The B2B sales glossary
The language of outbound, defined.
Clear, practical definitions of the cold calling, email outreach, lead generation, and sales development terms that actually move pipeline. Written by the team that runs outbound every day.
438 terms and growing · 6 categories · Updated continuously
Sales CommissionSales commission is the variable portion of a salesperson’s pay that is directly tied to revenue-generating activities, such as closed deals,...
Sales ConsultantA sales consultant is a professional who advises businesses on how to sell more effectively, improving their strategy, process, and team performance....
Sales DashboardA sales dashboard is a real-time, visual summary of key B2B sales development metrics, such as outbound activities, pipeline stages, conversion...
Sales DeckA sales deck is a structured slide presentation used by B2B sales development and account teams to communicate a company’s value proposition,...
Sales DevelopmentSales development is the specialized function in B2B sales that focuses on creating, qualifying, and booking meetings with potential customers for...
Sales Development OutsourcingSales development outsourcing is the practice of hiring an external specialized partner to handle top-of-funnel B2B prospecting, including list...
Sales Development PlaybookA Sales Development Playbook is a documented, repeatable blueprint that guides SDRs and BDRs on how to generate qualified pipeline. It defines target...
Sales Development Representative (SDR)A Sales Development Representative (SDR) is a specialized B2B sales role focused on outbound and inbound prospecting, qualifying leads, and booking...
Sales Development StrategistA Sales Development Strategist is a senior individual who designs, optimizes, and governs the SDR motion in B2B organizations. They translate revenue...
Sales EnablementSales enablement is the strategic process of equipping B2B sales development teams with the content, data, tools, and training they need to...
Sales ExecutiveA Sales Executive is a quota-carrying B2B sales professional responsible for converting qualified leads and sales qualified opportunities (SQOs) into...
Sales ForecastingSales forecasting is the practice of predicting future sales revenue over a set period, used by any business to plan budgets, hiring, and inventory....
Sales FunnelA sales funnel is a model of the stages a potential customer moves through from first awareness to a final purchase, used across sales and marketing....
Sales MethodologySales methodology is the structured, repeatable approach that guides how your SDRs and AEs prospect, qualify, and advance B2B deals, from the...
Sales OperationsSales Operations is the function that designs, manages, and optimizes the systems, processes, data, and infrastructure that support B2B sales...
Sales OutsourcingSales outsourcing is the practice of delegating parts of the B2B sales process, such as prospecting, lead qualification, appointment setting, or...
Sales Outsourcing AgencyA sales outsourcing agency is a specialized partner that handles some or all of a company’s B2B sales development activities, such as prospecting,...
Sales Outsourcing KPIsSales Outsourcing KPIs are the measurable performance indicators used to evaluate outsourced B2B sales development partners, such as outsourced SDR...
Sales Performance ManagementSales Performance Management (SPM) is the discipline and technology stack used to plan, measure, coach, and continuously improve sales results across...
Sales PipelineA sales pipeline is a visual, stage-by-stage view of every active opportunity your B2B team is working, from first outbound touch to closed deal. It...
Sales Pipeline CoverageSales pipeline coverage is a B2B sales metric that compares the total value of opportunities in your pipeline to a specific revenue target or quota,...
Sales ProcessA sales process is a defined, repeatable set of steps a team follows to move a prospect from first contact to a closed sale, used by any sales...
Sales ProspectingSales prospecting is the disciplined process of identifying, researching, and engaging potential B2B customers who match your ideal customer profile....
Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)A Sales Qualified Lead (SQL) is a B2B prospect that has been vetted by both marketing and sales (often by an SDR) as meeting your ideal customer and...
Sales QuotaA sales quota is the specific, time-bound target assigned to a sales rep or team, such as meetings booked, qualified opportunities created, or...
Sales ScriptA sales script is a structured outline that guides what B2B sales development reps say or write during cold calls, emails, and other outbound...
Sales StageSales stage is a defined step in your B2B sales development and opportunity pipeline, such as Prospecting, Qualified Meeting Scheduled, Proposal, or...
Sales Trigger EventA sales trigger event is a specific change in a prospect’s company or behavior that signals potential buying intent, such as a funding round,...
SDR Lead GenerationSDR lead generation is the process of using Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) to systematically identify, contact, and qualify B2B prospects...
Sender IP AddressA sender IP address is the unique numerical address of the mail server that physically sends your B2B sales emails. In sales development and cold...
Sender ReputationSender reputation is the score mailbox providers assign to your domains and IPs based on how recipients and spam filters react to your emails. In B2B...
Series ASeries A is the first major institutional equity funding round a startup raises after seed, typically in the $10-20M range. In B2B sales development...
Series BSeries B is a startup's second major round of venture funding, raised once a company has proven product-market fit and is ready to scale. In B2B...
Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM)Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM) is the share of a total addressable market that a company can realistically reach and sell to today, given its...
Serviceable Available Market (SAM)Serviceable Available Market (SAM) is the portion of your total addressable market (TAM) that you can realistically sell to today, based on your...
Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM)Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM) is the realistic slice of your broader addressable market that your B2B sales development team can actually...
Service Level Agreement (SLA)A service level agreement (SLA) is a formal, documented commitment that defines the standard of service one team or vendor will provide to another,...
SIC CodeA Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code is a four-digit industry identifier used to categorize businesses by their primary economic activity....
SMBSMB stands for small and medium-sized business, typically organizations with fewer than roughly 1,000 employees or under $1 billion in annual...
SMTPSMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is the core internet protocol used to send email from one server or application to another. In B2B sales...
About this glossary
A working reference, not a textbook
The short version is on the surface. Open any question to go deeper.
It is a practical reference for the language of B2B outbound sales. Every entry explains a cold calling, email outreach, lead generation, or sales development term in plain English, with the context and best practices that actually matter when you run campaigns.
They come from the SalesHive team, the same strategists and SDRs who run outbound campaigns for thousands of clients every day. The goal is working knowledge you can apply, not textbook theory.
Search by name at the top of the page, filter by category, or browse the A to Z list below. Each term links to a full definition with key benefits, best practices, common challenges, and FAQs.
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