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Manages the full client lifecycle from founder-led sales through partnerships and client success, using structured qualification, provider management, and expansion frameworks. Use when preparing for a sales call, qualifying a deal, managing provider relationships, onboarding a new client, or tracking client health.
Codex 또는 Claude로 설치 이 Prompt를 복사해 Codex, Claude 또는 다른 어시스턴트에 붙여 넣으면 Skill 페이지를 검토하고 설치를 진행할 수 있습니다.
SOC 직업 분류 기준
Builds brand positioning, messaging, and content strategy through Dunford Positioning, StoryBrand narrative, and distribution-first content architecture. Use when defining positioning, writing brand messaging, planning content strategy, creating editorial calendars, or when someone asks "how should we talk about [YOUR_COMPANY]?"
Designs and validates business models through Business Model Canvas, positioning analysis, willingness-to-pay research, and unit economics modeling. Use when launching a new product line, entering a new market, redesigning pricing, or when someone asks "how do we make money from X?"
Builds and maintains competitive intelligence through Wardley Mapping, 7 Powers analysis, battlecards, and JTBD competitive mapping. Use when a new competitor emerges, preparing for investor meetings, building sales enablement materials, or quarterly strategy reviews.
Designs go-to-market strategy using Crossing the Chasm sequencing, Racecar growth diagnostics, developer-first PLG playbook, and land-and-expand motions. Use when entering a new market segment, launching a new product, redesigning channel strategy, or when someone asks "how do we get our first [N] clients?"
Diagnoses growth health through AARRR pirate metrics, North Star alignment, API developer adoption funnel analysis, and KPI dashboards. Use when setting up analytics, diagnosing growth bottlenecks, preparing quarterly OKRs, building investor narratives, or when someone asks "how are we growing?"
Builds and maintains financial models including revenue forecasts, burn rate analysis, unit economics, cash flow projections, and scenario planning. Use when updating financial projections, preparing for investor conversations, analyzing pricing changes, running scenario analysis, or when someone asks "how much runway do we have?"
| name | closing-deals |
| description | Manages the full client lifecycle from founder-led sales through partnerships and client success, using structured qualification, provider management, and expansion frameworks. Use when preparing for a sales call, qualifying a deal, managing provider relationships, onboarding a new client, or tracking client health. |
Invoke this skill when:
This skill is designed for founder-led sales (now through ~$1M ARR, ~25 clients). The frameworks graduate as the company scales:
| Stage | Team | Qualification | CS Approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Now -> $1M ARR | Founders handle all sales | BANT+SPIN | Embedded in sales (this skill) |
| $1M -> $5M ARR | First sales hire (AE) | Graduate to MEDDIC | Dedicated CS section grows |
| $5M+ ARR | Sales team + CS hire | Full MEDDPICC | CS graduates to standalone skill |
Graduation trigger for Customer Success: When the company reaches 10+ active paying clients, spin CS into its own skill file. Until then, CS frameworks remain embedded in Section 6 of this document.
Define these stages in your CRM (Attio, HubSpot, or spreadsheet). Every deal must sit in exactly one stage at all times.
| Stage | Definition | Exit Criteria | Target Conversion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | Inbound inquiry or outbound target identified | Contact info confirmed, initial response received | 100% (entry) |
| Qualified | Passes BANT+SPIN scorecard (Section 2) | Score >= 12/20 on qualification scorecard | 40-50% of Leads |
| Discovery | First substantive call completed | Pain confirmed, use case understood, champion identified | 60-70% of Qualified |
| Proposal | Commercial proposal or sandbox access delivered | Proposal sent with pricing, timeline, and scope | 50-60% of Discovery |
| Negotiation | Active terms discussion or legal review | All deal terms agreed in principle | 60-70% of Proposal |
| Closed Won | Contract signed, onboarding begins | Signed agreement, payment terms confirmed | 70-80% of Negotiation |
| Closed Lost | Deal did not close | Loss reason documented (see loss analysis below) | -- |
MONTHLY PIPELINE REVIEW -- Date: [DATE]
Stage Summary: [N] Leads | [N] Qualified | [N] Discovery | [N] Proposal | [N] Negotiation
Total Weighted Pipeline: $[X]K | Quarterly Target: $[X]K | Coverage: [X]x (need 3x)
Avg Lead-to-Close: [N] days | Added: [N] | Closed: [N] won / [N] lost
Win reasons: [Top 3] | Loss reasons: [Top 3]
| Source | Description |
|---|---|
| Founder Network | [FOUNDER]'s professional network. High quality, low volume. Formalize: map top 50 contacts at target companies, 3-5 personalized outreach per week. |
| Provider Referrals | Providers referring clients who need distribution. Volume depends on provider relationship health. |
| Inbound | Website, LinkedIn, conferences. Low now, growing with marketing. |
| Warm Introductions | Investor/advisor referrals. Track who introduces and follow up. |
Use this lightweight framework while in founder-led sales mode (<25 clients). Score every deal after the first substantive conversation.
BANT assesses fit. SPIN guides the conversation.
| Dimension | Question to Answer | Score Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Does this prospect have budget for this type of infrastructure? What are they spending today? | 5 = Confirmed budget allocated / 3 = Budget exists but not allocated / 1 = No budget, exploring |
| Authority | Are we talking to the decision-maker or a champion who can influence? | 5 = Economic buyer at table / 3 = Strong champion, buyer identified / 1 = No access to buyer |
| Need | Is the pain real, acknowledged, and urgent? Are they actively solving this problem? | 5 = Active project with timeline / 3 = Recognized need, no timeline / 1 = Nice-to-have, low priority |
| Timeline | When do they need to go live? Is there a forcing function? | 5 = Within 3 months, external deadline / 3 = Within 6 months, internal priority / 1 = "Someday", no urgency |
DEAL QUALIFICATION: [COMPANY NAME]
Date: [DATE]
Qualified by: [NAME]
Deal Source: [Founder Network / Provider Referral / Inbound / Conference / Intro]
COMPANY PROFILE
Company: [Name]
Segment: [Tier 1 / Tier 2 / Tier 3 -- per your ICP]
Geography: [Country/Region]
Size: [Users / AUM / Revenue if known]
Current providers: [Who they use today]
BANT SCORES
Budget: [1-5] -- [Notes: what they spend today, budget cycle timing]
Authority: [1-5] -- [Notes: who we talked to, who decides, buying process]
Need: [1-5] -- [Notes: specific pain points, use case description]
Timeline: [1-5] -- [Notes: go-live target, forcing function if any]
TOTAL: [X/20]
QUALIFICATION DECISION
>= 16: HIGH PRIORITY -- Fast-track to Discovery, assign founder time
12-15: MEDIUM PRIORITY -- Continue nurturing, schedule Discovery within 2 weeks
8-11: LOW PRIORITY -- Add to nurture sequence, revisit in 30 days
< 8: DISQUALIFY -- Politely decline, offer to reconnect when timing is better
SPIN CONVERSATION NOTES (from discovery)
Situation: [Current state -- what infrastructure they use, team size, products offered]
Problem: [Explicit pain -- what is broken, slow, expensive, or missing]
Implication:[What happens if they don't solve this -- lost revenue, compliance risk, churn]
Need-Payoff:[What would solving this enable -- new products, faster time-to-market, cost savings]
PRODUCT FIT ASSESSMENT
Products needed: [Product A / Product B / Product C -- check all that apply]
Estimated ARR: $[X]K (based on expected volume x rate card)
Integration effort: [Low: API only / Medium: Custom flows / High: White-label]
Provider dependency:[Which providers are needed -- Provider A / Provider B / Provider C]
NEXT STEPS
Action 1: [Specific next step with owner and date]
Action 2: [Follow-up item]
Follow-up date: [DATE]
Use SPIN question sequencing during discovery calls. Never pitch until you complete the Implication and Need-Payoff stages.
| Stage | Purpose | Example Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Situation | Understand current state (keep brief -- max 5 min) | "What [products/services] do you offer today?" / "Which providers do you integrate with?" / "How many people on your integrations team?" |
| Problem | Surface explicit pain | "What is the biggest bottleneck in adding a new [product/capability]?" / "How long did your last provider integration take?" / "What gaps do your customers complain about most?" |
| Implication | Make the pain feel urgent and expensive | "What does that [N]-month integration delay cost you in lost revenue?" / "If a compliance issue blocks your launch, what happens to the roadmap?" / "How many users have you lost because you only offer [one product]?" |
| Need-Payoff | Let them articulate the value of solving it | "If you could add [Product A], [Product B], and [Product C] through a single API, what would that unlock for your product?" / "What would it mean for your business if integration took weeks instead of months?" |
When the company hires its first dedicated sales rep, upgrade qualification from BANT+SPIN to MEDDIC. The MEDDIC dimensions map to more rigorous enterprise sales:
| MEDDIC Element | Maps From BANT+SPIN | What Changes |
|---|---|---|
| Metrics | Need + Implication | Quantified business case with specific ROI numbers |
| Economic Buyer | Authority | Must identify and engage the person who signs the check |
| Decision Criteria | Need | Formal evaluation criteria documented (RFP, scorecard) |
| Decision Process | Timeline + Authority | Map every step from evaluation to signed contract |
| Identify Pain | Problem + Implication | Deep, multi-stakeholder pain mapping |
| Champion | Authority | Named internal advocate who sells on your behalf |
Add Paper Process and Competition for full MEDDPICC when deal sizes exceed $100K ARR or sales cycles exceed 3 months.
Your product breadth depends on your upstream providers/vendors. Each relationship is a strategic dependency that must be actively managed.
Complete this scorecard quarterly for each provider. Flag any provider with Dependency Risk of 4-5 for immediate mitigation planning. Repeat the template below for each of your providers.
Provider Registry:
=== [PROVIDER NAME] ===
Review Date: [DATE] | Status: [Active / Integrating / Evaluating]
Reliability (uptime, execution quality): [1-5] -- [Notes]
Pricing Tier: [Rate] -- [Fee structure, volume discounts]
Exclusivity Terms: [None / Soft / Hard] -- [Any restrictions]
Integration Maturity: [1-5] -- [API quality, docs, sandbox]
Support Responsiveness: [1-5] -- [Avg response time, escalation path]
Regulatory Standing: [1-5] -- [Registration status, compliance]
Dependency Risk: [1-5] -- [What happens if they go down/pivot]
Relationship Health: [1-5] -- [Last touchpoint, key contact]
OVERALL SCORE: [X/40]
Action Items: [Specific actions to improve weak dimensions]
| Risk Level | Threshold | Required Action |
|---|---|---|
| Low (1-2) | Provider is reliable and relationship is strong | Standard quarterly review |
| Medium (3) | Some concerns but manageable | Monthly check-in, document contingency |
| High (4) | Material risk to product delivery | Identify backup provider, escalate to CEO |
| Critical (5) | Single point of failure, no alternative | Emergency: source alternative immediately, negotiate SLA improvements |
Track which providers cover which products to identify gaps and redundancy:
| Product | Primary Provider | Backup Provider | Gap? |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Product A] | [Provider A] | [None / Provider C?] | [Y/N] |
| [Product B] | [Provider B] / [Provider D] / [Provider E] | Multiple -- good | N |
| [Product C] | [TBD] | [TBD] | Y |
| [Product D] | [Provider B] | [Provider E] | N |
| [Product E] | [Provider C] | [TBD] | [Y/N] |
| [Product F] | [TBD] | [TBD] | Y |
| [Product G] | [Direct / via partner] | [TBD] | [Y/N] |
Design Partners are your first 3-5 paying clients who receive a [X]% discount in exchange for co-marketing rights, structured feedback, and case study participation. They validate the product, generate proof points, and accelerate sales to subsequent clients.
Score each candidate on these dimensions. Minimum total: 18/25 to qualify.
| Dimension | Question | Score (1-5) |
|---|---|---|
| ICP Fit | Does this company match your Tier 1-2 ICP? | [1-5] |
| Brand Value | Would their logo on your website impress other prospects? | [1-5] |
| Technical Readiness | Do they have engineering resources to integrate within 30 days? | [1-5] |
| Feedback Quality | Will they provide structured product feedback (not just complaints)? | [1-5] |
| Expansion Potential | Could this become a $[TARGET_ARPA]+ ARR account within 12 months? | [1-5] |
DESIGN PARTNER AGREEMENT OUTLINE
Partner: [COMPANY NAME]
Start Date: [DATE]
Duration: 6 months (renewable)
Company Contact: [FOUNDER_1 / FOUNDER_2]
WHAT THEY GET
- [X]% discount on standard pricing for 6 months
- Dedicated Slack/WhatsApp channel with your team
- Priority bug fixes and feature requests
- Early access to new products and API endpoints
- Co-branded announcement at launch
WHAT YOU GET
- Permission to use logo on website and materials
- Written case study within 90 days of go-live
- Quarterly product feedback session (structured, 60 min)
- Public testimonial or quote for sales enablement
- Reference call availability for 2-3 qualified prospects per quarter
MILESTONES
Day 0-14: Kickoff + sandbox access + integration planning
Day 15-30: API integration complete, first test transactions
Day 31-60: Production deployment, first real volume
Day 61-90: Case study drafted, first product feedback session
Day 91-180: Steady-state operations, expansion discussion, renewal decision
| Metric | Target | Measured At |
|---|---|---|
| Time to first API call | < 1 day | Day 7 |
| Time to production | < 30 days | Day 30 |
| Monthly transaction volume | > $[X]K by Month 3 | Monthly |
| Product feedback sessions completed | 2+ in first 90 days | Day 90 |
| Case study published | 1 | Day 90 |
| NPS score | >= 8 | Day 90 |
| Expansion to second product | Yes/No | Day 180 |
Common objections and responses. Tie to battlecards from the gathering-competitive-intelligence skill for competitor-specific responses.
| Objection | Root Concern | Response Framework |
|---|---|---|
| "We can build this in-house" | Control, cost perception | Acknowledge their engineering strength. Then: "Building one integration takes [N] months. [YOUR_COMPANY] gives you [N] products through one API in [N] weeks. Your team can focus on your core product instead of maintaining [infrastructure type]." Quantify their engineering cost vs. your fees. |
| "We already use [Incumbent Provider]" | Switching cost, risk | "Great -- they handle [Product A] well. What about [Product B], [Product C], or [Product D]? Most of our clients started with one provider and hit a wall when they needed multi-product. We don't replace your existing setup -- we extend it." |
| "Your technology approach seems risky" | Regulatory fear, reputation risk | "[Technology] is our infrastructure layer, not your customer's experience. Your users see [products] -- not the underlying technology. Every product is backed by [regulatory certification] providers. You get the benefits ([key advantages]) without the baggage." |
| "We need to see more traction/clients" | Trust, early-stage risk | Acknowledge: "Fair concern. Here is what we can offer: a Design Partner program with [X]% discount, dedicated support, and the ability to shape the product. [Reference client] is already live. We are happy to connect you with them as a reference." |
| "Your pricing is too high" | Budget, value not yet proven | "Let's look at the math. Your current setup costs [$X] in provider fees plus [$Y] in engineering time across [N] integrations. [YOUR_COMPANY] consolidates that to one integration at [rate]. What is the total cost of your current multi-provider approach?" |
| "We need [feature X] you don't have yet" | Product gap | "Good to know. Is [feature X] a launch blocker or a Phase 2 item? If it is on our roadmap, I can share the timeline. If it is critical for launch, let's discuss whether a Design Partner arrangement makes sense -- you'd shape the feature while getting early access." |
Ensure these materials exist and stay current. Review monthly.
| Asset | Owner | Status | Last Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-pager (PDF, 1 page) | CEO | [Draft / Ready / Needs Update] | [DATE] |
| Pitch deck (10-12 slides) | CEO + CPO | [Draft / Ready / Needs Update] | [DATE] |
| Demo script (sandbox walkthrough) | CPO | [Draft / Ready / Needs Update] | [DATE] |
| Pricing rate card | CEO | [Draft / Ready / Needs Update] | [DATE] |
| Case study: Design Partner 1 | CEO | [Not Started / In Progress / Published] | [DATE] |
| Technical integration guide | CTO | [Draft / Ready / Needs Update] | [DATE] |
| Battlecards (vs. competitors) | See gathering-competitive-intelligence skill | [Draft / Ready / Needs Update] | [DATE] |
Structure every demo around the prospect's stated pain, not your feature list.
Graduation trigger: When the company reaches 10+ active paying clients, extract this section into a standalone skill file.
Score each active client monthly. The health score triggers proactive intervention before churn signals become cancellations.
CLIENT HEALTH SCORE -- Client: [NAME] | Period: [MONTH/YEAR] | Scored by: [NAME]
USAGE (40% weight) SUPPORT & ENGAGEMENT (25% weight)
API volume vs. plan: [1-5] Ticket volume: [1-5]
MoM volume trend: [1-5] Severity trend: [1-5]
Product breadth: [1-5] Team engagement: [1-5]
SATISFACTION (20% weight) EXPANSION SIGNALS (15% weight)
NPS / satisfaction: [1-5] Asked about new products: [Y/N]
Feedback quality: [1-5] Growing toward next tier: [Y/N]
Referred a prospect: [Y/N]
OVERALL HEALTH SCORE: [X/100]
BAND: 80-100 HEALTHY (quarterly) | 60-79 MONITOR (biweekly) | 40-59 AT RISK (weekly, escalate) | 0-39 CRITICAL (CEO call in 48h)
| Signal | Trigger | Response | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume drops 30%+ month-over-month | Usage alert | Reach out within 48 hours: "Noticed volume dipped -- anything we can help with?" | CPO |
| Zero API calls for 7+ days | Usage alert | Same-day outreach: check for integration issues or internal changes | CTO (tech) + CPO |
| Support ticket escalation (P1/P2) | Support alert | Resolve within SLA, follow up with post-mortem and prevention plan | CTO |
| Client goes dark (no response for 14+ days) | Engagement alert | Escalate to CEO for personal outreach via founder network or warm intro | CEO |
| NPS score < 7 | Satisfaction alert | Schedule 30-minute call to understand root cause, create action plan | CPO |
Each client passes through four stages. No stage is skipped; each transition is deliberate.
Stage 1: Onboarding (Day 0-30) -- Goal: Signed contract to first production API call.
Stage 2: Adoption (Day 31-90) -- Goal: Steady-state usage, volume meets forecast.
Stage 3: Expansion (Day 91-365) -- Goal: Land-and-expand to 2+ products.
Stage 4: Renewal & Advocacy (Ongoing) -- Goal: Retain, grow, and turn into reference.
Track Net Revenue Retention (NRR) as the primary CS metric. Target: 120%+ NRR (each cohort of clients grows 20%+ year-over-year).
| Expansion Type | Description | How to Identify | Target Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-sell | Client adds a new product | Health score "asked about new products" signal; QBR discussion | 40% of expansion revenue |
| Upsell | Client moves to higher pricing tier due to volume growth | Volume approaching tier threshold | 35% of expansion revenue |
| Usage growth | Organic volume increase within existing products | Month-over-month volume trending up | 25% of expansion revenue |
EXPANSION REVENUE TRACKER -- Period: [QUARTER/YEAR]
| Client | Start ARR | Current ARR | Change | Type (Cross/Up/Usage) |
|--------|-----------|-------------|--------|-----------------------|
| [Name] | $[X]K | $[Y]K | +$[Z]K | [Type] |
NRR Calculation: Starting $[X]K + Expansion $[X]K - Contraction $[X]K - Churn $[X]K = Ending $[X]K
Net Revenue Retention: [X]% | Target: 120%+ | Status: [On Track / Below / Above]
This is a small team. Sales cannot consume more than 40% of the CEO's time or 20% of the CPO's time until ARR exceeds $500K.
| Day | Activity | Time | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Pipeline review: update all deal stages, flag stalled deals | 30 min | CEO |
| Tue-Thu | Discovery calls, demos, and follow-ups (max 4 external meetings/week) | 1-2 hrs/day | CEO + CPO |
| Friday | Weekly sales retrospective: wins, losses, learnings, pipeline forecast update | 30 min | CEO + CPO |
Rules: Max 5 new prospects/week. Personalization is non-negotiable. Track every touchpoint. No response after Day 15 = nurture, do not chase.
| Situation | Related Skill |
|---|---|
| Need competitor-specific battlecards for objection handling | gathering-competitive-intelligence -- Battlecard Deck (FIA format) feeds Section 5 objection handling |
| Need pipeline source strategy and channel planning | launching-go-to-market -- GTM channels and beachhead analysis inform pipeline sources |
| Need case studies and metrics for investor materials | raising-capital -- Client proof points and ARR metrics feed fundraising deck |
| Need client health metrics for growth dashboard | measuring-growth -- NRR, health scores, and expansion data feed the KPI dashboard |
| Need pricing architecture for proposals | designing-business-models -- Rate card and unit economics feed deal economics |
| Prospect asks about specific market/regulatory readiness | planning-market-entry -- Country-specific regulatory and licensing data for sales conversations |
Pipeline & Qualification:
Provider Partnerships:
Design Partners:
Sales Enablement:
Client Success (Embedded):
Founder-Led Rhythm: