Sales methodology
A sales methodology is the repeatable framework a team uses to run deals consistently, from how you qualify to how you ask questions and advance a deal. Well-known examples include MEDDIC for qualification, SPIN for discovery questioning, Challenger for reframing the buyer's thinking, and Sandler for buyer-led control. A methodology is the how of selling, distinct from a sales process, which is the stages a deal passes through.
For a founder, adopting one methodology early prevents every deal becoming a fresh improvisation. It gives you a shared language, makes coaching possible when you hire, and turns lucky wins into a system you can repeat and teach. You don't need a complicated stack: pick one qualification framework and one questioning approach that fit your deal size and run them consistently. The point isn't dogma, it's that a written method lets you diagnose why a deal was won or lost, instead of shrugging and hoping the next one goes better.