Sales Processes

Platform Stage | $40M+ ARR | 200+ headcount

Main challenge: Running a durable company. Org drag, governance.

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Sales Processes

Stage-appropriate approach: Organizations at Platform stage operate with fully specialized sales teams across multiple segments, products, and geographies. The focus shifts from building sales capacity to ensuring consistency, governance, and continuous optimization at scale.

ICP / Personas

Stage-appropriate approach: ICPs and personas are now multi-dimensional — defined not just by company characteristics but by product fit, regional considerations, and buying committee composition across multiple stakeholders.

Dimension	Platform-Stage Reality
Products	Each product line has distinct ICP and personas
Segments	Enterprise, Mid-Market, SMB each have refined profiles
Geographies	Regional variations (EMEA, APAC, LATAM) in buying behavior
Buying Committees	5-10+ stakeholders mapped with influence and priority
Use Cases	Multiple entry points and expansion paths per account

ICP Governance:

• Central ICP definition with regional adaptation guidelines
• Quarterly ICP review cadence with Product, Marketing, and Sales
• Trigger definitions for cross-product and expansion opportunities
• Exclusion criteria as important as inclusion criteria

What NOT to do at this stage:

• Abandoning ICP discipline for logo acquisition — chasing brand names that don't fit creates expensive failures
• Allowing regional ICPs to diverge completely — some localization is necessary, fragmentation is not
• Ignoring product-fit signals — forcing multi-product deals when single-product is the right motion

Playbook Reference: See Market Map, Business Value Framework, ICP Definition

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Qualification

Stage-appropriate approach: Qualification at Platform stage is rigorous, multi-product aware, and integrated into every stage of the sales process. Deal complexity requires clear qualification frameworks that prevent wasted cycles.

Framework	Application at Platform Stage
MEDDPICC	Standard for Enterprise; mandate + economic buyer + decision process + paper process + identified pain + champion + competition
BANT-lite	Mid-Market velocity motion; budget + authority + need + timing for faster qualification
Product-Fit Assessment	Which products are relevant, what's the entry point, what's the expansion path
Multi-thread Score	Number of relationships across buying committee; minimum thresholds by deal size

Qualification Gates:

Stage	Required Qualification
Discovery → Demo	Pain validated, stakeholder access, budget range confirmed
Demo → Evaluation	Technical validation plan, decision process mapped, timeline committed
Evaluation → Negotiation	Champion confirmed, paper process understood, competition known
Negotiation → Close	All MEDDPICC elements validated, legal/procurement engaged

What NOT to do at this stage:

• Skipping qualification for "strategic" deals — every deal gets qualified; strategic doesn't mean unqualified
• Single-threading large deals — if only one person is bought in, the deal is at risk
• Qualification as one-time event — qualification is continuous, not a box to check

Playbook Reference: See Qualification Framework, MEDDPICC, Discovery Call Process

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Sales Stage Entry/Exit

Stage-appropriate approach: Stage definitions at Platform stage are precise, multi-track (different processes for different products/segments), and tied to specific verification criteria — not just rep judgment.

Track	Stages	Key Differences
Enterprise	7-8 stages, 90-180 day cycles	Executive engagement gates, multi-threaded validation
Commercial	5-6 stages, 30-60 day cycles	Faster progression, demo-to-close compression
PLG-to-Sales	4-5 stages, PQL-triggered	Usage triggers, expansion-first framing
Partner-Sourced	6-7 stages, partner involvement gates	Channel manager checkpoints, co-sell milestones

Verification Criteria (Enterprise Example):

Stage	Entry Criteria	Exit Criteria	Verification Method
0 - Prospect	Fit ICP, initial engagement	Discovery scheduled	SDR handoff notes
1 - Discovery	First call completed	Pain validated, stakeholders identified	Call recording review
2 - Demo	Demo delivered	Technical fit confirmed, evaluation plan	SE validation
3 - Evaluation	POC/trial in progress	Success criteria met	Technical report
4 - Proposal	Proposal delivered	Business case accepted	Buying committee feedback
5 - Negotiation	Commercial terms in discussion	Legal/procurement engaged	Contract redlines
6 - Commit	Verbal commit	Signature timeline	Executive confirmation
7 - Closed Won	Contract signed	Payment terms confirmed	Legal confirmation

What NOT to do at this stage:

• One stage process for all segments — Enterprise and SMB are different motions; treat them that way
• Manual stage updates without verification — if reps can advance stages without proof, your pipeline is fiction
• Ignoring multi-product complexity — bundle deals and expansions need their own stage considerations

Playbook Reference: See Sales Stage Definition, Pipeline Metrics and Reporting, Forecasting and Pipeline Management

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Deck and Demo Process

Stage-appropriate approach: Decks and demos are modular, persona-specific, and governed by product marketing with sales enablement. One-size-fits-all is long gone.

Asset Type	Governance	Variations
Corporate Deck	Marketing-owned, exec-approved	Quarterly update, used for early stage
Product Decks	PMM-owned, by product line	Feature updates with releases
Persona Decks	PMM-owned, by buyer type	CIO vs VP Eng vs practitioner
Vertical Decks	Industry marketing-owned	Healthcare, Financial Services, etc.
Demo Environments	SE-owned, multiple instances	Standard demo, industry demo, integration demo

Demo Governance:

Element	Requirement
Certification	SEs certified on each product before demo-ready status
Standard Flows	Documented demo flows for common personas/use cases
Custom Demos	Request process for bespoke demos; SE manager approval
Demo Data	Standardized data sets; industry-specific data available
Integration Demos	Pre-built integrations with common tech stack partners

What NOT to do at this stage:

• Outdated decks in the field — if reps are using last quarter's deck, enablement is broken
• Demo without discovery — understanding the customer before showing anything is non-negotiable
• Rogue demo environments — every demo should be in a controlled, current environment

Playbook Reference: See Sales Deck Development, Customer Discovery Interview Process, Demo and Proof of Concept

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Proposal and Quote Generation

Stage-appropriate approach: CPQ (Configure-Price-Quote) is required at Platform stage. The complexity of products, pricing tiers, discounting rules, and multi-year/multi-geo deals cannot be managed manually.

Component	Platform-Stage Requirement
CPQ Tool	Salesforce CPQ, DealHub, Conga, or similar fully implemented
Product Catalog	All products, SKUs, bundles, add-ons maintained in CPQ
Pricing Rules	List price, discount tiers, floor prices, approval triggers
Approval Workflow	Auto-approvals within thresholds, escalation for exceptions
Contract Generation	Automated from CPQ to contract template
Multi-Currency	Pricing in local currencies, conversion rules

Approval Matrix Example:

Discount Level	Approver	Turnaround
0-10%	Rep (auto-approved)	Immediate
10-20%	Sales Manager	Same day
20-30%	Sales Director + Deal Desk	24 hours
30-40%	VP Sales	48 hours
40%+	CRO + CFO	Case-by-case

Deal Desk Functions:

• Pricing guidance and discount recommendations
• Non-standard term evaluation
• Multi-year and multi-product deal structuring
• Legal and finance coordination
• Competitive response pricing

What NOT to do at this stage:

• Manual quoting — spreadsheet-based quotes are error-prone and unscalable
• Inconsistent discounting — without CPQ guardrails, margin erosion is inevitable
• Slow approval cycles — if deals die waiting for approval, the process is broken

Playbook Reference: See CPQ Implementation, Proposal and Quote Generation

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CS Handoff

Stage-appropriate approach: CS handoff at Platform stage is automated, multi-system, and triggered by specific deal and customer attributes — not a single email or call.

Trigger	Action	Timing
Close-Won	Auto-create customer record in CS platform	Immediate
Close-Won	Assign CSM based on segment + region + product	Same day
Close-Won	Internal handoff meeting scheduled	Within 2 days
Contract Signed	Implementation kickoff triggered	Within 1 week
Implementation Complete	Transition to ongoing success plan	Per timeline

Handoff Data Flow:

System	Data	Purpose
CRM → CS Platform	Deal details, contacts, notes, products purchased	Customer context
CRM → Implementation	SOW terms, success criteria, timeline	Delivery scope
Call Recordings	Discovery and demo calls	Voice of customer
Legal System	Contract terms, SLAs, special commitments	Compliance tracking
CPQ	Pricing, discounts, expansion potential	Expansion planning

Handoff Meeting Structure:

Section	Duration	Owner
Deal Overview	10 min	AE
Customer Goals	10 min	AE
Technical Context	10 min	SE
Implementation Plan	10 min	PS/CSM
Risk Flags	10 min	All
Open Questions	10 min	CSM

What NOT to do at this stage:

• Manual handoff via email — if handoff isn't systematized, customers fall through cracks
• Handoff without implementation readiness — CSM meeting the customer before implementation is ready wastes everyone's time
• Losing call recordings — the voice of customer from sales is invaluable for CS

Playbook Reference: See CS Handoff and Handover, Customer Success Platform Implementation

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Territory Design

Stage-appropriate approach: Territory design at Platform stage is multi-dimensional — geography, segment, product, and named accounts all factor in. Territories are reviewed quarterly with capacity modeling.

Dimension	Approach
Geography	Primary axis for field sales; regions → territories → zip codes
Segment	Enterprise, Mid-Market, SMB with distinct coverage models
Vertical	Industry overlays for specialized verticals (FSI, Healthcare, etc.)
Named Accounts	Top accounts assigned regardless of geography
Partner-Covered	Territories where partners are primary, reps are secondary

Coverage Model by Segment:

Segment	Model	Rep Capacity
Enterprise	Named accounts	10-15 accounts per rep
Mid-Market	Territory-based	100-150 accounts per rep
SMB	Pooled/round-robin	300+ accounts per rep
Global Accounts	Dedicated SAM	2-5 accounts per SAM

Capacity Planning:

Factor	Measurement
TAM by Territory	Total addressable market in each territory
Quota Coverage	Sum of quotas vs. target bookings
Quota Attainment History	Historical performance by territory
Account Penetration	% of addressable accounts with activity
Expansion Potential	Whitespace in existing customers

Territory Review Cadence:

• Annual: Major restructuring, new geo expansion, new product territories
• Quarterly: Capacity adjustments, rep changes, named account reassignments
• Monthly: Exception handling, disputed accounts, special assignments

What NOT to do at this stage:

• Constant territory changes — reps need stability to build relationships; annual changes max
• Ignoring partner territories — if partners are growing a region, let them; don't compete
• Pure account count allocation — account potential matters more than account count

Playbook Reference: See Territory Design and Quota Allocations

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Commission Plan Design

Stage-appropriate approach: Commission plans at Platform stage are complex, multi-component, and require governance to prevent gaming and ensure alignment with company objectives.

Role	Commission Structure	Complexity
Enterprise AE	Base + commission + accelerators + SPIFs	50/50 to 60/40 base/variable
Commercial AE	Base + commission + accelerators	60/40 to 50/50
SDR	Base + bonus on SALs/SQLs + accelerators	70/30 to 80/20
SE	Base + team bonus + deal bonus	80/20 to 90/10
CSM	Base + retention bonus + expansion commission	80/20 to 70/30
Channel Manager	Base + partner-sourced revenue	60/40

Commission Components:

Component	Purpose	Typical Weight
Base Commission	Core compensation for quota attainment	60-70% of variable
Accelerators	Reward over-performance	Kicks in at 100%+
Multi-Year Bonus	Incentivize long-term deals	Per-year bonus
Strategic Product Bonus	Push new product adoption	SPIF or multiplier
Retention/Expansion	For renewal-focused roles	% of retained/expanded ARR

Governance:

Element	Requirement
Plan Documentation	Comp plans fully documented, legally reviewed
Dispute Resolution	Clear process for commission disputes
Shadow Accounting	Reps can see their commissions in real-time
Clawback Policy	Standard clawback for churn within X months
Change Management	Any mid-year plan changes require CEO approval

What NOT to do at this stage:

• Changing plans mid-year — unless absolutely necessary, plan changes destroy trust
• Unmeasurable components — if reps can't calculate their commission, the plan is broken
• Misaligned incentives — if discounting is rewarded, reps will discount; incent what you want

Playbook Reference: See Commission Plan Design, Territory Design and Quota Allocations

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