Write exit criteria sellers can defend

Many New Zealand B2B teams inherit stage labels from a previous CRM project: Qualify, Propose, Negotiate, Closed. The labels sound tidy. In practice, a deal can sit in Propose for months because nobody agreed what “ready to propose” means.

Start with buyer evidence

Exit criteria should point to buyer actions or confirmed facts, not seller effort. “Sent proposal” is seller effort. “Buyer confirmed problem statement and evaluation timeline in writing” is closer to evidence.

Keep the list short

Three to five criteria per stage is enough. Longer checklists become theatre — sellers tick boxes without changing how they sell. During our diagnostic workshops we ask managers to cut any criterion they would not challenge in a live meeting.

Test against stuck deals

Bring two stalled opportunities into the room. If your draft criteria would have advanced those deals anyway, the criteria are too soft. Tighten until the stuck deals clearly fail a gate.

Language for mixed teams

Territory managers and inside sales often describe the same stage differently. Write criteria in shared words: meeting notes, named stakeholders, documented next step. Avoid jargon that only one region uses.

If your stages need a full rebuild, start with the Sales Process Diagnostic.