sales-methodology

name	sales-methodology
description	NEPQ-based sales framework for OASIS AI Solutions — discovery calls, situation/problem/solution/consequence questions, objection handling, closing, and sales metrics
tags	["skill","sales","methodology","nepq"]
triggers	["sales methodology","use sales methodology","run sales methodology"]

Sales Methodology — NEPQ Framework for OASIS AI

Overview

CC's sales approach uses the Jeremy Miner NEPQ (Neuro-Emotional Persuasion Questions) framework. The core principle: questions sell better than pitching. Lead with their problem, not your product.

The NEPQ Framework

Phase 1: Connection (30 seconds)

Goal: Pattern interrupt. Sound different from every other salesperson.

Opening lines (choose one):

• "Hey [Name], I appreciate you taking the time. I know you're busy, so I'll be upfront — I'm not sure if what we do is even a fit for you. Mind if I ask a couple quick questions to find out?"
• "Before we dive in, I should mention — if at any point this doesn't seem relevant to what you're dealing with, just tell me and we'll wrap up. Fair enough?"

Why this works: It removes pressure. The prospect relaxes because you're not pushing.

Phase 2: Situation Questions (2-3 minutes)

Goal: Understand their current state without assuming.

Questions:

• "Tell me about how you currently handle [relevant process] — walk me through your typical week."
• "When a new lead comes in, what happens next? Who handles it?"
• "How many hours a week would you say your team spends on [manual task]?"
• "What tools are you using right now for [function]?"

Rules:

• Listen more than you talk (80/20 rule)
• Take notes on specific numbers and pain points
• Don't jump to solutions yet

Phase 3: Problem Awareness Questions (3-5 minutes)

Goal: Help them feel the pain of their current situation.

Questions:

• "What happens when [leads fall through the cracks / follow-ups get missed / response time is slow]?"
• "How much revenue would you estimate you're losing because of [specific problem they mentioned]?"
• "Has there been a time recently where [problem] cost you a deal or a client?"
• "On a scale of 1-10, how frustrated are you with [specific issue]?"

Why this works: People don't buy solutions to problems they don't feel. These questions make the pain tangible.

Phase 4: Solution Awareness Questions (2-3 minutes)

Goal: Let them envision the solution before you present it.

Questions:

• "If you could wave a magic wand, what would [process] look like ideally?"
• "What would it mean for your business if [specific problem] was completely automated?"
• "If you could get back those [X hours/week], what would you do with that time?"
• "What would it be worth to you if [specific outcome they want]?"

Phase 5: Consequence Questions (1-2 minutes)

Goal: Create urgency by exploring what happens if they don't act.

Questions:

• "What happens if you're still dealing with this 6 months from now?"
• "How does this affect your growth plans?"
• "What's the cost of doing nothing?"

Caution: Don't overdo this — one or two consequence questions is enough. More feels manipulative.

Phase 6: Presentation (3-5 minutes)

Goal: Present your solution mapped specifically to their stated problems.

Structure:

1. "Based on what you've told me, here's what I think would work..."
2. Map each feature to a specific problem THEY mentioned (never generic features)
3. Use their language, not yours ("You mentioned X — here's how we solve X")
4. Give a specific example: "We did something similar for [similar business] and they saw [specific result]"
5. Present pricing tiers: "Most businesses like yours start at [tier], which includes [scope]"

Phase 7: Objection Handling

Common objections and responses:

"It's too expensive"

• "I totally get that. Can I ask — what were you expecting the investment would be?"
• "Let me ask this differently — if the system saves you [X hours/week] and generates [Y additional revenue], would the ROI make sense?"

"I need to think about it"

• "Of course, take your time. Can I ask — what specifically are you weighing?"
• "Is there something I didn't cover that would help you make a decision?"

"I'm not ready right now"

• "When do you think would be the right time?"
• "What would need to change for this to become a priority?"

"Can you send me something?"

• "Absolutely. What specifically would be most helpful — a case study, pricing breakdown, or technical overview?"
• (Then send targeted material, not a generic brochure)

"I want to compare with other options"

• "That makes sense. What other solutions are you looking at?"
• "What criteria are most important to you in making this decision?"

Phase 8: Close

Goal: Natural conclusion, not a hard close.

• "Based on everything we discussed, which package makes the most sense as a starting point?"
• "If we started this week, we could have [specific deliverable] ready by [date]. Does that timeline work?"
• "The next step would be [specific action]. Should we get that set up?"

After verbal agreement:

1. Send proposal within 24 hours (/proposal)
2. Include payment link (Stripe)
3. Follow SOP-013 (Proposal-to-Close Pipeline)

Discovery Call Prep Checklist

Before every discovery call:

• Research the prospect's company (website, LinkedIn, reviews)
• Identify 3 potential pain points based on their industry
• Prepare 5 situation questions specific to their business
• Have relevant case study ready
• Know your pricing cold (no fumbling)
• Have calendar open for scheduling next steps

Sales Metrics to Track

• Discovery calls booked per week (target: 3-5)
• Discovery-to-proposal conversion rate (target: 60%+)
• Proposal-to-close conversion rate (target: 40%+)
• Average deal size (target: $500-$2,000/mo)
• Sales cycle length (target: 14-21 days)
• Win/loss reasons (track in pipeline)

---

Full NEPQ Question Bank

NEPQ works through four question types fired in sequence. Each type has a specific job.

Situation Questions — Establish Current State

Goal: Understand exactly what they do and how, without assumptions.

"Walk me through how [process] typically works in your business right now."
"When a new [lead/booking/order] comes in, what are the first three things that happen?"
"How many hours a week would you say your team spends on [task]?"
"What tools are you using to manage [function] today?"
"Who's responsible for [process] currently?"
"How long has it been running that way?"

Rule: Ask and listen. Do not offer observations. Take exact notes on numbers and phrases the prospect uses — you will play these back in Phase 6.

Problem Awareness Questions — Amplify the Pain

Goal: Help them articulate why the status quo is costing them.

"What happens when [leads fall through / follow-ups get missed / response time is slow]?"
"How much revenue do you think you're leaving on the table because of [specific gap]?"
"Has there been a situation recently where [problem] cost you a deal or relationship?"
"On a scale of 1-10, how frustrated are you with how [process] works today?"
"If this isn't fixed, what does that mean for your growth over the next 12 months?"
"Who else on your team is affected by [problem]?"

Rule: Never answer "I have a solution for that" immediately. Pause after each answer. Let them feel it.

Solution Awareness Questions — Let Them Paint the Picture

Goal: Get them to describe what they want before you pitch it.

"If you could wave a magic wand, what would [process] look like in a perfect world?"
"What would it mean for your business if [problem] was completely gone?"
"If you could get back those [X hours/week], what would you prioritize?"
"What would it be worth to you — in real dollars — if [specific outcome]?"
"What does your business look like in 12 months if this is solved?"

Rule: Write down their exact words. Use them verbatim in your presentation.

Consequence Questions — Create Urgency Without Pressure

Goal: Surface the cost of inaction without pushing.

"What happens if you're still dealing with this 6 months from now?"
"How does this affect your hiring or growth plans?"
"If nothing changes, where does this leave you at end of year?"

Rule: One or two consequence questions max. More feels manipulative. Land one and move on.

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Objection Handling Decision Tree

When an objection surfaces, follow this tree before responding.

Objection received
  → Is it price, timing, trust, or competition?
    → Price → Go to Price Branch
    → Timing → Go to Timing Branch
    → Trust → Go to Trust Branch
    → Competition → Go to Competition Branch
    → Other → Clarify first: "When you say [objection], can you say more about what you mean?"

Price Branch

Prospect says: "It's too expensive" / "That's more than I expected" / "I can't afford that right now"

Step 1 — Clarify:

"I totally get that. Can I ask — what were you expecting the investment to be?"

(Listen — if they're wildly off, it's a mismatch. If they're close, it's negotiable.)

Step 2 — Reframe ROI:

"Let me ask it differently. If the system brings in [X leads/month] or saves [Y hours/week], what's that worth to your business over 12 months?"

Step 3 — Anchor to cost of inaction:

"The way most of my clients think about it — what's it costing you right now NOT to have this?"

Step 4 — Tier down (if necessary):

"We can absolutely start smaller. Our Starter package at $500/month gets you [specific result] — would that be a better starting point?"

Do NOT discount. Tier down instead. Discounting signals low confidence in value.

Timing Branch

Prospect says: "Not the right time" / "I need to think about it" / "Let me circle back in Q3"

Step 1 — Acknowledge:

"Of course, take your time. Can I ask what specifically you're weighing?"

Step 2 — Isolate the real concern:

"Is there something I didn't cover today that would help you feel more confident about the decision?"

Step 3 — Surface the cost of delay:

"What changes between now and Q3 that would make this easier to move forward with?"

Step 4 — Offer a soft close:

"If timing is the only thing holding this back, I can hold the slot until [specific date]. After that, my schedule fills and the rate may be different."

Trust Branch

Prospect says: "I've been burned by agencies before" / "How do I know this will work?" / "I need more proof"

Step 1 — Validate, don't defend:

"That's completely fair. Can you tell me a bit about what happened?"

(Let them vent. Don't rush to assure them. Listen to the specifics.)

Step 2 — Differentiate on accountability:

"The difference here is [specific structural protection — milestone billing, 30-day out, etc.]. You're not locked in — I earn each month."

Step 3 — Proof point:

"I'd love to show you a specific example from [similar industry]. Want to see exactly what we built for them and what they got out of it?"

Step 4 — Reduce perceived risk:

"What would need to be true for you to feel comfortable giving this a real shot?"

Competition Branch

Prospect says: "I was also looking at [competitor]" / "I got a cheaper quote from X"

Step 1 — Curiosity, not defense:

"Interesting — what's your read on them so far?"

Step 2 — Qualify their criteria:

"What criteria are most important to you in making this decision?"

Step 3 — Position without bashing:

"The main difference is [specific differentiator]. They're good at [what they do]. Where we win is [specific outcome]. What matters more for your situation?"

Step 4 — Let them decide:

"You should absolutely look at both. What would it take for you to feel confident either way?"

---

Discovery Call Script Template

Use this as your pre-call mental map — not a verbatim script. Adapt in the moment.

[0:00–0:30] Connection + Pattern Interrupt
"Hey [Name], appreciate you making time. Quick heads up — I'm not sure if what we do is even 
a fit for you. Mind if I ask a few questions to figure that out first?"

[0:30–3:00] Situation Questions (choose 2-3)
"Tell me about how [relevant process] works today..."
"How many hours a week is your team spending on [task]?"
"What tools are you using for [function]?"

[3:00–6:00] Problem Awareness (choose 2-3)
"What happens when [pain point they mentioned]?"
"On a scale of 1-10, how much is this holding you back?"
"Has this cost you a deal recently?"

[6:00–8:00] Solution Awareness (choose 2)
"If this was completely fixed, what would that mean for you?"
"What would it be worth in real numbers?"

[8:00–9:00] Consequence (1 question only)
"What does it look like if you're still dealing with this 6 months from now?"

[9:00–12:00] Presentation (map to their exact words)
"Based on what you've told me, specifically [problem 1] and [problem 2], here's what I'd build..."
Use their language. Never say "AI transformation" or "automation solutions."

[12:00–15:00] Objection Handling (as needed)
Follow the Decision Tree above.

[15:00–17:00] Close
"The next step is [specific action]. Does [date/time] work to get that moving?"

[Post-call] Send proposal within 24 hours. Use /proposal skill.

---

Follow-Up Sequence

After every discovery call or proposal send, trigger this cadence. Log each touchpoint in Supabase against the lead record.

Day	Channel	Action	Tone
Day 0 (same day)	Text/Slack	"Great talking today — I'll have something to you by [tomorrow]"	Warm
Day 1	Email	Send proposal. Subject: "[Their name] — [specific problem] solution"	Professional
Day 3	Email	Value-add: send a relevant article, case study, or short video. No "following up"	Genuine
Day 7	Phone call	Direct: "Had a chance to review? Happy to answer questions live."	Confident
Day 14	Email	"Proposal expires [date] — happy to extend if more time helps"	Calm urgency
Day 30	Text	Brief re-engage: "Hey [Name] — still thinking about [their specific problem]? A new client just got [relevant result]"	Curious, low pressure

Rules:

• Never say "just following up" — it signals desperation.
• Each touchpoint must add value or create new context. No empty check-ins.
• After Day 30 with no response: move to cold status. Set a 90-day win-back reminder.

---

Win/Loss Analysis Template

After every deal outcome (won or lost), log this within 24 hours. Patterns compound over time.

## Win/Loss Entry — [Date]

**Prospect:** [Name / Company]
**Industry:** [HVAC / Wellness / Real Estate / Other]
**Deal size:** $X/month or $X project
**Outcome:** Won / Lost / No Decision
**Decision date:** [Date]
**Sales cycle length:** X days

### If Won
- **Primary reason they chose us:** [trust / price / speed / referral / content / demo]
- **Objections overcome:** [list objections and how they were resolved]
- **Tier selected:** Starter / Growth / Scale
- **What the proposal highlighted that landed:** [specific element]

### If Lost
- **Primary loss reason:** [price / timing / competitor / no fit / budget / relationship]
- **Competitor won:** [name or "unknown"]
- **Where the deal stalled:** [Phase 1-8 of NEPQ]
- **What I would do differently:** [1-2 specific changes]
- **Is this a win-back opportunity?** [Yes (timeline) / No (why)]

### Key Learning
[1 sentence on the insight this deal produced]

Monthly Win/Loss Review (run at month end):

• Win rate overall: X%
• Win rate by deal size tier
• Top 3 win reasons (pattern?)
• Top 3 loss reasons (pattern?)
• Average sales cycle length (trending shorter or longer?)
• Action: If win rate drops below 30% → review pricing and positioning. If loss reason #1 is "timing" → fix urgency in Phase 5.

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Obsidian Links

• [[skills/proposal-generation/SKILL]] | [[skills/client-success/SKILL]] | [[brain/CAPABILITIES]]
• [[skills/meeting-automation/SKILL]] | [[../../CMO-Agent/skills/lead-management/SKILL]]
• [[brain/CEO_OPERATING_SYSTEM]] | [[brain/USER]]