How To Write Your First Sales Playbook
Hey Friends, I'm writing to you from beautiful Tuscany. I'm in Chianti this weekend, and there is no other place I want to be.
Today, I want to talk to you about something you need to build and scale your revenue. Your first Sales Playbook.
Creating a sales playbook might not seem urgent if you're a leader, CEO, or founder of an early-stage startup.
Why?
It's time-consuming, it doesn't immediately boost your revenue, and you have limited resources, time, and other priorities.
But what if I told you it is one of the most important documents you should write for your early-stage startup?
Stay with me.
What exactly is a Sales Playbook?
A sales playbook is a comprehensive guide that outlines your sales process.
Instead of sharing information through endless calls and hoping your team absorbs it, a playbook ensures everyone is on the same page.
Without a sales playbook, your team may struggle.
They might misunderstand the product or present it inconsistently to prospects.
This confusion can lead to missed targets, frustration, and high turnover.
The worst thing is that you will realise it when it's too late.
You end up back at square one, training new hires from scratch.
Why You Need a Sales Playbook
Your team needs clear guidance.
The sales team, by definition, need clear guidance.
A sales playbook provides that.
It's a document your team can refer to whenever they need information.
From day one, they should have access to detailed information about your company, product, and sales process.
This helps them learn and perform consistently.
Bonus point: Your onboarding will be way faster and more successful, and new hires can use the sales playbook to get off on the right foot and start selling.
How to Start
Think of writing a sales playbook as if it were writing a book.
You must set aside time, write in clear and straightforward language, and revise it regularly.
Start with one section at a time and make it personal and easy to understand for everyone within your startup.
How to Structure Your Sales Playbook
Your playbook will be the foundation of onboarding, training, and coaching. Here's how to structure it:
1. Company Overview: Explain yourself and what you do, your mission, vision, values, and what's important for you and your organisation.
2. Products & Pricing: Detail your products and their prices.
3. Sales Goals & Commissions: Outline your targets and commission structures.
4. Sales Methodology: Describe your approach to selling.
5. Sales Process: Step-by-step guide on how to sell your product.
6. Ideal Customer Profile: Define your target customers, who they are, their pains and challenges.
7. Sales Best Practices: Share tips and strategies that work.
8. Sales Tools: List the tools your team will use.
9. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Explain how success is measured.
10. Messaging: You want to include templates and scripts for communicating with prospects.
11. Resources: Include additional materials like FAQs, case studies, and training videos.
Store your playbook online using tools like Notion or Google Docs. This makes it easily accessible to everyone.
How to Maintain Your Sales Playbook
A sales playbook is a living document.
It should be updated whenever the process, rules, or products change.
Moreover, outdated material should be removed to keep it relevant and valuable.
The Benefits
A well-written and maintained sales playbook brings structure and consistency to your sales process.
It equips your team with the tools they need to succeed, ultimately saving you time and effort in the long run.
I know you are busy and may think you need this later, but trust me, it's never too late to build your first sales playbook.
If you want to get started, here's a free template.
Thank you all for reading. See you all next week.
Thanks for reading this far. I will see you all next week.
