Sales Conversations for Founders

Reframe selling as helping a buyer decide, define your ideal customer profile from evidence and prospect in ways that respect people’s time and the law.

1. Selling as helping a buyer decideReplace pitching with a process that helps buyers understand their problem, compare options and make a decision they will not regret, even when the decision is no.14 min · free preview · worked example · exercise
2. Defining your ideal customer profileBuild an ideal customer profile from evidence about your best customers and turn it into simple qualification criteria.18 min · worked example · exercise
3. Prospecting ethically and within the rulesFind and contact potential buyers in ways that respect consent and anti-spam rules, which differ by country, and that people are glad to receive.20 min · worked example · exercise
4. Module quiz4 questions with explanations

Plan and run discovery calls with a clear agenda and open questions, uncover the problem, its impact and priority, and map the budget and decision process.

1. Planning the discovery call and its agendaPrepare for a discovery call, open with an agreed agenda and use open questions to understand the buyer’s situation before you present anything.16 min · worked example · exercise
2. Uncovering problem, impact and priorityMove from symptoms to the underlying problem, quantify its impact with the buyer and test whether solving it is a priority now.20 min · worked example · exercise
3. Budget and the decision processDiscuss budget openly and early, and map who is involved in the decision, the steps it will go through and the timeline.18 min · worked example · exercise
4. Module quiz4 questions with explanations

Demonstrate value tied to the buyer’s problem, handle common objections honestly and write proposals that lead to a clear decision.

1. Demonstrating value, not featuresStructure demos and presentations around the buyer’s problems, show the shortest path to their outcome and check understanding as you go.18 min · worked example · exercise
2. Handling objections honestlyTreat objections as information, use a simple four-step method and answer price, timing, competitor and “send me info” objections without pressure.22 min · worked example · exercise
3. Proposals and next stepsWrite short proposals that reflect the buyer’s problem, offer genuine options and make the decision and next steps easy.18 min · worked example · exercise
4. Module quiz4 questions with explanations

Follow up with a respectful cadence, run a simple pipeline and forecast, close without pressure, hand new customers over well and earn referrals.

1. Follow-up that respects the buyerPlan follow-up with a clear cadence, add value in every message and know when to stop.15 min · worked example · exercise
2. Pipeline stages and simple forecastingDefine pipeline stages by buyer actions, track a few metrics and build a weighted forecast you can trust.20 min · worked example · exercise
3. Closing without pressure, handover and referralsAsk for a clear decision respectfully, hand new customers over so they get value quickly, and earn referrals by delivering results.20 min · worked example · exercise
4. Module quiz4 questions with explanations