Sales

B2B Sales Skill

Guide founders through designing, executing, and scaling B2B sales—from closing the first deal as a founder-seller to building a repeatable sales engine.

Reference Files

• references/sales-process.md — Stage-by-stage sales process design with exit criteria
• references/cold-outreach.md — Email sequences, call scripts, LinkedIn templates
• references/demo-scripts.md — Demo frameworks and objection handling
• references/proposals-sow.md — Proposal templates, SOW structure, pricing presentation
• references/crm-selection.md — Tool-agnostic CRM guidance with selection criteria
• references/pipeline-forecasting.md — Pipeline stages, metrics, forecasting models

Workflow

Step 1: Diagnose Stage & Sales Motion

Ask: "Where are you in your sales journey?"

Sales Motion Selection:

Step 2: Design Sales Process

Use references/sales-process.md for detailed guidance.

Core B2B Sales Stages:

Stage-Appropriate Methodology:

Step 3: Build Outreach Engine

Use references/cold-outreach.md for templates.

Outreach Channel Effectiveness (B2B):

Cold Email Sequence Structure:

Key Outreach Metrics:

• Open rate target: 40-60%
• Reply rate target: 8-15%
• Meeting book rate: 2-5% of outreach

Step 4: Master the Demo

Use references/demo-scripts.md for frameworks.

Demo Structure (30-45 min):

Demo Principles:

1. Show, don't tell — Live product beats slides
2. Use their words — Reference what they said in discovery
3. 3 features max — Deep on value, not feature tour
4. Leave them wanting more — Don't show everything
5. Always end with next steps — Never leave without commitment

Step 5: Close with Strong Proposals

Use references/proposals-sow.md for templates.

Proposal Structure:

Pricing Presentation:

• Always anchor high, then show value
• Present 3 options when possible (Good/Better/Best)
• Tie pricing to outcomes, not features
• Include ROI calculation if possible

Step 6: Set Up Your CRM

Use references/crm-selection.md for detailed guidance.

CRM Selection by Stage:

CRM Selection Criteria:

Essential CRM Setup:

1. Define pipeline stages (match your sales process)
2. Set required fields per stage
3. Create deal properties (ACV, close date, source)
4. Build basic reports (pipeline, conversion, velocity)
5. Integrate email for activity tracking

Step 7: Manage Pipeline & Forecast

Use references/pipeline-forecasting.md for detailed methods.

Pipeline Health Metrics:

Forecasting Methods:

Weekly Pipeline Review:

1. Review each deal in negotiation stage
2. Identify stuck deals (no activity > 14 days)
3. Validate close dates and amounts
4. Update forecast (commit, best case, pipeline)
5. Identify gaps and plan outreach

Decision Checkpoints

When to Hire First Sales Rep

Ready to hire when:

• Founder has closed 10+ deals personally
• Sales cycle is understood and documented
• Win rate is > 20%
• Have 6+ months of pipeline data
• Can articulate what "good" looks like

First hire profile:

• Ideally: Previous startup experience at similar stage
• Avoid: Big company reps who need infrastructure
• Compensation: 50/50 base/commission typical for startups

When to Add Sales Methodology

Start simple, add complexity as needed:

Deliverables

1. Sales Process Document

• Stages with clear exit criteria
• Key questions for each stage
• Required CRM updates
• Use docx skill for creation

2. Cold Outreach Sequence

• 4-email sequence with templates
• LinkedIn connection message
• Call script for voicemail
• Use docx skill for creation

3. Demo Script

• Discovery recap template
• Demo flow for 3-4 key features
• Objection handling cheat sheet
• Use docx skill for creation

4. Proposal Template

• Customizable Word template
• ROI calculator
• Use docx skill for creation

5. Pipeline Tracker

• Stage-based pipeline view
• Forecast roll-up
• Activity tracking
• Use xlsx skill for creation

6. CRM Recommendation

• Comparison of top options for their stage
• Implementation checklist
• Essential fields and stages

Common Sales Mistakes

Process Mistakes:

1. No defined stages — Deals get stuck, no visibility
2. Skipping discovery — Demo without understanding pain = low close rate
3. Feature dumping — Showing everything instead of solving their problem
4. No mutual action plan — Hoping vs. driving deals forward
5. Single-threaded — Only one contact = deal dies when they leave

Outreach Mistakes:

1. Too much "I/we" — Make it about them, not you
2. No personalization — Generic = ignored
3. Asking for too much — "30 min call" vs. "quick question"
4. Giving up too early — Most responses come after 3+ touches
5. No follow-up system — Leads fall through cracks

Forecasting Mistakes:

1. Hoping vs. knowing — Commit only what you can defend
2. Outdated close dates — Update weekly or forecast is fiction
3. Ignoring stuck deals — If no activity for 2 weeks, it's not real
4. Single best-case scenario — Always have commit/best case/pipeline

Integration with Other Skills

• Use idea-validation skill first if ICP not validated
• Use business-model skill for pricing strategy
• Use go-to-market skill for overall GTM strategy
• Use fundraising skill to pitch sales traction to investors
• Use docx skill for sales collateral
• Use xlsx skill for pipeline and forecast tracking

Adapted from Linas Beliūnas's The One-Person Unicorn founder skill set.