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sales cycle

definition -

The sales cycle is the sequence of phases that a typical customer goes through when deciding to buy something. As a rule, the sales cycle is described from the customer's perspective. The first phase of the sales cycle may be either the customer's perception of a product, or a perception of a need that the product might satisfy. The following steps include research and evaluation; the last step is the customer's decision to purchase the product.

Getting started with sales cycles
To explore how the sales cycle is used in the enterprise, here are some additional resources:
Can SFA software shorten the sales cycle?: Find out if sales force automation (SFA) software can shorten your organization's sales cycle.
Learning Guide: Effective sales management: Get tips and best practices for effective sales management.
Chapter Download: Salesforce.com for dummies: Read a free chapter on Web reporting tools from Salesforce.com for Dummies.
Voices of CRM: Sheryl Kingstone on mobile CRM: Learn how deploying mobile CRM can give your sales team an edge in this podcast.
Chapter Download: The solution selling technique: Discover the basics of the solution selling sales technique in this chapter excerpt.

last updated30 Dec 2003

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