Sales Playbook
Discovery and demo call scripts built from coaching sessions. Master the process, close the deal.
Economy of Words
Be concise. Every word should earn its place. This is a sales process, not a conversation.
80/20 Rule
On discovery, listen 80% and speak 20%. That 20% is strategic questions, not pitching.
Diagnose Before Prescribing
In the medical field, prescription without diagnosis is malpractice. Same rules apply.
Never Confuse
A confused prospect never buys. Be clear, make recommendations, don't leave them guessing.
You Lead the Call
Set the agenda. Ask the questions. The prospect should never be running discovery on you.
Competence Builds Trust
Rapport is built through confidence, certainty, and expert positioning — not small talk.
Part 1: The Discovery Call
Explore the problem, build leverage, book the demo
Opening
Keep pleasantries brief. Don't over-explain yourself or give long answers to simple questions like "where are you based?"
(Exchange 1–2 lines max)
"Great to be here with you. Are you good on time for the next 30 minutes?"
(Wait for yes)
Alternate opener if the energy is right:
The Preamble
This is scripted. Memorize it. Master the delivery. Have something written that you've done 50 times.
Understand Current State
Get them to walk you through their current process so you can isolate pain.
Or if they already shared context on the call:
If they say something vague ("things have changed," "we need better options"), unpack it immediately:
Isolate the Pain
This is the most important part of discovery. Get here as fast as possible.
Once they give you a pain point, go deeper:
- Clarify the problem: "Can you walk me through what that looks like specifically?"
- Understand the impact: "How is that problem having an impact on the team / the business / your customers?"
- Understand duration: "How long has this been going on?" (3 weeks vs. 3 years = very different urgency)
- Prior attempts: "What have you tried so far to solve this?" (Everything? Nothing? Tells you commitment level.)
Value Transition
Only when the prospect is at a point of emotional height — they've expressed real, deep pain and need reassurance. Not a bum knee — a broken leg.
Desired State & Goals
Transition after the pain has been fully unpacked.
Go deeper on their goals:
- Clarify the goal: "Why is that the goal?"
- Impact of achieving it: "How's it going to make life better when you accomplish it? What does it do for you and the team?"
- Duration: "How long have you wanted to accomplish that?"
Use your notes. If they mentioned freeing up an agent's time earlier:
Cost of Inaction
This is where you build the most leverage for the rest of the sales process.
Recap & Bridge to Demo
Summarize everything back to them. This builds trust and confirms you were listening.
Recap in this order:
- Their pain points
- The impact of those problems
- Their goals / desired state
- The consequences of inaction
Then deliver certainty:
Budget Qualification
Don't drop pricing details. Give a range and qualify.
BANT Check & Book the Demo
Make sure you've covered all four:
- Budget: Qualified above.
- Authority: "Who else would need to be involved in making this decision? Can we get them on the demo?"
- Timing: "If everything checks out on the demo, what does the timeline look like for getting started?"
- Need: Confirmed throughout discovery.
Set expectations for the demo:
Part 2: The Demo Call
Show the product, close the deal
Opening & Recap
Quick pleasantries, then immediately recap discovery.
Recap in this order:
- Pain of current situation (from discovery)
- Desired state / what they want to accomplish
- Key objectives to get there
Then preview the agenda:
The Bold Claim
Right before you start demoing, make a bold promise. One or two sentences — a statement of the ultimate results.
Demo Sections
Split the demo into clear sections. For each one, follow this structure:
-
Point to the pain (from discovery):
"So [Name], you mentioned [specific problem from discovery]..." -
Direct the solution:
"What we've done to solve this is [result statement]. Here's how we deliver on that..." -
Show the product:
Walk through features tied to benefits. Features answer "what." Benefits answer "so what?" The ultimate benefit gets them to their desired state.
-
Close the section:
"The result of all this is [outcome]. This helps you get to [their desired state]."
Section Breaks & Tie-Downs
Three steps every time. Do not skip these.
Step 1 — Check:
(Wait for yes.)
Step 2 — Questions:
(Field questions. Give short, quality answers.)
Step 3 — Tie-down (pick one):
Power tie-down (use after the meat of the demo is done):
Handling Questions
When a prospect asks a question during the demo:
Option A (when you sense there's more behind the question):
Option B:
Then give the shortest answer possible that satisfies them. Speak to their reasoning.
• Let them finish their question, even if you've heard it 100 times.
• Stay close to a yes/no when possible, then expand only as needed.
• If it's a common question, build a framework to pre-handle it so it doesn't come up.
Engaging Multiple Decision-Makers
If there are multiple people on the call, don't let anyone sit passively.
- Call them out by name after each section.
- Give each person their own tie-down.
- If someone has their camera off or seems checked out, address it directly.
Presenting Pricing & Closing
Step 1 — Temperature check first (before any pricing):
Step 2 — Present pricing with a recommendation:
"Our Start plan is $1,500/month. It includes [X, Y, Z]. I don't think this is the best fit for you right now, and I'll tell you why in a moment."
"Our most popular plan is the Scale plan at $4,000/month. It includes everything in Start, plus [A, B, C] — which are all critical for your success."
"Then we have our Enterprise plan for [XYZ types of customers], where we get more aggressive and it's fully custom."
"Based on our conversation today and what you shared in discovery, what I recommend for you is the Scale plan. The reason is [specific reason tied to their situation]. If you want to be more conservative, you can always start with Start and scale up later."
(Slight pause.)
"So which one of those do you feel serves you best?"
• Make a recommendation. Don't leave them to figure it out.
• Don't be speculative about what-ifs and edge cases. Keep it simple.
• If you can't make a recommendation, you didn't do enough in discovery.
• Don't drop price before you've confirmed they want to move forward.
Quick Reference
Common mistakes, the persuasion framework, and the closing quote
Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Pitching during discovery | Resist. Diagnose first, prescribe later. |
| Stacking multiple questions | One question at a time. They only answer the last one. |
| Letting the prospect lead the call | You set the agenda with the preamble. You ask the questions. |
| Over-explaining (word vomit) | Economy of words. Be concise. |
| Not isolating pain fast enough | Get to "what's the biggest challenge?" within 5–7 minutes. |
| Jumping to features when they mention a problem | Take notes. Save it. Ask more questions. |
| Not exiting value statements properly | Always end with "does that make sense?" or "does that resonate?" |
| Skipping tie-downs on demos | Break after every section. Check, question, tie-down. |
| Pricing without a temperature check | "Can you see yourself using this?" comes before any pricing. |
| Too many options, no recommendation | Make the recommendation. Tell them why. Then ask which one. |
| Passive decision-makers on the call | Call each person out by name. Engage everyone. |
| Looking away when communicating value | Look at the camera. Project confidence and authority. |
| Offering resistance for the prospect | Never say "you might not have an urgent need" for them. Let them say it — or raise their awareness. |
The Persuasion Framework
Current State (Pain)
- What's the process now?
- What's the biggest challenge?
- What's the impact?
- How long has it been going on?
- What have they tried?
Desired State (Goals)
- What do you want to accomplish?
- Why is that the goal?
- What does life look like when solved?
- How long have you wanted this?
Consequences (Inaction)
- What if nothing changes?
- What are the consequences?
- What's the opportunity cost?
- What does it look like in 6 months?
The wider the gap, the more leverage you have. The more leverage you have, the fewer objections you'll face.
"The most gritty salespeople in the world are the most persuasive and influential salespeople. They know how to take their prospect from where they're at and close the deal by the time they're done talking to them."
— Franco, Sales Coach