Return-Path: Delivered-To: andrew@sterlingcal.com Received: from reseller401.webserversystems.com by reseller401.webserversystems.com with LMTP id wGUbHkvdsWjOtAoAchKAPA (envelope-from ) for ; Fri, 29 Aug 2025 12:03:07 -0500 Return-path: Envelope-to: andrew@sterlingcal.com Delivery-date: Fri, 29 Aug 2025 12:03:07 -0500 Received: from o166.ptr78.mail.beehiiv.com ([159.183.29.70]:57104) by reseller401.webserversystems.com with esmtps (TLS1.2) tls TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256 (Exim 4.98.1) (envelope-from ) id 1us2VG-00000002wti-1wuA for andrew@sterlingcal.com; Fri, 29 Aug 2025 12:03:07 -0500 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=mail.beehiiv.com; h=content-type:date:from:mime-version:subject:reply-to:list-unsubscribe: list-unsubscribe-post:to:cc:content-type:date:from:subject:to; s=s1; bh=5P0ZLBTyJVLmBzULpzovAfV/scfOA9/TRkdrdJ50T8E=; b=MmG9mktmeHAnBFjGdsY7V66MFwPoZu4DLJ10dZaZt9JAtBiYZHQEbBEWyak9Q7Dkxvv4 SW+UOlMx3pxSIYiSil8UR90ayRr+jyaadgVdfKZ63Rfk9zpOOb0+J9YgxDTmu4hn9CnblZ OnXLXDwK3iCH9yAxTCrjyUZxHqzODADmNK/qcTNm3egma4QLqp7TQaBC25ic8YkwEmzPYH MOWQleSCacVes0j9mwk/HHwpqrQyDtMhbZfmphAZuUcBzooO/X+VtTw7ielGwgaSPfurcD UVegk9bKIBXT5osSU1ah5ydduQHIf62YRVWxGuzxmF6PzFlH6Fm5dSviXEB/+Lsw== Received: by recvd-574749c66-q46hq with SMTP id recvd-574749c66-q46hq-1-68B1DD27-22 2025-08-29 17:02:31.080513357 +0000 UTC m=+7432160.418762270 Received: from NDAyMzQxODk (unknown) by geopod-ismtpd-canary-0 (SG) with HTTP id kIxtRaWLTuqPTmH679gR8Q Fri, 29 Aug 2025 17:02:31.008 +0000 (UTC) Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=c8b4dd71e212f813a14392e18b3a1a98b8394d3b571be44ac3b1dc55a95c Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2025 17:02:55 +0000 (UTC) From: Collin Stewart Mime-Version: 1.0 Message-ID: Subject: The Holy Trinity of Pipeline Management Reply-To: Collin Stewart Feedback-ID: =?us-ascii?Q?544228c0-bdde-4eb7-8128-44863159b398=3Anewsletter=3A3c5b97ff-00a9-?= =?us-ascii?Q?4acc-916d-c137bca24b1d=3A23270855726497d?= List-Unsubscribe: =?us-ascii?Q?=3Cmailto=3A3c5b97ff-00a9-4acc-916d-c137bca24b1d+1d17dc26-c1df-44e?= =?us-ascii?Q?0-812a-883b6ad5b6bc+544228c0-bdde-4eb7-?= =?us-ascii?Q?8128-44863159b398=40unsub=2Ebeehiiv=2Ecom=3E=2C?= =?us-ascii?Q?_=3Chttps=3A=2F=2Ffoundersedition=2Eco=2Funsubscribe=2FeyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbG?= =?us-ascii?Q?ciOiJIUzI1NiJ9=2EeyJzdWJzY3JpYmVyX2lkIjoi?= =?us-ascii?Q?MWQxN2RjMjYtYzFkZi00NGUwLTgxMmEtODgzYjZ?= =?us-ascii?Q?hZDViNmJjIiwicG9zdF9pZCI6IjU0NDIyOGMwLW?= =?us-ascii?Q?JkZGUtNGViNy04MTI4LTQ0ODYzMTU5YjM5OCIsI?= =?us-ascii?Q?mxhc3RfcmVzb3VyY2VfZ3VpZCI6IlBvc3Q6NTQ0?= =?us-ascii?Q?MjI4YzAtYmRkZS00ZWI3LTgxMjgtNDQ4NjMxNTl?= =?us-ascii?Q?iMzk4In0=2EV0SnFcPeQqK-VRGNYxOMaBMykwONTy?= =?us-ascii?Q?dKiKBNPGW9I64=3E?= List-Unsubscribe-Post: List-Unsubscribe=One-Click sId: 3c5b97ff-00a9-4acc-916d-c137bca24b1d x-beehiiv-ids: =?us-ascii?Q?{=22account=5Fname=22=3A=22https=3A=2F=2Ffoundersedition=2Eco=2F=22=2C=22campaign=5Fid=22=3A=225?= =?us-ascii?Q?44228c0-bdde-4eb7-8128-44863159b398=22=2C=22c?= =?us-ascii?Q?ategory=22=3A=22newsletter=22=2C=22email=5Fgenerated=5F?= =?us-ascii?Q?at=22=3A1756486950=2C=22user=5Fid=22=3A=223c5b97ff-00a9?= =?us-ascii?Q?-4acc-916d-c137bca24b1d=22}?= x-beehiiv-type: newsletter x-list-id: 3c5b97ff-00a9-4acc-916d-c137bca24b1d x-list-owner: x-newsletter: https://foundersedition.co/p/the-holy-trinity-of-pipeline-management x-newsletter-id: https://foundersedition.co/ x-newsletter-signup: https://foundersedition.co/subscribe X-SG-EID: =?us-ascii?Q?u001=2E7ozyt+tmjDsHnEocxX8pymFA2v5OOh2V4Pdr6hGVjZo99sLHT4OeEg7as?= =?us-ascii?Q?oEFtQzIa0qAOkk1QezFA4qrCcff9558yNK8x6zQ?= =?us-ascii?Q?0aLhxDCyAuB9kgcSLas3IIKR+fvCUJBBetfH0mQ?= =?us-ascii?Q?slb1ukJt=2FaFNtRU+Phou3DmKhYytzCxpc9Hk7TR?= =?us-ascii?Q?+s5tz3iLVwwc3DMzFDAGjnlX9wDgVHgZeMQtdii?= =?us-ascii?Q?xRbHEWvfy8V2rBYKkT9sl=2FeTAG7Px6qalHFaW6q?= =?us-ascii?Q?c+mBWxH9a+djEcXIIVBzT3T08Jm5PdE6IcSzswd?= =?us-ascii?Q?pgs+jG58=3D?= X-SG-ID: =?us-ascii?Q?u001=2ESdBcvi+Evd=2FbQef8eZF3BpTL9BgbK5wfSJMJGMsmprD1ZcmFObA4po1bG?= =?us-ascii?Q?aUE6gycJ+LfRoc8X0Wm0MSorFVcoWHrIixZYD9z?= =?us-ascii?Q?w25Z143eglkAJWbQrLxndYtch6lhNuMZAjzTdhS?= =?us-ascii?Q?+p7WkO424Ipk13O34SdX8bx0Vq1+NisSaeD1CQa?= =?us-ascii?Q?0fCAqMj21N7eBVj5dd5GSx5iEQ5XPFu8W4fHNeN?= =?us-ascii?Q?win4mYzjVDwfVr0MkAGFtEO9GswrKYsXy9O=2FrOS?= =?us-ascii?Q?Q5=2FUb+8sFTsFu5eiPkYG9bmz16HGEtVN6sDyoEh?= =?us-ascii?Q?EIDwZHa8A4AQLG+IFVosuwmPl3rNEQSk59Z7ebe?= =?us-ascii?Q?mbIbYeY3HodcQVEG+hXM7MuxTGosJfb4R7gwia8?= =?us-ascii?Q?zLht4bW14JeIRwg?= To: "andrew@sterlingcal.com" X-Entity-ID: u001.RuZ2+X9IBGtjUb8qq3teHQ== X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.6 X-Spam-Score: -5 X-Spam-Bar: / X-Spam-Flag: NO --c8b4dd71e212f813a14392e18b3a1a98b8394d3b571be44ac3b1dc55a95c Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Mime-Version: 1.0 Hello Andrew,=20 _**Book update**__: we=E2=80=99re at 157 pre-orders with 2 months to go! Ho= ly moly, I never thought I=E2=80=99d break 50 and now suddenly 500 seems do= able if we really push. Thank you to everyone who has ordered the book alre= ady, I am so excited for you to read it. Also, check out what showed up thi= s week!!! _ **_Founder Sales Guide_**_ _**_update_**_: the latest iteration is ready an= d I=E2=80=99ve added it to the pre-sale benefits google doc. If you haven= =E2=80=99t ordered your copy yet, you can do that on _[_Amazon_](https://ww= w.amazon.com/Terrifying-Art-Finding-Customers-Sleep-Deprived/dp/1774586134)= _, _[_Barnes and Noble_](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-terrifying-ar= t-of-finding-customers-collin-stewart/1146718244)_ or _[_Indigo_](https://w= ww.indigo.ca/en-ca/the-terrifying-art-of-finding-customers-a-sleep-deprived= -founders-guide-to-revenue/9781774586136.html)_ (for my Canadian readers). = For the first time, you can now pre-order the Kindle edition. The audiobook= is up for pre-order on B&N but not Amazon yet. _ View image: (https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=3Dscale-down,forma= t=3Dauto,onerror=3Dredirect,quality=3D80/uploads/asset/file/14fc0de5-d221-4= 21e-9c46-8fcc98e5816d/image.png?t=3D1756479842) Caption:=20 Now to our regularly scheduled programming. Fair warning, this one=E2=80=99= s a bit longer than usual. It=E2=80=99s a meaty topic and I didn=E2=80=99t = want to split it up when the three pieces all belong together.=20 Your pipeline isn=E2=80=99t built on evidence=E2=80=94it=E2=80=99s built on= hope. You=E2=80=99re losing sight of what actually needs attention today b= ecause your Next Actions (if you even write them down) look like =E2=80=9Cf= ollow up.=E2=80=9D Deals that are in very different places all sit in the s= ame stage, what =E2=80=9CQualify=E2=80=9D means depends on the day. And you= =E2=80=99re almost certainly skipping steps or missing information without = realizing it=E2=80=94because none of it is being tracked. No, I didn=E2=80=99t hack your CRM. This is just how most founders run thei= r pipeline. Here=E2=80=99s the reality: not every deal is winnable. The real skill is f= iguring out which ones are worth your time. Most founders don=E2=80=99t dig deep enough to make that call. They ask a f= ew surface-level questions, then rush to the demo. The problem is, when you= skip real discovery, every deal looks like a perfect fit=E2=80=94until it = disappears. That=E2=80=99s why sales starts to feel like a black box, and f= orecasting feels like guesswork dressed up as science. The truth is, you don=E2=80=99t need a bigger pipeline=E2=80=94you need a b= etter system. A system that tells you: * Where each deal really stands in the buyer=E2=80=99s journey * What specific action you need to take next, and when * How much you actually know about the opportunity versus what you=E2=80=99= re assuming That=E2=80=99s what this post is about: the three elements that transform y= our pipeline from hope and hunches into a system you can trust. ## The Holy Trinity of Pipeline Management To make your pipeline reliable, you need three elements working together. E= ach solves a different problem, but the real magic comes when you use all t= hree consistently. Think of them like the three legs of a stool. Take one away, and the whole = thing wobbles. Most founders manage to put one or two in place, but they mi= ss the compounding effect that only shows up when all three work in unison. Here they are: * **Customer Verifiable Outcomes (CVOs)** =E2=80=94 pipeline stages based o= n _customer actions_, not your feelings. They answer: _=E2=80=9CWhere is th= is deal really in the buyer=E2=80=99s journey?=E2=80=9D_ * **Next Actions + Next Action Dates** =E2=80=94 a verb-led task you contro= l, paired with a specific date. They answer: _=E2=80=9CWhat exact step will= move this deal forward, and when will I do it?=E2=80=9D_ * **MEDDPICC Qualification Scoring** =E2=80=94 a structured 0=E2=80=932 sco= ring system across eight criteria. It answers: _=E2=80=9CHow much do I actu= ally know about this deal?=E2=80=9D_ and exposes gaps that can quietly kill= it later. Here=E2=80=99s why each element matters=E2=80=94and how they reinforce each= other when you put them into practice. ### 1. Customer Verifiable Outcomes (Pipeline Stages) Most founders define pipeline stages based on what _they_ did=E2=80=94sent = a proposal, had a call, got a =E2=80=9Cverbal yes.=E2=80=9D The problem is,= none of that proves where the buyer actually is in their process. Customer= Verifiable Outcomes (CVOs) fix this by tying stages to actions the **custo= mer** has taken, not your interpretation of their interest. That way, your = pipeline becomes a record of real commitment, not wishful thinking. **Bad stages (your assumptions):** * Interested * Proposal Sent * Verbal Commitment * 90% Likely **Good stages (customer actions):** * Qualified: Prospect attended first call and agreed to next step * Discovery: Key stakeholders attended discovery call * Solution Review: Prospect confirmed =E2=80=9Cdo nothing=E2=80=9D is off t= he table * Solution Validation: Prospect confirmed your solution meets their criteri= a When a deal moves to =E2=80=9CSolution Review,=E2=80=9D you know it=E2=80= =99s real=E2=80=94not because you feel confident, but because the customer = explicitly said they=E2=80=99re committed. ### 2. Next Actions + Next Action Dates A messy pipeline isn=E2=80=99t usually the result of too few opportunities= =E2=80=94it=E2=80=99s the result of too many vague =E2=80=9Cfollow-ups=E2= =80=9D that go nowhere. Next Actions fix this by forcing you to write down = a **specific, verb-led task you control**, along with the date you=E2=80=99= ll do it. This turns your pipeline into a daily to-do list that actually dr= ives deals forward instead of leaving you staring blankly at your CRM. **Bad Next Actions (vague):** * Follow up * Send proposal * Check in next week **Good Next Actions (specific):** * Booked technical demo with John and Sarah for next Tuesday * Send ROI calculation showing 15% cost savings by Friday=C2=A0 * Booked follow up call for next Tuesday The key is to set your Next Action right after every interaction, while the= context is fresh. Do it before you close your laptop, and you=E2=80=99ll n= ever have to reload the entire deal from memory again. ### 3. MEDDPICC Qualification Scoring Founders get lost in their pipeline when they assume a deal is solid withou= t knowing enough about it. MEDDPICC scoring fixes this by giving you a simp= le 0=E2=80=932 framework for how much information you=E2=80=99ve actually g= athered. It=E2=80=99s not about predicting the odds of closing=E2=80=94it= =E2=80=99s about showing you exactly where your gaps are, so you know what = to ask next. Here=E2=80=99s what MEDDPICC covers: * **Metric** =E2=80=94 What is the measurable business impact your solution= delivers? * **Economic Buyer** =E2=80=94 Who controls the budget and can sign off? * **Decision Criteria** =E2=80=94 What factors will they use to decide? * **Decision Process** =E2=80=94 How will the decision be made, step by ste= p? * **Paper Process** =E2=80=94 What procurement/legal steps are required to = finalize? * **Identified Pain** =E2=80=94 What critical problem must be solved? * **Champion** =E2=80=94 Who inside the account is selling on your behalf? * **Competition** =E2=80=94 Who else are they evaluating (including =E2=80= =9Cdo nothing=E2=80=9D)? **Scoring system:** * 0 =3D No information gathered * 1 =3D Partial knowledge, gaps remain * 2 =3D Complete understanding with actionable insights A 14/16 score doesn=E2=80=99t mean an 88% chance of winning=E2=80=94it mean= s you=E2=80=99ve collected 88% of the information you need to manage the de= al well. High scores =3D trustworthy forecasts. Low scores =3D you=E2=80=99= re guessing. ### Where to Start The temptation is to overhaul everything at once=E2=80=94but that almost al= ways leads to inconsistency. Sales systems only work if you can execute the= m every time. The smarter approach is to pick one element, implement it completely, and b= uild momentum before layering on the others. That way, the process sticks. Here=E2=80=99s where to start, depending on your biggest pain point: * Start with **Next Actions** if your biggest issue is daily chaos about wh= at to do next. * Start with **Customer Verifiable Outcomes** if your forecasts are constan= tly off. * Start with **MEDDPICC** if you keep losing deals you thought were =E2=80= =9Csure things.=E2=80=9D Simple processes followed consistently beat complex systems applied sporadi= cally. ### The Complete System The Holy Trinity builds the foundation, but it=E2=80=99s only one piece of = running a predictable sales machine. On their own, CVOs, Next Actions, and = MEDDPICC give you pipeline discipline=E2=80=94but they don=E2=80=99t cover = how to run conversations, manage different funnels, or keep yourself consis= tent day to day. That=E2=80=99s where the **complete methodology** comes in. It ties everyth= ing together: * The **Selling V conversational framework** to guide discovery and demos * The **Four Funnels system** to manage different opportunity types separat= ely * **Advanced qualification techniques** to sharpen deal evaluation * **Systematic prospecting approaches** to keep the top of the funnel full * **Daily productivity systems** to make sure nothing slips through the cra= cks Individually, each piece helps. Together, they create a repeatable system f= or founder-led sales success. I=E2=80=99ve documented everything in the **Founder Sales Guide**=E2=80=94b= ut it=E2=80=99s only available to founders who=E2=80=99ve pre-ordered the m= ain book. Why? Because I=E2=80=99m greedy and I want you to pre-order the b= ook =F0=9F=98=9B. Here=E2=80=99s [that link](https://www.amazon.com/Terrify= ing-Art-Finding-Customers-Sleep-Deprived/dp/1774586134) again. =C2=A0 If you want the complete guide=E2=80=94including CRM templates, qualificati= on frameworks, conversational scripts, and daily management systems=E2=80= =94send me your pre-order receipt.=C2=A0 ### The Bottom Line Most pipeline problems aren=E2=80=99t pipeline problems=E2=80=94they=E2=80= =99re **systems problems**. Deals are managed on hope instead of evidence, = follow-ups are vague instead of specific, and stages are based on feelings = instead of customer actions. That=E2=80=99s why forecasts collapse, deals s= lip, and sales feels unpredictable. The Holy Trinity fixes this. Customer Verifiable Outcomes give you evidence= -based stages, Next Actions keep momentum moving, and MEDDPICC exposes the = gaps that derail deals. Together, they create objective criteria for every = part of deal management. When you know exactly where each opportunity stands, what needs to happen n= ext, and how much information you actually have, sales stops being guesswor= k and starts being execution. Stop managing your pipeline like a wish list. Your deals deserve better tha= n hope and prayers. Collin PS - I=E2=80=99ll be in SF next month and am considering hosting a small me= etup (possibly bring some books to share), hit me back with SF if you=E2=80= =99re interested. I=E2=80=99m in town for the Clay conference so the meetup= will likely be on the 18th.=20 =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94 You are reading a plain text version of this post. For the best experience,= copy and paste this link in your browser to view the post online: https://foundersedition.co/p/the-holy-trinity-of-pipeline-management --c8b4dd71e212f813a14392e18b3a1a98b8394d3b571be44ac3b1dc55a95c Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Mime-Version: 1.0 The Holy Trinity of Pipeline Management
<= td align=3D"center" valign=3D"top" style=3D"border-width:0px 0px 0px 0px;bo= rder-style: solid; border-color: #FFFFFF;border-radius:10px 10px 0px 0px;ba= ckground-color:#FFFFFF;" class=3D"c">

August = 29, 2025   |   Read Online

The Holy Trinity of Pipeline Management

<= /td>
3D"share
 
<= img style=3D"display:block; width:100%; height:100%; max-width:18px; max-he= ight:18px; object-fit: contain;" alt=3D"share on twitter" width=3D"18" heig= ht=3D"18" border=3D"0" src=3D"https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit= =3Dscale-down,format=3Dauto,onerror=3Dredirect,quality=3D80/static_assets/h= eader/x.png"/>
 
3D"share
 
3D"share
=
3D""
<= tr>

2. Next Actions + Next A= ction Dates

<= tr>= <= /tr><= /table>

= Hello Andrew,

Book update: we=E2=80=99re at 157 pre-orders with 2 mon= ths to go! Holy moly, I never thought I=E2=80=99d break 50 and now suddenly= 500 seems doable if we really push. Thank you to everyone who has ordered = the book already, I am so excited for you to read it. Also, check out what = showed up this week!!!

Founder Sales Guide=C2=A0= update: the latest= iteration is ready and I=E2=80=99ve added it to the pre-sale benefits goog= le doc. If you haven=E2=80=99t ordered your copy yet, you can do that on Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Indigo (for my Canadian readers). For the first time, you can n= ow pre-order the Kindle edition. The audiobook is up for pre-order on B&N b= ut not Amazon yet.

3D""

Now to our regularly scheduled programming. Fair warni= ng, this one=E2=80=99s a bit longer than usual. It=E2=80=99s a meaty topic = and I didn=E2=80=99t want to split it up when the three pieces all belong t= ogether.

Your pipeline= isn=E2=80=99t built on evidence=E2=80=94it=E2=80=99s built on hope. You=E2= =80=99re losing sight of what actually needs attention today because your N= ext Actions (if you even write them down) look like =E2=80=9Cfollow up.=E2= =80=9D Deals that are in very different places all sit in the same stage, w= hat =E2=80=9CQualify=E2=80=9D means depends on the day. And you=E2=80=99re = almost certainly skipping steps or missing information without realizing it= =E2=80=94because none of it is being tracked.

No, I didn=E2=80=99t hack your CRM. This is just how= most founders run their pipeline.

Here=E2=80=99s the reality: not every deal is winnable. The rea= l skill is figuring out which ones are worth your time.

Most founders don=E2=80=99t dig deep enoug= h to make that call. They ask a few surface-level questions, then rush to t= he demo. The problem is, when you skip real discovery, every deal looks lik= e a perfect fit=E2=80=94until it disappears. That=E2=80=99s why sales start= s to feel like a black box, and forecasting feels like guesswork dressed up= as science.

The truth= is, you don=E2=80=99t need a bigger pipeline=E2=80=94you need a better sys= tem. A system that tells you:

  • Where each de= al really stands in the buyer=E2=80=99s journey

  • Wh= at specific action you need to take next, and when

  • How much you actually know about the opportunity versus what you=E2=80=99r= e assuming

That=E2=80=99s what this post is about: the three elements that trans= form your pipeline from hope and hunches into a system you can trust.

= The Holy Trinity of Pipeline Management

To make your pipeline reliable, you need three elements = working together. Each solves a different problem, but the real magic comes= when you use all three consistently.

Think of them like the three legs of a stool. Take one away,= and the whole thing wobbles. Most founders manage to put one or two in pla= ce, but they miss the compounding effect that only shows up when all three = work in unison.

Here th= ey are:

  • <= span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);font-weight:700;">Customer Verifiabl= e Outcomes (CVOs) =E2=80= =94 pipeline stages based on = customer actions, not = your feelings. They answer: <= i>=E2=80=9CWhere is this deal really in the buyer=E2=80=99s journey?=E2=80= =9D

  • Next Actions + Next Act= ion Dates =E2=80=94 a ver= b-led task you control, paired with a specific date. They answer: =E2=80=9CWhat exact step will move = this deal forward, and when will I do it?=E2=80=9D

  • MEDDPICC Qualification Scoring =E2=80=94 a structured 0=E2=80=932 scoring sy= stem across eight criteria. It answers: =E2=80=9CHow much do I actually know about this deal?=E2=80= =9D and exposes gaps that= can quietly kill it later.

Here=E2=80=99s why each element matters=E2=80=94and ho= w they reinforce each other when you put them into practice.

1. Custom= er Verifiable Outcomes (Pipeline Stages)

Most founders define pipeline stages based on what they did=E2=80=94sent a proposal, had a call, got a =E2= =80=9Cverbal yes.=E2=80=9D The problem is, none of that proves where the bu= yer actually is in their process. Customer Verifiable Outcomes (CVOs) fix t= his by tying stages to actions the customer has taken, not your interpretation of their interest. That way, yo= ur pipeline becomes a record of real commitment, not wishful thinking.

Bad stag= es (your assumptions):

  • Interested<= /p>

  • Proposal Sent

  • Verbal Commitment<= /span>

  • 90% Likely

Good stages (customer actio= ns):

  • = Qualified: Prospect attended first c= all and agreed to next step

  • Discovery: Key stakeho= lders attended discovery call

  • =

    Solution Review: Pro= spect confirmed =E2=80=9Cdo nothing=E2=80=9D is off the table

  • Solution Validation: Prospect confirmed your solution meets the= ir criteria

When a deal moves to =E2=80=9CSolution Review,=E2=80=9D you know it= =E2=80=99s real=E2=80=94not because you feel confident, but because the cus= tomer explicitly said they=E2=80=99re committed.

A messy p= ipeline isn=E2=80=99t usually the result of too few opportunities=E2=80=94i= t=E2=80=99s the result of too many vague =E2=80=9Cfollow-ups=E2=80=9D that = go nowhere. Next Actions fix this by forcing you to write down a specific, verb-led t= ask you control, along wi= th the date you=E2=80=99ll do it. This turns your pipeline into a daily to-= do list that actually drives deals forward instead of leaving you staring b= lankly at your CRM.

Bad Next Actions (vague):

  • Follow up

  • Send proposal

  • Check in next week

Good Next Actions (specific):

  • Booked technical demo with John and Sarah for next Tue= sday

  • Send ROI calculation showing 15% cost savings= by Friday=C2=A0

  • Booked follow up call for next Tu= esday

T= he key is to set your Next Action right after every interaction, while the = context is fresh. Do it before you close your laptop, and you=E2=80=99ll ne= ver have to reload the entire deal from memory again.

3. MEDDPICC Qualifi= cation Scoring

Founder= s get lost in their pipeline when they assume a deal is solid without knowi= ng enough about it. MEDDPICC scoring fixes this by giving you a simple 0=E2= =80=932 framework for how much information you=E2=80=99ve actually gathered= . It=E2=80=99s not about predicting the odds of closing=E2=80=94it=E2=80=99= s about showing you exactly where your gaps are, so you know what to ask ne= xt.

Here=E2=80=99s what= MEDDPICC covers:

  • Metric =E2=80=94 What is the meas= urable business impact your solution delivers?

  • Economic Buyer =E2=80=94 Who controls the budget and can sign off?

    • Decision Criteria =E2=80=94 What factors will they use to decide?<= /p>

  • Decision Process =E2=80=94 How will the decision be made, step = by step?

  • Paper Process =E2=80=94 What procurement/legal = steps are required to finalize?

  • Identified Pain =E2=80= =94 What critical problem must be solved?

  • Champion =E2= =80=94 Who inside the account is selling on your behalf?

    • Competition =E2=80=94 Who else are they evaluating (including =E2=80=9Cdo = nothing=E2=80=9D)?

Scoring system:

  • 0 =3D No information gathered

  • 1 =3D Partial = knowledge, gaps remain

  • 2 =3D Complete understandin= g with actionable insights

A 14/16 score doesn=E2=80=99t mean an 88% chance of win= ning=E2=80=94it means you=E2=80=99ve collected 88% of the information you n= eed to manage the deal well. High scores =3D trustworthy forecasts. Low sco= res =3D you=E2=80=99re guessing.

Where to Start

The temptation is to overhaul everything at once=E2=80=94but that= almost always leads to inconsistency. Sales systems only work if you can e= xecute them every time.

The smarter approach is to pick one element, implement it completely, and = build momentum before layering on the others. That way, the process sticks.=

Here=E2=80=99s where t= o start, depending on your biggest pain point:

  • = Next Actions if your b= iggest issue is daily chaos about what to do next.

  • Start with <= b>Customer Verifiable Outcomes if your forecasts are constantly off.

  • Start = with MEDDP= ICC if you keep losing de= als you thought were =E2=80=9Csure things.=E2=80=9D

Simple processes followed cons= istently beat complex systems applied sporadically.

The Complete System

= The Holy Trinity builds the foundati= on, but it=E2=80=99s only one piece of running a predictable sales machine.= On their own, CVOs, Next Actions, and MEDDPICC give you pipeline disciplin= e=E2=80=94but they don=E2=80=99t cover how to run conversations, manage dif= ferent funnels, or keep yourself consistent day to day.

That=E2=80=99s where the complete methodology comes in. It ties everything to= gether:

  • <= span style=3D"color:rgb(44, 62, 80);">The Selling V conversational framework to guide discovery and demos

  • The Four Funnels system to manage different opportunity types separately

    • <= li class=3D"listItem ultext">

    Advanced qualification techniques to sharpen deal evaluation

    <= /li>

  • Systematic prospecting approaches to keep the top of the funnel ful= l

  • Daily productivity systems to make sure nothing slips= through the cracks

Individually, each piece helps. Together, they create a repeat= able system for founder-led sales success.

I=E2=80=99ve documented everything in the Founder Sales Guide= =E2=80=94but it=E2=80=99s onl= y available to founders who=E2=80=99ve pre-ordered the main book. Why? Beca= use I=E2=80=99m greedy and I want you to pre-order the book =F0=9F= =98=9B. Here=E2=80=99s that link<= /a> again. =C2=A0

<= /td>

If you want the complete guide=E2= =80=94including CRM templates, qualification frameworks, conversational scr= ipts, and daily management systems=E2=80=94send me your pre-order receipt.= =C2=A0

The Bott= om Line

Most pipeline = problems aren=E2=80=99t pipeline problems=E2=80=94they=E2=80=99re systems problems. Deals are managed on hope = instead of evidence, follow-ups are vague instead of specific, and stages a= re based on feelings instead of customer actions. That=E2=80=99s why foreca= sts collapse, deals slip, and sales feels unpredictable.

The Holy Trinity fixes this. Customer Ver= ifiable Outcomes give you evidence-based stages, Next Actions keep momentum= moving, and MEDDPICC exposes the gaps that derail deals. Together, they cr= eate objective criteria for every part of deal management.

When you know exactly where each opport= unity stands, what needs to happen next, and how much information you actua= lly have, sales stops being guesswork and starts being execution.

Stop managing your pipeline like= a wish list. Your deals deserve better than hope and prayers.

Collin

PS - I=E2=80=99ll be in SF next month and am consid= ering hosting a small meetup (possibly bring some books to share), hit me b= ack with SF if you=E2=80=99re interested. I=E2=80=99m in town for the Clay = conference so the meetup will likely be on the 18th.

=
=
3D"yt"3D"in"
 
<= tr>

Update your email preferences= or unsubscribe here

© 2025 Predictable= Revenue: Founders Edition

#304 210 Carrall Street
Vancouver, BC= V6B 2J1, Canada

3D"beehiivPowered by beehiiv
Terms of Service
--c8b4dd71e212f813a14392e18b3a1a98b8394d3b571be44ac3b1dc55a95c--