Understanding the CRM Sales Process

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A solid CRM system revolves around a predictable and trackable sales process. Here's a breakdown of the typical flow followed in most CRM platforms like Salesforce, EspoCRM, Zoho, or your own custom-built solution.

? Sales Process Overview:


Lead ➜ Opportunity ➜ Quote ➜ Order ➜ Invoice

This is the backbone of most B2B sales workflows, where each stage reflects a deeper commitment from the potential customer.

1. ? Lead — Initial Interest


A Lead represents someone who has shown interest in your product or service but hasn’t been qualified yet.

? Example:

John from “Acme Corp” fills out the Contact Us form on your website, asking about your CRM solution.

Typical Fields in a CRM:

• Name, Email, Phone
• Company Name
• Source (Website, Ad, Referral)
• Assigned Sales Rep
• Lead Score
• Status (New, Contacted, Disqualified, etc.)

? Goal: Determine if the lead is a good fit — and if so, convert them into a Contact, Account, and Opportunity.

2. ? Opportunity — Qualified Deal in Progress


Once the lead is confirmed to be serious and potentially ready to buy, it's converted into an Opportunity.

? Example:

You have a discovery call with John. He's a decision-maker with a budget and wants to purchase a CRM within 30 days.
You create:
? Opportunity Name: “CRM Deal with Acme Corp”

Common Fields:

• Deal Value (e.g., \$2,500)
• Stage (e.g., Proposal, Negotiation)
• Expected Close Date
• Probability %
• Linked Contact & Account

? Goal: Track deal progress and activities like calls, demos, or meetings.

3. ? Quote — Formal Price Proposal


When your customer wants exact pricing, you issue a Quote, which includes itemized costs, terms, and validity.

? Example:

? Quote #Q-2025-043
"CRM Pro Plan – 10 users"

Quote Fields:

• Quote Number
• Products/Services
• Unit Price, Quantity, Taxes, Discounts
• Total Amount
• Expiry Date
• Status (Draft, Sent, Accepted, Rejected)

? Goal: Share formal pricing → wait for customer acceptance.

4. Order — Purchase Confirmed


The customer accepts the quote. An Order is generated, indicating commitment.

? Example:

? Order #ORD-34324
Quote accepted — the sales team triggers account setup.

Order Fields:

• Linked Quote
• Billing Info
• Delivery Terms or Provisioning Status
• Order Date
• Internal Notes

? Goal: Fulfill the order → activate services or ship product.

5. ? Invoice — Payment Request


Once the service is delivered or the order is processed, the system issues an Invoice to collect payment.

? Example:

? Invoice #INV-2025-102
\$500 due by June 5, 2025

Invoice Fields:

• Invoice Number
• Linked Order/Customer
• Due Date
• Payment Status (Unpaid, Paid, Overdue)
• Tax Breakdown

? Goal: Get paid → mark invoice as settled.

? Recap: Sales Flow in Action


Lead (Interest)
↓
Opportunity (Qualified)
↓
Quote (Price Proposal)
↓
Order (Confirmed)
↓
Invoice (Payment)

Each step involves specific data, people, and workflows that help your team manage and scale the sales cycle efficiently.

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