SalesGLOSSARY

A model where a sales professional provides their services part-time across multiple clients on a retainer basis, rather than as a full-time employee. Allows experienced closers to serve several companies simultaneously, often earning more than a single salaried role.

The process of selling premium products or services: typically £2,000 and above per transaction. High-ticket closing requires stronger relationship-building, deeper objection handling, and more consultative discovery than low-ticket sales.

The function of prospecting and scheduling qualified sales conversations for a closer. Setters handle outreach, qualification, and calendar booking. In fractional models, strong appointment-setting systems are essential to maintaining pipeline across multiple clients.

A fixed monthly fee paid by a client in exchange for ongoing sales services. Common in fractional models. Retainers provide predictable income for the salesperson and consistent coverage for the client without the cost of a full-time hire.

Proactively contacting potential clients who have not expressed prior interest. Includes cold email, LinkedIn DMs, and cold calls. Effective outreach combines personalisation, a clear value proposition, and a frictionless call-to-action.

The ability to address and resolve a prospect's concerns without being pushy. Common sales objections include price, timing, authority, and trust. Elite closers treat objections as requests for more information rather than rejections.

A consultative sales methodology developed by Neil Rackham. Stands for Situation, Problem, Implication, Need-payoff. SPIN guides salespeople to ask questions that lead prospects to articulate the value of a solution themselves rather than being 'sold to'.

Business-to-business sales: transactions where a company sells its products or services to another company rather than to individual consumers. B2B deals typically have longer sales cycles, multiple decision-makers, and higher average contract values.

A compensation structure where the salesperson earns no base salary: income is entirely from commissions on deals closed. Common in high-ticket remote sales roles. Higher risk but significantly higher income potential than salaried positions.

An initial conversation with a prospect designed to understand their situation, goals, and challenges before making any pitch. A well-run discovery call determines whether there is genuine fit: and should do most of the selling through questions, not features.

The ongoing process of tracking, organising, and progressing potential deals through defined stages of the sales process. A healthy pipeline has sufficient volume at each stage to meet revenue targets even accounting for deals that fall through.

Software used to track interactions with prospects and clients throughout the sales process. Common platforms include HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive. A well-maintained CRM enables consistent follow-up, accurate forecasting, and scalable operations.

A sales approach focused on understanding and communicating the specific value a solution creates for a particular prospect: rather than leading with product features or price. Requires deep discovery and the ability to quantify outcomes in the prospect's terms.

A salesperson specialising in converting qualified opportunities into paid agreements. In the remote/fractional model, closers work the back end of the pipeline: taking booked calls and guiding prospects to a decision: while setters handle the front end.

An entry-level sales role focused on outbound prospecting and lead qualification. SDRs typically don't close deals: they book meetings for Account Executives. The SDR role is a common entry point into professional sales careers.

A sales role responsible for running the full sales cycle or closing qualified opportunities passed from SDRs. AEs conduct discovery, present solutions, handle negotiations, and close deals. Senior AEs manage larger accounts or enterprise opportunities.

A structured sequence of touchpoints after an initial conversation or proposal. Research consistently shows that most sales require multiple follow-ups. A cadence removes decision-making from the process: you follow the system, not your comfort level.

A defined, repeatable series of steps that takes a prospect from initial awareness through to a closed deal. A documented sales process enables training, measurement, and improvement. Without a defined process, results are inconsistent regardless of individual talent.

The activities and systems used to attract or identify potential buyers. Includes inbound content marketing, paid advertising, referral programmes, and outbound prospecting. In fractional models, a reliable lead source is as critical as closing skill.

The percentage of prospects who take a desired action: booking a call, progressing to proposal, or closing. Tracked at each stage of the pipeline. Even small improvements in conversion rate compound significantly across a full sales operation.