Ask ten sales managers if they have a documented sales process and most will say yes. Ask them when a rep last opened that document, and the room gets quiet. A sales process only works if it's simple enough to actually be followed under pressure, in the middle of a real call.
The eight stages that matter
A repeatable process doesn't need to be complicated — it needs to map cleanly to how a deal actually moves. A workable structure looks like this:
- Forecasting — Building a target list and identifying which accounts are worth pursuing.
- Positioning — Defining your unique selling proposition before you ever pick up the phone.
- Getting the meeting — Outbound (calls, email, sequencing) and inbound (personal brand, SEO/GEO) strategies working together.
- Discovery — Building rapport and uncovering the real problem, not just qualifying budget.
- Proposal — An executive summary that connects their problem directly to your solution, backed by proof.
- Closing — Using value-based and psychology-based closes instead of pressure tactics.
- Post-sale follow-through — NPS, upsell paths, and service that protects the renewal.
- Accountability — A scoring system that shows reps (and managers) where deals are actually stuck.
Why most playbooks fail
Documentation isn't the problem. Adoption is. A process that lives in a shared drive as a static PDF competes with a rep's inbox, calendar, and quota pressure — and loses every time. The processes that stick are the ones built into daily workflow, with short, digestible checkpoints instead of one giant reference document.
A process you can hand to a new hire on day one
The Condor Club turns this exact eight-stage framework into a self-paced, golf-themed course — forecasting your first 18 deals, developing your stance (USP), working on your grip (getting meetings), and swinging through to close, all in short video modules with real action items. See the full course structure and pricing.