The Decision Process: Your Sales Forecast’s Secret Weapon
It’s the end of the quarter. Your pipeline looks promising. But come close date, you’re left wondering: what went wrong?
Deals stall. Decision-makers vanish. Timelines slip without warning.
The problem? Your reps are flying blind—because they haven’t mapped the Decision Process.
In this post, you’ll learn a dead-simple framework from sales coach Steve Myers to finally fix that. You’ll get:
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The 6-part “Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How” breakdown of buyer decision-making
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The exact questions to ask to uncover hidden influencers, silent vetoes, and real deadlines
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A checklist of things to do to qualify deals fast and forecast with confidence
No fluff. Just a blueprint for making sure every deal has a real path to yes—or gets cut from your forecast before it burns you.
Let’s dig in.
This article is part of our Mastering MEDDPICC series—a hands-on collection designed to help you turn MEDDPICC from theory into team-wide habit. Want your reps to actually adopt the framework? Start with our no-fluff implementation guide. It breaks down what each letter stands for, why it matters in high-stakes B2B sales, and how to embed it into your team’s workflow—without overwhelming them or slowing deals down.
What is the Decision Process in Sales?
The Decision Process isn’t just a stage in MEDDPICC—it’s the storyline of the entire deal.
Steve puts it bluntly:
“It’s the series of steps your buyer follows to ultimately decide whether this is a problem they’re going to solve—and whether they’ll choose you to solve it.”
And that process isn’t always volunteered by buyers. Traditional, ego-driven sales questions like “So, who makes the decisions around here?” only get you so far.
Instead, Steve teaches reps to brief the decision process like an editor assigning a story—covering all the journalistic hits: who, what, when, where, why, and how.
Who’s Really Involved in the Decision?
When reps ask, “Who makes the decision?” they often get half-truths—or total fiction.
Steve doesn’t mince his words:
“We know that in complex organisations, that’s not how the real world works.”
He uses the analogy of a stage play:
“There are starring roles, supporting roles, and extras. Great reps don’t just focus on the leads—they know how the extras influence the final act.”
So don’t stop when someone says “It’s just me and Fred.”
Ask deeper questions like:
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Who’s impacted by this?
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Who else touches the process—even indirectly?
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Who could quietly stop this from moving forward?
What Are the Steps (and Why Is It That Way)?
Knowing the steps is one thing. Understanding the logic behind them? That’s where coaching adds real value.
Steve’s approach:
Steve’s approach:
"Somebody tells me what the steps are—I want to drill down into why they’re laid out that way.”
Whether it’s board approvals, technical validations, or multi-department sign-offs, each step has a purpose. If your rep can’t explain it, the deal isn’t solid.
When Is the Decision Being Made?
Deadlines only matter if they’re real.
“We’re always looking for a compelling event—some real-world deadline. But if there isn’t one, we still need to understand when and why the timing is what it is.”
This could be anything from a factory opening to a contract ending—but reps must know the date and the rationale. Without that, forecasts are fiction.
Where Is the Power to Say Yes—or No?
Power dynamics in buying are complex. Steve warns against lazy assumptions:
“Don’t assume power or seniority equals decision-making. That’s an unsophisticated view of how businesses work.”
Steve expresses that he's seen junior users derail enterprise deals just by refusing to adopt the solution.
So ask: where’s the veto power?
How Will the Deal Become Official?
Reps often forget the paper process—and it can blow up your quarter.
“I remember losing a big chunk of commission because I didn’t realise they processed purchase orders every 10 days.”
It’s not enough to win the deal. Reps need to know how that verbal yes becomes a signed contract, purchase order, or invoice—and when that’ll happen.
How to Ask the Right Questions (and Avoid the Wrong Ones)
Steve’s preferred framing: “Why would you do this now?” Not “Why aren’t you signing?”
Why? Because the former opens up motivation, while the latter triggers defensiveness. And the worst approach of all?
“Assuming the person you’re talking to is the decision maker—because they said so or have a senior title.”
Bad assumptions = bad forecasts.
How to Know If You’ve Done It Well
Scorecards can be helpful—but Steve keeps it simple:
“We either know the process or we don’t. We either know the dates or we don’t.”
Feel-good signals like easy meetings or proactive intros are nice—but they don’t earn a forecast slot.
Things to do:
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Use Steve’s “Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How” framework to map every deal.
Questions to ask:
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“How do companies like yours typically make a decision like this?”
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“What’s the journey from yes to signed contract?”
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“Who else will need to be consulted or kept in the loop?”
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“What could slow this down?”
Consider:
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Who else is affected by this decision?
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What’s the full set of steps between now and signed paperwork?
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Why is that the timeline? Is something driving it?
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Where is the veto power—formal or informal?
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How does a decision get turned into a PO or signed agreement?
Conclusion: If You Can’t Brief It, You Can’t Forecast It
Steve’s rule is simple: if your rep can’t brief the Decision Process like a journalist—names, dates, motivations, vetoes—they’re not in control of the deal.
Don’t confuse activity with progress. Know the path, or stop pretending you’re on track.
MEDDPICC doesn't end here -
Ready to learn what the next letter of MEDDPICC means and how to implement it (P - Paper Process)? We've got a deep dive article here.
Ready to fast-track your team’s MEDDPICC mastery?
Our structured learning path blends practical sales training with 1:1 coaching—so reps don’t just learn the framework, they apply it to close real deals.
Book a call to find out how we can help your team embed MEDDPICC without the overwhelm (or the checkbox mentality).
