Sales cycle: what it is and what its stages are

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The sales cycle corresponds to all the steps necessary to sell a product. Generally, this circuit involves: prospecting, initial contact, qualification, presentation, evaluation, closing and after-sales .

The purpose of the sales cycle is to organize and improve sales processes . The more structured it is, the greater your team's productivity will be.



What is sales cycle?
We call all the essential steps and activities to lawyer database a deal the sales cycle.



In most cases, this cycle begins with the first contact with the consumer, whether by phone, email or even in person. The last stage is after-sales, that is, the service given to the customer after the purchase of a product or service.



However, it is worth noting that the objective of after-sales is not to close the cycle, much less the contract! When well structured, this work contributes to customer loyalty , generating new business opportunities .



The 7 stages of the sales cycle
Every company has its own sales cycle. In most cases, it consists of 7 parts, but there is nothing stopping you from adding, subtracting or changing the order.



Let's say your company works with high-end real estate, for example. You will certainly need to qualify your clientele before contacting them, right? Otherwise, you could waste time and resources on clients who are unlikely to close a deal.



In any case, for educational purposes, we will now go through the main stages of the sales cycle.





1. Prospecting
The first stage of the sales cycle is customer attraction . This is when you will find people who may be interested in your products and/or services.

To prospect customers, you first need to know them. Study the profile of your target audience and create a persona, that is, a fictional representation of the ideal customer. Your marketing and sales actions should be directed towards this character, thus increasing the chances of conversion.



2. Initial contact
The next step is to make initial contact with the customer, which can be done by phone, email, or even at a trade show. Whatever the approach, remember to show how your product/service meets the consumer's needs. Going back to the example of high-end real estate: your target audience may want to live in a prime location, enjoying complete infrastructure. Therefore, show them how your business meets these requirements.





3. Qualification
Qualification is the stage of the sales cycle in which you separate customers who are genuinely interested in buying from those who are not. This does not mean that the second group should be excluded, but rather that it should be worked on in the background until it reaches maturity.


4. Presentation
In the presentation, you demonstrate your product/service to qualified contacts. This is when negotiations actually begin and commercial proposals can be presented.