Selling and Proposals

Meetings that end in a dated next step: preparing, asking, telling, proposing, following up.

The Six-Step Sales CallRun every prospect conversation in the same order: prepare, open with purpose, ask before you tell, tell briefly with proof, handle doubts, close on a dated next step.Practitioner wisdom
Five-Minute Prep CardBefore every call, write down one goal, three questions, one proof with a number and the next step you will ask for.Practitioner wisdom
Upfront Contract: Agree the Rules FirstAt the start of a meeting, agree on the time, the agenda, what each side wants, and that either side can say no at the end.Practitioner wisdom
SPIN: Four Kinds of QuestionsAsk a few Situation questions, then Problem, Implication and Need-payoff questions, so the buyer states the problem and its cost in their own words.Solid evidence
Implication Questions: Make the Problem BiggerAfter a buyer names a problem, ask what it leads to, so a small irritation becomes a cost they want to fix.Solid evidence
Need-Payoff Questions: Let Them Name the ValueAsk what solving the problem would be worth, so the buyer, not you, describes the benefit.Solid evidence
Sandler Pain Funnel: Go One Level DeeperWhen a buyer mentions a problem, ask a short series of deeper questions, from the fact, to an example, to how long, to what it costs, to how they feel about it.Practitioner wisdom
Gap Selling: Current State, Future State, the GapFind out exactly where the buyer is now and where they want to be; your offer is only worth what the gap between them is worth.Practitioner wisdom
Challenger: Teach, Tailor, Take ControlBring the buyer one useful idea about their business they had not thought of, tailor it to the person, and be willing to talk plainly about money and next steps.Mixed evidence
Answer First: The Pyramid RuleSay your main point in the first sentence, then give up to three reasons, then the detail, never the other way round.Practitioner wisdom
SCQA: Situation, Complication, Question, AnswerFrame a pitch as the situation they know, the complication that has changed, the question it raises, and your answer.Practitioner wisdom
The Positioning StatementWrite one sentence that says who you help, with what problem, what you are, and how you differ from the usual option.Practitioner wisdom
The 30-Second Answer to What Do You DoAnswer in two sentences: who you help and the result you get, with one proof, then ask them a question.Practitioner wisdom
Talk Less Than Half the TimeIn a discovery call, aim to talk less than half the time and let the buyer do most of the talking.Mixed evidence
One Business Per ConversationTalk about only one of your offers in a sales conversation; adding weaker offers makes the main one look smaller.Solid evidence
Three Reasons, Not FiveGive at most three reasons why you; a fourth makes buyers more doubtful, not less.Solid evidence
Find All the Buyers in the DealIn every deal, find the economic buyer who signs off the money, the user who lives with the result, the technical buyer who checks the rules, and a coach who tells you how things really work.Practitioner wisdom
BANT: The Quick Qualifying CheckEarly on, check Budget, Authority, Need and Timeline, and stop chasing deals that fail most of them.Practitioner wisdom
MEDDICC for Bigger DealsFor larger deals, track Metrics, Economic buyer, Decision criteria, Decision process, paper process, Identified pain, Champion and Competition, and do not send a proposal until most are known.Practitioner wisdom
Ask Who Decides in the First CallIn the first conversation, ask who else will be part of the decision, and make meeting them your next step.Practitioner wisdom
The Proposal Confirms, It Never SurprisesSend a proposal only to confirm what you have already agreed in conversation, including the price; never use it to introduce the price or the plan.Practitioner wisdom
Offer Three OptionsGive the buyer three versions of your offer, with the one you recommend in the middle, so the choice becomes which one, not yes or no.Solid evidence
Show the Cost of Doing NothingBefore showing your fee, use the buyer's own numbers to show what the problem costs if nothing changes.Mixed evidence
Walk Them Through the ProposalNever just email a proposal and wait; book fifteen minutes to take the buyer through it, and ask for a choice at the end.Practitioner wisdom
End Every Call With a Dated Next StepNever end with let me know; end with one small, specific action with a day and time that both sides agree to.Solid evidence
Follow Up With Something New Each TimeAfter a meeting, follow up on a planned schedule where every touch adds something new, and never send just checking in.Practitioner wisdom
Ask for a Specific ReferralWhen a client is happy, ask for an introduction to one named type of person or company, not for anyone who might need you.Practitioner wisdom
The Five-Line Cold EmailWrite a first email in five to seven lines: why them, their likely problem, what you do about it, one proof, and one easy question.Practitioner wisdom

Selling and Proposals

Drills