The Sales PlaybookPlays for the whole deal cycle
DRAW IT UP BEFORE YOU CALL

Every deal has a play. Run the right one.

A board of sales plays for the whole cycle — prospecting, pricing, closing, and the tools that keep it moving. Each play shows the stage it fits, the setup it needs, how to run it live, and when to call it off.

Sales stage

CRM & Tools 7 plays Closing Tactics 10 plays Pricing Strategy 8 plays Prospecting 5 plays

CRM & Tools

Full CRM & Tools board →
CRM & Tools Stop Ignoring Your CRM: The Data Says It's Your Best Sales Weapon Stage All stages, especially post-demo and negotiation In the fast-paced world of sales, it's easy to view your customer relationship management system as a necessary evil—a digital filing cabinet where you dump contact details and hope for the best. CRM & Tools Your CRM Won't Save You: Speed and Structure Win B2B Sales Stage Top of funnel through early discovery, from first inbound response to the point where a qualified opportunity is created and advanced. Most sales organizations believe their pipeline problems are technology problems. CRM & Tools Stop Chasing Leads: CRM Alone Won't Fix Your Response-Time Crisis Stage Inbound lead qualification and early pipeline Every sales leader has felt the sting of a promising lead going cold. CRM & Tools How to Choose the Right Sales CRM: A Field Guide for B2B Teams Stage Pre-pipeline operational decision, typically made before or during the first sales quarter of a new team or fiscal year Choosing a sales CRM is not a software purchase. CRM & Tools CRM vs. Sales Playbook: Which Tool Actually Wins Deals? Stage Mid-to-late discovery, after initial qualification and before formal proposal or pricing presentation. The debate between customer relationship management systems and sales playbooks often misses the point. CRM & Tools Your CRM Won't Save You: Speed and Structure Win Deals Stage The first 24 to 72 hours after a lead is created, plus the early discovery and follow-up stage before a deal is qualified. A customer relationship management system is a record-keeping and process tool. CRM & Tools Your CRM Isn't the Problem—Your Data Entry Is Stage All stages, with the greatest leverage at qualification, proposal, and handoff to delivery. Most sales teams blame the CRM when forecasts miss, follow-ups slip, or handoffs go sideways.

Closing Tactics

Full Closing Tactics board →
Closing Tactics Close Faster by Slowing Down: The Case for a Formal Sales Methodology Stage Mid-to-late deal stages, from post-discovery qualification through proposal and negotiation, when pressure to close quickly tends to rise. Most sales teams feel pressure to compress the calendar. Closing Tactics Stop Chasing, Start Closing: Debunking the Myths That Kill Your Deals Stage Late-stage deal, after needs discovery and proposal presentation Sales folklore is full of advice that sounds tough but actually hurts your ability to close. Closing Tactics Speed Kills: Why Your Closing Tactics Need a 5-Minute Response Stage Lead response and early qualification, immediately after an inbound lead is received. In sales, speed is often the difference between a conversation and a missed opportunity. Closing Tactics Stop Chasing Deals: The Real Closing Tactics That Work Stage Late-stage evaluation through final decision, after discovery and demonstration, when the buyer has confirmed the problem and is comparing options or stalling. Most closing advice fails because it treats the close as a moment of persuasion. Closing Tactics Stop Blaming the Buyer: Why Speed Is Your Most Overlooked Closing Tactic Stage Mid to late stage, after initial interest and before final commitment In sales, it is easy to blame the buyer when a deal stalls. Closing Tactics Your First Move After a Lead Comes In Is Probably Costing You Deals Stage Immediately after a lead is qualified and before discovery When a lead arrives, the instinct to respond instantly can feel like the ultimate competitive advantage. Closing Tactics The Close Isn't the Close: Why Your Follow-Up Is Killing Your Deals Stage Immediately after verbal commitment or signed agreement, through the first 30 days of onboarding. The moment a buyer says yes, many sellers exhale and shift attention to the next opportunity. Closing Tactics Win More Deals by Closing Less: The Case for Slowing Down Stage Late-stage evaluation through final decision, when the buyer is weighing commitment. In sales, the instinct to close quickly is powerful. Closing Tactics Stop Closing: Why the Hard Sell Fails and What to Do Instead Stage Late-stage evaluation through final decision, when the buyer is weighing commitment and may be feeling pressured. The hard sell treats the end of a deal as a contest of wills. Closing Tactics Close Deals by Slowing Down: The Case Against Aggressive Closing Stage Late-stage opportunity, after needs discovery and solution alignment, before final commitment. Aggressive closing tactics often assume that pressure creates action.

Pricing Strategy

Full Pricing Strategy board →
Pricing Strategy Stop Discounting: Win on Speed, Not Price Stage Mid-to-late deal stage, after discovery and before final pricing negotiation. Discounting feels like the fastest way to move a deal forward, but it often trades long-term value for short-term relief. Pricing Strategy Stop Discounting: Price on Value, Not Panic Stage Mid to late deal stage, after discovery and solution alignment but before final pricing negotiation. Discounting is often a reflex triggered by discomfort, not by a change in the value your solution delivers. Pricing Strategy Should You Be the First to Name a Price? The Case for Aggressive Anchoring Stage Mid to late deal stage, after discovery and value alignment, before final commitment. In any negotiation, the first number spoken often becomes the gravitational center of the conversation. Pricing Strategy Anchor First, Discount Last: A Pricing Tactic for B2B Sales Stage Proposal and negotiation, after discovery and solution alignment, once the buyer has confirmed the problem, scope, and success criteria. Anchor first, discount last is a pricing discipline for B2B sales conversations. Pricing Strategy Stop Pricing by Guesswork: Anchor First, Then Justify Every Dollar Stage Late-stage evaluation, after discovery and solution alignment, when the buyer has confirmed priorities and is asking about commercial terms. Pricing conversations often go sideways because the number arrives before the reasoning. Pricing Strategy Stop Discounting: Anchor First and Win the Pricing Battle Stage Mid to late deal stage, after discovery and solution alignment, when pricing is introduced and discount requests are likely. Discounting is often the default response when a buyer pushes back on price. Pricing Strategy Why You Should Anchor the First Price and How to Do It Stage Mid to late deal stage, after discovery and solution alignment, when pricing is first introduced. Anchoring the first price is a negotiation tactic rooted in behavioral economics, where the initial number presented serves as a mental reference point that influences subsequent judgments. Pricing Strategy How to Win the Price War Without Slashing Your Quote Stage Mid to late stage, after needs discovery and before final proposal Price objections are rarely about the number alone.

Prospecting

Full Prospecting board →
Prospecting Stop Following Up: Why Your Prospecting Timing Is Killing Deals Stage Prospecting and early discovery, from first cold touch through the point a buyer confirms a problem worth solving. Most prospecting advice treats follow-up as a virtue. Prospecting Prospecting: Cold Email vs. Social Selling vs. Referrals — Which Wins? Stage Top of funnel and early discovery, before a qualified opportunity is created. Prospecting is not a contest between channels. Prospecting Stop Chasing Cold Leads: The Real Prospecting Strategy That Works Stage Top of funnel prospecting and initial qualification, before a discovery call is booked. Cold prospecting is not dead, but treating every unfamiliar name as an equal opportunity is a costly habit. Prospecting Prospecting Myths That Are Quietly Killing Your Pipeline Stage Prospecting and early discovery, before a deal is qualified. Prospecting myths often sound like harmless shortcuts. Prospecting Cold Calling vs. Cold Email vs. Social Selling: The Prospecting Showdown Stage Top-of-funnel prospecting and initial outreach, before a qualified opportunity is created. Cold calling, cold email, and social selling are often treated as competing tactics, but they are better understood as different tools for different buyer contexts.