Glossary
Explore demand gen terms. Filter by A–Z, topic, or search.
Account-based selling
Account-based selling (ABS) complements ABM by applying the same account-centric principles within sales outreach.
Average contract value (ACV)
Average contract value (ACV) represents the average annualised revenue generated per customer contract.
Bottom-up sales
Bottom-up sales refers to a go-to-market motion where adoption begins with individual users or teams before expanding to wider organisational...
Business development representative (BDR)
A Business Development Representative (BDR) is responsible for generating and qualifying leads at the top of the sales funnel.
Challenger sales model
The challenger sales model segments sales reps into five types and highlights that top performers “teach, tailor, and take control.”
Closed-lost
Closed-lost denotes an opportunity that has been disqualified or not won after the sales process which can help to to improve future performance.
Closed-won
Closed-won represents opportunities that have successfully converted into paying customers.
Cold outreach
Cold outreach involves contacting potential buyers who have not previously engaged with your brand. In B2B contexts, it’s typically executed via...
Contact
A contact is an individual within an account who participates in the buying process, often segmented by role, department, or seniority.
Cross-sell
Cross-selling encourages existing customers to adopt complementary products or services that extend the value they receive.
Discovery call
A discovery call is the initial conversation between a sales representative and a prospect, designed to assess fit and explore pain points.
Follow-up
Follow-up refers to the communication that occurs after an initial interaction, whether that’s a form submission, meeting, or campaign touchpoint.
Gatekeeper
A gatekeeper is a person who controls access to decision-makers within an organisation, typically executive assistants or mid-level managers.
Key account
A key account is a high-value client or prospect that receives elevated attention due to its strategic or revenue potential.
MEDDICC framework
MEDDICC is a qualification framework used by sales teams to assess the strength of an opportunity. It evaluates how likely a deal is to close.
Objection handling
Objection handling is the process of addressing and resolving buyer concerns during the sales conversation.
Open-ended questions
Open-ended questions encourage prospects to share detailed, thoughtful responses rather than simple yes/no answers.
Outbound sales
Outbound sales involves proactively reaching out to potential customers. It contrasts with inbound approaches that rely on leads coming to you.
Pipeline
Pipeline refers to the full set of opportunities in progress at any stage of the sales funnel. It helps with revenue forecasting and performance...
Prospecting
Prospecting is the process of identifying and engaging potential customers who fit the ICP but haven’t yet expressed interest.
Request for information (RFI)
A request for information (RFI) is a preliminary document used by buyers to gather details about potential suppliers before issuing an RFP.
Request for proposal (RFP)
A request for proposal (RFP) invites vendors to submit detailed proposals outlining solutions, timelines, and pricing.
Sales acceleration
Sales acceleration encompasses tools, tactics, and data strategies designed to shorten sales cycles and increase win rates.
Sales cycle
The sales cycle describes the stages a prospect moves through from initial engagement to closed deal.
Sales opportunities
Sales opportunities represent qualified prospects or accounts that have entered an active evaluation stage and show a clear potential to generate...
Sales sequence
A sales sequence is a structured cadence of outreach, such as emails, calls, and messages, used to engage prospects systematically.
Sales-accepted lead (SAL)
A sales accepted lead (SAL) is a lead that has been reviewed and approved by sales after being passed from marketing.
Social selling
Social selling is the practice of using social platforms to build relationships, share insight, and engage prospects in ways that support the buying...
Solution selling
Solution selling focuses on understanding a customer’s challenges and goals, then positioning an offering as the best way to address those needs.
SPICED framework
SPICED is a qualification framework used to understand a prospect across five dimensions: Situation, Pain, Impact, Critical event, and Decision.
Total contract value (TCV)
Total contract value (TCV) is the full monetary value of a customer contract over its entire duration, including recurring revenue one-off fees.
Upsell
Upsell refers to expanding customer spend by encouraging the adoption of higher-tier offerings, additional services, or advanced capabilities.
Value-based selling
Value-based selling focuses on understanding what the customer is trying to achieve and framing the solution around the business impact it can create.
Win rate
Win rate measures the percentage of qualified sales opportunities that progress to a closed-won outcome.