Sales Process Playbook

Sales Cycle Overview

30-45 Day Journey to Close

Average Deal Size: R64,000 (40 students × R1,200 × 1.33 semesters) Win Rate Target: 35% (demo to close) Sales Velocity: 12 days per stage average

Discovery (Day 1-7) → Demo (Day 8-14) → Proposal (Day 15-28) → Negotiation (Day 29-35) → Close (Day 36-45)

Stage 1: Discovery (Days 1-7)

Objective: Qualify pain, budget, timeline, and AI readiness

Qualification Framework (BANT-AI)

• Budget: R30K+ per semester minimum
• Authority: Principal + 1 other decision maker
• Need: 3+ critical pain points AI solves
• Timeline: Implementation within 90 days
• AI Readiness: Basic computer lab + internet

Discovery Call Script

Opening Hook (First 10 seconds): "Hi [Name], I'm calling because your students are the only ones in South Africa without access to AI tutors. In the next 5 minutes, I'll show you how 15+ AI features can transform [School Name]'s academic performance while saving teachers 20 hours per week."

Pain Discovery Questions:

1. "How many hours do teachers spend on marking per week?"
2. "What's your current matriculation pass rate?"
3. "How do struggling students get help after school hours?"
4. "How much are you spending on paper and printing?"
5. "When parents ask about AI in education, what do you tell them?"

AI Advantage Probing:

• "Did you know your competitors will all have AI within 18 months?"
• "What if every student had a personal AI tutor available 24/7?"
• "How would 90% faster grading change your teachers' lives?"

Qualification Scorecard

Factor	Score	Weight
School Size	500+ students (10), 200-499 (7), <200 (3)	25%
Budget Confirmed	Yes (10), Probable (6), Unknown (2)	20%
Decision Timeline	This term (10), Next term (6), Next year (2)	20%
Current Pain Level	Critical (10), High (7), Moderate (4)	15%
AI Interest	Very High (10), High (7), Moderate (4)	10%
Competition	Considering others (10), Not looking (5)	10%

Proceed to Demo: Score 65+ Nurture: Score 40-64 Disqualify: Score <40

Stage 2: AI Demo (Days 8-14)

Objective: Create "wow" moments with AI capabilities

Pre-Demo Preparation

• Research school's specific challenges
• Customize demo data with school's name/logo
• Prepare 3 AI features most relevant to their pain
• Test screen share and backup demo environment
• Send calendar invite with "See AI Transform Education" agenda

45-Minute Demo Structure

Minutes 1-5: Recap & Agenda

• Confirm attendees and roles
• Recap discovery pain points
• "Today you'll see why we're the only AI platform in Africa"

Minutes 6-15: AI Tutor Demonstration

• Live interaction with student questions
• Show personalized learning paths
• Demonstrate 24/7 availability
• Real homework help example
• Parent portal visibility

Minutes 16-25: AI Grading System

• Upload sample exam (their format)
• Show 30-second grading process
• Demonstrate feedback quality
• Analytics and insights dashboard
• Time savings calculator

Minutes 26-35: AI Admin Assistant

• Automated report generation
• Predictive analytics for at-risk students
• Timetable optimization
• Fee collection predictions
• Communication automation

Minutes 36-40: ROI Calculation

• Time saved: 25 hours/teacher/week
• Cost saved: R15,000/month in materials
• Performance gain: 15% pass rate increase
• Revenue opportunity: Premium AI tutoring fees

Minutes 41-45: Next Steps

• Pricing overview (3 tiers)
• Implementation timeline
• Pilot program option
• Schedule proposal meeting

Demo Success Metrics

• Feature engagement: 5+ questions asked
• Stakeholder involvement: 3+ attendees
• Excitement indicators: "Wow", "Amazing", "Game-changer"
• Next meeting booked: Within 48 hours

Stage 3: Proposal (Days 15-28)

Objective: Present compelling commercial terms with urgency

Proposal Components

Executive Summary

• School's current challenges (quantified)
• YeboLearn AI solution mapping
• Expected outcomes with metrics
• Investment and ROI summary

Solution Architecture

• 15+ AI features breakdown
• Implementation phases
• Training and support plan
• Success metrics dashboard

Pricing Structure

Tier 1 - Essential AI (R800/student/semester)

• Core AI tutor
• Basic AI grading
• Standard reports
• Email support

Tier 2 - Professional AI (R1,200/student/semester)

• All Essential features
• Advanced AI analytics
• Parent engagement portal
• Priority support
• Custom branding

Tier 3 - Enterprise AI (R1,800/student/semester)

• All Professional features
• Unlimited AI interactions
• API integrations
• Dedicated success manager
• Custom AI training

Commercial Terms

• Payment Options:
  • Upfront: 10% discount
  • Termly: Standard pricing
  • Monthly: 5% premium
• Contract Length:
  • Annual: 15% discount
  • Semester: Standard
  • Month-to-month: 20% premium
• Volume Discounts:
  • 1,000+ students: 10% off
  • 2,000+ students: 15% off
  • 5,000+ students: 20% off

Implementation Timeline

• Week 1: Account setup and data import
• Week 2: AI configuration and customization
• Week 3: Teacher training (3 sessions)
• Week 4: Soft launch with pilot class
• Week 5-6: Full rollout and optimization

Proposal Presentation Script

"Let me walk you through how [School Name] becomes the first AI-powered school in your region..."

Value Emphasis:

• "While competitors struggle with manual processes..."
• "Your teachers reclaim 100 hours per month..."
• "Students get personalized support impossible without AI..."
• "Parents see real-time progress previously invisible..."

Stage 4: Negotiation & Close (Days 29-45)

Objective: Handle objections and secure commitment

Common Objections & Responses

"It's too expensive"

• "Let's calculate the cost of falling behind on AI..."
• "What's the cost of losing students to AI-enabled schools?"
• "The R48 per student per month is less than one textbook"
• Offer: Start with pilot program for one grade

"We need to think about it"

• "What specifically do you need to consider?"
• "Your competitors are evaluating AI solutions right now"
• "Let's schedule a follow-up for specific concerns"
• Create urgency: "Founding member pricing expires [date]"

"We're not ready for AI"

• "That's exactly why we include comprehensive training"
• "Our AI adapts to your school's readiness level"
• "Let's start with one AI feature and scale"
• Share: Success story from similar "not ready" school

"What if AI is just a fad?"

• Show: Global EdTech AI adoption statistics
• "Every major education system is adopting AI"
• "Would you have said computers were a fad in 1995?"
• Risk reversal: 30-day money-back guarantee

Closing Techniques

The Assumptive Close "Based on our discussions, the Professional tier at R1,200 per student makes most sense. Should we start with the full school or run a pilot with Grade 10-12 first?"

The Alternative Close "Would you prefer to start in January for the new school year, or implement now to give teachers time to adapt during the quieter fourth term?"

The Urgency Close "We can only onboard 5 schools this month due to training capacity. Since you're ready to transform education at [School Name], should I reserve one of those slots?"

The Partnership Close "You'll be one of our first 100 flagship schools - that comes with founding member pricing, priority support, and input on future AI features. Ready to make history together?"

Sales Team Structure

Team Composition (Month 1-6)

• 1 Sales Manager (player-coach)
• 3 SDRs (outbound prospecting)
• 2 Account Executives (demos & closing)
• 1 Sales Engineer (technical demos)
• 1 Customer Success Manager (onboarding)

Team Targets

• SDR: 40 qualified opportunities/month
• AE: 5 closed deals/month
• Team: 10-12 schools/month

Commission Structure

• Base: R15,000-R25,000
• Commission: 10% of revenue (uncapped)
• Accelerators: 15% at 120% of quota
• Bonuses: R5,000 for largest deal of month
• SPIFFs: R1,000 for same-day close

CRM & Pipeline Management

Salesforce Configuration

Stages & Probability:

1. Discovery (10%)
2. Qualified (20%)
3. Demo Scheduled (30%)
4. Demo Complete (40%)
5. Proposal Sent (60%)
6. Negotiation (80%)
7. Closed Won (100%)
8. Closed Lost (0%)

Activity Requirements

• Discovery: 3 touchpoints minimum
• Demo: Recorded and scored
• Proposal: Sent within 48 hours of demo
• Follow-up: Every 48 hours in negotiation
• Lost deals: Loss reason mandatory

Pipeline Metrics

• Velocity: 30-45 days average
• Conversion Rates:
  • Discovery → Qualified: 60%
  • Qualified → Demo: 80%
  • Demo → Proposal: 50%
  • Proposal → Close: 35%
• Deal Size: R64,000 average
• Pipeline Coverage: 3x monthly target

Weekly Sales Rituals

Monday: Pipeline review and week planning Tuesday: Team training on AI features Wednesday: Deal review and coaching Thursday: Prospecting blitz (2 hours) Friday: Wins celebration and CRM cleanup

Sales Enablement Assets

Battle Cards

• YeboLearn vs No AI (15-0 feature advantage)
• YeboLearn vs Manual Systems (90% time savings)
• YeboLearn vs Future Competitors (18-month head start)
• ROI Calculator (break-even in 4 months)

Case Studies

• "Township School Increases Pass Rate 23% with AI"
• "Private School Saves R200K Annually with Automation"
• "Rural School Bridges Digital Divide with AI Tutors"

Sales Tools

• Demo environment with sample school data
• ROI calculator spreadsheet
• Pricing configuration tool
• Contract generator
• Reference call database