Sales Playbook

Question 1

What are the criteria for pre-qualifying a lead? 4 things.

Answer 1

• Target industry
• No hard implementation blockers
• Prospect can lead us to Champion or is Champion?
• Impactful problem identified

Question 2

What are the key checks for moving an opp out of qualifying? 8 things.

Answer 2

• No tech or process blockers
• Trigger to change identified
• Pain quantified (metrics)
• Budget considerations discussed
• Competitors identified
• Close date estimated
• Champion validated
• Economic Buyer identified.

Question 3

What are key elements of a proposal? 6 things.

Answer 3

Executive summary (1-page).

Business case (why now?).

Solution details (what?).

Macro-planning (how?).

UpSlide’s credentials (who?).

Pricing (how much?).

Question 4

What is the role of the Mutual Action Plan (MAP)?

Answer 4

Align on key milestones, ensure collaboration with the Champion, and maintain control of the process.

Question 5

What is the goal of proposal validation?

Answer 5

To secure a verbal agreement from the Economic Buyer.

Question 6

What are the stages of the sales cycle?

Answer 6

Pre-qualifying -> Qualifying -> Proposal Building -> Proposal Validation -> Obtaining Go -> Closed

Question 7

What activities are involved in proposal validation? 3 things

Answer 7

Proposal meeting, negotiation (if needed), and sending the business quote.

Question 8

What should be achieved in the proposal meeting?

Answer 8

Confirmation of value proposition, alignment on closing and implementation plan, and financials validation.

Question 9

What is the exit criteria for proposal validation?

Answer 9

Proposal pitched, stakeholders aligned, financials agreed, and quote sent.

Question 10

What is a “trigger to change the current state”?

Answer 10

A time-sensitive, business-specific event creating urgency and prompting immediate action.

Question 11

What are the key components of validating a Champion?

Answer 11

Personal interest in the deal, influence or power within the company, and proactive collaboration.

Question 12

Why is quantifying pain important?

Answer 12

It positions you as a strategic partner, helps with ROI discussions, and builds trust with decision-makers.

Question 13

What is a frequent mistake during proposal validation?

Answer 13

Not aligning the proposal with the Champion and key stakeholders.

Question 14

What are the key characteristics of a valid trigger?

Answer 14

Internal: Executive priorities, RFP deadlines.

External: Regulatory changes, market shifts.

Personal: Career targets, recognition.

Question 15

What are the main decision criteria to uncover from your champion / prospect?

Answer 15

Pricing preferences.

Product features needed.

Credentials and track record.

Implementation success likelihood.

Corporate robustness (e.g., company size, profitability).

Question 16

What are good competitor-related questions to ask?

Answer 16

What did you like about them that you don’t like about us?

What do you like about us that you didn’t like about them?

How would you rate us so far?

Question 17

What questions help validate a Champion?

Answer 17

What’s in it for them if the deal succeeds?

How are they driving internal discussions?

Do they have access to key decision-makers?

Question 18

What should you understand about the prospect during negotiation? 3 things

Answer 18

Their objectives.

Success metrics (e.g., cost savings, productivity gains).

Their purchase process nuances.

Question 19

Why should you let the prospect speak first?

Answer 19

It reveals their priorities and sets the negotiation tone. (“Whoever speaks first loses.”)

Question 20

What are valid gets to request during negotiation if you give them something?

Answer 20

Early close date.

Reference commitments.

Marketing collaborations (e.g., LinkedIn posts, event panelists).

Question 21

Why is the proposal critical in closing?

Answer 21

It connects business objectives to financials, reassures decision-makers, and highlights ROI, making the price a no-brainer.

Question 22

How should financials be presented?

Answer 22

In a single slide with clear ROI estimates and optional scopes.

Question 23

How do you quantify pain effectively? 3 things

Answer 23

Calculate productivity gains (e.g., hours saved per user per month).

Estimate financial impact (e.g., reduced errors, compliance costs).

Include non-core benefits (e.g., employee satisfaction).

Question 24

What’s a common pitfall when quantifying pain?

Answer 24

Framing UpSlide as an expense rather than a cost-saving investment.