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.
127 matching terms · 6 categories · Updated continuously
Account-Based AdvertisingAccount-Based Advertising (ABA) is a B2B demand generation strategy that uses highly targeted digital ads to reach a specific list of high-value...
Account-Based MarketingAccount-Based Marketing (ABM) is a coordinated B2B growth strategy where marketing, sales, and SDR teams focus resources on a defined set of...
Account-Based ReportingAccount-Based Reporting is a measurement approach in B2B sales development that tracks performance, engagement, and revenue at the account level...
Account-Based SellingAccount-Based Selling (ABS) is a B2B sales development strategy where SDRs and AEs focus outbound efforts on a defined list of high-value target...
Account Executive (AE)An Account Executive (AE) is the quota-carrying seller responsible for owning qualified opportunities from discovery through closing and expansion....
Advertising BudgetAn advertising budget is the planned amount a company allocates to paid channels, such as LinkedIn Ads, Google Ads, and programmatic display. In B2B...
Advertising SpendAdvertising spend is the total budget a B2B sales organization allocates to paid channels, such as search, social, display, and sponsored content, to...
Appointment SettingAppointment setting in B2B sales is the process of turning targeted prospects into scheduled meetings or demos for account executives, typically...
Appointment Setting CompanyAn appointment setting company is a specialized B2B sales development partner that builds and runs outbound programs to secure qualified meetings for...
B2B DirectB2B Direct refers to a sales development and lead-generation approach where vendors engage business buyers directly, through channels like cold...
B2B Direct MailB2B direct mail is the practice of sending physical, highly targeted mail, such as letters, dimensional packages, or printed offers, to business...
B2B Direct Mail MarketingB2B direct mail marketing is the use of physical mail, letters, postcards, dimensional packages, or gifts, sent to specific business contacts and...
B2B Direct MarketingB2B direct marketing is targeted, one-to-one outreach from a company to specific business decision-makers using channels like email, phone, direct...
B2B Lead GenerationB2B lead generation is the structured process of identifying, engaging, and qualifying organizations that are likely to buy your product or service,...
B2B Lead Generation AgencyA B2B lead generation agency is a specialized partner that builds and runs programs to identify, contact, and qualify decision-makers at target...
B2B Lead Generation CompanyA B2B lead generation company is a specialized partner that builds and manages outbound and inbound programs to identify, qualify, and book meetings...
BANTBANT is a classic B2B sales qualification framework that helps SDRs and account executives quickly assess whether a prospect is worth pursuing based...
Best B2B Direct Mail CampaignsBest B2B direct mail campaigns are highly targeted, data-driven physical mail programs designed to generate qualified sales pipeline from business...
Bottom Of The Funnel (BOFU)Bottom Of The Funnel (BOFU) refers to the final stage of the B2B sales funnel where highly qualified prospects are evaluating vendors, negotiating...
Business Development ManagerA Business Development Manager (BDM) is a professional responsible for finding and growing new business opportunities, a role found across many...
Business To Business Direct MailBusiness to business direct mail is a targeted outbound prospecting tactic where physical letters, packages, or printed materials are sent to...
Cold Calling Lead GenerationCold calling lead generation is the process of using outbound phone calls to identify, qualify, and book meetings with new B2B prospects who have not...
Cold Email Lead Generation AgencyA cold email lead generation agency is a specialized B2B partner that designs, executes, and optimizes outbound email campaigns to create qualified...
Content MarketingContent marketing is the systematic creation and distribution of educational, audience-focused content to attract and build trust with potential...
ConversionA conversion is when someone completes a desired action, such as a click, sign-up, reply, or purchase, that moves them to the next step in a funnel....
Conversion PathA conversion path is the sequence of steps a person takes from first interaction to a desired action, like a purchase or signup. In B2B sales...
Conversion Rate OptimizationConversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the systematic practice of increasing the share of people who take a desired action, a discipline rooted in...
Corporate GiftingCorporate gifting is the practice of sending thoughtful, compliant gifts to build and strengthen business relationships with prospects, customers,...
Corporate Gifting PolicyA corporate gifting policy is a formal set of rules that govern when and how employees can give or receive business gifts, swag, hospitality, or...
Cost-Per-Click (CPC)Cost-Per-Click (CPC) is a pricing model used in digital advertising where a B2B company pays each time a prospect clicks its ad, regardless of...
Cost-Per-MeetingCost-Per-Meeting (CPM) is a B2B sales development metric that calculates the total cost required to generate one held, qualified sales meeting. It...
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 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 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...
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,...
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,...
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...
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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