Sales Cycle

The typical time and sequence of steps from first contact to a closed deal. Consumer and self-serve cycles can be minutes; enterprise cycles can run many months.

Why it matters

Knowing your sales cycle lets you forecast, plan cash, and decide what sales motion you can afford. A long cycle demands more runway and patience; a short one enables faster, cheaper growth.

For example

A self-serve product closes in minutes, while the same company's enterprise deals take nine months from first call to signature.

Related terms

Sales Velocity Sales Motion Enterprise Sales

Go deeper

See how founders actually handle this on Getting your first customers, part of the Starting Up hub.

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