"[Mike] is a true leader in every sense of the word: passionate, dedicated and always willing to go the extra mile to enable his team to reach its full potential."
Andrea Tundo
Sales Manager
"Mike was my manager for nearly 2 years and helped me grow into one of the most successful
AEs at Coursera."
Todd Martyn
Account Executive
"[T]he Problem, Solution, Impact approach.... helped me close deals that I had
originally doubted."
Simon Gottesfeld
Account Executive
Sales Challenges
SaaS startups get caught in three pitfalls even after they have early traction:
Demos That Don't Progress
You book a call with your ideal customer, the demo seems like it goes well and then... the deal dies.
Teams That Can't Advance
You've seen good early results but the next stage of your growth requires more rigorous process and deeper strategy.
Sales Reps That Don't Produce
You hire sales reps who seem to have the right qualifications and give then good leads... but they never sell anything
Our Expertise
We bring deep experience and unparalleled creativity to engagements. Here are a few highlights from our founder, Mike Pinkel:
1
Founded Coursera
Mid-Market Sales Team
Mike built the successful
Mid-Market Sales Team at Coursera, where he was named Manager of the Year.
What drove the team's results?
A systematic process for proving value and a repeatable system for hiring and training great new reps.
2
Successful Frontline
Account Executive
Mike succeeded as an AE in settings as diverse as enterprise sales, SMB sales, and
government sales.
The P.S.I. methodology isn't just a neat theory, it's based on
hard-won experience
3
Yale Law Grad,
Former Attorney
Wait... What???
Odd? Maybe.
Useful? For sure.
It's hard to imagine a better skillset for helping your sales team prove value in a structured way.
Our Approach
We'll help you build a compelling case for value by defining the Problems you solve, the Solutions you offer, and the Impacts you deliver. We'll then build your sales interactions around these fundamental messages and train your team to adapt them to each prospective customer.
Problem - Solution - Impact. That's why we call it P.S.I. Selling.
The resources below will help you build a sales process that proves value and a sales team that can execute:
Spotlight: How a P.S.I. Demo is Different
How Most Sales Teams Demo
Many teams demo without a clear structure, moving from one feature to the next. This creates confusion because the demo becomes a series of clicks on buttons. Others teams show prospects how to use the product. This is better, but it doesn't show prospects why they should use it.
How P.S.I. Teams Demo
P.S.I. Selling demos start by summarizing the product's value: the Problems it solves, the Solutions it offers, and the Impacts it generates (P - S - I). The body of the demo is divided into sections that each cover one major aspect of the Solution and link to relevant Problems and Impacts. The result is an organized presentation that proves value.
Example Engagement:
Sales Process Upgrade
The Situation
"We have early traction but we need a better sales process to scale effectively. Some reps are successful, others struggle. We want to be sure we see a return when we invest more in our team."
The Plan
Phase 1: Diagnose and Learn
Goal: Define Focus Areas
Actions: Understand Context
-
Interview sales team
-
Review sales calls
-
Gather customer feedback
-
Review results and metrics
Phase 2: Build and Test
Goal: Put Lightweight Resources in the Field and Observe Results
Actions: Depend on Diagnosis, Possibilities Include
-
Refine messaging
-
Improve problem discovery
-
Build solution-focused demos
-
Build value-focused proposals
Phase 3: Refine and Operate
Goal: Double Down on What Works, Stop What Doesn't
Measure: Track KPIs to See What's Effective
-
Close rate
-
Deal size
-
Deal velocity
-
Rep productivity
Actions: Depend on Early Results, Possibilities Include
-
Refine resources that work
-
Develop deal scoping process
-
Need-focused skills training
-
Revamp hiring/onboarding
Working With P.S.I. Selling
Retainer
Set Number of Hours Per Week
Upgrade Sales Process
Fractional VP of Sales
Coach a "Stretch" Sales Leader
Conduct Sales Rep 1:1s
Project
Custom Scoped, Fixed Fee
Revamp Hiring Process
Redesign Software Demo
Upgrade Discovery
Build Winning Proposals