Turning effort into system.
WHY IT MATTERS
Without one, results depend on individual effort and cannot be improved.
WHAT A PROCESS DEFINES
The stages a deal passes through What must be true to advance What you do at each stage What is recorded
WHAT STAGES SHOULD BE BASED ON
Buyer actions, not yours.
WHAT TO DEFINE FOR EACH STAGE
The entry criteria The activities The exit criteria
WHY EXIT CRITERIA
They prevent deals advancing on optimism.
WHAT TO RECORD FOR EVERY OPPORTUNITY
Source Stage Value Next action and date Why it was won or lost
WHY THE LAST ONE
It is the only route to improvement.
WHAT TO MEASURE
Conversion between stages Time in each stage Average value Source quality
WHAT LOW CONVERSION AT A STAGE INDICATES
Something wrong at that point.
WHAT TO DO
Examine what happens there.
WHAT TO AVOID
Process so heavy nobody follows it Recording data nobody uses
WHAT TO KEEP
The minimum that supports decisions.
WHAT TO REVIEW
The process itself, periodically.
WHAT TO CHANGE
One thing at a time, so effects are visible.