Sales cycle length
Sales cycle length is the average time between first qualified contact with a prospect and a signed contract, tracked by segment and deal size.
Cycle length varies enormously by market and buyer type: a fixed-scope diagnostic sold to a mid-market marketing director may close in two weeks, while a retainer sold into a large enterprise with a formal procurement process can take six months or more.
Tracking cycle length by segment lets a firm forecast realistically and spot when a specific market (such as Japan, where consensus-based approval adds time) needs a different pipeline-coverage assumption than the home market.
Why it mattersA founder who does not know average sales cycle length by segment will consistently mis-forecast when new pipeline turns into revenue.
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