GTM Glossary · Metrics
Sales Cycle Length
The elapsed time from a qualified first meeting to a signed contract.
[01]What It Means
Measured as a median rather than an average, because a single enterprise deal distorts the mean. Segment it: mid-market and public sector rarely behave alike, and DACH procurement typically adds weeks that no amount of follow-up removes.
[02]Why It Matters
Cycle length sets the cash requirement of an expansion. A plan built on a 60-day cycle that turns out to be 140 days does not fail at the end, it fails in month four when the runway assumption breaks.
[03]Where It Goes Wrong
Measuring from first touch in one report and first meeting in another.Planning European entry on home-market cycle length.Reading a shortening cycle as progress when it reflects a drift to smaller deals.
[04]Related Terms