Professionals "win" and achieve their goal by working with client/ prospects to move through the six separate stages in the SalesGame that represent an overview of the business development process. One of the most beneficial aspects of this framework is that it is universal—i.e., it can be applied to all new business opportunities whether the attorney, accountant, consultant, engineer or any other professional is pursuing a major prospect or handling a simple request for additional services from a long time client. When pursuing a target client, it may take professionals years to move through these six stages. When dealing with a client that a professional has served several times before, it may only take a thirty minute phone call to move from Stage Two to Stage Five.

Regardless of the type of opportunity or the time that is involved, professionals will be more effective and efficient if they know where they are in the SalesGame and what they have to do to move ahead or "to advance the ball" as one of my clients once described the task.