Sales Processes
Build Stage | $0-1M ARR | 1-10 headcount
Main challenge: Proving the business works. Founder-led everything.
Sales Processes
ICP / Personas
Stage-appropriate approach: Complete hypothesis, usually from founder experience or unique market insight. Never too early to have ICP and personas on paper — drives everything else.
At Build stage, the ICP is a hypothesis. Expect it to change as the team learns from early customers.
Minimum viable ICP definition:
- Industry/vertical being targeted
- Company size (employees, revenue)
- Key pain point they must have
- Who in the company feels that pain (your buyer)
- Why they'd take a chance on an early-stage product
How to validate:
- Track which prospects convert vs. don't — look for patterns
- Ask closed-won customers: "What made you say yes to us?" (direct customer quotes help pattern recognition)
- Ask closed-lost: "What would have changed your mind?"
Playbook reference: → Market Map (for ICP definition framework)
Qualification
Stage-appropriate approach: Keep it simple. A few qualifying questions aligned with the ICP hypothesis. Don't overcomplicate — the team is still learning what matters.
Build stage qualification (3-5 questions max):
- Problem fit: Do they have the pain being solved? Is it acute enough to act on?
- Budget reality: Can they pay something? (Design partners may be free, but real customers should pay)
- Decision process: Who decides? Can they move without a 6-month procurement cycle?
- Timeline: Are they looking to solve this now, or "someday"?
- Fit for early-stage: Are they comfortable with a newer product? Will they give feedback?
What qualification reveals:
- Which qualification criteria actually predict closed deals
- What disqualifies — to stop wasting time on bad fits
- Patterns that inform your ICP refinement
Playbook reference: → Sales Qualification Methodology (when you're ready to formalize — not yet)
Sales Stage Entry/Exit
Stage-appropriate approach: Keep it simple, but still track it. Never too early to understand where prospects fall off.
Example staging:
- Meeting Booked
- Demo Completed
- Proposal Sent
- Negotiations Complete / Verbal
- Closed Won / Lost
What to look for:
- Early stages: Are people resonating with the problem?
- Late stages: How are they reacting to pricing/offering?
- Close: Do you have everything needed to close?
Playbook reference: → Sales Lifecycle
Deck and Demo Process
Stage-appropriate approach: Even solo, have a process and polished deck. Constant iteration is the point.
Demo framework (Build stage):
- Discovery (10-15 min) — Understand their world before pitching. What's broken? What have they tried?
- Problem statement (2 min) — Reflect back what was heard. "So it sounds like..."
- Why this solution (3 min) — Unique insight or unfair advantage. Why should they trust an early-stage company?
- Product walkthrough (10-15 min) — Show, don't tell. Use their language, their use case.
- Next steps (5 min) — Pilot, POC, free trial, or straight to paid. Be clear on the ask.
Build stage demo principles:
- Founder delivers every demo. The feedback is critical. Delegating too early kills learning.
- Customize heavily. Few prospects means each one counts.
- Listen more than talk. The demo is discovery. Their reactions reveal what matters.
- End with a clear next step. Never end with "we'll follow up." Get a commitment.
Iteration cadence:
After every 3-5 demos, update your deck based on:
- What questions keep coming up?
- Where do people lean in vs. tune out?
- What objections are coming up?
Proposal and Quote Generation
Stage-appropriate approach: Keep it flexible. This stage is about testing offering and pricing models. Make exceptions, change on the fly, be responsive.
At Build stage, no CPQ system or complex proposal automation is needed. Speed and flexibility matter more.
What to include in proposals:
- Problem summary (from discovery)
- Proposed solution and scope
- Pricing (keep simple — flat fee or simple per-seat)
- Timeline and next steps
- Terms (payment, contract length)
Recommended tools:
| Tool | Best For | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Google Docs | Maximum flexibility, fast iteration | Free |
| Notion | If already using it for everything | Free tier works |
| PandaDoc | E-sign + tracking + templates | Free (3 docs), Starter $19/user/mo |
| DocuSign | E-sign only, widely recognized | ~$25/user/mo |
| Qwilr | Visual proposals, interactive pricing | ~$35/user/mo |
What NOT to do:
- Don't build elaborate proposal templates — the offering will change 10 times
- Don't invest in CPQ — way too early
- Don't standardize pricing yet — the team is still learning what customers will pay
CS Handoff
Stage-appropriate approach: Depends on ACV band. Even if unit economics don't make sense, offer white-glove service. Keep founder or product/engineering close to customer.
Minimum handoff:
- Simple write-up of discovery, main goals, risks
- Shared call recordings
Playbook reference: → Sales to CS Handoff Process