Glossario
Lettera A
Abandonment rate
The percentage of users who begin but do not complete a desired action—such as filling out a form, completing checkout, or progressing through a funnel. It is a key indicator of friction in the customer journey.
Accelerator
A commission or compensation mechanism that increases a salesperson’s payout rate once they surpass a predefined quota or performance threshold, rewarding overachievement.
Account
A customer or organization managed within a sales system, typically representing a company being pursued, nurtured, or serviced by sales teams.
Account Development Rep (ADR)
A sales development role focused on identifying, qualifying, and initiating conversations with target accounts, often working closely with marketing and sales executives.
Account Development Representative (ADR)
Same as Account Development Rep; a role responsible for early-stage engagement, qualification, and pipeline creation in account-based sales motions.
Account Executive (AE)
A sales professional responsible for managing opportunities, running sales cycles, presenting solutions, and closing deals with new or existing accounts.
Account list
A structured list of customer or prospect accounts managed by sales and marketing teams, often used for segmentation, prioritization, and account-based targeting.
Account Manager (AM)
A sales or client-facing professional responsible for managing ongoing relationships, ensuring customer satisfaction, and driving renewals or expansion.
Account mapping
A structured analysis that identifies key stakeholders, decision-makers, relationships, and influence paths within a target account.
Account match rate
The percentage of accounts successfully matched between two datasets (e.g., CRM and advertising platforms), indicating the accuracy of audience targeting.
Account planning / Account plan
A strategic document outlining goals, opportunities, risks, stakeholders, and action steps for maximizing value within a specific customer account.
Account Representative (AR)
A frontline sales professional responsible for basic account handling, inbound inquiries, and early-stage interactions.
Account research
The process of gathering data on a target account—such as industry, structure, needs, and stakeholders—to personalize sales and marketing efforts.
Account score
A numerical value assigned to an account based on engagement, fit, intent, or revenue potential, used for prioritization.
Account team
A cross-functional group—including sales, marketing, customer success and solutions specialists—collaborating to serve or win a key account.
Account view-through rate
A metric that measures how many targeted accounts viewed an ad (without clicking) and later took a desired action, indicating passive influence.
Account-based advertising
A targeted advertising approach that delivers personalized ads specifically to high-value accounts identified as strategic targets within an ABM program.
Account-based analytics
The measurement and analysis of engagement, intent, and performance metrics at the account level, used to optimize ABM and sales strategies.
Account-based marketing (ABM)
A strategic approach in which marketing focuses on a defined set of high-value accounts with personalized campaigns designed to support sales and accelerate revenue.
Account-based reporting
Analytics and performance measurement centered around accounts rather than individual leads or contacts.
Account-based sales
A selling methodology that aligns sales efforts around specific high-value accounts, focusing on tailored outreach, multi-stakeholder engagement, and long-term relationship building.
Account-based sales development
The practice of executing highly targeted outreach (typically by SDRs/BDRs) toward selected accounts, aligned with ABM efforts and sales objectives.
Account-based selling
A coordinated sales approach that prioritizes personalized, account-specific engagement to influence complex buying committees and increase deal likelihood.
Accounts payable
Money a company owes to suppliers or vendors for goods or services received but not yet paid.
Accounts receivable
Money owed to a company by customers for delivered goods or services that have not yet been paid.
Accrual
The recognition of revenue or expenses when they are incurred, regardless of when cash is exchanged.
Accrual accounting
An accounting method that records revenues and expenses when they are earned or incurred, providing a more accurate financial picture.
Accrued commission
Commission that has been earned by a salesperson but not yet paid out, typically recognized on an accrual basis.
Achievement
The level of performance attained relative to a defined target, often expressed as a percentage in compensation plans.
Acquisition
The process of generating new customers through marketing and sales efforts.
Acquisition report
A report detailing how many new customers were acquired, from which channels, and at what cost.
Action plan
A detailed list of strategic steps, timelines, and responsibilities required to achieve a specific business objective.
Activation incentive
A reward designed to motivate customers to complete a key early action (e.g., first purchase, onboarding step, or feature adoption).
Active client
A customer currently engaged with a company’s products or services, typically showing recent usage or open transactions.
Active leads
Prospects who are currently engaged in the sales cycle and have shown recent interaction or intent signals.
Active user
A customer or user who has interacted with a product or platform within a defined time window (daily, weekly, or monthly active user metrics).
Activity quotas
Targets based on the volume of sales activities—such as calls, emails, demos, or meetings—assigned to sales representatives.
Activity rate by channel
A metric that measures the distribution of sales or marketing activities across different channels (email, phone, social, etc.).
Activity volume
The total number of sales or marketing actions performed within a specific period.
Activity-based selling (ABS)
A sales framework that focuses on completing specific high-impact activities rather than solely pursuing outcomes like revenue or closed deals.
Actual achievement
The real performance level attained by a salesperson or team, compared to the defined target.
Actual product
The tangible offering delivered to the customer, including features, design, and attributes, as opposed to the core or augmented product.
Ad groups
Organizational components within advertising platforms that contain a set of ads sharing the same targeting criteria and keywords.
Ad hoc reporting
Custom reports created on demand to answer specific business questions not covered in standard reporting.
Adaptability
A professional’s or organization’s ability to adjust strategies, behaviors, or processes in response to changing conditions or customer needs.
Add-on bonus
A supplemental incentive paid for achieving additional performance beyond standard targets, such as selling premium features.
Add-on earnings
Revenue generated from supplementary products, services, or upgrades purchased in addition to the core offering.
Adjustment
A modification made to financial or performance records to correct discrepancies or reflect accurate results.
AdRoll
A digital marketing platform focused on retargeting, display advertising, and marketing automation for e-commerce and B2B companies.
Advanced analytics
The use of sophisticated techniques (e.g., predictive modeling, machine learning, statistical analysis) to uncover deeper insights and inform strategic decisions.
Advertisement (Ad)
A paid communication intended to promote a product, service, or brand to a target audience.
Advocacy selling
A consultative selling approach where sales professionals act as trusted advisors, championing customer needs and building long-term loyalty.
Advocates
Customers who actively promote a brand through recommendations, reviews, or referrals due to their high satisfaction.
Affiliate marketing
A performance-based marketing model in which affiliates promote a product and receive a commission for resulting sales or leads.
Affiliate network
A platform that connects advertisers with affiliates, providing tracking, reporting, and commission management for affiliate marketing programs.
Affiliate publisher
A website, influencer, or content creator who promotes an advertiser’s products and earns commissions based on performance.
Affinity audience
A group of users categorized by shared interests, behaviors, or lifestyle characteristics, used to improve targeting accuracy.
After-sales service
Support provided to customers after a purchase, including installation, troubleshooting, maintenance, and customer care.
Agent
A representative who acts on behalf of a company or customer, typically in sales, customer service, or support roles.
Agent-led growth (ALG)
A growth strategy where human agents—sales, support, or service representatives—drive customer acquisition, expansion, and retention.
Agreement
A formal or informal arrangement that outlines terms, responsibilities, or expectations between parties.
AI bias
Systematic errors or unfair outcomes produced by AI models due to skewed training data or flawed algorithms.
AI data enrichment
The process of improving datasets by using AI to add missing information, classify data, or derive predictive insights.
AI ethical framework
A set of principles ensuring that AI systems are developed and used responsibly, focusing on fairness, transparency, and accountability.
AI for sales
The use of artificial intelligence to automate tasks, score leads, forecast revenue, personalize outreach, and optimize sales performance.
AI lead finder
An AI-driven tool that identifies potential prospects by analyzing large datasets for buying intent and fit signals.
AI prompt
A text or instruction provided to an AI system to generate a desired output, such as content, insights, or recommendations.
AI sales agent
An AI tool that autonomously handles parts of the sales process, such as outreach, qualification, or customer responses.
AI sales assistant
A digital assistant that supports sales teams with tasks such as email drafting, CRM updates, meeting summaries, or forecasting.
AI sales script generator
A tool that uses AI to create personalized sales scripts based on buyer profile, product attributes, and conversation goals.
AI tools
Software solutions powered by artificial intelligence that automate tasks, generate insights, or enhance decision-making across sales and marketing workflows.
AI-guided selling
A sales methodology enhanced by AI recommendations that guide sellers on the next best actions, messaging, or accounts to prioritize.
AI-powered marketing
The application of artificial intelligence to optimize campaign targeting, personalization, content creation, and measurement.
Alert
A notification triggered by specific conditions—such as changes in account activity, campaign performance, or system errors—to prompt timely action.
Algorithms
A set of rules or computational instructions used by software systems or AI models to process data and generate outputs.
Always Be Closing (ABC)
A classic sales principle encouraging continuous movement toward securing a commitment or sale throughout the sales process.
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
A cloud computing platform providing infrastructure, storage, analytics, machine learning, and hosting services for digital applications.
Ambassador
A customer or partner who actively represents and promotes a brand, often through advocacy, referrals, or testimony.
Amortization
The gradual reduction of an asset’s value or the scheduled repayment of a loan over time.
Analytics
The systematic analysis of data to uncover trends, performance insights, and opportunities for optimization.
Annual bonus
A variable compensation payout awarded based on yearly performance metrics or company results.
Annual Contract Value (ACV)
The yearly revenue value of a contract, used to measure deal size in subscription-based businesses.
Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)
The normalized, recurring revenue generated annually from subscription contracts, excluding one-time fees.
Annual total target compensation
The combined expected yearly earnings of a role, including base salary and on-target variable pay.
Annual wage adjustment
A yearly modification to an employee’s salary based on performance, inflation, or company policy.
AppExchange
Salesforce’s marketplace for business applications, integrations, and components that extend the platform’s functionality.
Application Performance Management (APM)
Tools and processes used to monitor, optimize, and diagnose the performance and availability of applications.
Application Programming Interface (API)
A set of rules and protocols that allow different software systems to communicate and share data with each other.
Application Programming Interface (API) Security
Practices and tools designed to protect APIs from misuse, unauthorized access, data breaches, or malicious attacks.
Appointment setting
The process of scheduling qualified meetings or calls between prospects and sales representatives, typically managed by SDRs/BDRs.
Approval workflow
A structured process requiring one or more levels of review and authorization before actions—such as campaign launch or contract issuance—can proceed.
Archive
A storage location (digital or physical) where older data, documents, or communications are preserved for reference or compliance.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Technology that enables machines to perform tasks requiring human-like intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, and pattern recognition.
ASC 606 standard
An accounting standard specifying how companies should recognize revenue from contracts with customers, ensuring consistency across industries.
Assets Under Management (AUM)
The total market value of assets a financial institution or advisory firm manages on behalf of clients.
Assignment letter
A formal document outlining responsibilities, tasks, or the transfer of account ownership from one representative to another.
Associate with an opportunity
A CRM action linking a contact, account, or activity to a specific sales opportunity for tracking and attribution.
At-risk pay
The variable portion of compensation that depends on achieving predefined performance targets.
Attainment
The actual percentage of target or quota achieved within a specific period.
Attribution
The process of assigning credit to marketing channels, touchpoints, or activities that contribute to a conversion or sale.
Attribution window
The period during which a marketing interaction is credited for influencing a conversion, as defined by analytics or ad platforms.
Audience behavior
The patterns of actions and interactions displayed by a target audience across channels, including browsing habits, engagement levels, and response tendencies.
Audience insights
Actionable findings derived from analyzing audience data, used to refine targeting, messaging, and campaign strategy.
Audience objectives
The specific behavioral or attitudinal outcomes desired from a target audience, such as awareness, engagement, or conversion.
Audience research
The systematic study of audience demographics, psychographics, intentions, and behaviors to better inform targeting and positioning.
Audience targeting
The process of selecting and directing marketing messages toward specific audience segments most likely to respond.
Auto email
An automated email sent based on triggers, workflows, or scheduled rules without manual intervention.
Average Contract Value (ACV)
The average annualized value of customer contracts, used to evaluate revenue performance in subscription models.
Average customer life
The typical duration a customer remains active before churning, often used in customer lifetime value calculations.
Average deal size
The average revenue generated per closed opportunity, calculated over a defined period.
Average Dollar Per Sale (DPS)
A metric that measures the average revenue generated per completed sale.
Average follow-up attempts
The average number of outreach attempts—emails, calls, or messages—made to engage a prospect before contact is successful.
Average order value (AOV)
The average monetary value of customer orders, calculated by dividing total revenue by the number of orders.
Average position
A historical metric used in advertising to indicate where an ad typically appeared on a search results page.
Average purchase value
The average amount spent by customers per purchase transaction.
Average revenue
The mean income generated over a specific period or across a defined customer or account group.
Average revenue per account
The average revenue generated from each customer account over a specific period, used to evaluate customer value and revenue efficiency.
Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)
A financial metric that calculates the average revenue generated per active user, commonly used in SaaS and subscription-based models.
Average selling price
The average price at which a product or service is sold across transactions during a given timeframe.
Average trap
A sales pitfall where representatives rely too heavily on average metrics, underestimating variability and missing strategic opportunities.
Average visit duration
The average amount of time users spend on a website during a session, used to assess engagement and content relevance.
Award
A formal recognition granted to an individual, team, or organization for achieving exceptional performance or meeting defined criteria.
Awareness
The level of familiarity a target audience has with a brand, product, or problem category.
Awareness buying stage
The initial phase of the buyer journey where prospects recognize a need or problem but are not yet evaluating solutions.
