Pilots, regardless of their experience level, complete a pre-flight checklist every time they get on a plane. The pre-flight checklist helps to ensure that no critical step is overlooked or forgotten even if the pilot is in a hurry or preoccupied with other issues. In the same way, a sales process checklist can help you to track each stage of the sales cycle and is the first step to creating a sales process plan.
The specific form of your sales process will vary depending on the nature of your products and the type of prospect you sell to. A salesperson selling expensive manufacturing equipment to large companies will have a much longer and more complicated process than a salesperson selling used books to consumers. However, any salesperson, regardless of product type, can benefit from a checklist review. Here are examples of both a simple and a complex sales process checklist that might suit your needs.
Basic Sales Process Checklist
Prospecting for Leads❑ Lead list checked against the database for duplicates❑ Lead fits basic prospect requirements (e.g. income level, type of business, etc.)
Setting Appointment❑ Initial contact made (phone call, email, in-person visit, etc.)❑ Pre-qualification completed❑ Appointment scheduled❑ Researched prospect to determine needs
Presentation❑ Final qualification completed – the prospect is a true opportunity❑ Prospect needs assessing❑ Decision maker identified❑ Purchasing process and requirements identified❑ Next steps determined (scheduled a second meeting, collected RFP requirements, etc.)
Closing❑ Prospect objections and questions addressed❑ Appropriate product/service type selected and accepted❑ Customer signed contract❑ Asked customer for permission to use as a reference or testimonial❑ Asked customer for referrals
Post-Closing❑ Reported sale to sales manager❑ Order processed and filled❑ Sent thank you note to customer❑ Followed up to confirm customer satisfaction❑ Resolved any questions or problems
Here is a more complicated checklist suitable if you have a slower sales process or deal with more complex sales situations, like selling to multiple decision makers.
Complex Sales Process Checklist
Prospecting for Leads❑ Lead list checked against the database for duplicates❑ Lead fits basic prospect requirements (e.g. income level, type of business, etc.)
Setting Appointment❑ Initial contact made (phone call, email, in-person visit, etc.)❑ Pre-qualification completed❑ Appointment scheduled❑ Researched prospect to determine needs❑ Sent meeting agenda and requirements to prospect
Initial Presentation❑ Final qualification completed – the prospect is a true opportunity❑ Prospect needs assessing❑ Decision maker identified❑ Purchasing process and requirements identified❑ Next steps determined (scheduled a second meeting, collected RFP requirements, etc.)
Information Collecting❑ Prospect priorities, issues, and requirements documenting❑ Competitor comparative strengths and weaknesses assessed❑ Prospect internal advocate(s) identified❑ Prospect internal opponent(s) identified❑ Purchasing process documented and approved❑ Sales team and other collaborators briefed❑ Project funding applied for and approved
Development❑ Prospect contacts and/or visits industry references❑ Proposal submitted to prospect and any requested revisions completed❑ Contracts submitted to prospect’s legal team for approval❑ Closing date determined
Closing❑ Prospect objections and questions addressed❑ Appropriate product/service type selected and accepted❑ Customer signed contract❑ Asked customer for permission to use as a reference or testimonial❑ Asked customer for referrals
Post-Closing❑ Reported sale to sales manager❑ Order processed and filled❑ Sent thank you note to customer❑ Followed up to confirm customer satisfaction❑ Resolved any questions or problems
Pilots, regardless of their experience level, complete a pre-flight checklist every time they get on a plane. The pre-flight checklist helps to ensure that no critical step is overlooked or forgotten even if the pilot is in a hurry or preoccupied with other issues. In the same way, a sales process checklist can help you to track each stage of the sales cycle and is the first step to creating a sales process plan.
The specific form of your sales process will vary depending on the nature of your products and the type of prospect you sell to. A salesperson selling expensive manufacturing equipment to large companies will have a much longer and more complicated process than a salesperson selling used books to consumers. However, any salesperson, regardless of product type, can benefit from a checklist review. Here are examples of both a simple and a complex sales process checklist that might suit your needs.
Basic Sales Process Checklist
Prospecting for Leads❑ Lead list checked against the database for duplicates❑ Lead fits basic prospect requirements (e.g. income level, type of business, etc.)
Setting Appointment❑ Initial contact made (phone call, email, in-person visit, etc.)❑ Pre-qualification completed❑ Appointment scheduled❑ Researched prospect to determine needs
Presentation❑ Final qualification completed – the prospect is a true opportunity❑ Prospect needs assessing❑ Decision maker identified❑ Purchasing process and requirements identified❑ Next steps determined (scheduled a second meeting, collected RFP requirements, etc.)
Closing❑ Prospect objections and questions addressed❑ Appropriate product/service type selected and accepted❑ Customer signed contract❑ Asked customer for permission to use as a reference or testimonial❑ Asked customer for referrals
Post-Closing❑ Reported sale to sales manager❑ Order processed and filled❑ Sent thank you note to customer❑ Followed up to confirm customer satisfaction❑ Resolved any questions or problems
Here is a more complicated checklist suitable if you have a slower sales process or deal with more complex sales situations, like selling to multiple decision makers.
Complex Sales Process Checklist
Prospecting for Leads❑ Lead list checked against the database for duplicates❑ Lead fits basic prospect requirements (e.g. income level, type of business, etc.)
Setting Appointment❑ Initial contact made (phone call, email, in-person visit, etc.)❑ Pre-qualification completed❑ Appointment scheduled❑ Researched prospect to determine needs❑ Sent meeting agenda and requirements to prospect
Initial Presentation❑ Final qualification completed – the prospect is a true opportunity❑ Prospect needs assessing❑ Decision maker identified❑ Purchasing process and requirements identified❑ Next steps determined (scheduled a second meeting, collected RFP requirements, etc.)
Information Collecting❑ Prospect priorities, issues, and requirements documenting❑ Competitor comparative strengths and weaknesses assessed❑ Prospect internal advocate(s) identified❑ Prospect internal opponent(s) identified❑ Purchasing process documented and approved❑ Sales team and other collaborators briefed❑ Project funding applied for and approved
Development❑ Prospect contacts and/or visits industry references❑ Proposal submitted to prospect and any requested revisions completed❑ Contracts submitted to prospect’s legal team for approval❑ Closing date determined
Closing❑ Prospect objections and questions addressed❑ Appropriate product/service type selected and accepted❑ Customer signed contract❑ Asked customer for permission to use as a reference or testimonial❑ Asked customer for referrals
Post-Closing❑ Reported sale to sales manager❑ Order processed and filled❑ Sent thank you note to customer❑ Followed up to confirm customer satisfaction❑ Resolved any questions or problems
Pilots, regardless of their experience level, complete a pre-flight checklist every time they get on a plane. The pre-flight checklist helps to ensure that no critical step is overlooked or forgotten even if the pilot is in a hurry or preoccupied with other issues. In the same way, a sales process checklist can help you to track each stage of the sales cycle and is the first step to creating a sales process plan.
The specific form of your sales process will vary depending on the nature of your products and the type of prospect you sell to. A salesperson selling expensive manufacturing equipment to large companies will have a much longer and more complicated process than a salesperson selling used books to consumers. However, any salesperson, regardless of product type, can benefit from a checklist review. Here are examples of both a simple and a complex sales process checklist that might suit your needs.
Basic Sales Process Checklist
Prospecting for Leads❑ Lead list checked against the database for duplicates❑ Lead fits basic prospect requirements (e.g. income level, type of business, etc.)
Setting Appointment❑ Initial contact made (phone call, email, in-person visit, etc.)❑ Pre-qualification completed❑ Appointment scheduled❑ Researched prospect to determine needs
Presentation❑ Final qualification completed – the prospect is a true opportunity❑ Prospect needs assessing❑ Decision maker identified❑ Purchasing process and requirements identified❑ Next steps determined (scheduled a second meeting, collected RFP requirements, etc.)
Closing❑ Prospect objections and questions addressed❑ Appropriate product/service type selected and accepted❑ Customer signed contract❑ Asked customer for permission to use as a reference or testimonial❑ Asked customer for referrals
Post-Closing❑ Reported sale to sales manager❑ Order processed and filled❑ Sent thank you note to customer❑ Followed up to confirm customer satisfaction❑ Resolved any questions or problems
Here is a more complicated checklist suitable if you have a slower sales process or deal with more complex sales situations, like selling to multiple decision makers.
Complex Sales Process Checklist
Prospecting for Leads❑ Lead list checked against the database for duplicates❑ Lead fits basic prospect requirements (e.g. income level, type of business, etc.)
Setting Appointment❑ Initial contact made (phone call, email, in-person visit, etc.)❑ Pre-qualification completed❑ Appointment scheduled❑ Researched prospect to determine needs❑ Sent meeting agenda and requirements to prospect
Initial Presentation❑ Final qualification completed – the prospect is a true opportunity❑ Prospect needs assessing❑ Decision maker identified❑ Purchasing process and requirements identified❑ Next steps determined (scheduled a second meeting, collected RFP requirements, etc.)
Information Collecting❑ Prospect priorities, issues, and requirements documenting❑ Competitor comparative strengths and weaknesses assessed❑ Prospect internal advocate(s) identified❑ Prospect internal opponent(s) identified❑ Purchasing process documented and approved❑ Sales team and other collaborators briefed❑ Project funding applied for and approved
Development❑ Prospect contacts and/or visits industry references❑ Proposal submitted to prospect and any requested revisions completed❑ Contracts submitted to prospect’s legal team for approval❑ Closing date determined
Closing❑ Prospect objections and questions addressed❑ Appropriate product/service type selected and accepted❑ Customer signed contract❑ Asked customer for permission to use as a reference or testimonial❑ Asked customer for referrals
Post-Closing❑ Reported sale to sales manager❑ Order processed and filled❑ Sent thank you note to customer❑ Followed up to confirm customer satisfaction❑ Resolved any questions or problems
Pilots, regardless of their experience level, complete a pre-flight checklist every time they get on a plane. The pre-flight checklist helps to ensure that no critical step is overlooked or forgotten even if the pilot is in a hurry or preoccupied with other issues. In the same way, a sales process checklist can help you to track each stage of the sales cycle and is the first step to creating a sales process plan.
The specific form of your sales process will vary depending on the nature of your products and the type of prospect you sell to. A salesperson selling expensive manufacturing equipment to large companies will have a much longer and more complicated process than a salesperson selling used books to consumers. However, any salesperson, regardless of product type, can benefit from a checklist review. Here are examples of both a simple and a complex sales process checklist that might suit your needs.
Basic Sales Process Checklist
Prospecting for Leads❑ Lead list checked against the database for duplicates❑ Lead fits basic prospect requirements (e.g. income level, type of business, etc.)
Setting Appointment❑ Initial contact made (phone call, email, in-person visit, etc.)❑ Pre-qualification completed❑ Appointment scheduled❑ Researched prospect to determine needs
Presentation❑ Final qualification completed – the prospect is a true opportunity❑ Prospect needs assessing❑ Decision maker identified❑ Purchasing process and requirements identified❑ Next steps determined (scheduled a second meeting, collected RFP requirements, etc.)
Closing❑ Prospect objections and questions addressed❑ Appropriate product/service type selected and accepted❑ Customer signed contract❑ Asked customer for permission to use as a reference or testimonial❑ Asked customer for referrals
Post-Closing❑ Reported sale to sales manager❑ Order processed and filled❑ Sent thank you note to customer❑ Followed up to confirm customer satisfaction❑ Resolved any questions or problems
Here is a more complicated checklist suitable if you have a slower sales process or deal with more complex sales situations, like selling to multiple decision makers.
Complex Sales Process Checklist
Setting Appointment❑ Initial contact made (phone call, email, in-person visit, etc.)❑ Pre-qualification completed❑ Appointment scheduled❑ Researched prospect to determine needs❑ Sent meeting agenda and requirements to prospect
Initial Presentation❑ Final qualification completed – the prospect is a true opportunity❑ Prospect needs assessing❑ Decision maker identified❑ Purchasing process and requirements identified❑ Next steps determined (scheduled a second meeting, collected RFP requirements, etc.)
Information Collecting❑ Prospect priorities, issues, and requirements documenting❑ Competitor comparative strengths and weaknesses assessed❑ Prospect internal advocate(s) identified❑ Prospect internal opponent(s) identified❑ Purchasing process documented and approved❑ Sales team and other collaborators briefed❑ Project funding applied for and approved
Development❑ Prospect contacts and/or visits industry references❑ Proposal submitted to prospect and any requested revisions completed❑ Contracts submitted to prospect’s legal team for approval❑ Closing date determined
