MEDDPICC is a sales qualification method for complex B2B deals. The eight letters stand for Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Paper Process, Pain, Champion and Competition. A seller uses them as a checklist to decide whether a deal is real, how likely it is to close, and what is still missing.
This guide explains each letter in plain words. It also covers where the method came from, how it compares with MEDDIC and BANT, and one thing most guides skip: what the method looks like from the buyer's side of the table.
What MEDDPICC stands for
Each letter is a question the seller must answer with evidence, not a guess.
| Letter | Element | The question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| M | Metrics | What measurable result does the buyer expect? |
| E | Economic Buyer | Who has the final say on the money? |
| D | Decision Criteria | What will the buyer judge the options on? |
| D | Decision Process | What steps and people stand between "yes" and a signed deal? |
| P | Paper Process | How does the deal move from a decision to a signature? |
| I | Pain | What problem is the buyer trying to fix, and what does it cost them? |
| C | Champion | Who inside the buyer's company wants this to happen and will push for it? |
| C | Competition | What other vendor, internal team or "do nothing" option is in play? |
Publishers do not all name the "I" the same way. One training site calls it "Implicate the Pain." Another uses "Identify Pain." The meaning is close in both: find the problem and show what it costs.
Sources: MEDDICC, "What is MEDDIC / MEDDICC / MEDDPICC?"; MEDDPICC.net, "MEDDPICC Definition"; Sales Methods, "What Is MEDDPICC Sales Methodology?"
Where MEDDPICC came from
The method grew out of MEDDIC. Two training publishers trace MEDDIC to the sales team at PTC, a software maker, in the 1990s. One of them dates it to 1996 and names Dick Dunkel as its creator, with Jack Napoli also credited.
The letters grew over time. MEDDICC added a second C for Competition. MEDDPICC then added P for Paper Process. Today the three names are often used loosely, so it helps to ask which version a team actually uses.
Sources: MEDDICC, "Who created MEDDIC?"; MEDDPICC.net, "What is the history of MEDDPICC?"
Each letter, explained
Metrics
Metrics are the numbers the buyer hopes to move. Good examples are hours saved per week, a lower error rate, or faster time to close the books. A seller who cannot name the metric cannot prove value later.
Economic Buyer
The economic buyer is the person who can approve the spend, even if others object. This is often not the person running the evaluation. Many deals stall because the seller never met this person.
Decision Criteria
Decision criteria are the tests each option must pass. They can be technical (does it connect to our systems?), commercial (price, terms) or about risk (security, references). Buyers often write these into a request for proposal. See our guide to RFP vs RFQ vs RFI for how those documents differ.
Decision Process
The decision process is the order of events: who reviews, who signs off, and when. It answers "what happens next, and who does it?"
Paper Process
The paper process covers the steps from "we chose you" to a signed contract. That means legal review, procurement, security review and signatures. A master service agreement or a vendor security review often sits here. Sellers who skip this step tend to see deals slip into the next quarter.
Pain
Pain is the business problem behind the purchase. A clear pain has a cost, an owner and a deadline. Without one, the buyer has no reason to change.
Champion
A champion is a person inside the buyer's company who wants the project to succeed. A real champion has influence and will share inside information. A friendly contact who has no power is a coach, not a champion.
Competition
Competition includes rival vendors, a tool the buyer could build in house, and the choice to do nothing. Naming all three gives a more honest forecast.
Sources: MEDDICC, "What each letter of MEDDPICC stands for"; Sales Methods, "What Does This Look Like In Practice?"; Weflow, "MEDDPICC Sales Methodology: Framework, Scorecard, and Implementation Guide"
MEDDPICC vs MEDDIC vs BANT
These three methods share one goal: spend sales time on deals that can close. They differ in depth.
| Method | Letters | Best fit | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| BANT | Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline | Smaller, faster sales | A quick first screen |
| MEDDIC | Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain, Champion | Complex deals | Value and decision mapping |
| MEDDICC | MEDDIC plus Competition | Contested complex deals | A clear view of rivals |
| MEDDPICC | MEDDICC plus Paper Process | Deals with legal, security or procurement steps | The path to a signature |
Some sales teams use BANT for small deals and MEDDIC style checks for large ones. The longer and more people involved, the more the extra letters help.
Sources: MEDDICC, "How is MEDDPICC different from BANT, SPICED and Command of the Message?"; Weflow, "MEDDIC vs MEDDPICC: what changed and why it matters"
How teams score a deal
Many teams turn the letters into a simple scorecard. Each element gets a score, for example 0 (unknown), 1 (partly known) or 2 (confirmed with evidence). A deal with a total of 16 out of 16 has every element confirmed.
Here is a short worked example for one deal:
| Element | Status | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Metrics | Buyer named a target: cut invoice errors in half | 2 |
| Economic Buyer | Finance head named, not yet met | 1 |
| Decision Criteria | Written list received | 2 |
| Decision Process | Steps known, dates unknown | 1 |
| Paper Process | Unknown | 0 |
| Pain | Clear cost and owner | 2 |
| Champion | Manager is keen but has little sway | 1 |
| Competition | One rival known, "do nothing" not discussed | 1 |
| Total | 10 of 16 |
The gaps show the next moves: meet the finance head, learn the paper process, and test the champion. The score is a guide to action, not a forecast on its own. Teams often review these scores in weekly deal meetings.
Sources: Weflow, "MEDDPICC scorecard: how to score and track deal qualification". We made up this deal and its 0 to 2 scale to show the method.
Common mistakes
- Filling in fields without proof. A name in the "Champion" box is not a champion. Ask what the person has done to move the deal.
- Meeting the economic buyer too late. If the first meeting is at the final step, the seller has little room to fix a gap.
- Ignoring the paper process. Legal and security reviews take time. Ask about them early.
- Treating it as a form. The method works when it shapes the next conversation, not when it is filled in once and forgotten.
- Forgetting "do nothing." Many deals are lost to no decision at all.
Sources: Weflow, "What is the paper process in MEDDPICC?" and "How to find and develop a champion"; Weflow on "do nothing" as a competitor
What MEDDPICC means for the buyer
Most guides are written for sellers. If you are the buyer, a seller using this method will try to learn the same eight things about you. Knowing that helps you run a cleaner purchase.
- Metrics: decide your own target before demos. It keeps every vendor honest.
- Economic Buyer: say early who signs. It saves time for both sides.
- Decision Criteria: write them down and share the same list with every vendor. Our RFP process guide shows a simple scoring sheet.
- Decision Process: share the steps and dates. Vendors can plan their people around them.
- Paper Process: tell vendors which contract, security and finance steps apply. If you need a vendor's audit report, ask at the start. See what a SOC 2 report covers.
- Pain and Champion: be clear about the problem and who owns it inside your company.
- Competition: you do not have to name rivals, but be honest that you are comparing options.
A buyer who answers these questions in writing usually gets sharper proposals. This is the same idea behind the evidence checks on our methodology page: judge claims on what can be shown.
Sources: MEDDICC, "What each letter of MEDDPICC stands for"; B2B Prestige Awards, Methodology
Frequently asked questions
What does MEDDPICC stand for?
MEDDPICC stands for Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Paper Process, Pain, Champion and Competition. Some publishers call the Pain step "Implicate the Pain" and others call it "Identify Pain."
What is the difference between MEDDIC and MEDDPICC?
MEDDPICC adds two letters to MEDDIC: Paper Process and Competition. Paper Process covers the steps from a decision to a signed contract, and Competition covers rival options, including doing nothing.
Who created MEDDIC?
MEDDIC was created at the software company PTC in the 1990s. Training publishers date it to 1996 and credit Dick Dunkel, with Jack Napoli also named.
Is MEDDPICC only for enterprise sales?
No, but it fits best where deals are large, slow and involve many people. For small, quick sales, many teams use a shorter screen such as BANT.
What is the paper process in MEDDPICC?
The paper process is the set of steps that turn a decision into a signed deal. It usually includes legal review, procurement, security review and signatures.
How is MEDDPICC different from BANT sales qualification?
BANT checks four things: Budget, Authority, Need and Timeline. MEDDPICC goes deeper, mapping how the buyer will decide, who will sign, what the paperwork is and who the rivals are.
Sources
- MEDDICC, "What is MEDDIC / MEDDICC / MEDDPICC?" meddicc.com/meddpicc-sales-methodology-and-process
- MEDDPICC.net, "MEDDPICC Definition." meddpicc.net/meddpicc-sales-definition
- Sales Methods, "What Is MEDDPICC Sales Methodology?" salesmethods.com
- Weflow, "MEDDPICC Sales Methodology: Framework, Scorecard, and Implementation Guide." weflow.ai/blog/meddpicc