SaaSboiii

Sales ops

How many stages should really exist in a SaaS pipeline?

How many stages should really exist in a SaaS pipeline for a startup selling government contracts? 6/7 seems to be the correct amount, with varying order. Here's what I've defined so far, lmk what adjustments you would make!

Sales Qualified

POV

Deployment Design

Business Validation

Contract Negotiation

Closed

Edit:

Security SaaS

Sales cycle 12-18 months

new tech, expensive, requires heavy consultation and partners to sell

👑 Sales Strategy

☁️ Software Tech

🧢 Sales Management

11 comments

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oldcloser

Arsonist

💀

SaaS is a big word. What kind?

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Currently in a 4 stage sales process, with the first stage not reportable (still in qual). Everything gets stuck in the next stage. For months. Then hops the 3nd stage to get to the final stage. So, I think 5 would be more appropriate at my company- because there are nuances within that 2nd stage that don't get captured because that stage is loooooong compared to the others.

But that's our company and may not be appropriate for yours.

pirate

Big Shot

🦜☠️ Account Executive

Honestly 6-7 is perfect

Maximas

Tycoon

Senior Sales Executive

Agree with that!

Pachacuti

Politicker

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

For Gov't contracts....

It really depends on how you define a "stage".

There's Sales Qualified, Discovery, Demo, Negotiation, Closed, Deployment.... but that maybe too simplistic.

It also depends on what type of Gov't agency you're selling to - Large/Fed, Large/State, Small/Fed, Small/State, Large/City, Small/City, etc.

Are you trying to define your CRM? Why do you need the stages broken down?

RandyLahey

Politicker

Account Manager

What is the usual length of the sales cycle? Complexity?

How does pricing work?

Need some more info here pal.

CPTAmerica

Opinionated

President/CRO

That looks like a solid start. Let those stages run as is for a year and then analyze lead flow. If you see a big bottleneck or a stage where most deals drop out you might re-evaluate.

Diablo

Politicker

Sr. AE

We have a 5 stage process probably because the ratio between SMB: MM & Ent is large hence small sales cycle.

Justatitle

Big Shot

Account Executive

This depends on the Sales cycle as you have listed here. In a more transactional sale there should be 5 sales stages that look like this IMHO:

-Discovery
-Demo
-Negotiation
- Contract Sent
- Closed Won/Loss

For something that is 12-18 months and consultative

- Discovery (obvious)
- Demo (Obvious)
- Scoping (Ensure that contract and needs line up)
- Business Case (Why should they use you guys)
- IT/Stakeholder buy-in meeting (Any department that is involved in this needs to be bought in)
- Negotiation/procurement (This might take the longest)
- Closed Won/Lost

lowhangersalesbanger

Executive

Director of Sales

At my last job depending on the day it was between 7 and 22

CRAG112

Valued Contributor

Account Executive

It depends.

Do you ever think you actually need more?

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SaaSboiii

How many stages should really exist in a SaaS pipeline?

11 comments

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