Master the Stages to Advance Deals

Effective deal management hinges on understanding and utilizing sales stages. Each stage must have a clear purpose defined by seminal questions that need answers to maintain relevance in the process. Establishing well-defined exit criteria for each stage is crucial; the right balance is necessary to avoid overwhelming or under-preparing the sales team. Understanding the roles of different team members at each stage enhances collaboration and progress. Additionally, recognizing the 'gives and gets' at each stage not only fosters advancement through the pipeline but also sets expectations for mutual benefit in negotiations. Sales reps must be trained to not just execute skills like negotiation or discovery but to strategically navigate deals through each stage, securing the necessary information to facilitate progression in the sales cycle.