Issue #6: How to turn your pipeline into a battering ram that smashes your quota to tiny bits in less than 7 weeks

Ever closed $26,000,000 worth of business in 44 days?

I have. You can too.

(Well maybe not $26MM but more than you ever have)

As always, here’s my promise.

By the end, you’ll have the exact playbook I used to close more business in less than 7 weeks than most people close in a lifetime.

Let’s start with how people screw this up.

I’ve coached hundreds of salespeople, VPs, and founders.

I see two fatal mistakes that cost people commission, deals, and jobs:

1. Working too many deals at once.

2. Working deals that they shouldn’t be working.

Let’s start with numero uno. Working too many deals at once.

And before the barely-making-quota salespeople in the back stand up and yell “but.. but…Chris.. All my deals are important.”

Sit down.

Know this. Not all deals are created equal. Not all deals are important. You know what happens when you treat deals the same? No deals get treated differently. With the priority they deserve.

Imagine treating every man or woman the same regardless of gender. Treating your wife the same as you would a female friend.

If you think that’s crazy, you're 100% correct.

Fatal mistake #1. Done. You’ve been warned.

If somehow the first doesn’t get ya — this one will sink ya faster than a cinder block tied to your ankle by Jimmy Hoffa.

Onto #2. Working deals you shouldn’t be working.

FOMO. Scarcity mindset. Or whatever you want to call it. Salespeople are genuinely afraid of letting go of deals in their pipeline.

They think that if they mark it closed-lost, they’ll have a scarlet L branded to their forehead for loser. And never have a chance again.

Move on.

The guy or gal that broke your heart in high school (yes, we all have them, except you lucky high-school-sweetheart-rom-com-real-lifers), you stopped chasing.

You let go. You hit the gym, worked hard to make them jealous. Set your AIM away message as a cryptic lyric. Then you moved on.

Found someone else. Someone who didn’t break your heart.

Who picked you.

If you hadn't stopped working that “high school deal”, you wouldn't have found the love of your life.

If you’re still reading, you’re going to be a top 1%’er.

All You Need To Do To Crush Your Quota

My second promise in this newsletter.

I’ll give you 6 questions to ask about every deal.

The better the answer, the better you’ll feel about your pipeline. And believe it or not, the higher chance you have of closing.

One caveat: The answers to the questions should be non-fiction, straight from your prospect's mouth. Don’t lie and make them up.

Leave blank if you can’t answer.

Pick up your phone.

Call your prospect and find the answer.

Without further ado.

Question #1

This is the most important question. It drives 99% of the deal. This is the qualifying event. No one is getting on the phone with you because they like you. They might be getting on the phone with you to look busy in front of their boss.

Question #2

Make this easy. 4 columns: Date, Result, Next Date, Desired Result.

Question #3

This is the implementation of your solution. The proof is in the pudding.

More importantly, this is future paces them to envision a world with less pain with you.

Question #4

Differentiate. Build a business case and value prop.

Do you know your why?

Question #5

Consultants call this a Pre-Mortem. They list all possible reasons for failure and then figure out a Plan B.

You’re doing the same. You know why you lose. Write it down. Then go make sure it won’t happen.

Question #6

This puts you on your heels. Plays with your mindset of “how real is this deal”.

That's the playbook.

I did this every Sunday for 7 weeks.

7 weeks later, I had contracted $26mm of my pipeline.

Weekly Challenge

This week it’s about turning your pipeline into contracted revenue.

You’re sitting on a gold mine & shit at the exact same time.

This will help us differentiate the two.

Onto the checklist:

1. Create a Google Doc for each deal.

2. Copy & Paste these questions into it.

3. Answer each question on Sunday night.

4. Based on your answers, write down exactly one question you need to ask each prospect.

5. Only ask that one question.

6. Schedule a meeting with your prospect and make your only objective getting an answer to that question.

7. On Friday, re-do your doc.

Closing Thoughts

This newsletter is for you.

My only purpose is to teach you everything I know about selling.

If the newsletter isn’t enough and you want to have the best quarter of your career.

Close more deals than you’ve ever closed.

I offer 1:1 coaching to sales executives, founders, and entrepreneurs ready to become top 1% in the world at selling.

I’ll show you my exact system that helped me go from average salesperson to top 1% and 7-figure earner.

You’ll learn how to get exactly what you want out of life.

Reply with “Coaching” and I’ll tell you how it works.

Until next week.

-Chris