Enterprise Sales Workflow
Complete playbook for enterprise B2B sales including qualification, discovery, demos, POCs, and closing deals
The Enterprise Sales workflow provides a structured approach to selling to enterprise customers, from initial qualification through contract signing.
Overview#
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Phases | 5 |
| Tier | Business |
| Typical Duration | 3-6 months |
| Best For | B2B SaaS, enterprise deals $25K+ ACV |
Enterprise vs. SMB Sales#
Enterprise sales differs fundamentally from SMB or self-serve:
| Aspect | SMB | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|
| Decision Makers | 1-2 people | 5-10 stakeholders |
| Sales Cycle | Days-weeks | Months |
| Contract Value | < $10K/year | $50K-$500K+/year |
| Procurement | Credit card | Legal, security, IT review |
| Customization | None | Custom contracts, SLAs |
| Support | Self-serve | Dedicated CSM |
Sales Process Framework#
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ENTERPRISE SALES PIPELINE │
├─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────────┤
│ Qualification│ Discovery │ Demo │ POC │ Closing │
│ (1 week) │ (2 weeks) │ (1 week) │ (4-6 weeks) │ (2-4 weeks) │
├─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────────┤
│ BANT check │ Pain points │ Tailored │ Technical │ Security │
│ ICP fit │ Use cases │ demo │ validation │ review │
│ Champion ID │ Stakeholder │ ROI case │ Integration │ Legal review │
│ Budget │ mapping │ Objections │ Success │ Negotiation │
│ validation │ Success │ handling │ criteria │ Contract │
│ │ criteria │ │ agreed │ signing │
└─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────────┘
Phases#
Phase 1: Qualification (1 week)#
Agents: business-analyst
Qualify the opportunity using BANT framework and ICP fit.
Tasks:
- Complete BANT qualification
- Verify ICP fit
- Identify internal champion
- Research company and stakeholders
- Set up CRM tracking
BANT Qualification Framework:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ BANT CHECKLIST │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ B - BUDGET Score: /25│
│ [ ] Has allocated budget for this category │
│ [ ] Budget aligns with our pricing │
│ [ ] Understands ROI expectations │
│ [ ] Budget owner identified │
│ [ ] Timing aligns with budget cycle │
│ │
│ A - AUTHORITY Score: /25│
│ [ ] Decision maker identified │
│ [ ] Understand approval process │
│ [ ] Know all stakeholders involved │
│ [ ] Champion has influence │
│ [ ] Executive sponsor exists │
│ │
│ N - NEED Score: /25│
│ [ ] Clear pain point articulated │
│ [ ] Current solution inadequate │
│ [ ] Urgency to solve exists │
│ [ ] Our solution fits their need │
│ [ ] Not just nice-to-have │
│ │
│ T - TIMELINE Score: /25│
│ [ ] Decision timeline defined │
│ [ ] Implementation deadline exists │
│ [ ] Aligns with our capacity │
│ [ ] No blocking dependencies │
│ [ ] Reasonable for deal size │
│ │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ TOTAL SCORE: /100 │
│ > 75: Hot lead, prioritize │
│ 50-75: Warm lead, nurture │
│ < 50: Not qualified, revisit later │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) Criteria:
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Phase 2: Discovery (2 weeks)#
Agents: business-analyst, technical-expert
Deep dive into prospect's needs, pain points, and decision process.
Tasks:
- Conduct discovery calls
- Map all stakeholders
- Document pain points and use cases
- Define success criteria
- Understand competitive landscape
Discovery Call Template:
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Stakeholder Mapping:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ STAKEHOLDER MAP │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ CEO/CFO │ ← Economic Buyer │
│ │ (Approver) │ Signs off on budget │
│ └──────┬──────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌─────────────────┼─────────────────┐ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ ┌──────┴──────┐ ┌──────┴──────┐ ┌──────┴──────┐ │
│ │ VP Eng │ │ VP Product │ │ VP IT │ │
│ │(Influencer) │ │ (Champion) │ │ (Gatekeeper)│ │
│ └──────┬──────┘ └──────┬──────┘ └──────┬──────┘ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ ┌──────┴──────┐ ┌──────┴──────┐ ┌──────┴──────┐ │
│ │ Engineers │ │ PMs │ │ Security │ │
│ │ (Users) │ │ (Users) │ │ (Blocker?) │ │
│ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Legend: │
│ ○ Champion - Internal advocate, drives deal forward │
│ ○ Economic Buyer - Controls budget, final approval │
│ ○ Influencer - Technical validation, recommendation │
│ ○ Gatekeeper - Can block (security, legal, IT) │
│ ○ User - End users, need to see value │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Phase 3: Demo & Evaluation (1 week)#
Agents: technical-expert, ui-ux-expert
Deliver compelling, tailored demonstrations that address specific needs.
Tasks:
- Prepare customized demo environment
- Create demo script addressing pain points
- Deliver demo to stakeholders
- Handle objections
- Document feedback and concerns
Demo Best Practices:
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Common Enterprise Objections:
| Objection | Response Strategy |
|---|---|
| "Too expensive" | Quantify ROI, compare to cost of status quo |
| "We could build this" | Calculate build vs. buy, opportunity cost |
| "Security concerns" | Share SOC 2 report, security documentation |
| "Integration worries" | Offer POC to validate integrations |
| "Not the right time" | Understand triggers, create urgency |
| "Need to see more vendors" | Respect process, differentiate |
Phase 4: POC/Pilot (4-6 weeks)#
Agents: technical-expert, backend-expert
Run a structured proof-of-concept to validate technical fit.
Tasks:
- Define POC scope and success criteria
- Set up dedicated POC environment
- Provide technical support
- Conduct weekly check-ins
- Document results and learnings
POC Success Framework:
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POC Weekly Check-in Template:
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Phase 5: Closing (2-4 weeks)#
Agents: business-analyst, legal-expert
Navigate procurement, legal, and security reviews to close the deal.
Tasks:
- Complete security questionnaire
- Negotiate contract terms
- Handle legal redlines
- Coordinate with procurement
- Execute contract
Security Questionnaire Response:
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Contract Negotiation Tips:
| Term | Customer Ask | Our Position | Compromise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payment | Net 60 | Net 30 | Net 45 |
| SLA | 99.99% | 99.9% | 99.95% with credits |
| Indemnification | Unlimited | Cap at fees | 2x annual fees |
| Auto-renewal | None | Annual | 90-day notice |
| Termination | Immediate | End of term | 30-day cure |
Starting the Workflow#
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Deliverables#
A successful Enterprise Sales workflow produces:
- Qualified opportunity with BANT score
- Stakeholder map and champion identified
- Discovery documentation
- Customized demo environment
- POC plan with success criteria
- Completed security questionnaire
- Negotiated contract
Best Practices#
- Qualify ruthlessly - Time is limited, focus on real opportunities
- Find the champion - You need an internal advocate
- Multi-thread - Build relationships with multiple stakeholders
- Document everything - Knowledge compounds across deals
- Set mutual action plans - Hold both sides accountable
- Be a consultant - Solve their problem, don't just sell
Sales Metrics to Track#
| Metric | Target | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Win Rate | > 25% | Deals won / qualified opportunities |
| Sales Cycle | < 90 days | Average days from first call to close |
| ACV | > $50K | Average contract value |
| POC Conversion | > 60% | POCs that convert to paid |
| Deal Velocity | Improving | Deals moving through stages |