and effective.

Sales enablement content refers to the materials and tools that empower your sales team to engage prospects and close deals more efficiently.

A Data Management Platform (DMP) is a software that collects and organizes audience data from various sources for targeted marketing efforts.

Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) measures the mean annual growth of an investment over a specified period of time longer than one year.

Inbound sales attracts interested prospects who've engaged with your brand, letting sales reps connect with warm leads instead of cold outreach.

Customer Data Management (CDM) is the process of collecting, organizing, and analyzing customer data to create a unified view of your audience.

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

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

Inbound leads are potential customers who proactively reach out after finding your business through content, social media, or search.

Video selling uses personalized video messages to engage prospects, build rapport, and guide them through the sales funnel to close more deals.

A sales kickoff (SKO) is an annual event for a sales team to celebrate wins, align on goals, and get motivated for the upcoming year.

X-Sell, or cross-selling, is a sales strategy of selling additional, related products or services to an existing customer base.

Sales coaching is a process where managers help reps improve their skills and performance through personalized feedback, training, and guidance.

Cross-selling is a sales tactic of encouraging customers to purchase products or services that are related to what they're already buying.

A Product Qualified Lead (PQL) is a user who has experienced a product's value, signaling a strong potential to convert to a paid customer.

Lead management is the process of capturing, nurturing, and qualifying leads to guide them from initial interest to sales-ready.

Average Revenue per User (ARPU) is a key performance indicator that calculates the average revenue generated from each user or subscriber.

A sales dashboard is a visual tool that centralizes and displays key sales data, metrics, and KPIs to help teams track performance and goals.

Sales funnel metrics are key data points that track how effectively you're moving potential customers from awareness to a final purchase.

The lead qualification process is how you determine which prospects are most likely to become customers by evaluating them against specific criteria.

Learn about bounce rate, including understanding bounce rate implications, key factors affecting bounce rate, & reducing your bounce rate effectively.

Rapport building is the process of establishing a connection and mutual understanding with someone, creating a foundation of trust and affinity.

An early adopter is a user who embraces a new product or technology before the majority, helping to validate and popularize the innovation.