Manager Capability Training · Card 1 of 5

The Syntax of the Sale

Teach the expected order of operations for every customer interaction.

Every customer is different, but every opportunity should follow an expected process. The checklist does not replace judgment. It protects consistency.

Operating Standard

The expected sequence

The salesperson should be able to move through the customer interaction in a clear order:

  1. Get control
  2. Gather effective intel
  3. Establish rapport
  4. Transition
  5. Pitch
  6. Present
  7. Close
  8. Loop back if there is an objection
  9. Close again
Core point This is not meant to turn people into robots. It gives good people a consistent path to follow and gives managers something they can inspect.

Why this matters

When the process is clear, the manager can diagnose the opportunity without guessing. The question becomes simple: where are we in the sequence, what was missed, and what is the next action?

Connection to Customer Opportunity Review

Customer Opportunity Review inspects what happened with the opportunity. The Syntax of the Sale defines what should have happened before the opportunity reaches review.