Sales Playbooks
Part of Buyer-facing sales materials
Matching a sales asset to the buyer's decision stage
Choose an approved sales asset by the buyer's current decision, reader and evidence need, then check its timing and detail.
Choose an approved sales asset for the decision a buyer is making now, then use the stage label to check whether its timing and detail fit.
Someone described as “early stage” may already have a precise implementation constraint. Someone near approval may still need a basic scope explanation. Start with the question they need answered.
Identify the decision and reader
Ask what the buyer is trying to establish, what they already know and who will use the answer. A user assessing a workflow, a finance reviewer checking cost scope and a sponsor approving an approach can be involved in the same purchase but need different material. Clarify whether the item is for a meeting, an internal buyer discussion or a formal review.
State the next decision in one sentence. For example: “The operations lead needs to decide whether the proposed process fits the current approval route.” That points to a focused workflow explanation and open fit questions, rather than an introductory deck.
Match the asset to the task
| Buyer’s current decision | Asset that may help | What it should make clear |
|---|---|---|
| Is this worth investigating? | Short offer or problem overview | Relevant use, basic scope and intended buyer. |
| Could this fit our requirements? | Workflow explanation or comparison | Criteria, conditions and remaining checks. |
| Can we resource and approve it? | Implementation overview or proposal component | Responsibilities, dependencies, commercial scope and open approvals. |
| What evidence supports the choice? | Relevant customer story or assessment record | Evidence, context and limits of applying it elsewhere. |
These are prompts, not a prescribed journey. A long document may suit a specialist, while a short answer may be enough late in an evaluation.
Matching Sales Assets to Buyer Decision Stages
- Buyer’s current decision
- Is this worth investigating?
- Asset that may help
- Short offer or problem overview
- What it should make clear
- Relevant use, basic scope and intended buyer
- Buyer’s current decision
- Could this fit our requirements?
- Asset that may help
- Workflow explanation or comparison
- What it should make clear
- Criteria, conditions and remaining checks
- Buyer’s current decision
- Can we resource and approve it?
- Asset that may help
- Implementation overview or proposal component
- What it should make clear
- Responsibilities, dependencies, commercial scope and open approvals
- Buyer’s current decision
- What evidence supports the choice?
- Asset that may help
- Relevant customer story or assessment record
- What it should make clear
- Evidence, context and limits of applying it elsewhere
Check fit before sharing
Check that the asset covers the buyer’s requirement, proposed offer and location. Can the reader see a condition that changes the answer? Is the detail usable for that reader? If a material claim is unverified, seek an approved answer or agree on a check before sharing it.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says it can require businesses to back up claims they make about their products or services. Apply the same care to a short follow-up message: its introduction should not broaden the claim in the attached material.
Tell the buyer why the item is relevant and what remains unresolved. For example: “This outlines the usual implementation responsibilities; the connection to your existing system still needs assessment.”
Check Fit Before Sharing a Sales Asset
- Does the asset cover the buyer’s requirement?
- Does it reflect the proposed offer?
- Is the location or context appropriate?
- Can the reader see a condition that changes the answer?
- Is the detail usable for that reader?
- If a claim is unverified, is there an approved answer or agreed check?
Choose the next step from the response
After the buyer reads or discusses the item, ask what question remains. They may need a technical answer, a comparison, a revised scope or a specialist conversation. Record that decision and choose the next item or action accordingly. A change in CRM stage alone does not show which material will help.
If an approved asset repeatedly leaves a necessary question unanswered, ask its owner to revise it. Alternatively, ask the owner to establish a separate answer.
Next Steps After Buyer Engagement
- Ask what question remains after reading or discussing the asset
- Determine if a technical answer, comparison, revised scope or specialist conversation is needed
- Record the decision and select the next item or action
- Do not assume CRM stage change means the right material is now needed
- If an approved asset repeatedly leaves questions unanswered, request revision or a separate answer from the owner
