“Went Well” Means Nothing:
Why Sales Teams Need a Shared Language
Let’s face it, sales teams are often a little chaotic. One rep says a deal is “qualified.” Another says their call “went well.” But what do those things really mean?
If you're leading a team where everyone has their own interpretation of the sales process, read on!
The Problem: Everyone’s Speaking a Different Language
Have you ever asked a rep, “How did that call go?” and they say, “It went well”?
Great, but what does "well" mean?
- To you, maybe it means they asked the right questions, got a next step, uncovered pain, confirmed budget, etc.
- To them? Maybe the prospect didn’t hang up.
Words like:
- Went well
- Qualified
- Closeable
… are wishy-washy. Everyone assigns their own meaning. That’s a recipe for inconsistency and confusion.
Why This Matters:
Think about it. Sales is the only department without a common process.
- Accounting uses standardized systems.
- Marketing follows defined workflows.
- Engineering? You better believe they’ve got processes.
But sales? It’s often the Wild West.
And here’s the kicker: if you don’t have a common language and defined process, you’ll burn time coaching, re-coaching, and interpreting what your team really means.
Quick Tip: The "Write It Down" Test
Want a fast way to see if you’ve got a common process?
In your next sales meeting, try this.
- Ask them to write down your team’s sales process, from first prospecting touch to expansion/upsell.
- Collect and compare.
- What you’ll probably find:
Everyone’s process is a little different.
And that means … you don’t actually have a common process.
That’s your first clue.
Why You Need a Common Process
Once you standardize, the benefits are huge:
✅ Efficient coaching – Everyone’s playing the same game.
✅ Onboarding is easier – New hires learn one clear process.
✅ Consistent pipeline reviews – No more guessing what “qualified” means.
✅ Stronger team culture – Shared language creates shared success.
Bottom line? You create muscle memory in your sales org—and that drives results.
Pain-Based Discovery Questions for Sales Leaders
Here are a few questions to help you uncover if this is a problem on your team:
- How often do you find yourself asking follow-up questions just to interpret what your rep meant?
- If you ask 5 reps to define a qualified lead, how many different answers do you get?
- Are coaching sessions focused more on definitions than development?
- Do your top reps succeed because of their own process, not the team’s?
If any of those hit home, it’s time to align your team.
Final Thought
A common sales process isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity for scaling your sales org. Take five minutes at your next meeting and run the write-it-down test. What you find may surprise you.
