Sales process and
system SOP
One unified process for both offers. DFY and AC routed through the same application, the same lead-facing calendars, the same closing process, the same pipeline, and the same speed-to-lead and follow-up discipline. This document is the single source of truth for how we sell at Acquisition Network.
At a glance
Read firstThe 90-second version of the whole SOP. Scan this first. Drill into specific sections only as needed.
The eight things that change vs today
- One application, not two. Femi's tool + GHL form get consolidated into Brendan's rebuilt funnel within 30 days. (Section 03)
- Capital-fork on Page 1, not preference-fork. Honest qualifier. Branches the form per ICP. Both DFY and AC scores compute on every submission. (Section 04)
- Two lead-facing calendars instead of four. Universal Discovery and Universal Consult. Two internal-only FU calendars (DFY, AC) for the closer's second touch. (Section 06)
- Defined closing process. 2-call default. 3-call DFY exception. No pricing on Consult 1. (Section 07)
- One dialer, GHL only. Wave Power Dialer is deprecated. (Section 09)
- Lost reason enforced. No Closed - Lost or Disqualified without a written reason from the 10-option taxonomy. (Section 12)
- Setter / closer daily routine is locked. Audit-zero rule, structured time blocks, EOD report. (Sections 13 & 14)
- Sales ops cadences exist. Daily standup, weekly wins, weekly coaching, Friday audit. (Section 18)
Canonical naming (one thing, three names)
The same calendar, pipeline stage, and call sometimes go by different names depending on context. Reference table:
| Calendar (Section 06) | Pipeline stage (Section 10) | Call number (Section 07) |
|---|---|---|
| Universal Discovery | Discovery Call | (setter touchpoint, pre-Consult 1) |
| Universal Consult | Free Consultation | Consult 1 |
| DFY FU Consult / AC FU Consult | Follow Up Consults | Consult 2 (and Consult 3 if DFY) |
What is still open
- Section 04 Application + scoring . needs Chris to finalize questions, weights, thresholds.
- Section 15 Follow up . non-call FU mechanics (SMS / email / voicemail cadence) undefined.
- Section 16 Contracts and payments . entire section TBD: platform, automation, tracking, payment, onboarding handoff.
- Section 17 Reporting . entire section TBD: stats list, location, dashboard rollup.
- Sales ops lead role . referenced in Section 18 cadences; currently unstaffed (founder fills in until staffed).
- Brendan's platform . target live within 30 days; until then, transitional Femi + GHL state.
How to read this doc
- Presenting? Walk through this section, then jump to whatever your audience asks about.
- Executing? Setters → start with Sections 06, 07, 12, 13. Closers → 06, 07, 12, 14. Sales ops → 11, 12, 18.
- Building Brendan's form? Sections 03, 04, 05, 06.
- Reviewing scoring with Chris? Section 04.
Why we are rebuilding the process
DraftTwo offers + four lead sources + no defined process today = a leaky funnel. This section names what is broken and what we are guaranteeing instead.
We have two offers and (soon) four lead sources but no single, documented sales process that ties them together. The funnel leaks in predictable places. Reps don't follow the systems that already exist. Leadership is not holding the operating discipline. The new SOP fixes the leaks AND makes the day-to-day execution boringly repeatable.
What is broken today
- No formal lead scoring. An application exists but qualified vs unvetted is not codified, so routing is inconsistent.
- Speed to lead is inconsistent. The 5 minute target is a goal, not a system. New leads can sit unworked.
- Leads slip into limbo. Open opportunities can exist without a task, without a dialer queue, and without an owner watching them.
- Two dialer systems in parallel. Reps currently dial from both Wave Power Dialer and Go High Level. We are transitioning to GHL only so there is one source of truth for dial activity, cadence, and reporting.
- Pipeline stages have no enforced entrance or exit criteria. The stages exist but reps don't follow them consistently. We need to write them down AND get the team to actually follow them.
- Follow up is ad hoc. FU1, FU2, FU3 are not tracked as a system. Per-offer call structure (one-call-close vs two-call-close, what happens on call one vs call two) is not defined.
- Contracts and payments are not centrally visible. No single view of who has a contract out, who signed, who paid.
- Sales reps are not following the existing infrastructure. Root cause: sales ops leadership is broken. Process exists in places; enforcement does not.
- Daily reporting is not accurate. Closed-won documentation is not accurate. Reps are not held accountable to update either daily reporting or closed-won records.
- Show / no-show rates are not updated in GHL. Reps skip the appointment status step, which corrupts every downstream conversion metric.
- Too many calendars. Current calendar sprawl is creating routing confusion. Resolved in Section 06.
- No clear KPI dashboard. No single view of conversion rates, drop-off points, or per-rep performance against targets. Belongs to the AN dashboard sub-project.
- Lost reasons are not consistently tracked. The lost-reason custom field exists in GHL with 10 options, but reps don't update it when moving leads to Disqualified or Closed - Lost. Taxonomy and enforcement defined in Section 12.
- No daily sales meeting / KPI review. No standing forum to review yesterday's numbers, today's plan, blockers.
- No client wins or sales training in cadence. No structured time on the calendar for skill-building.
- No call reviews or coaching. Setters and closers are not reviewed or coached on thinking and approach during sales calls.
What this SOP guarantees
- Every lead is touched within 5 minutes of arrival.
- Every open opportunity is either in a power dialer queue or has a future-dated task. No exceptions.
- Every pipeline stage has a written entrance and exit rule.
- Every rep starts and ends the day with the same checklist.
- Every contract has a tracked status all the way through to paid and onboarded.
- One dialer system: GHL. Wave Power Dialer is deprecated.
- A defined closing process. 2-call default, 3-call DFY exception. (Section 07.)
- Sales ops accountability rituals. Daily KPI review, weekly client wins / training, weekly call coaching cycle. (Section 18.)
- Every lost lead has a written reason from the lost-reason taxonomy. (Section 12.)
The two offers
DefinedDFY (we acquire on the client's behalf) and AC (we train them to broker deals). Either is the upsell or the downsell, decided live on the consult call.
Every lead is either a fit for one of these two offers, both, or neither. The sales process is built so either offer can be the upsell or the downsell depending on what the lead can afford and what they want to do with their time.
Done For You (DFY)
We acquire a profitable business on the client's behalf using their funds. Full-service: find, vet, negotiate, close.
Acquisition Consultant Program (AC)
We train the lead to become an acquisition consultant. They earn commissions by finding, vetting, and helping clients close deals.
Lead sources
DraftFour sources, all routed through the same unified application into the same lead-facing calendars. No per-source rules.
Four lead sources, two live and two coming. All four route through the same unified application (Section 04) into the same lead-facing calendars (Section 06). No special-case routing per source. Source attribution is captured as a custom field for reporting only.
1. Meta paid ads → DFY VSL funnel
LiveCold traffic from Meta paid ads runs to a VSL pitching the DFY angle. Viewers click through to the unified application. Most arrivals from this source self-identify on Page 1 as DFY-track, but the application still computes both DFY and AC scores so cross-sell is structural.
2. Job platforms → AC reframe
LiveInbound from LinkedIn and other job-application sites. Applicants think they are applying to a job; we reframe the opportunity as a paid acquisition-consultant path. They land on the unified application and most self-identify as AC-track on Page 1. If a high-capital outlier shows up here, the dual-score catches it and routes appropriately.
3. Web / app self-serve
Coming soonFuture. Visitors to the main marketing site (and the AN app once live) can apply directly. Same unified application, same routing. Source attribution = "web" or "app".
4. AC webinar funnel
Coming soonFuture. AC-focused webinar drives registration → application. Webinar attendance signal is captured but does not skip the application; we want the dual scores on every lead so cross-sell stays structural.
Application and lead scoring
Draft v0.2One application with a capital-fork on Page 1. Every submission produces both a DFY and an AC score. Score thresholds determine routing (Section 05).
Page 1. The capital fork (the honest qualifier)
Page 1 asks one question. It splits the form into two branches with tailored downstream questions, AND it serves as the first honest qualifier. We chose capital over preference because asking "do you want DFY or AC?" is aspirational (everyone says DFY); asking "do you have the capital?" is the truthful axis.
Do you have $100k+ liquid capital available to deploy toward acquiring a business in the next 6 months?
- (A) Yes. → DFY branch (Page 2+ asks about capital structure, target industries, hands-off vs involved preference, prior business experience).
- (B) No, less than $100k. I am looking to build wealth first by becoming an acquisition consultant who finds and brokers deals for clients. → AC branch (Page 2+ asks about prior sales experience, current income, weekly time available, network strength).
Universal questions (asked of EVERYONE regardless of branch)
These are the inputs to BOTH scoring rubrics. Asked on both the DFY branch and the AC branch.
- Full name, email, phone, city/state (not scored)
- Declared liquid capital amount (range select, finer-grained than the Page 1 yes/no) (scored: feeds DFY Capital)
- Current annual income (range select) (scored: feeds DFY Income AND AC Cash Runway)
- Timeline (when do you want to acquire / start earning?) (scored: feeds DFY Timeline)
- Prior experience (single select: business owner / sales pro / operator-exec / investor only / none) (scored: feeds DFY Experience AND AC Sales/business experience with different weights)
- Hours per week available to commit (scored: feeds AC Time Available)
- One sentence: why do you want to do this? (scored: feeds AC Motivation Quality, judged by closer)
- Page 1 fork answer (DFY or AC) (scored: feeds both rubrics, opposite weights)
- Source attribution (auto, hidden, not scored, used for reporting)
Branch-specific questions (asked on ONE branch only)
These do NOT feed the scores. They serve two purposes only: (1) tailored UX so each ICP's form feels custom-built, (2) qualitative context for the closer's pre-call prep on Consult 1.
- DFY branch only: capital structure (cash vs SBA-eligible), target industries, hands-off vs involved preference
- AC branch only: network strength (existing professional network), self-described comfort with cold outreach, prior commission-based work
How dual scoring works (the mechanic)
Example: a lead answering "Prior business owner" on the experience question scores 20 pts on the DFY rubric (operator background = strong DFY fit) AND 25 pts on the AC rubric (operator background also makes a strong consultant). Same answer, both rubrics rewarded it. By contrast, a lead answering "Sales pro" scores low on DFY (sales doesn't equal capital readiness) but maxes AC.
Why this beats the obvious alternatives
- Two separate applications (one DFY, one AC) loses the cross-sell signal. An AC applicant with $300k who never gets asked the capital question is a missed DFY booking.
- One unified app with no fork means everyone answers all 10+ questions. Worse UX, less ICP fit, and no signal for branding the form.
- One unified app with capital fork gives each branch tailored questions (feels custom-built per lead) AND keeps the universal questions for dual scoring.
Edge case handled
Lead lies on Page 1 (says yes to $100k+ but later declared-capital amount is <$100k). The contradiction shows up in the universal questions. DFY score lands low, lead routes to Universal Discovery (Section 06) where the setter probes and pivots to AC if appropriate.
Scoring rubric (proposed weights)
Two scores compute on every submission. Both scores are computed from the universal questions above. Branch-specific questions do not contribute. The higher score determines primary routing; both scores are stored on the contact record so the closer can see them pre-call.
DFY score (max 100)
| Factor | Tiers and points |
|---|---|
| Capital (declared amount) | $250k+ = 35. $100k–249k = 20. $50k–99k = 10. <$50k = 0 |
| Timeline | <30 days = 20. 30–90 days = 12. 90–180 days = 6. >180 days = 0 |
| Experience | Prior business owner = 20. Operator/exec = 12. Investor only = 8. None = 0 |
| Income | $200k+ = 15. $100k–199k = 10. $50k–99k = 5. <$50k = 0 |
| Page 1 fork answer | Picked DFY (option A) = 10. Picked AC (option B) = 0 |
AC score (max 100)
| Factor | Tiers and points |
|---|---|
| Sales / business experience | Owner or sales pro = 25. Operator/exec = 18. Some experience = 10. None = 5 |
| Time available | 20+ hrs/wk = 25. 10–19 hrs = 15. 5–9 hrs = 8. <5 = 0 |
| Cash runway | Stable income $75k+ = 20. $40–74k = 12. <$40k or unstable = 5 |
| Motivation quality (free text) | Closer judgement on the why-question free text. Strong/specific = 20. Generic = 10. Vague/red flag = 0 |
| Page 1 fork answer | Picked AC (option B) = 10. Picked DFY (option A) = 0 |
Routing thresholds
- Qualified (either offer). Either DFY score ≥ 70 OR AC score ≥ 70. Routes to Universal Consult (closer, 60 min, Consult 1 in Section 07). Closer sees both scores pre-call and pitches the better-fit offer.
- Unvetted. Both scores between 40 and 69, OR application data is incomplete. Routes to Universal Discovery (setter, 30 min). Setter confirms path and either upgrades to consult or pivots offers.
- Disqualified. Both scores below 40 AND capital <$50k AND time <5 hrs/wk. Goes straight to Disqualified pipeline stage with the lost reason logged. No calendar booking.
Where it lives
Future state (within 30 days): the application form lives on Brendan's rebuilt main website. Form submission triggers a webhook that writes both scores AND the routing decision (Disqualified / Discovery / Consult) into the GHL contact record as custom fields. A GHL workflow then assigns the right calendar invite and pipeline stage automatically.
Today (transitional): two parallel forms exist (Femi's software for AC-side job applicants, GHL form for DFY). Both will be deprecated when Brendan's unified form ships.
Routing model
DefinedThree lanes: Disqualified / Universal Discovery / Universal Consult. Decided by the scores from Section 04. Cross-sell is the default mode at every consult.
Three lanes, decided by the application scores from Section 04. No 2x2 matrix, no per-source rules, no per-offer calendars at the lead-facing layer. Simplest version that still respects qualification.
| Score outcome | Route | Pipeline entry |
|---|---|---|
| Either score ≥ 70 | Universal Consult (Consult 1) Closer, 60 min | New Leads → Free Consultation (after booking) |
| Both scores 40–69 OR data incomplete | Universal Discovery Setter, 30 min | New Leads → Discovery Call (after booking) |
| Both scores < 40, capital <$50k, time <5 hrs/wk | Disqualified | Disqualified (lost reason required) |
Cross-sell is the default mode
On every Universal Consult, the closer reads BOTH the DFY score and the AC score before the call. The closer picks the primary pitch based on the higher-scoring offer, and keeps the other offer ready as the upsell or downsell during the conversation. Cross-sell is not a fallback for failed pitches; it is the structural default.
Setter pivot mechanic
On Universal Discovery, the setter qualifies the lead in real time. If new info changes the routing decision (lead claimed $100k+ on the application but real capital is $40k → pivot to AC consult; or vice versa), the setter books the appropriate consult on the spot. The setter is trained as a generalist on both offers.
Calendar architecture
DefinedFour calendars total: 2 lead-facing universal + 2 internal-only offer-specific FU. Setters never pick offer-specific calendars; only closers do, only after a real call.
Lead-facing calendars (universal, generic reminders)
Universal Discovery
Setter, 30 min, outbound when possible. For unvetted leads (Section 05).
- Lead self-books from the application or setter books on outbound
- Generic reminder sequence: "your discovery call tomorrow at X"
- Setter qualifies + pivots offers in real time
Universal Consult
Closer, 60 min. For qualified leads (Section 05). This is Consult 1 in the closing process (Section 07).
- Lead self-books from the application or rep books after a discovery
- Generic reminder sequence: "your consult tomorrow at X"
- Closer reads BOTH DFY and AC scores pre-call
- Cross-sell is the default mode, not a fallback
Internal-only calendars (offer-specific, closer books after a call)
DFY Follow Up Consult
Closer, 60 min. Consult 2 for DFY-track leads. Optional Consult 3 for DFY contract review (book another slot on the same calendar).
- Booked by the closer, not the lead
- DFY-flavored reminders (pre-call SMS, email, day-of)
- Triggers DFY nurture drip after the call
AC Follow Up Consult
Closer, 60 min. Consult 2 for AC-track leads. AC is 2-call max. No Consult 3.
- Booked by the closer, not the lead
- AC-flavored reminders
- Triggers AC nurture drip after the call
Why the front-end stays universal
Lead-facing reminders ("your call", "your consult") stay generic. The lead's offer fit is finalized in the call, not before. Generic front-end copy lets the closer pivot framing in Consult 1 without contradicting earlier reminder language. By the time we book a Follow Up Consult, the path is KNOWN from a real call. That is the right moment to switch on offer-specific automation.
Per-offer nurture is post-call, custom-field driven
In addition to the FU calendar's offer-specific reminders, the rep tags the interested_offer custom
field on the contact record at the end of every call. Values: DFY, AC, Both,
Neither. This tag triggers the appropriate longer-term nurture sequence:
- DFY tag → DFY nurture drip (case studies, capital deployment content, deal flow updates)
- AC tag → AC nurture drip (consultant earnings stories, training modules, networking events)
- Both tag → mixed nurture, cross-sell positioning
- Neither tag → re-engagement drip, then disqualified after N touchpoints with no reply
Cognitive load split
- Setters only ever interact with Universal Discovery. They do not pick offer-specific calendars.
- Closers are the only role that books the offer-specific FU calendars, and only after a call where the path is known.
- Leads only see lead-facing calendars. They never see the FU calendar names.
Calendar deprecation (legacy sprawl)
Today's sprawl includes separate DFY-Discovery, DFY-Consult, AC-Discovery, AC-Consult calendars (and possibly duplicates from prior experiments). On v0.3 ship:
- Migrate any future-dated lead bookings on old calendars to the new Universal Discovery / Universal Consult
- Replace old offer-specific FU calendars with the new DFY FU Consult / AC FU Consult
- Disable retired calendars (do not delete; archive for historical reporting)
- Update GHL routing workflows to use only the four new calendars
- Update reminder automations
Closing process
DefinedTwo-call default close. Consult 1 = path-finding (no pricing). Consult 2 = full pitch + close + contract. DFY-only Consult 3 = live contract review when needed. AC is 2-call max.
The shape
| Call | Calendar | Applies to | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consult 1 | Universal Consult | Both offers | Discovery + recommend a path + book FU Consult |
| Consult 2 | DFY FU Consult or AC FU Consult | Both offers (offer-specific calendar) | Full pitch + full price + close + send contract |
| Consult 3 (exception) | DFY FU Consult (book another slot) | DFY only | Live contract review + final yes/no |
Consult 1 · Universal Consult
60 min. Closer. Lead-facing calendar. The path-finding call.
- Pre-call: closer reads BOTH DFY and AC scores from the application (Section 04). Writes a one-line "primary pitch + likely upsell/downsell" note.
- Open: rapport + permission to dig.
- Discover: validate the application data on capital, capability, timeline. Probe for the pain and vision.
- Diagnose: pick the right path (DFY or AC) based on what came up in the call, not just the score.
- Recommend: clearly state the recommended path and why.
- Close to next call: book the offer-specific FU Consult on the spot.
- Tag
interested_offercustom field before leaving the contact record. - What does NOT happen on Consult 1: no full-offer pitch, no price reveal, no contract talk. Discipline matters here. Premature pricing kills momentum.
Outcome paths from Consult 1:
- Consult 2 booked → pipeline moves to Follow Up Consults stage
- Need more time before re-engaging → Follow Up stage with future-dated task
- Hard no → Closed - Lost (lost reason from Section 12 taxonomy)
- Path unclear → soft hand back to setter (rare)
Consult 2 · DFY or AC Follow Up Consult
60 min. Closer. Internal-only calendar (closer picks DFY or AC at booking time). The close attempt.
- Pre-call: closer reviews Consult 1 notes, the lead's stated path, and confirms pitch deck.
- Open: recap the path agreed on Consult 1. Get verbal alignment on what we are solving for.
- Demonstrate: the offer in detail, customized to the lead's stated goals.
- Pitch: full offer + full price. Price is revealed here for the first time.
- Handle: objections via the standard playbook.
- Close: ask for the commitment.
- If yes: contract sent during the call OR within 30 min after.
- Price drop (if needed): ONLY pre-approved structured incentives (waive setup fee, payment-plan terms, etc.). No freelance discounting. Drops must be tied to specific behaviors ("if you commit today" / "if you pay in full"), not just discounts for asking.
Outcome paths from Consult 2:
- Verbal yes + contract sent → Contract Negotiations stage
- Need to think / contract review needed (DFY only) → book Consult 3 on DFY FU Consult calendar
- Hard no → Closed - Lost (lost reason)
- Soft no with future timing → Long Term Follow Up with future-dated task and reason
Consult 3 · DFY Contract Review (exception)
45 min. Closer. Books another slot on DFY FU Consult calendar. DFY only. Never for AC.
- Trigger: Consult 2 didn't close but lead is still active and engaged.
- Walk: page-by-page through the contract live.
- Reaffirm: the value, the outcomes, the timeline.
- Address: any final objections (often signature anxiety on a large commitment).
- Close: signature on the call. Payment confirmed during or immediately after.
Outcome paths from Consult 3:
- Signed + paid → Closed - Won (handoff to onboarding)
- Hard no → Closed - Lost (lost reason)
For AC: 2-call max
AC offer is at a price point where Consult 2 should close. If it doesn't close on Consult 2, the lead either gets an FU task (Section 15) or moves to Closed - Lost. We do not run a Consult 3 for AC. Adding a third touch at the AC price point destroys economics.
Where things happen (cheat sheet)
| Event | Where it happens |
|---|---|
| Path recommendation (DFY vs AC) | End of Consult 1 |
| Full offer pitch | Consult 2 |
| Full price reveal | Consult 2 |
| Pre-approved price drop | Consult 2 |
| Contract sent | End of Consult 2 (or Consult 3) |
| Payment ask | Consult 2 verbal commit; payment link bundled with contract |
| Live contract review | Consult 3 (DFY only) |
| Signature ceremony | Consult 3 for DFY; async after Consult 2 for AC |
Full contract send and payment mechanics are defined in Section 16. This section defines when; Section 16 will define how.
Hard rules
- Never let 3-call become the default. Consult 3 is a DFY exception, not a step in the standard process.
- No pricing on Consult 1. Premature price reveal kills momentum and removes the deep-dive moment.
- No freelance discounting. Only pre-approved structured incentives. Closers cannot negotiate price freely.
- FU Consult booked at Consult 1 close. Don't let the lead leave Consult 1 without a calendar invite for Consult 2 in their inbox.
- Contract sent within 30 min of Consult 2 close. Hot is not later than that.
Tracking signals
- Consult 1 → Consult 2 conversion rate, broken out by offer (DFY vs AC).
- Consult 2 → contract sent conversion rate, per offer.
- Consult 3 frequency relative to DFY Consult 2: if > 30%, the 2-call default isn't holding for DFY. Either fix Consult 2 mechanics (closer training, deck, pricing) or formally officialize 3-call (which means revisiting ICP / pricing).
- Avg days from Consult 1 to contract sent, per offer.
- Avg days from contract sent to signed.
Speed to lead protocol
DefinedEvery new lead on a phone call within 5 minutes. Single mechanism: GHL Power Dialer manual action queue.
Target: every new lead is on a phone call attempt within 5 minutes of arrival.
Notification path
- New contact created in GHL → SMS notification fires to assigned setter
- App push notification fires to setter device
- Lead is added to the New Leads pipeline stage AND to the GHL Power Dialer manual action queue
The single mechanism: GHL Power Dialer manual action
New leads enter the dialer via a manual action queue. The setter opens the GHL Power Dialer and burns the queue top to bottom. This is the ONLY mechanism for new-lead intake. No smart lists, no parallel task lists, no Wave Power Dialer.
Hard rules
- 5 minute target is non-negotiable. Tracked on the dashboard. Violations are coached.
- Any new lead notification interrupts whatever the setter is doing, except a live call.
- If the setter is unavailable, the routing workflow reassigns to the on-call setter within 5 minutes.
Dialer cadence
DefinedGHL only (Wave deprecated). Workflow-driven cadence: 0 / +3hr / +1d / +1d each / +3d each / +7d each / stop at attempt 12.
One workflow drives the whole call cadence. Trigger: contact is new or
the Total Outbound Call custom field updates. Workflow checks pipeline stage (must be New Leads or
No Answer) then routes by call number:
| Total outbound calls | Wait | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Immediate | New lead. Manual action added on entry. Setter calls within 5 minutes. |
| 1 | + 3 hours | Same-day double tap. Catches leads who missed the first ring. |
| 2 | + 1 day | Move to daily cadence. |
| 3 to 6 | + 1 day each | Daily attempts through call attempt 6. |
| 7 to 9 | + 3 days each | Cooling cadence. Lead is colder, less aggressive. |
| 10 to 11 | + 7 days each | Final stretch. Weekly attempts only. |
| 12 | Stop | Disqualify. Move to Closed - Lost or Long Term Follow Up. |
Why same-day double tap
Hours 0 and +3 catch leads in the same emotional window they were in when they applied. Every additional day is a measurable drop in pickup rate. We pay for the lead. We earn the right to call them twice in their first day.
Re-entry
Each outbound call increments Total Outbound Call, which re-enters the lead into this workflow. The
workflow is therefore self-driving: rep just keeps working the dialer queue and the cadence rebuilds itself.
Ordering caveat
GHL Power Dialer does not let us sort the manual action queue. It plays from oldest to newest. To prioritize New Leads ahead of No Answer, we run two workflows that drop into two different manual actions. Setter dials the New Leads action first, then the No Answer action.
Pipeline stages. Entrance and exit criteria
DefinedAll 15 GHL pipeline stages with written entrance, exit, required task, and owner rules. The pipeline is the live state of every lead, all the time.
All 15 GHL pipeline stages with the rules for moving in and out. Stages are listed in lifecycle order (front of funnel down to closed), then the side-stages (Long Term Follow Up, Re-Assigned, Disqualified) below. Entrance criteria are checked by the rep before moving the opportunity. Exit criteria tell the rep where the opportunity is allowed to go next.
New Leads
Contact created from any source (regardless of grade or routing decision).
First outbound call attempt placed → moves to No Answer, Answered (Not Scheduled), Discovery Call, or Free Consultation depending on outcome.
Power dialer manual action (call within 5 minutes of arrival).
Assigned setter
No Answer
Outbound call placed, no answer, no booking. Workflow re-enters here on every subsequent unanswered attempt.
Lead answers → Answered (Not Scheduled). Lead books → Discovery Call or Free Consultation. Attempt 12 reached → Closed - Lost or Long Term Follow Up.
Power dialer manual action per cadence ladder (Section 09).
Assigned setter
Answered (Not Scheduled)
Lead answered the phone but did not book a call.
Booked → Discovery Call or Free Consultation. Explicit "no" → Closed - Lost or Long Term Follow Up.
Follow-up call/SMS within 24 hours.
Assigned setter
Discovery Call
Discovery call booked AND lead showed up. Universal Discovery calendar.
Setter qualifies up → Free Consultation (Consult 1). Needs more time → Follow Up. Disqualifies → Closed - Lost.
Post-call within 15 min: book Universal Consult OR set FU task with reason. Tag interested_offer custom field.
Assigned setter
Discovery Call (No Show)
Scheduled Universal Discovery, lead did not show. Setter marks no-show in GHL within 5 min, which fires the recovery workflow (Section 11): high-priority recovery task auto-created.
Rebook → Discovery Call. Or moved to Follow Up. Or 3 no-shows → Closed - Lost.
AUTO-CREATED on setter: "No-show recovery: call + SMS within 5 min, attempt to rebook." High priority, top of setter queue.
Original setter (already owner at this stage). Auto-SMS to lead also fires from setter's number.
Free Consultation
Universal Consult booked AND lead showed up. This is Consult 1 in the closing process (Section 07).
Closer recommends path + books FU Consult → Follow Up Consults stage. Soft no → Long Term Follow Up. Hard no → Closed - Lost.
Post-call within 15 min: book DFY FU Consult OR AC FU Consult OR set FU task with reason. Tag interested_offer custom field.
Assigned closer
Free Consultation (No Show)
Scheduled Universal Consult, lead did not show. Closer marks no-show in GHL within 5 min, which fires the recovery workflow (Section 11): ownership reassigns to original setter, setter gets notified, recovery task auto-created on setter.
Setter rebooks → Free Consultation. Or 3 no-shows → Closed - Lost.
AUTO-CREATED on setter (not closer): "No-show recovery: call + SMS within 5 min, attempt to rebook." High priority, top of setter queue.
Reassigned to original setter (assigned_setter custom field). Closer ownership ends at the no-show mark.
Follow Up
Setter or closer set lead aside without scheduling another consult (e.g. waiting on capital, spousal conversation, info request).
Re-engages → back to Discovery Call or Free Consultation. Becomes unreachable → cadence then Closed - Lost. Long-dated → Long Term Follow Up.
Future-dated FU task with reason and FU number (FU1, FU2, FU3).
Original rep
Follow Up Consults
Closer booked Consult 2 (DFY FU Consult or AC FU Consult) OR Consult 3 (DFY contract review). See Section 07.
Verbal yes + contract sent → Contract Negotiations. Soft no → Follow Up or Long Term Follow Up. Hard no → Closed - Lost.
Post-call: send contract OR book another FU consult (DFY only) OR move stage with reason.
Assigned closer
Contract Negotiations
Closer sent contract or has verbal commit.
Contract signed AND payment received → Closed - Won. Contract dies (lead goes silent past cadence, or hard no) → Closed - Lost or Long Term Follow Up.
Daily contract follow-up task until signed. Ops adds tracking task in parallel.
Assigned closer (sales) + Ops (contract status tracking)
Long Term Follow Up
Lead said "not now" with specific future timing OR rep judgement that they will be ready later.
Future-dated task fires → moves back to Follow Up or directly to a booked call.
REQUIRED future-dated task with written reason. No task = not allowed in this stage.
Original closer or setter
Re-Assigned Leads
Ops manually moves a lead from one rep to another (rep left, vacation, capacity, ownership change).
New rep accepts → moves to whichever active stage the lead was in before reassignment.
Hand-off task assigned to new owner with context note.
Ops temporarily, then new rep
Disqualified
Hard fail at application (Section 04 disqualification rule) OR rep decision after disco/consult that lead is structurally not a fit (e.g. fraud, geographic restriction, unfixable expectation gap).
Only by manual re-qualification (rare).
REQUIRED lost-reason custom field updated (Section 12 taxonomy).
Ops
Closed - Lost
Lead said no, contract died, hit attempt 12 with no answer, or 3 cumulative no-shows.
Only if lead returns inbound and is re-qualified.
REQUIRED lost-reason custom field updated from the Section 12 taxonomy. EOD report rejects entries without it.
Original rep
Closed - Won
Contract signed AND payment received.
Handoff to onboarding completes → opportunity moves out of sales pipeline entirely.
Handoff task to onboarding (kickoff scheduled, welcome packet sent, intro call booked).
Closer → Ops/Onboarding
- Long Term Follow Up requires a future-dated task. No task means the opportunity is leaking. Daily audit catches it (Section 11).
- Closed - Lost requires a lost-reason custom field update from the Section 12 taxonomy. EOD report rejects entries without it.
- Contract Negotiations is owned by both sales (closer) and ops (contract tracking). Ops sees the same opps the closer does.
- Show / no-show updates fire automatically from calendar status, but reps must verify on every call (currently a major gap, see Section 01).
The never-lose-a-lead rule
DefinedEvery open opportunity is in a dialer queue OR has a future-dated task. Long Term Follow Up is the only legal limbo. No-show recovery auto-reassigns the lead via setter/closer custom fields.
The only legal limbo
Long Term Follow Up. A lead can sit there only if the rep has placed a future-dated task on them with a written reason (e.g. "Capital available in Q3, follow up 2026-08-15"). No future task = not allowed in Long Term Follow Up.
Daily audit
Every morning, the daily setter and closer routines (Sections 13 and 14) include a query: all open opportunities owned by me without an open task. That list must be zero by end of day. If it isn't, something is leaking and the rep stays late or pages ops.
No-show recovery and ownership reassignment
When a lead no-shows a Universal Consult (the closer's calendar), the lead does not just sit there. The closer marks the appointment as no-show in GHL within 5 minutes, which fires a workflow that re-engages the original setter.
assigned_setter and
assigned_closer. When a Universal Consult is booked, assigned_closer gets populated.
On no-show, the workflow:
- Moves the opportunity to the Free Consultation (No Show) pipeline stage.
- Reassigns lead ownership back to
assigned_setter(the original setter who booked the consult). - Notifies that setter (SMS + app push).
- Creates a high-priority task on the setter: "No-show recovery: call within 5 min, attempt to rebook."
- Sends an automated SMS to the lead from the setter's number: "Hey, looks like we missed you on the call. When works to reschedule?"
Same mechanic works for Universal Discovery no-shows except assigned_setter stays on the contact
(setter is already the owner there) and the recovery task is auto-created on that setter.
Hard rule for the closer: mark the no-show in GHL within 5 minutes of the missed slot. The whole recovery chain depends on that single action.
Hard rule for the setter: no-show recovery tasks are top of the queue, ahead of the New Leads dialer. Hot lead, recently disengaged, recoverable in the next 30 minutes if you move fast.
Disqualification is a positive action
We never let leads die through neglect. The only ways a lead exits active pipeline:
- They tell us no (lost reason logged from Section 12 taxonomy)
- They tell us they are not interested (lost reason logged)
- We close them on an offer
- We hit call attempt 12 with no answer (lost reason: Never Answered)
- They are explicitly moved to Long Term Follow Up with a future-dated task and reason
Anything else is a process failure.
Lost reason taxonomy
DefinedTen-option taxonomy. Every Disqualified or Closed - Lost move requires a written lost reason from this list. EOD report rejects entries without it.
lost_reason custom field on the contact is REQUIRED before moving an opportunity to Disqualified or
Closed - Lost. EOD reports reject entries without it.
The 10 reasons (current taxonomy)
| Reason | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Do Not Contact | Lead explicitly opted out or asked not to be contacted. |
| Never Opted-In | Lead did not consent to be contacted (data quality / source issue). |
| Went With Competitor | Lead chose another acquisition broker, business-buying program, or training provider. |
| Bad Contact Info | Phone disconnected, email bounced, no reachable channel. |
| Never Answered | Hit cadence cap (12 outbound attempts) without ever connecting. |
| Bad Timing | Real intent but circumstances misaligned (life event, business change). Often paired with Long Term Follow Up. |
| Insufficient Funds | Lead does not have capital to deploy and is not a fit for AC. |
| Not Interested | Lead engaged but explicitly declined the offer after a real conversation. |
| Abandoned / Ghosted | Was engaged then went silent past full cadence. Different from Never Answered (we did connect at least once). |
| Proof of Concept Objection | Lead wanted more proof, case studies, or guarantees than we can provide. Often a coaching/material gap to fix. |
Enforcement
- GHL workflow: opportunity cannot move to Disqualified or Closed - Lost without
lost_reasonset. - Daily audit (Section 13 / 14): query for any opps closed in the last 24 hours with no lost reason → must be zero.
- Weekly sales ops audit (Section 18): pull lost-reason distribution and review with the team. Trends inform coaching topics.
- Reps cannot edit a lost reason after EOD without ops approval (prevents revisionism).
This taxonomy is v0.1, open to revision
These 10 reasons are the current GHL options. We may consolidate (Abandoned/Ghosted vs Never Answered have overlap) or add new ones (e.g. "Not Decision Maker", "Lost to Internal Hire"). Revisions get reviewed quarterly in sales ops cadences (Section 18).
Daily workflow. Setter
Draft v0.2Two jobs: burn the call queues and book qualified leads into closer consults. Single dialer (GHL), single discovery calendar. Never picks offer-specific calendars.
The setter's job is two things only: burn the call queues and book qualified leads into closer consults. Everything in this routine serves one of those two outcomes. Single dialer (GHL), single discovery calendar (Universal Discovery), single mission. Setters never make an offer-specific calendar choice.
Daily targets (provisional)
The day, hour by hour
- 8:00a · Clock in. Open GHL (Conversations + Pipeline + Calendar tabs), the AN dashboard, and today's tracking sheet. Mute Slack except #sales-floor.
- 8:05a · Daily sales meeting (15 min). Section 18. Yesterday's numbers, today's plan, blockers.
- 8:20a · Morning audit (10 min). Pipeline filter: my opportunities · open · no open task. List must reach zero before 8:30a. For each: add a task with due date, or move to Long Term Follow Up with a written reason.
- 8:30a · New Leads queue (GHL Power Dialer). Burn until empty. Every answered call updates the stage immediately. Every no-answer increments cadence automatically.
- 9:30a · No Answer queue (GHL Power Dialer). Work the cadence-driven queue.
- 10:30a · Universal Discovery calls. Booked calls run on calendar slots. Post-call (within 15 min): update stage, write notes, set the next task, tag the
interested_offerfield, and either book the Universal Consult on the spot or set a follow-up task. Then back to dialer. - 12:00p · Lunch (30 min).
- 12:30p · New Leads queue refresh. Pull anyone who applied during the morning. Speed-to-lead still applies even on the second wave.
- 1:00p · Tasks. Work due-today task list, top to bottom. Tasks that cannot close today get a new due date and a one-line reason in the note. Never a blank reschedule.
- 2:30p · No Answer queue (second pass).
- 3:00p · Universal Discovery calls (afternoon block).
- 4:30p · Closing audit (15 min). Re-run the morning's "no open task" filter. List must be zero. Update tracking sheet (dials, conversations, sets, shows, no-shows). Every Closed - Lost from today has a lost reason.
- 5:00p · Submit EOD. Post in #sales-eod: dials, conversations, sets, shows, no-shows, lost reasons logged, blockers, tomorrow's first action.
Hard rules
- 5 minute rule. Any new lead notification interrupts whatever the setter is doing (except a live call). Within 5 min on the phone.
- No-show recovery is TOP of queue. When a no-show recovery task auto-fires (lead missed a Universal Consult, ownership reassigned to you), it jumps ahead of the New Leads dialer. Hot lead, recently disengaged, recoverable in the next 30 min if you move fast. (Section 11)
- Universal Discovery → Universal Consult only. Setter never books an offer-specific FU calendar. They book the Universal Consult and let the closer take the path call.
- No-show rule. Discovery no-show triggers a call + SMS within 5 min of the missed slot.
- Stage move = same minute. Stage gets moved during or immediately after the call, not at end of day.
- Audit must be zero. Open opps without tasks is a fireable pattern, not a one-off. End-of-day = 0 every day.
- Lost reason required. Every Disqualified or Closed - Lost move requires a Section 12 taxonomy entry.
- Show / no-show update. Every appointment status updated in GHL within 5 min of the call.
Daily workflow. Closer
Draft v0.3Run consults that end in a contract sent. Chase contracts to signed and paid. Cross-sell prep (read both scores) is mandatory before every Consult 1.
The closer's job: run consults that end in a contract sent, and chase contracts to signed and paid. Closer runs the full closing process from Section 07: Consult 1 (Universal Consult) → Consult 2 (offer-specific FU Consult) → optional Consult 3 (DFY contract review). Closer is the only role that picks an offer-specific calendar.
Daily targets (provisional)
The day, hour by hour
- 8:30a · Clock in. GHL (Calendar + Pipeline + Conversations), dashboard, tracking sheet.
- 8:45a · Daily sales meeting (15 min). Joins setter standup. Section 18.
- 9:00a · Pre-call prep block (45 min). For every consult on today's calendar: read the application, BOTH scores (DFY and AC), prior call notes. For Consult 1 leads, write a one-line "primary pitch + likely upsell/downsell" note. For Consult 2 leads, confirm the path locked on Consult 1 and load the offer-specific deck. Pre-prep beats winging it; cross-sell preparation is non-optional.
- 9:45a · Morning audit (15 min). Pipeline filter: my opportunities · open · no open task. Must reach zero before 10a. Special attention to Contract Negotiations: every contract older than 24 hours gets a touch today.
- 10:00a · Contract Negotiations block (30 min). Call/SMS every open contract. Update status note in opportunity. Trigger ops re-send on any contract that needs a fresh link.
- 10:30a · Consult block 1. Mix of Universal Consults (Consult 1) and FU Consults (Consult 2 / 3). Within 15 min after each call: stage move, notes, tag
interested_offercustom field, AND book the next call OR send the contract OR set FU task. For Consult 1, the next call is the appropriate FU Consult (DFY or AC). Book it during the call. - 12:30p · Lunch (30 min).
- 1:00p · FU Consults block. Booked Consult 2s and any DFY Consult 3s run here.
- 2:30p · Tasks. Work due-today tasks, top to bottom. Reschedule uncompleted with reason.
- 3:30p · Consult block 2.
- 4:30p · Closing audit (15 min). Re-run the no-task filter. Zero. Update tracking sheet: consults run (broken out by Consult 1 / 2 / 3), shows, no-shows, contracts sent, contracts signed, dollars committed, dollars collected. Every Closed - Lost has a lost reason.
- 5:00p · Submit EOD. Post in #sales-eod: consults (1/2/3 split), shows, contracts out, contracts signed, $ committed, $ collected, blockers, tomorrow's biggest opp.
Hard rules
- Cross-sell prep is mandatory on Consult 1. Closer reads BOTH scores before every Consult 1. No exceptions.
- FU Consult booked at end of Consult 1. Don't let the lead leave without a Consult 2 calendar invite in their inbox. Pick the right calendar (DFY FU or AC FU) based on the recommended path.
- No pricing on Consult 1. Full price reveal happens on Consult 2 only.
- Consult 3 is the DFY exception, not the default. If you're booking Consult 3 on more than 30% of DFY Consult 2s, escalate to sales ops.
- Stage move + post-call task within 15 min. Not at end of day. Not at end of block.
- No-show mark within 5 min. When a Universal Consult no-shows, mark it in GHL within 5 min. This single click fires the recovery workflow that reassigns the lead to the original setter and creates their recovery task (Section 11). If you skip the mark, the recovery doesn't happen and the lead leaks.
- Contract touch rule. Every open contract in Negotiations gets a touch every day.
- Lost reason required. Every Closed - Lost move requires a Section 12 taxonomy entry.
- Interested-offer tag required. Every consult ends with the
interested_offerfield updated, which fires the right nurture sequence. - Audit must be zero. Same as setter. End-of-day open opps without tasks = 0.
Follow up system
Draft v0.1Half-defined. The calendar-driven and post-call nurture pieces are in Sections 06 and 07. The non-call FU mechanics (SMS / email / voicemail cadence between consults) are still TBD.
interested_offer nurture drip). Section 07 covers
structured follow-up consults (Consult 2 and Consult 3). What remains TBD is the non-call FU mechanics for leads
who are NOT in an active consult flow.
Defined (in other sections)
- Calendar-driven FU. Section 06 defines DFY FU Consult and AC FU Consult calendars with offer-specific reminders.
- Consult sequence. Section 07 defines Consult 1 → Consult 2 → optional Consult 3 (DFY only).
- Post-call nurture. Section 06 defines the
interested_offercustom field tag firing the right longer-term nurture drip. - Pipeline-stage FU. Section 10's "Follow Up" stage requires a future-dated FU task with reason and FU number (FU1, FU2, FU3).
Still TBD
- FU1 / FU2 / FU3 cadence (days between attempts)
- Channel mix per attempt: call vs SMS vs email vs voicemail drop
- Templates per channel per FU number
- Where rep sees "this lead is on FU2" at a glance (pipeline view? task name? custom field?)
- Exit criteria: when does FU stop and move to Long Term Follow Up vs Closed - Lost
- Coordination with Section 06 nurture: nurture drips run automatically; rep-driven FU is on top. Avoid double-touching the lead in the same window.
Contracts and payments
TBDEntire section TBD. Section 07 defines WHEN contracts get sent; this section will define HOW (platform, automation, tracking, payment, onboarding handoff).
- Contract platform (PandaDoc, DocuSign, GHL native)
- Trigger automation: who fires the contract, where from
- Tracking: single view of every contract out, signed, expired, voided
- Payment platform and link to opportunity record
- Handoff to onboarding once payment clears
- Stage gating: which pipeline stage requires contract sent vs signed vs paid
- Per-offer contract templates (DFY contract is materially different from AC)
Tracking sheets and EOD reporting
TBDEntire section TBD. What stats get tracked, where they live, who reviews when, what rolls into the AN dashboard.
- What stats: dials, conversations, sets, shows, no-shows, consults (Consult 1 / 2 / 3 split per Section 07), closes, contracts out, contracts signed, revenue, lost-reason distribution
- Sheet location: Google Sheet vs dashboard auto-pull from GHL
- Cadence: real-time updated vs end of day
- Who reviews when: daily standup vs weekly
- What rolls into the AN dashboard (the existing dashboard sub-project) automatically
- Show/no-show enforcement: how does the sheet flag missed updates?
- Closing-process tracking signals from Section 07: Consult 1 → 2 conversion, Consult 2 → contract-sent conversion, Consult 3 frequency relative to DFY Consult 2 (the >30% rule)
Sales ops cadences
DefinedThe cadences that make the system actually get followed: daily standup, weekly client wins, weekly call coaching, Friday audit, quarterly taxonomy review.
Daily sales meeting (15 min)
- When: 8:05a, every weekday
- Who: all setters, all closers, sales ops lead (runs it)
- Format: yesterday's KPIs (per rep + team total), today's plan (consult load, queue depth), blockers (one minute per person max)
- Output: any blockers get an owner and a deadline before the meeting ends
Weekly client wins / sales training (45 min)
- When: Monday 9:30a
- Who: all setters, all closers, sales ops lead, founder (rotating)
- Format: 15 min wins recap (closes from last week, contract signs, big saves), 30 min sales training (one topic: objection handling, opener, transition to close, etc.)
- Output: training notes captured in shared doc; one specific tactic to apply this week
Weekly call review / coaching cycle (1 hr)
- When: Wednesday 3p
- Who: sales ops lead + 2 reps (rotating: alternate setters and closers each week)
- Format: review 2 recorded calls per rep (one win, one loss). Coach on thinking, framing, transitions, pivot mechanics, cross-sell execution.
- Output: rep gets 2 specific coaching points to apply. Logged in coaching tracker.
Weekly sales ops audit (built into Friday EOD)
- When: Friday 4:30p
- Who: sales ops lead
- Format: pull lost-reason distribution, no-show rates, call cadence compliance, audit-zero compliance per rep, contract aging in Negotiations, Consult 3 frequency for DFY (Section 07 tracking signal).
- Output: any rep failing standards gets a 1:1 with sales ops Monday. Repeat failures escalate to founder.
Quarterly taxonomy review
- Lost reason taxonomy (Section 12) reviewed every quarter
- Pipeline stage criteria (Section 10) reviewed every quarter
- Calendar architecture (Section 06) and closing process (Section 07) reviewed every quarter or whenever volume shifts trigger sprawl
Cadence ownership
- Sales ops lead owns running every cadence above. If the role is not staffed, founder fills in until it is.
- Founder attends weekly client wins and the Friday audit by default; daily and coaching are sales-ops-led.
- Reps attend mandatory cadences. Three misses without prior approval triggers a coaching conversation.
Open items and build backlog
DefinedAll unfinished work, ranked. v0.4 closed most v0.3 gaps. Two sections still TBD: Contracts and Reporting. The biggest single open item is staffing the sales ops lead role.
The complete list of unfinished work for this SOP, ranked. v0.3 closed most of the v0.2 gaps. What remains:
Locked in v0.3
- Section 02 Two offers · Defined
- Section 05 Routing model (3-lane decision tree) · Defined
- Section 06 Calendar architecture (4 calendars: 2 lead-facing + 2 internal FU) · Defined
- Section 07 Closing process (2-call default, 3-call DFY exception) · Defined
- Section 08 Speed to lead (GHL Power Dialer manual action locked as single mechanism) · Defined
- Section 09 Dialer cadence (GHL only, Wave deprecated) · Defined
- Section 10 Pipeline stages · Defined
- Section 11 Never-lose rule · Defined
- Section 12 Lost reason taxonomy · Defined
- Section 18 Sales ops cadences · Defined
Drafted in v0.3, needs team review
- Section 01 Why · Draft · expanded with all team-named gaps; review for accuracy
- Section 03 Lead sources · Draft · 4 sources now; sources 3 + 4 still future
- Section 04 Application + scoring · Draft v0.2 · capital fork + dual scoring; thresholds and weights need calibration once Brendan's form is live and we have submission data
- Section 13 Setter day · Draft v0.2 · run for a week, revise from observation
- Section 14 Closer day · Draft v0.3 · updated to reflect closing process; same: run for a week, revise
- Section 15 Follow up system · Draft v0.1 · half-defined by Sections 06/07; non-call FU mechanics still TBD
Still TBD
- Section 16 Contracts and payments · TBD · platform, automation triggers, tracking view, payment link, onboarding handoff, per-offer contract templates
- Section 17 Tracking sheets and EOD reporting · TBD · stats list (including Consult 1/2/3 split), location, cadence, dashboard pull-through
Cross-cutting open items
- Brendan's platform rebuild ships (target: within 30 days). Until then we run the transitional Femi + GHL state.
- AN dashboard sub-project needs to wire the KPI views called out in Section 01 ("no clear KPI dashboard"), including the Section 07 closing-process tracking signals.
- Source 3 (web/app) and Source 4 (AC webinar) need launch dates and source-attribution fields wired in GHL.
- Sales ops lead role needs to be staffed (or founder owns it explicitly until staffed).
- Pre-approved price-drop list (Section 07) needs to be defined by leadership and circulated to closers.