The Sales Edge Formula
Conversation Compass Example: What Every Sales Playbook Is Missing
A sales playbook gives you a process. It rarely gives you the words. The example below is the part nearly every playbook leaves out, the exact things to say across a real sale, built on The Sales Edge Formula and tailored to how you sell. Your Conversation Compass generates in minutes, around what you sell, who you sell to, and how you sell. This is the structure. Yours comes ready to use.
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Learn more about what a custom sales playbook includes.
What This Example Shows
Plenty of sales playbook examples online are PDFs full of screenshots from corporate enablement decks. They walk you through a process that worked for someone else, at a different company, selling a different product. Useful background, maybe. But a process never tells you what to say when the buyer stops responding, pushes back on price, or says they want to think about it. That moment is where the sale is won or lost, and it is the part nearly every playbook leaves out.
This is that missing part. The example below is a real DPO100 Conversation Compass, the words for the conversations you actually have, mapped stage by stage from the first hook to the close. The sample is built around a fictional persona named Alex, a SaaS account executive. Yours is generated around your Sales Edge, your product, your buyers, and your real situations, so the lines sound like you and fit the exact sale you are in.
No generic playbook is tailored this tightly. None of them run on The Sales Edge Formula. And none of them hand you a Conversation Compass. That is the difference between reading someone else's process and knowing exactly what to say next in your own. Same formula. Your words. Built around you.
This is an abridged example. The preview below is a short visual demonstration of the structure, not a full Conversation Compass. Your actual custom conversation plan is 30+ pages, with every section fully written and personalized to your Sales Edge, your prospects, and your real situations.
Your Conversation Compass Example
Advisor Compass
Skip one page and you'll never know what you missed. Every time you come back to this, you'll find something you weren't ready to hear before.
Your Sales Scenario
How You Need to See This
The trap is leading with features. When a Head of Operations hears the words software
platform, they picture a cost line and a painful rollout, and they brace before you
finish the sentence. Your job is to change what they
Sample text to blur
What You'll Hear from Them
- We're just evaluating options for now.
- The budget's already allocated for the next two quarters.
- We had a bad experience with a logistics platform last year.
- I don't have the internal bandwidth for a big change right now.
Do This Today
- On your next call, say: "That makes sense. Most teams start by comparing how things run today with how they want them to run." It moves them from uncertainty to clarity.
- When they mention a past rollout, say: "I hear you. The goal is a switch your team barely notices." It moves them from fear of disruption to ease.
- Before any demo, ask: "What's the one win you need to show leadership in the next 90 days?" It moves the talk from features to impact.
Overview
People assume Advisors move too slowly and get lost in the details. In this sale,
that depth is exactly what wins. A Head of Operations buying a high-ticket platform is
Sample text to blur
Your Strengths
- You ask the third question nobody else asks, and buyers lean in because they finally feel understood.
- You lay out the rollout plan step by step, which turns overwhelm into a clear picture of how this works.
- You show how the platform fits their budget, team, and systems, so saying yes feels safe.
Blind Spots
- You can offer too many options, and a buyer who sees complexity starts to lose trust.
- You can keep explaining after they've signaled they're ready, and the extra talk reads as doubt.
PCP:
PCP stands for Perception, Context, and Permission. It is the order every good sales conversation
follows, whether the seller knows it or not. Perception is how the buyer sees you,
your offer, and their own situation. Your first job is to move from just another
vendor to someone who gets
Sample text to blur
Why This Framework Works
Buyers decide with feeling first and explain it with logic later. PCP works with that
instead of against it. When
A simple, annotated conversation showing PCP steps in action.
ALEX
I know your time is short, so I'll be quick. It sounds like peak season put real pressure on your team last year. Is that fair?
Perception: moving from interruption to someone who respects their time.
PROSPECT
That's fair. The fourth quarter surge is always rough. We're trying to keep up without burning everyone out.
The buyer names the pain and opens the door a little.
ALEX
Keeping up without burning people out. That sounds exhausting. What's the biggest difference between how it runs now and how you want it to run?
RAQ in action. Context: starting to map the gap.
PROSPECT
Right now we hire about 30 temp workers just to get orders out the door. It's expensive and we never know if it will hold.
The real cost appears: expensive and unpredictable.
This page shows how they see you, what's really happening in their world, and what you must earn before you can lead them forward.
What They'll Tell You They Want
- • Lowering final mile delivery costs
- • Moving more orders through the warehouse without adding staff
- • Ending the need for seasonal temp labor
What They're Actually Feeling
- • Fear of a system failure in the middle of peak season
- • Frustration with labor costs and constant turnover
- • Worry about owning a rollout that goes wrong
Your goal in the first minute is to sound like someone who already understands their world, not someone reading a script.
Say It Like This
I noticed you're working on lowering fulfillment costs before the fourth quarter. What's driving that right now?
Say it slowly and stop talking after the question.
A lot of operations leaders I talk to are stuck between growing volume and protecting their team. Is that where you are too?
Keep your tone curious, like you're checking, not pitching.
Why This Actually Works on Real Buyers
- • Naming a specific problem breaks the pattern of a generic sales call.
- • A curious question makes people want to fill in the answer.
Mistakes That Kill the Conversation
- • Opening with how great your platform is before you know anything about them.
- • Using language that could apply to any company in any industry.
Signs You Just Won This Stage
- ✓ They talk for more than a few sentences about their problem.
- ✓ They ask how this would work for their team.
Show them you heard what they said and what it means to them. Then gently point out where the way things run today doesn't match who they want to be.
RAQ Technique Explained:
THE RAQ TECHNIQUE. RAQ stands for Repeat, Assign Emotion, Question. Repeat a key word the buyer just said. Name the feeling behind it. Then ask a short, curious question. Example: "Budget's tight. Sounds like you're balancing a lot of priorities. What matters most to you here?" It works because the buyer feels heard, and people who feel heard keep talking.
Say It Like This
Weighing a few vendors makes sense. You want to get this right. What's the biggest thing that will decide it for you?
Repeat their words first, then slow down for the question.
No room for mistakes. You're protecting the business. Which part of the current setup feels most risky right now?
Lower your voice slightly on the word risky.
Why This Actually Works on Real Buyers
- • When people hear their own words back, they feel understood and relax.
- • Seeing a gap between who they are and what they're doing makes people want to close it.
Mistakes That Kill the Conversation
- • Pointing out the gap before they feel understood, which feels like an attack.
- • Moving on too fast instead of letting them finish their thought.
Signs You Just Won This Stage
- ✓ They share a deeper problem you didn't ask about.
- ✓ They say something like, "Honestly, that's a good point."
Help them see what the current situation is really costing them. Keep it about a recent, real example so it lands.
Say It Like This
You mentioned the temp labor budget came in higher than planned last year. What did that do to the rest of your plan?
Ask it calmly and wait for the full answer.
If the system slowed down halfway through peak season, what would that cost you in a single day?
Pause after the question. Let them do the math.
Why This Actually Works on Real Buyers
- • People work harder to stop a loss than to chase a gain.
- • Once they say the cost out loud, they start looking for ways to fix it.
Mistakes That Kill the Conversation
- • Jumping to your solution before the cost has sunk in.
- • Accepting a surface answer instead of asking what it really means for them.
Signs You Just Won This Stage
- ✓ They use words like painful, frustrating, or embarrassing.
- ✓ They ask how long it would take to fix.
Help them picture life after the problem is gone. Make it specific enough to feel real.
Say It Like This
Picture next peak season with the same order volume and none of the temp hires. What would your team do with that time?
Slow down and let them imagine it.
Imagine walking into your next leadership meeting with labor costs down and every order on time. How would that feel?
Smile as you say it. You're describing a good day.
Why This Actually Works on Real Buyers
- • When people picture a future clearly, it starts to feel within reach.
- • Specific details make a promise believable.
Mistakes That Kill the Conversation
- • Describing the future so vaguely that it feels like marketing.
- • Talking about what your company does instead of what they get.
Signs You Just Won This Stage
- ✓ They ask how fast setup would take.
- ✓ They say something like, "That would change everything."
Remove the doubt. Show proof from companies like theirs that answers the exact worry they raised.
Say It Like This
One retailer about your size went through last peak season without adding temp staff. I can show you how they set it up.
Say it plainly. Proof doesn't need hype.
Most teams like yours are fully live in about four weeks, and a launch manager stays with you the whole way.
Keep a steady pace so it sounds routine, because it is.
Why This Actually Works on Real Buyers
- • Results from similar companies make the risk feel smaller.
- • Specific numbers feel real. Vague claims feel like a pitch.
Mistakes That Kill the Conversation
- • Using big claims like best in class with nothing behind them.
- • Sharing proof that doesn't match the worry they just raised.
Signs You Just Won This Stage
- ✓ They ask to speak with a customer.
- ✓ They start describing how it would work for their team.
Present the offer as the natural next step for the leader they've already told you they are.
Say It Like This
You said your goal was a steady fourth quarter. This plan was built around exactly that.
Connect it back to their words, then pause.
When you compare the cost to what temp labor ran last season, the plan pays for itself in the first few months.
State the numbers simply. Don't rush past them.
Why This Actually Works on Real Buyers
- • People say yes when the offer matches how they see themselves.
- • A price looks smaller next to the bigger cost they already named.
Mistakes That Kill the Conversation
- • Listing features instead of tying the offer to their goal.
- • Rushing past their reaction to get to the close.
Signs You Just Won This Stage
- ✓ They ask about payment terms.
- ✓ They ask when setup could start.
Make the yes feel easy and natural. The next step should feel like relief, not risk.
Say It Like This
Would it make sense to start the four week setup next Monday?
Ask it simply, then stay quiet.
Sounds like we have a clear path to lower labor costs this season. Shall we lock in your start date?
Keep your tone relaxed, like the decision is already easy.
Why This Actually Works on Real Buyers
- • People like to act in line with what they've already said.
- • A clear, simple next step lowers the effort of saying yes.
Mistakes That Kill the Conversation
- • Using pressure like you have to decide today.
- • Ending with a weak question like what do you want to do next.
Signs You Just Won This Stage
- ✓ They ask where to send the paperwork.
- ✓ They say something like, "It will be good to have this handled."
This shows the Advisor archetype navigating real friction using the PCP framework (Perception, Context, Permission).
ALEX
I know your time is tight. It sounds like last peak season was rough on costs. Can I ask one question about it?
Stage 1: a respectful, specific opening.
PROSPECT
Everyone had a rough one. We're looking at a couple of options already.
A guarded, generic answer.
ALEX
Looking at options. You want to get this right. What's the biggest risk you want to avoid with the next system?
RAQ. Context: mapping the risk.
PROSPECT
Setup going wrong. Our last vendor promised an easy switch and we ended up three weeks behind.
A past letdown comes out.
ALEX
Three weeks behind. That must have been painful, especially for someone who runs a tight operation.
Naming the feeling and their identity.
PROSPECT
It was. And another company is cheaper and says they connect easily to our old system.
Price and competitor pushback.
ALEX
Cheaper matters. You're being careful with the budget. If you only looked at price, would that solve the setup risk?
Separating price from the real problem.
PROSPECT
No. It would just make it a cheaper risk. What I need is zero downtime in peak season.
The buyer names what really matters.
Alex kept the price question separate from the real worry, used RAQ to slow things down, and tied the next step to the buyer's own goal.
Universal
Power Pause
Stop talking after an important point so the buyer can think.
Say: "This takes most of the manual work off your team." Then stay quiet and let them respond.
One Question at a Time
Ask one clear question instead of several at once.
Instead of asking about goals, budget, and timing together, ask: "What does a good fourth quarter look like for you?"
Live Interaction
Engaged Face
Look interested and calm, even during hard moments.
On a video call, keep a relaxed, attentive look while they raise a tough objection.
Tone Control
Use your pace and volume to show what matters.
When they describe the three weeks they fell behind, slow down and lower your voice.
Advance Signals
- • They share a budget number, even a rough one.
- • They ask what setup looks like.
- • They start talking about who else needs to approve it.
Slow Down Signals
- • They ask about something you covered ten minutes ago.
- • They give short, one word answers.
- • They repeat a concern you thought you had already answered.
Timing Plays
- • Offer a short 15 minute follow up instead of a full hour demo.
- • Share proof right after their biggest moment of doubt.
- • Let silence sit after an important point.
Why Speed Wins
Operations leaders who request information are usually solving a problem that week. The first seller who responds with something useful sets the terms of the whole conversation.
Your First Call Back
Hi, this is Alex. You asked about handling peak season volume, and I wanted to reach you while it's still top of mind. Do you have two minutes?
The Voicemail
Hi, this is Alex. You asked about covering peak volume without adding temp staff. I have a quick idea that might help. I'll send a short text so you have my number.
The Text That Follows It
Hi, it's Alex. Just left you a voicemail about your peak season question. Happy to share a quick idea whenever works for you.
The First Email
Subject: Your peak season question
Hi, Thanks for reaching out about peak season volume. Most operations teams I work with are trying to cover the surge without adding temp labor. Would a short call this week be helpful? Alex
The 24-Hour Sequence
- 1. Call within the first hour.
- 2. Leave a short voicemail if they don't answer.
- 3. Send the text right after the voicemail.
- 4. Send the email the same afternoon.
- 5. Try one more call the next morning.
Week 1: Learn how your buyer thinks and practice your opening.
- Day 1: Read What's Going On in Their Head and write down three things your buyer feels but rarely says.
- Day 2: Write five new openings that name a real problem in their world.
- Day 3: Listen to one past call and count how often you interrupted.
Metrics to Track
- • How much you talk compared to how much you listen
- • How often you used RAQ when you heard an objection
- • How many first calls turned into a next step
Coaching Notes Just for You
- On group calls, ask the quietest person what they think. They are often the real decision maker.
- When a buyer goes quiet, send a short note asking if the problem has been solved another way.
- Always compare your price to the larger cost they already told you about.
What to Do This Week
Your Advisor edge fits this sale well. You win by bringing calm and clarity to a buyer who lives with chaos. Every careful question you ask builds their trust and moves them closer to a decision. This Compass was built for one situation. Use it in your next ten conversations with operations leaders, notice what works, and keep the lines that sound most like you.
Change how they see it, show them the gap, and make the next step feel natural.
The Price-First Procurement Buyer
Procurement joins late and only wants to talk about cost. You need to keep the value in the room without getting defensive.
You'd master: Holding your price by tying every number back to the cost of doing nothing.
Procurement joins late, compares three quotes, and only wants to talk price for our logistics platform.
The Skeptical Engineer in the Room
You're presenting to a group, and the engineer quietly holds the veto. You need to earn their trust without losing everyone else.
You'd master: Answering technical doubts early so the whole group can move forward.
Group call with a CEO and a skeptical engineer who can veto our platform over setup and upkeep worries.
The Buyer Who Went Quiet After the Demo
The demo went well, and then nothing. You need to restart the conversation without chasing or pushing.
You'd master: Writing short follow ups that bring buyers back without pressure.
Head of Operations loved the demo, then stopped replying. I can only reach them by email or text.
Save Your DPO100 Access Code
Your code unlocks more than a discount. Save it for permanent access to DPO100 Resources, plus $30 off your next Conversation Compass.
Your DPO100 Access Code:
ALEX-XYZ-47SAVE THIS CODE • YOUR RESOURCES ACCESS DOES NOT EXPIRE
$30 OFF YOUR NEXT COMPASS
One-time use
Use this code once at checkout and your next $47 Conversation Compass is $17.
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Never expires • Use it again anytime
Use this same code anytime to unlock the protected Downloads + Videos on the Resources page.
Keep this code somewhere safe. For another Compass, enter it under "Add promotion code" at checkout. For sales training, downloads, and videos, enter the same code on the DPO100 Resources page.
What you see above is the structure only, shown for illustration. Your actual Conversation Compass generates with every section fully written and personalized to you. Compass plans are usually between 30 and 36 pages, varying slightly based on your Sales Edge, industry, and selling situation.
Industries This Conversation Compass Example Covers
The example above shows a SaaS persona. The system generates a Conversation Compass in this same structure for any industry. Here are just some of the industries it works for.
Selling something not on this list? The system still works. You tell it what you sell and who you sell to during checkout. The Compass builds around that.
Sales Playbook Example FAQ
What people ask when looking at sales playbook examples before buying one.
A sales playbook example shows you the structure and depth of a real playbook before you buy one, so you are buying with confidence instead of blind. What you are looking at here is a DPO100 Conversation Compass, the part of a sales playbook that matters most and that nearly every playbook leaves out: the exact words for the conversation, mapped stage by stage. It runs on The Sales Edge Formula, YOU + PCP + RAQ, and it is tailored to how you sell. The sample is blurred so you can see the depth without handing another seller a finished Compass.
You Saw the Example. Now Build Yours.
The Sales Edge Formula stays the same. The words get built around your Sales Edge, your buyers, and your exact situations. Ready in minutes after checkout, so you stop guessing and finally know what to say next.
$47. No subscription. 30-Day Guarantee on single Conversation Compass purchases.
Learn more about the Conversation Compass builder or read about what a sales playbook is.
Every Conversation Compass starts with your Sales Edge.