Our Approach
The 18 capabilities every B2B sales team needs.
We map every job from choosing target accounts to signing the deal, so your team knows what good looks like and where to improve first.
Every capability is built from the same parts.
That's how we can define, teach, and measure each one the same way across your whole team.
01
Job to be done.
The practical goal your team is trying to achieve.
02
Skills.
What a person needs to know and do to achieve it.
03
Proof of skill.
What your people show on real deals to prove it.
Sales Development
Sales Development turns target accounts into qualified opportunities.
These nine capabilities cover every job from choosing accounts to handing a qualified opportunity to sales.
01
Account targeting
Job to be done
Identify and prioritise the accounts most likely to be a good fit for what you sell.
Skills
- ICP Development
- Market Segmentation
- Account Prioritisation
Proof of skill
Your reps can pick and rank target accounts against your ideal customer profile, and explain why each one fits.
02
Buyer research
Job to be done
Find the right buyers in your target accounts and gather the intelligence you need for effective outreach.
Skills
- Contact Sourcing
- Buying-Signal Analysis
- Data Enrichment & Verification
Proof of skill
Your reps find the right buyers in each account, verify their details, and know enough to make outreach relevant.
03
Outreach setup
Job to be done
Set up the tools, data and workflows your team needs to run outbound outreach.
Skills
- Sales Engagement Software Setup
- Email Deliverability
- Sequence Configuration
Proof of skill
Your reps prepare a clean list, set up a sequence correctly, and test it before anything goes out.
04
Outreach strategy
Job to be done
Decide how to engage your target buyers and start relevant sales conversations.
Skills
- Messaging & Value Propositions
- Channel Selection
- Sequence & Cadence Design
Proof of skill
Your reps can plan who to contact, on which channels, with what message, and when to follow up.
05
Outreach execution
Job to be done
Run personalised multichannel outreach and follow-ups to start conversations with your target buyers.
Skills
- Cold Emailing
- Cold Calling
- Social Selling
Proof of skill
Your reps run outreach on time and on message, log every touch, and know when to stop.
06
Response management
Job to be done
Turn prospect replies into productive conversations and agreed next steps.
Skills
- Reply Classification
- Objection Handling
- Meeting Booking
Proof of skill
Your reps read each reply, handle concerns, and turn interest into a booked conversation.
07
Qualification
Job to be done
Decide whether an engaged prospect is an opportunity worth passing to Sales.
Skills
- Lead Qualification
- Needs Identification
- Disqualification Judgement
Proof of skill
Your reps decide who to progress, nurture, or let go, using agreed criteria and clear evidence.
08
Sales handoff
Job to be done
Pass qualified opportunities to Sales with the context needed to move the buyer relationship forward.
Skills
- Opportunity Documentation
- CRM Hygiene
- Handoff Communication
Proof of skill
Your reps hand over each opportunity with enough context that the account executive never repeats discovery.
09
Prospecting optimisation
Job to be done
Use your prospecting data to find weak spots, improve execution and generate more qualified opportunities.
Skills
- Funnel Analysis
- Conversion Analysis
- Experimentation
Proof of skill
Your reps read their own numbers, find the bottleneck, and test a fix.
Sales Closing
Sales Closing turns qualified opportunities into won deals.
These nine capabilities cover every job from planning the deal to handing a new customer to customer success and account management.
01
Deal planning
Job to be done
Build and manage a clear plan to move each accepted opportunity towards a buying decision.
Skills
- Deal Strategy
- Mutual Action Planning
- Risk Identification
Proof of skill
Your reps keep a plan for every deal, with milestones, risks, and next steps the buyer has agreed to.
02
Discovery
Job to be done
Understand the buyer's situation, challenges, desired outcomes and motivations, and whether you can help.
Skills
- Discovery Questioning
- Problem Diagnosis
- Impact Identification
Proof of skill
Your reps uncover the buyer's situation, challenge, desired outcome, and reason to act, and confirm it with them.
03
Buying committee engagement
Job to be done
Identify, engage and align the people who evaluate, influence, fund and approve the purchase.
Skills
- Stakeholder Mapping
- Multithreading
- Champion Development
Proof of skill
Your reps map who is involved in the decision, build those relationships, and show a clear path to agreement.
04
Value selling
Job to be done
Help buyers see the relevance, business value and difference of what you offer.
Skills
- Value Articulation
- Competitive Differentiation
- Objection Handling
Proof of skill
Your reps connect your offer to outcomes the buyer has confirmed, and back up what makes you different.
05
Business case development
Job to be done
Help the buyer build and justify the business and financial case for the investment.
Skills
- Impact Quantification
- ROI & TCO Analysis
- Cost-of-Inaction Assessment
Proof of skill
Your reps help the buyer build a credible case for the investment, with clear costs, benefits, and assumptions.
06
Proposing solutions
Job to be done
Develop, present and validate a solution and commercial proposal that fits the buyer's requirements.
Skills
- Solution Scoping
- Demonstrations
- Proposal Writing
Proof of skill
Your reps present the right solution, show how it meets the buyer's needs, and write a sound proposal.
07
Negotiation
Job to be done
Resolve differences in commercial expectations and agree terms that work for both sides.
Skills
- Negotiation Planning
- Concession Management
- Trade-Off Analysis
Proof of skill
Your reps trade concessions wisely and reach terms both sides accept, within the limits you set.
08
Closing
Job to be done
Guide the buyer through final approvals and purchasing steps to secure a signed commitment.
Skills
- Procurement Navigation
- Contract Coordination
- Handoff Preparation
Proof of skill
Your reps steer approvals, procurement, and contracts to a signed deal and a clean handover.
09
Pipeline management
Job to be done
Manage and prioritise your deals with data to keep your pipeline healthy and revenue predictable.
Skills
- Pipeline Analysis
- Deal Inspection
- Sales Forecasting
Proof of skill
Your reps keep an accurate pipeline, spot stalled deals early, and forecast from real buyer commitments.
Here's how we turn each capability into results.
A capability only pays off when your team uses it every day, so we build each one into how your team works.
Processes.
We turn each capability into a clear, repeatable workflow your team can follow.
Tools.
We build your CRM, data, AI, and sales software into each workflow.
Enablement.
We create playbooks and AI Skills for each workflow, so your team can run it without us.
Metrics.
We track volume, conversion, and velocity, so you can see each capability moving your goals.
Questions you might have before working with us.
What capabilities does a B2B sales team need?
A B2B sales team needs 18 capabilities across two connected parts. Sales Development covers nine, from account targeting to prospecting optimisation, and generates qualified opportunities. Sales Closing covers nine more, from deal planning to pipeline management, and turns those opportunities into won deals.
What is a sales capability?
A sales capability is a job your team must be able to do well, again and again, such as discovery or qualification. Each one has a job to be done, the skills it takes, and the proof that someone can do it.
How do you measure sales capability?
We measure it by what your people can do on real accounts and deals, judged against an agreed standard. We also track volume, conversion, and velocity, so you can see the effect on your pipeline and revenue.
What sales metrics should a B2B team track?
Track volume, conversion, and velocity at every stage. Volume shows how much work your team does, conversion shows how much of it moves forward, and velocity shows how fast deals progress.
How do you turn capabilities into results?
We turn each capability into a repeatable process, build your tools into it, and create playbooks and AI Skills your team can follow. Then we track the numbers that show it is working and improve it with your team.
Does this work outside software companies?
Yes, the capabilities apply to any B2B business with a sales team, including hardware, IT services, accounting, and professional services. We adapt each one to your buyers, offer, and sales cycle.
Where do AI, data, and software fit in?
AI, data, and software support every capability rather than standing alone. We build them into the workflows your team already uses, so they save time and improve decisions on real deals.
How does the Sales Capability Diagnostic use the 18 capabilities?
The Diagnostic assesses your team against each of the 18 capabilities. It shows you what's working, where the gaps are, and which capabilities to improve first.
Can you train our team on these capabilities?
Yes. Sales Development Mastery covers the nine Sales Development capabilities, Sales Closing Mastery covers the nine Sales Closing capabilities, and Sales Management Mastery helps your managers coach both.
Build a sales operation your team can run and keep improving.
Let's talk about where your pipeline or deals are getting stuck and what your people need to find and win more business.