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
CRO OutsourcingCRO outsourcing is the practice of engaging an external, often fractional, Chief Revenue Officer or revenue leadership team to design, oversee, and...
Cross-SellingCross-selling is the practice of offering an existing customer additional, complementary products or services related to what they already bought. In...
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) is the fully loaded cost of winning a new customer, typically calculated by dividing all sales and marketing spend...
Customer FeedbackCustomer feedback is the qualitative and quantitative input people share about their experience with a product, service, or interaction. In B2B sales...
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) is the total net revenue a B2B company can expect from an account over the entire length of the relationship, after...
Customer Pain PointA customer pain point is a specific, recurring problem, friction, or unmet need that a buyer is actively experiencing. In B2B sales development,...
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is the strategy and software B2B sales teams use to capture, organize, and act on prospect and customer data...
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) SystemsCustomer Relationship Management (CRM) systems are software platforms that centralize and organize all interactions with prospects and customers...
Customer Success Manager (CSM)A Customer Success Manager (CSM) is the post-sale owner of a customer relationship, responsible for onboarding, adoption, and ongoing value so the...
Custom List BuildingCustom list building in B2B sales development is the process of researching and assembling a highly targeted, account- and contact-level prospect...
Data EntryData entry is the task of accurately capturing, standardizing, and updating information in a system of record such as a database, spreadsheet, or...
Data ValidationData validation is the process of confirming that data is accurate, complete, and usable before it is stored or acted on. In B2B sales development,...
Deal SourceDeal source is the field used in CRM and sales systems to record where a qualified opportunity originated, such as an outbound call, cold email,...
Decision MakerA decision maker is the person or group with the formal authority to approve or reject a choice or purchase. In B2B sales development, decision...
Demand GenerationDemand generation is the set of marketing programs that create and capture interest in a product across its target market. In B2B sales development,...
DemographicsDemographics are the measurable attributes of a population or individual, such as age, role, income, education, and location. In B2B sales...
Digital AdvertisingDigital advertising is the use of paid online channels, such as search, social, display, and programmatic ads, to reach and influence an audience. In...
Direct MailDirect mail is physical promotional material, such as letters, postcards, or packages, sent through the post to a targeted audience. In B2B sales...
Direct Mail AgencyA direct mail agency is a specialized partner that plans, designs, produces, and sends physical mail campaigns to targeted B2B accounts to generate...
Direct Mail CompaniesDirect mail companies are specialized service providers that plan, produce, and deliver physical mail pieces, such as letters, postcards, dimensional...
Direct Mail Follow CadenceDirect Mail Follow Cadence is a structured, multi-touch outreach sequence that begins after a prospect receives a physical direct mail piece in a B2B...
Direct Mail MarketingDirect mail marketing is the practice of sending physical mail, such as letters, postcards, or packages, to a targeted audience to prompt a response....
Direct Mail Marketing CompaniesDirect mail marketing companies are specialized vendors that plan, produce, and deliver physical mail campaigns, such as letters, postcards, and...
Direct Mail ProspectingDirect mail prospecting is a B2B outbound sales tactic where SDRs and sales teams send highly targeted physical mail, such as letters, kits, or...
Direct MarketingDirect marketing is advertising that reaches a specific audience with a measurable, one-to-one message and a clear call to action, rather than broad...
Direct Marketing B2BDirect Marketing B2B is a targeted, one-to-one outreach approach where sales and marketing teams contact specific business decision-makers directly...
Direct SalesDirect sales in B2B is a go-to-market model where a company’s own sales team (SDRs, AEs, account managers, field reps) sells directly to business...
Direct Sales OutsourcingDirect sales outsourcing is the practice of hiring an external provider to run some or all of your outbound B2B sales activities, such as...
Discovery CallA discovery call is an early-stage B2B sales conversation, usually led by an SDR or account executive, to qualify a prospect, understand their...
Display AdvertisingDisplay advertising is the use of visual, banner-style ads shown across websites, apps, and social platforms to build awareness and drive engagement....
DKIMDKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is an email authentication protocol that uses cryptographic signatures in email headers to prove that a message...
DMARCDMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) is an email authentication standard that tells receiving mail servers how to...
Domain WarmingDomain warming is the process of gradually increasing email sending volume and engagement from a new or previously inactive domain so mailbox...
Do Not Call ListA Do Not Call (DNC) list is a list of phone numbers that telemarketers and sales teams are prohibited from calling, such as the U.S. National Do Not...
Do Not Contact List (DNC)A Do Not Contact (DNC) list is a suppression list of people or organizations that should not be emailed, called, or messaged, used to honor opt-outs...
Drip CampaignsA drip campaign is an automated series of messages sent on a set schedule or triggered by specific actions. In B2B sales development, drip campaigns...
EdTechEdTech, short for education technology, is the broad category of software, hardware, and digital tools that support teaching, learning, and training....
Email AuthenticationEmail authentication is the set of technical protocols, primarily SPF, DKIM and DMARC, that verify a B2B sales email was legitimately sent from your...
Email Automation PlatformAn email automation platform is a software system that lets B2B sales teams design, schedule, and send personalized email sequences to large prospect...
Email BlacklistAn email blacklist is a database of IP addresses or domains that mailbox providers and security gateways flag as sources of spam or abusive email,...
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.
Yes. We book qualified meetings for B2B teams with US-based SDRs running cold calling and email outreach on our own AI platform. Book a strategy call and we will map out a plan for your pipeline.
Know the terms. Now fill the pipeline.
Book a 30-minute strategy call and we’ll map out exactly how SalesHive books qualified meetings for your team.