In sales, efficiency and structure are key components to success. Sales teams constantly juggle a variety of tasks—from finding leads and managing customer relationships to signing contracts and closing deals. In between, they also have to keep track of USPs and sales pitches and manage and respond to objections. Keeping track of all the steps, performing the tasks consistently, and effectively pushing sales is a challenge. With the varied tasks and high demands on activity, a Playbook is a game-changer in sales.

October 30, 2024

What is a process-based Sales Playbook?

A Sales Playbook is a detailed guide consisting of step-by-step instructions, best practices, and strategies for salespeople. A process-based Sales Playbook maps out each step of the sales cycle—from initial contact with prospects to closing a deal and customer care thereafter. Rather than being a loosely assembled product of sales tips, documents, and strategies, a process-based Sales Playbook is a more unified roadmap. Often visually described, a process-based Sales Playbook supports individuals and teams to achieve consistency and efficiency throughout the sales cycle.

Why every Sales team should have a process-based Sales Playbook

A process-based Playbook brings a multitude of benefits, both for the well-being of the team but also for the overall outcome.

1. Ensure Consistent Ways of Working Across the team

With a process-based Playbook, everyone in the sales team follows the same approach to selling. Whether it’s talking to a potential customer or how you handle objections. This way, we can ensure that every sales rep delivers the same quality based on well-established methods.

2. Faster Onboarding of new Sales reps

One of the biggest challenges in a sales organization is getting new hires up to speed and profitable quickly. Sales processes can often be complex, and a lot can go wrong in a deal. A process-based Playbook provides new recruits with a visual and clearly structured learning experience. With clear steps and information to rely on, we can close deals faster and feel more confident in our role.

3. Encouraging Continuous Improvement

A good Playbook is never static. It should be a dynamic document that evolves with the market, customer preferences and employee feedback. Sales managers should be able to easily update the Playbook with new insights, strategies or selling points. This strengthens the team’s ability to adapt to the market and optimizes the sales process over time.

4. Increased Predictability in the Sales Process

A process-based playbook brings structure and predictability to the sales process. When sales reps consistently follow the same steps, managers can better predict outcomes and measure performance. This data helps sales organizations refine strategies and set realistic goals.

How do you create a Process-based Sales Playbook?

A process-based Playbook can be visualized with a modeling tool – where it is also possible to add data to the models you create. Below, we go through step-by-step how to create a process-based Sales Playbook in 2c8 Apps.

1. Identify the Key steps of the Sales Process
   Start by identifying and mapping key steps in the sales process. These key steps can be seen as sub-processes, which we can then break down into individual processes and describe in more detail. In the example below, we start from a classic sales process where we have identified and placed the process objects “Prospecting”, “Lead Qualification” etc.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Identifying results in the process
   Along the process, there will be partial results of each step, i.e. inputs and outputs. In this stage, we will identify what the inputs and outputs of the important steps are. Inputs and outputs can be explained as the need for the step/sub-process to exist and what the result of it is.
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Clarify the flow
   Once we have identified sub-processes and inputs and outputs, it is time to put these together into a flow. Here, we need to think about how we work, in what order the steps come and possibly optimize the flow if necessary. We place relationships between the objects that clarify what the flow of the process looks like. In the example below we see the end of the process.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Add roles of responsibility
   Once we have mapped the flow and have a clear picture of the sales process, it is time to assign responsible roles for each part. This helps us keep track of who should do what in the process.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Create breakdowns with more detailed information
   Once the sales process is visualized, we break down each sub-process into separate processes. In this way, we can describe on an activity level what should be done in each step. In the example below, we have broken down the sub-process “Closing” and described it in more detail.
   
   
   
   
6. Complement the visual with more information
   Now that we have visualized the sales process and all its steps, we have created a clear visual picture of what should be done, who should do it and when it should be done. To make it easier for the sales team to understand how things should be done, we supplement the models with information. We do this by linking documents and adding descriptive texts to the various activities.
   
   

Now we have mapped the process, created breakdowns into sub-processes and linked documents and information to the objects. In this way, we have created a complete sales process that clearly describes who does what, when we do it and how we do it.

An easy-to-navigate Playbook for the whole Sales team

The most important thing about a Playbook is that employees use it. A process-based Playbook in 2c8 Apps can easily be published in your organization. The material is easy to navigate and available on desktop, mobile and tablet. This way we can ensure that all employees, new and old, can work based on established methods to increase sales.