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Internal Resource

Sales Playbook

Scripts, qualification criteria, objection handling, and demo flows

Last updated: February 2026 | For internal team use only

Lead Qualification Criteria

Ideal Prospect Profile
  • 10-250 employees (sweet spot: 25-100)
  • Operations-heavy business (construction, logistics, home services, distribution, manufacturing)
  • Currently using spreadsheets or disconnected systems
  • Manual processes costing 10+ hours/week
  • Decision-maker accessible (owner, ops manager, CFO)
  • Budget authority or can influence budget ($15K-$50K range)
Red Flags / Disqualifiers
  • Under 5 employees (too small)
  • Enterprise with complex procurement (slow sales cycle)
  • Already invested heavily in recent software (change fatigue)
  • No clear pain point or just 'exploring'
  • Looking for free consultation without budget

Strategy Session Question Bank

Use these to uncover pain, validate fit, and understand decision process

Current State
  • "Walk me through how you currently handle [workflow] from start to finish."
  • "What tools or systems are you using today?"
  • "How many hours per week does your team spend on [manual task]?"
  • "What's the biggest frustration with your current process?"
Pain & Impact
  • "How is this costing you money? (lost time, delayed invoices, errors, cash flow)"
  • "What happens when this process breaks down?"
  • "Have you tried to solve this before? What happened?"
  • "If nothing changes, what does this look like in 6 months?"
Decision Process
  • "Who else needs to be involved in this decision?"
  • "What's driving the timeline? (busy season, cash flow issue, growth goal)"
  • "What's your budget range for solving this?"
  • "How do you typically evaluate software investments?"
Qualification
  • "If we can demonstrate ROI within 6 months, would you move forward?"
  • "What would make this a no-brainer yes?"
  • "What would make you walk away?"

Common Objections & Responses

"We're too busy right now."
That's exactly why clients come to us. Implementation happens around your schedule—we don't disrupt operations. Most clients say they wish they'd done it sooner. What if we start with a small pilot that takes minimal time?
"We're not sure we can afford custom software."
Fair question. Most clients see payback within 6-9 months through time savings alone. We can start with a $3K pilot to prove ROI before you commit to the full build. Would you be open to a 15-minute call to explore if the math works?
"We tried custom software before and it didn't work out."
I hear that a lot. What went wrong? [Listen]. We're different: you own the code, we document everything, and we focus on measurable ROI—not feature bloat. Would it help to see a case study from [their industry]?
"Can't we just use [SaaS tool]?"
Maybe! Off-the-shelf works great for standard workflows. The reason clients choose custom is when their workflow IS their competitive advantage, or when subscription costs exceed custom build costs within 2-3 years. Does [SaaS tool] handle [specific pain point]?
"We need to think about it."
Absolutely. What specific concerns are you thinking through? [Uncover real objection]. Would it help if I sent over a case study and we reconvene in a week?
"We need approval from [stakeholder]."
Makes sense. What information does [stakeholder] need to feel confident? Would it help if I join a brief call with them, or should I send materials you can forward?

Standard Demo Flow (20 min)

Walk prospects through vertical template → case study → pilot option

1. Set Context (2 min)
  • Confirm pain points from Strategy Session
  • State goal: 'Show you what we'd build and how it solves [pain]'
  • Set expectation: 'This is a template—we'd customize it for your workflow'
2. Show Relevant Template (5 min)
  • Navigate to vertical template page (construction/logistics/home-services)
  • Walk through key features that match their pain points
  • Show before/after workflow comparison
  • Highlight expected ROI metrics from similar clients
3. Show Case Study (3 min)
  • Pull up relevant case study
  • Focus on measurable outcomes (time saved, revenue improved, errors reduced)
  • Read client testimonial
  • Emphasize timeline and investment
4. Discuss Customization (5 min)
  • Ask: 'What would you change or add?'
  • Confirm integrations (QuickBooks, Salesforce, etc.)
  • Discuss optional add-ons (AI features, mobile app, etc.)
  • Ballpark timeline and investment range
5. Pilot Option (3 min)
  • If hesitant: 'Let's start with a $3K pilot—ONE workflow, 4 weeks, measurable ROI'
  • Show pilot page and explain what's included
  • Emphasize: pilot cost credited toward full build if they proceed
6. Next Steps (2 min)
  • Ask: 'Does this feel like the right approach?'
  • If yes: 'I'll send a proposal by {date}. Sound good?'
  • If maybe: 'What questions or concerns do you have?'
  • If no: 'What would need to change for this to be a fit?'
  • Book follow-up call before leaving the meeting

Email Templates

cold Outreach
Subject: Saw your [specific trigger] — question about operations

Hi {First Name},

I noticed {specific observation: website, job posting, industry pain point} and had a quick question.

Most {industry} companies we work with spend 15-20 hours/week on manual {workflow}—tracking in spreadsheets, chasing updates, generating reports.

We've built custom dashboards for {similar companies} that cut that time by 60-80%. One client saw invoice delays drop from 5 days to under 2 days, improving cash flow by $30K/month.

Worth a 15-minute call to see if there's a fit?

Best,
David

P.S. Here's a short case study: [link]
follow Up1
Subject: Re: Operations automation

{First Name},

Following up on my note from {date}. 

If manual {workflow} isn't a pain point right now, no worries—just wanted to make sure this landed.

If it is, happy to share a quick case study and explore whether a small pilot makes sense.

Best,
David
follow Up2
Subject: One question before I close the loop

{First Name},

Last note from me—didn't want to be annoying.

Quick question: Is this a "not now" or a "not the right solution"?

Either way, I'll close the loop. But if it's timing, I'm happy to reconnect in {Q2/Q3/6 months}.

Best,
David
post Discovery
Subject: Recap & next steps

{First Name},

Great talking today. Here's what we discussed:

Current pain points:
- {pain point 1}
- {pain point 2}
- {pain point 3}

What we'd build:
- {feature 1}
- {feature 2}
- {feature 3}

Estimated investment: {range}
Timeline: {weeks}
Expected ROI: {metric} within {timeframe}

Next steps:
1. {action item for client}
2. {action item for us}
3. Reconvene on {date}

Related case study: {link}

Let me know if I missed anything!

Best,
David

Quick Reference Links

Construction Template
Business Metrics