Glossary
Plain definitions of the terms used in B2B sales development, cold calling and outbound, with Australian rules where they apply. Each entry links to a deeper guide where we have one.
A to Z
Jump to a letter, or link straight to any term: every entry has its own anchor on this page.
An approach where sales and marketing pick a defined list of target accounts and run coordinated outreach to the buying group at each one, instead of chasing any lead that responds. Outbound calling, tailored email, LinkedIn and events such as executive roundtables all work toward meetings inside the named accounts. It suits higher-value deals with several decision makers.
Executive roundtables for ABMThe salesperson who owns a deal after the first meeting: running discovery, demos and proposals, negotiating and closing. In a typical B2B team the SDR books the meeting and hands it to the AE, who carries the revenue quota. Splitting the roles lets AEs spend their time selling to qualified buyers rather than prospecting.
Outsourced sales team vs outsourced SDRThe work of contacting prospects, qualifying their interest and booking a meeting in a salesperson's calendar. In B2B it is usually done by phone, supported by email and LinkedIn. Good appointment setting is judged by meetings that are held and lead to real opportunities, not by how many invites go out.
Appointment setting serviceA qualification framework that checks Budget, Authority, Need and Timeline. An SDR uses it to judge whether a prospect is worth a salesperson's time: can they pay, can they decide or influence the decision, do they have a real problem, and is there a reason to act soon. Most outbound teams apply it lightly on a first call rather than as a strict checklist.
Is BANT still relevant in 2026?A prospecting role that creates new sales opportunities, usually through outbound calls, email and LinkedIn. Many companies use BDR and SDR interchangeably. Where they differ, BDRs tend to focus on outbound prospecting into new accounts, while SDRs may also qualify inbound leads. Both hand qualified meetings to an account executive.
BDR vs SDRThe planned pattern of touches used to reach a prospect: how many calls, emails and LinkedIn messages, in what order and over how many days. A typical B2B cadence runs for two to four weeks and mixes channels. The aim is to stay visible and polite without contacting someone so often that they disengage or opt out.
Inside 200,000 cold callsPhoning a prospect who has had no previous contact with your business, to start a conversation and, in B2B, usually to book a meeting. In Australia, calls must follow the Telemarketing and Research Calls Industry Standard 2017, including calling hours, identifying yourself and your company, and ending the call when asked.
Cold calling serviceThe share of dials that reach a live person rather than voicemail, a switchboard or no answer. It is the first number to check when a calling campaign underperforms, because it shows whether the list and calling times are working. Across 218,000+ Nousu dials into Australian businesses, 14% reached a live person.
Telemarketing KPIs to measureTotal outbound spend for a period divided by the number of qualified meetings held in that period. It is a fairer way to compare an in-house SDR, an agency and other channels than monthly cost alone, because it accounts for output. Count only meetings that meet your agreed definition and actually take place.
Cost per qualified meeting in AustraliaThe system a sales team uses to record accounts, contacts, deals and activity, such as HubSpot or Salesforce. For outbound, the CRM holds the target list, call notes, meeting outcomes and opt-outs, so everyone works from one record. Good CRM hygiene is what makes pipeline and conversion reporting trustworthy.
What an outsourced SDR team does day to dayThe person, or small group, who can approve a purchase: commit budget, sign the contract or say no. In B2B the decision maker is often not the first person you speak with. SDRs map who owns the problem, who influences the choice and who signs, then aim to get the right people into the first meeting.
How to reach decision makers past the gatekeeperThe number of meetings booked for every 100 dials made. It combines list quality, connect rate and conversation skill into one figure, which makes it a useful headline metric for calling teams. In Nousu's internal comparison, Sydney callers booked 1.3 meetings per 100 dials, against 0.3 for offshore teams.
Australian cold calling statisticsThe first proper sales conversation after a meeting is booked, usually run by the account executive. Its purpose is to understand the buyer's situation, problem, priorities and buying process before pitching anything. A good discovery call ends with an agreed next step, or an honest agreement that there is no fit.
Discovery call questionsAustralia's national register, run by the ACMA, where people can list numbers they do not want telemarketing calls on. Numbers stay registered until removed. Telemarketers cannot call registered numbers without consent, and check lists by washing them against the register. A list washed in the 30 days before a call protects the caller if a number was not flagged.
Australian cold calling lawsAnyone who stands between a caller and the person they want to reach, such as a receptionist, switchboard operator or executive assistant. Good callers treat gatekeepers with respect, say clearly who they are and why they are calling, and ask for help finding the right person. Tricks and false familiarity usually backfire.
How to get past the gatekeeperA description of the companies most likely to buy from you and get value: industry, size, location, technology, buying triggers and the roles involved. An ICP is about accounts, while a buyer persona describes the people inside them. A tight ICP is the foundation of every outbound list and script.
How to build an ICPSignals that suggest a company may be researching a problem or product, such as content consumption, review site visits or search behaviour, usually bought from a data provider. It can help prioritise which accounts to call first. It is a prompt to start a conversation, not proof of buying intent, so treat it as one input among several.
B2B database providers in AustraliaThe work of finding and engaging potential buyers so the sales team has people to talk to. In B2B it ranges from content and paid ads that attract inbound enquiries to outbound list building, calling and email. The useful measure is qualified pipeline created, not the number of names collected.
B2B lead generation serviceA method of ranking leads by how well they fit your ICP and how engaged they are, so sales follows up the best ones first. Points are typically given for things like company size, job title, website visits and email replies. Scores only help if sales and marketing agree what they mean and act on them quickly.
Inbound lead qualificationA qualification framework for complex B2B deals: Metrics, Economic buyer, Decision criteria, Decision process, Identify pain and Champion. It helps sellers test whether a deal is real and how it will be bought. SDRs rarely complete it on a cold call, but capturing early answers gives the account executive a head start.
MEDDIC for outbound SDR teamsA lead that marketing judges ready for sales attention, usually because it fits the target profile and has engaged, for example by downloading a guide or attending a webinar. An MQL is not yet confirmed by sales. Many teams use an SDR to call MQLs quickly and decide whether they become sales qualified leads.
Lead gen vs marketing agencyBuilding relationships with several people inside a target account rather than relying on one contact. If your single contact leaves, goes quiet or lacks authority, a multi-threaded deal keeps moving. In outbound, it means calling and writing to more than one relevant role at each account, with messages tailored to each.
MEDDIC for outbound SDR teamsHow a caller responds when a prospect pushes back, for example with "not interested", "send me an email" or "we already have someone". Good handling acknowledges the objection, asks a short question to understand it and offers a reason to continue. It also knows when to stop: a clear no should be respected.
Cold call objection handling scriptsA request from a person not to be contacted again, by phone, email or both. In Australia, callers must end a telemarketing call immediately when asked, and commercial emails must include a working unsubscribe that is honoured within 5 working days under the Spam Act 2003. Good teams log opt-outs in the CRM straight away.
Australian cold calling lawsThe total pay a salesperson earns if they hit their target: base salary plus the commission or bonus attached to quota. For SDRs, the variable part is usually tied to qualified meetings held or opportunities created. When comparing roles or job ads, check how much of the OTE is guaranteed and how realistic the target is.
SDR salary in AustraliaThe set of open sales opportunities a team is working, usually valued in dollars and grouped by stage, from first meeting to contract. Outbound feeds the top of the pipeline with qualified meetings. Pipeline coverage, the value of open deals compared with the revenue target, shows whether there is enough activity to hit the number.
Pipeline calculatorA scheduled meeting with someone at an account that fits your ICP, who has the authority or strong influence to buy, has confirmed a relevant problem or interest, and has accepted the calendar invite. The exact definition should be agreed in writing before a campaign starts, because it is how results are judged.
How an outbound agency defines a qualified meetingHow long a new salesperson takes to reach consistent, full output after starting. For SDRs it covers learning the product, market, tools and scripts, then building calling skill. During ramp you pay full salary for partial output, which is one reason companies outsource while they test a new market or motion.
SDR onboarding: the first 90 daysA salesperson whose job is to create qualified meetings for account executives. SDRs research accounts, call and email prospects, handle early objections, qualify interest and book meetings, then hand over notes so the AE can run the sales conversation. SDRs can be hired in-house or provided by an outsourced SDR agency.
Outsourced SDR serviceA pre-built series of outreach steps, such as emails, calls and LinkedIn tasks, that a prospect moves through automatically in a sales engagement tool. Sequences keep follow-up consistent across a team. They work best when personalised by segment and paused as soon as a prospect replies, books or asks to opt out.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator playbookThe percentage of booked meetings that actually take place. A low show rate usually means meetings were booked too loosely, too far ahead or with the wrong person. Confirming the meeting the day before, sending a clear agenda and booking within a few days of the call all help keep it high.
Appointment setting benchmarksThe Australian law that governs commercial electronic messages, including email and SMS. Messages need the recipient's consent, which can be express or in limited cases inferred, must clearly identify the sender, and must include a working unsubscribe honoured within 5 working days. It is enforced by the ACMA.
Australian cold calling lawsThe time between an inbound enquiry arriving and a salesperson making contact. The faster a team responds, the more likely it is to reach the person while the need is fresh and before a competitor does. Many companies use a dedicated team or SDR to call new inbound leads within minutes.
Speed to lead in AustraliaA questioning method based on four types of question: Situation, Problem, Implication and Need-payoff. It comes from Neil Rackham's book SPIN Selling. Sellers use it to move a buyer from describing their current situation to stating the value of solving the problem, in their own words.
BANT, MEDDIC and SPIN comparedA lead that sales has accepted as worth pursuing because it fits the profile and has shown a real need, often confirmed on a call. In outbound, a qualified meeting booked by an SDR usually becomes an SQL once the account executive accepts it. Tracking the MQL to SQL step shows where qualification is too loose.
Appointment setting benchmarksThe total revenue available if you won every possible customer in your market. For outbound planning, a more practical version is the number of accounts and contacts that match your ICP in the regions you sell to, such as Australia and New Zealand. It tells you how long a list will last and how to pace calling.
How to build an ICPUsing phone calls to promote products or services, generate leads or book meetings. B2B telemarketing targets businesses rather than consumers and is usually about starting conversations with decision makers, not selling on the first call. In Australia it is covered by the Telemarketing and Research Calls Industry Standard 2017 and the Do Not Call Register.
B2B telemarketing serviceSelling over the phone, where the goal is to complete a transaction or commitment on the call, such as a renewal, reorder, upgrade or event registration. It differs from telemarketing and appointment setting, which usually aim to create interest or book a meeting for a salesperson to close later.
B2B telesales serviceA change at a company that makes it more likely to buy now, such as new funding, a leadership hire, expansion into a new city, a merger or a contract coming up for renewal. Calling soon after a trigger gives you a specific, relevant reason for the call, which makes the opener stronger.
How to build an ICPA message left on a prospect's phone when a call is not answered. In B2B outbound most dials do not reach a live person, so voicemail is part of the cadence. A good voicemail is under 30 seconds, gives your name, company, reason for calling and number, and is followed up by email or another call.
Cold call voicemail strategyThe Do Not Call Register, telemarketing standard and Spam Act entries are based on guidance from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
These definitions are general information, not legal advice.
FAQ
Quick answers to the terms B2B teams ask about most.
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