Sales & Account Management Playbook

• Meet with manager — review this SOP together
• Get access to CRM and confirm it's set up correctly
• Review top 5 customer accounts — read notes, emails, history
• Complete product/service walkthrough
• Understand our pricing structure and any current promotions
• Read the last 10 closed-won deals in CRM
• Read the last 5 closed-lost deals and understand why
• Set up email signature
• Schedule weekly 1:1 cadence with manager

Who they are: They're buying this for themselves. Every dollar they spend comes directly out of their own pocket, so there's real weight behind the decision — but also real hope, because they're the one who will actually implement it. No team to wrangle, no culture to fight. Just them.

Who they are: Stuck in the middle and they know it. Too big to do everything themselves, too small to have real systems. They have a sales team — maybe three to eight people — and the performance gap between their best and worst rep keeps them up at night.

They've probably already tried fixing this. They've had conversations, set expectations, maybe even let someone go. They're not naive. They're frustrated. And the frustration isn't just about revenue — it's about the energy it takes to constantly manage underperformance while also trying to grow the business.

Who they are: By the time someone is running a large operation, they've seen enough to be genuinely hard to impress. They've had consultants, facilitators, off-sites, keynote speakers. Some of it moved the needle. Most of it was expensive and forgettable.

They're not buying this out of hope. They're buying it out of process. There's a problem, they've identified a solution category, and they're evaluating whether you fit the bill. Emotion is still there — it's just buried deeper under layers of experience and responsibility.

• Referrals — Always ask satisfied customers. This is your highest-quality lead source.
• LinkedIn — Search by role, industry, and company size. Use Sales Navigator if available.
• Inbound leads — Respond within [X hours]. Speed to lead matters enormously.
• Networking events / trade shows — [LIST RELEVANT EVENTS HERE]
• Website visitors — [Add your tool here if applicable]
• Cold outreach list — Built from ICP criteria above

• "Walk me through how you currently handle [RELEVANT PROCESS]."
• "How long have you been doing it this way?"
• "Who else is involved in this process on your team?"
• "What tools or vendors do you use today for this?"
• [ADD YOUR OWN — specific to your product/service]

• "What's the biggest frustration with how things work today?"
• "What have you tried to fix this? How did that go?"
• "What happens when [PROBLEM] occurs — who feels it most?"
• "On a scale of 1–10, how urgent is solving this right now?"
• [ADD YOUR OWN]

• "What does this cost you — in time, money, or team morale?"
• "If this isn't solved in the next 6 months, what does that mean for you?"
• "How is this affecting your ability to hit your goals this year?"
• [ADD YOUR OWN]

• Open with their words. Restate what you heard in discovery — show you listened.
• Confirm the agenda. "Today I'll show you X, Y, and Z. Does that still match your priorities?"
• Tell a customer story first. A 2-minute story of a similar customer's journey and outcome.
• Demo the solution. Focus on their top 2–3 pain areas only. Don't show everything.
• Address the "so what." After each section, ask "Does this address what you were describing?"
• Close with a clear ask. What do you want them to do next?

Build these out as you accumulate wins. Every rep should be able to tell these stories in 90 seconds without notes.

Primary response: "That makes complete sense — and honestly, team buy-in is exactly what makes this work. Can I ask, what do you think their biggest hesitation will be? I want to make sure you have everything you need to answer their questions."

Key move: Offer to be on that call directly. Never let them carry your pitch to a room you're not in. A conversation you're not in is a conversation you can't control.

Primary response: "That's one of the most common things we hear, and it's a real concern. Teams usually resist training when it feels imposed on them. The way this is built, it's designed to feel like something they're gaining — not something being done to them. Would it help to walk through how we typically introduce this to a team?"

Key move: Speak to how the program lands at the team level. Reframe resistance as a design problem you've already solved.

Primary response: "I hear that a lot, and it's actually the most honest thing someone can say. Can I ask — is it more about bandwidth right now, or about not being sure the ROI justifies carving out the time?"

If bandwidth: Simplify the path to implementation. Break it into the smallest possible first step.

If ROI: Bring it back to the cost of not doing it — the revenue being left on the table, the performance gaps continuing unchecked.

Primary response: "I appreciate you saying that. Can I ask what changes in a few months that makes the timing better?"

Key move: Most of the time, nothing actually changes — they just feel more comfortable delaying. Gently surface that. If there's a real reason, acknowledge it and lock in a specific follow-up date. Don't leave it open-ended. "Early next month" is not a date.

Primary response: "Of course. Before we hang up, can I ask — is there something specific that's still unresolved for you? I want to make sure you have everything you need to make a good decision, not just a comfortable one."

Key move: Most of the time "I need to think about it" means something wasn't answered. Surface it now. If they're genuinely just processing, agree on a specific day and time to reconnect — not "early next week." Get a calendar hold before you hang up.

Primary response: "I appreciate you being direct with me. Is that a cash flow timing issue, or does the total investment just not feel like it matches the value right now?"

If cash flow: Explore payment structure options.

If value: Return to the cost of the problem they described in discovery. What is the underperformance actually costing them per week? $250 looks very different next to that number.

Primary response: "Totally fair — nobody loves being locked in. Can I ask what specifically concerns you about it? Is it the commitment length, or is it more about wanting to make sure it's working before you're obligated?"

Key move: Understand if it's a philosophical stance or a fear of being stuck with something that doesn't work. The latter is addressable. Discuss any trial period or milestone-based options available.

Primary response: "I want to make this work for you, and I also want to make sure we set this up for success. What I've found is that when people get a steep discount, they unconsciously treat it as lower priority. Can you help me understand what would need to be true for the full investment to feel justified?"

Key move: Do not discount immediately — it signals your price wasn't real to begin with. If a discount is warranted, tie it to something meaningful: a faster decision, a longer commitment, or a referral agreement. Discounts given for no reason train the prospect to always negotiate.

Primary response: "That's smart — you should be comparing. Can I ask what the most important factors are in your decision? I'd rather help you find the right fit than push you toward something that isn't."

Key moves: Understand the comparison — ask what they like about the alternatives. Don't trash competitors; instead find where Synergy wins and speak directly to that. Ask what their decision timeline looks like and lock in a specific next step on the calendar before the call ends. This objection sounds cooperative but stalls indefinitely without a committed next action.

Primary response: "I'm glad you've invested in training before — that tells me you take this seriously. Can I ask, what worked about those programs and what didn't?"

Key move: Listen carefully. Then speak specifically to the gap they identified — not a general pitch about why Synergy is better. If they felt past programs were generic, speak to customization. If they felt it didn't stick, speak to implementation and accountability. Meet them exactly where the previous programs failed.

Primary response: "That's really important context — thank you for sharing that. What happened? Where did it break down?"

Key move: Do not move on until you understand exactly why it failed. Was it adoption? Content? Lack of follow-through from leadership? Once you know, you can either explain specifically why this is different — or honestly acknowledge if it isn't a fit. This objection handled poorly kills trust instantly. Handled well, it builds enormous credibility.

Primary response: "That's actually one of the best times to start — before you have to unlearn bad habits at scale. Can I ask, what size do you have in mind before it makes sense?"

Key move: Reframe. The operators and small teams who implement early grow faster and more consistently than those who wait until they're bigger. Use a customer story here if you have one — someone who started small and scaled because they had the foundation in place early.

Primary response: "Interesting — what makes you feel that way?"

Key move: This is almost always reputational fear in disguise — the Large Company Owner worrying that training will get diluted at scale and they'll have championed something that didn't move the needle. Address the accountability structure directly: how results are tracked, who owns implementation, and what happens if something isn't working. Make it easy for them to say yes without putting their credibility on the line.

Note: Objections #10 and #11 are mirror images of each other — one says "too small," one says "too large." Both come down to fit and credibility. The response to each reframes the concern as exactly why now is the right time.

Primary response: "That's a fair observation. The examples and language are built around trades and service businesses because that's where we've done the most work — but the underlying framework is built on sales fundamentals that transfer across industries. Can I ask what industry you're in? I want to give you an honest answer, not just reassure you."

Key move: Speak specifically to how the principles apply in their world. If you have any crossover customer examples, use them here. If the fit is genuinely unclear, say so honestly — a qualified "yes" builds more trust than an unconditional one.

• Assumptive: "Based on everything we've discussed, I'd like to get the paperwork started. I can send a proposal today — does that work?"
• Summary Close: "You mentioned [pain A], [pain B], and [pain C]. Our solution addresses all three. What's standing between us and moving forward?"
• Timeline Close: "If we get started by [DATE], you'll have this in place before [RELEVANT EVENT]. Does that timing make sense?"
• Direct Ask: "Are you ready to move forward?" (Sometimes the simplest approach wins.)

• Confirm all decision-makers are included before sending a proposal
• Always walk through proposals live — never send blind
• Include an expiration date on pricing (e.g., valid for 30 days)
• Follow up within 24 hours of proposal delivery if no response
• Use our proposal template: [LINK TO TEMPLATE]

• Send a personalized welcome message within 24 hours of close
• Schedule a kickoff meeting within the first week
• Provide all access, login credentials, or setup instructions
• Confirm their primary contact and escalation contact
• Document their stated goals — reference these in every future conversation
• Set 30-day check-in meeting on calendar immediately
• Log all deal notes in CRM — include key pain points and what they expect from us

• Client mentions a new challenge during a check-in
• Client has grown their team or operations
• Client asks about a product/service we offer but they haven't purchased
• Renewal is approaching — 90 days out is the time to discuss expansion
• Client expresses strong satisfaction — this is the best time to ask for referrals

• Log every call, meeting, and significant email within 24 hours
• Update deal stage after every significant touchpoint
• All contact info must be complete — no orphaned records
• Close date must be realistic — do not pad the pipeline with wishful dates
• Notes must include: what was discussed, what they said, what the next step is
• Deals that have gone silent for 30+ days must be updated to reflect real status

We use [CRM NAME — e.g. HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive]. Access it here: [LINK]

• Always respond to prospects and clients within [X hours] — same business day is the rule
• If you can't respond fully, send a quick "Got it, I'll get back to you by [TIME]" acknowledgment
• Use proper grammar and proofread before sending — you represent the company
• Never over-promise. Under-promise and over-deliver.
• If a client has a complaint, call them — don't email. Voice resolves problems faster.