| name | sales |
| description | Run the Markster OS sales playbook. CHECK deal context, DO discovery/proposal/close, VERIFY before moving stages. Includes 9 Kill Skills audit for conversion problems. |
Sales Operator
CHECK
1. Foundation ready?
Read company-context/offer.md and company-context/audience.md.
Required before running this skill:
- F1: ICP defined with buying trigger
- F2: Offer stated as an outcome, not a deliverable. Pricing documented.
- Proof: at least one specific result (company type + number + timeframe)
If any of these are missing: "The sales process runs on Foundation. Without a defined ICP, outcome statement, and proof point, your sales calls will produce inconsistent results because you are improvising instead of executing a system. Complete F1 and F2 first."
2. Which stage?
Ask: "Which of these describes where you need help right now?"
1. Preparing for a discovery call (upcoming call)
2. Writing a proposal after a discovery call
3. Handling a stall or objection
4. Auditing why deals aren't closing (conversion problem)
5. Reviewing the pipeline
Route to the corresponding DO section below.
3. Archetype
The sales motion differs by business type. Confirm the type before starting.
| Type | Key difference |
|---|
| B2B SaaS | Demo-led, shorter cycle, trial or POC as close mechanism |
| Consulting / Advisory | Longer cycle, relationship-driven, proposal is the close mechanism |
| Agency | Scoped project or retainer, value tied to outcomes not hours |
| Trades | Phone + in-person, speed of response is often the competitive moat |
Read the relevant segment file before running any stage: playbooks/segments/
DO
Stage 1: Discovery call prep
Pre-call research (10 minutes max):
- Company: what do they do, how big, what changed recently
- Contact: role, tenure, what they have said publicly
- Trigger: what happened that made them take this meeting
Qualification threshold:
Before the call, define what must be true for you to want this client:
- Company type match
- Budget range
- Problem severity
- Decision-making authority
If they do not meet the threshold on the call, do not propose. Qualify out cleanly.
Call structure (45 minutes):
| Minutes | Phase | Purpose |
|---|
| 0-5 | Open | Set agenda. Ask why they agreed to the call. |
| 5-25 | Situation questions | Current state, history, what they have tried |
| 25-35 | Implication questions | Cost of the problem continuing. Their words, not yours. |
| 35-40 | Solution framing | 2-3 sentences. Tailored to what they described. |
| 40-45 | Next steps | One specific action with a date. |
Key questions to ask (pull from playbooks/biz-dev/sales/templates/discovery-call.md):
- "What does solving this mean for you personally?"
- "What have you already tried?"
- "If we do nothing, what happens to this problem in 6 months?"
- "What would need to be true for you to move forward on this?"
After the call (within 30 minutes):
Capture: their exact language, the cost they named, qualifying signals, confirmed next step.
Use this to write the proposal.
Stage 2: Proposal writing
Use playbooks/biz-dev/sales/templates/proposal.md.
Build each section with the discovery notes in front of you:
| Section | Rule |
|---|
| Situation summary | Use their words. Quote what they said. Do not rephrase. |
| Outcome | F2 outcome statement tailored to their specific situation. |
| Approach | 3-6 steps. Enough for confidence. Not enough to DIY. |
| Timeline | First visible result in 14 days. Full outcome by [specific date]. |
| Investment | Outcome-based price from F2. State confidently, no apology. |
| Risk reversal | From F2. One clear statement of what happens if it does not work. |
| Next steps | One action to say yes. Not two. One. |
If a discovery notes section is missing: Do not improvise or fill it with assumptions. Stop and ask the user: "What did the prospect say about [the missing section]?" If the information was not captured on the discovery call, schedule a 10-minute follow-up call before sending the proposal. A proposal missing the prospect's own words will not close.
Delivery rule: Walk through the proposal on a call. Do not just email a PDF and wait. Send it 2 hours before the call so they can review. Walk through it live. Close on the call.
Stage 3: Objection handling
"I need to think about it"
Ask: "Of course -- what specifically would make you more confident moving forward?"
Do not accept the vague response. Get the specific concern. Address that, not the general objection.
"Too expensive"
Ask: "What are you comparing it to?"
Reframe against: cost of the problem continuing, cost of hiring internally, or the value of the outcome.
Never lower the price without removing scope. If they need a lower entry point, propose the Downsell: a smaller first engagement, not a discount.
"We need internal approval"
Offer to create a one-pager they can share internally. Write it for them. Use their language. Make their internal sell easy.
"We already have someone for this"
Ask: "Is there still an area where the problem persists?"
Do not pitch against the incumbent directly. Find the gap the incumbent is not solving.
"Not the right time"
Ask: "When would be the right time, and what needs to happen between now and then?"
Their answer is your follow-up roadmap. Set a reminder. Come back when the condition is met.
Full objection scripts: playbooks/biz-dev/sales/templates/objections.md
Stage 4: Conversion audit (9 Kill Skills)
Use this when close rate is below target or declining.
Pull the last 5 recorded calls. Score each Kill Skill 1-3.
| Kill Skill | What to listen for |
|---|
| 1 Breathe the Script | Is the script running word for word, or improvised? |
| 2 Tone | 150-170 wpm? Loud enough? Every word clear? |
| 3 Introduction | Call framed in first 60 seconds? Agenda set? |
| 4 Discovery | At least 20 minutes of questions before offering anything? |
| 5 Offer | Is the offer presented using their own words from discovery? |
| 6 Objections | Are objections addressed without losing momentum? |
| 7 Looping | After a failed close, does the rep return to discovery? |
| 8 BAMFAM | Does every call end with a next meeting booked? |
| 9 Referrals | Is every closed customer asked for names on the close call? |
The lowest-scoring Kill Skill is the training drill.
Pause rule: After asking for the business, pause for at least 8 seconds. Do not fill the silence. The person who speaks first loses. Most closers answer their own question within 3 seconds.
Stage 5: Pipeline review
Walk through every active deal. For each one, answer:
Deal: [Company name]
Stage: intro / discovery / proposal / negotiation / stalled
Last contact: [date]
Next action: [specific action]
Next action date: [date]
Blocker: [if any]
Flag: any deal without a next action date. It will die.
Flag: any deal with no contact in 14+ days. Send a re-engagement email today.
Flag: any deal sitting at "proposal sent" for more than 7 days. Follow up with a specific question, not "just checking in."
VERIFY
Before ending this session:
1. Next step defined?
Every active deal must have one next action with a date. No exceptions.
2. Objection unblocked?
If a deal was stuck on an objection, confirm the response was sent or scheduled.
3. Conversion metric set?
State the baseline: "Current close rate is [X]%. Target this month is [Y]%."
If close rate is below target: confirm which Kill Skill was identified as the gap and what the drill is.
4. Pipeline health?
Confirm no deal is sitting without a next action date.
5. BAMFAM confirmed?
If a discovery call was prepared this session: confirm a follow-up call or proposal delivery date is already on the calendar.
Reference files
- Full playbook:
playbooks/biz-dev/sales/README.md
- Discovery call guide:
playbooks/biz-dev/sales/templates/discovery-call.md
- Proposal template:
playbooks/biz-dev/sales/templates/proposal.md
- Objection scripts:
playbooks/biz-dev/sales/templates/objections.md
- Segment archetypes:
playbooks/segments/
