How Long Should a Revenue SOP Be?
The length of an SOP should be determined entirely by the complexity of the process it documents. No more, no less. What matters is not the length but the completeness: does the SOP contain everything a new person needs to execute the process correctly on their first attempt?
The Two Failure Modes
- Too short: The SOP assumes knowledge the executor does not have. Steps are described at a level of abstraction that requires interpretation. Decision points are glossed over with phrases like 'use your best judgment.'
- Too long: The SOP includes background information, rationale, policy context, and everything the writer knows about the topic rather than just the steps needed to execute. The executor cannot quickly identify what to do next.
What Belongs in an SOP vs. What Belongs Elsewhere
An SOP contains:
- Numbered steps in execution order
- Decision criteria at each judgment point
- What information is needed at each step and where to get it
- A definition of done
An SOP does not contain:
- Why this process exists or why it was designed this way
- Background on the customer, product, or market
- Historical context about how the process evolved
- Training content for new hires
A Practical Calibration
- Lead qualification and handoff: 15-25 numbered steps. Multiple decision points and a formal handoff requiring defined information transfer.
- Client onboarding: 20-35 numbered steps, potentially organized into phases (kickoff, first week, first month).
- Sales follow-up and pipeline management: 10-20 numbered steps. More linear but still has decision points.
The Length Test
Give the SOP to someone who has never executed the process and ask them to follow it without asking questions. If they complete it correctly, no help, no interpretation required, it is long enough. If they needed to improvise or ask questions at any point, it is too short. If they got confused by irrelevant information, it is too long.