Guide
How to Build a Simple Sales Process for SMEs
Create a sales process that is easy to follow and easy to measure.
Summary
A sales process is an agreement about how deals move from first contact to paid invoice, with clear handoffs and measurable stages.
Step 1: Map the funnel
- Lead arrives
- First response
- Qualification
- Proposal
- Negotiation
- Won / Lost
Step 2: Define each stage
For every stage, specify: entry criteria, action the rep takes, output that signals stage complete.
Step 3: Add follow-up rules
- First response within 1 hour
- Second contact within 24-48 hours
- 5-7 attempts then move to nurture
- Nurture reviewed monthly
Step 4: Set up 4-6 CRM stages
Do not over-engineer. More stages = less adoption.
Step 5: Measure
- New leads / week
- Stage-to-stage conversion
- Average time in stage
- Close rate from qualified
- Average deal size
Common traps
- 12 stages, no clear meaning
- No "qualified" definition
- No lost-reason tracking
- Rolling out without training the team on the new process
Frequently asked questions
How long to implement?
A week for the process. 4-6 weeks for the team to actually follow it. Expect resistance at first.
Next step
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