P.A.C.E.D Framework
Sales qualification framework customised for founders with minimal sales experience, the framework focuses on simplicity, practicality, and alignment with the Minimum Viable Sales Method (MVSM) principles. The qualification framework is designed for founders who need to assess whether a deal is viable, scalable, and worth pursuing, while keeping the focus on the buyer’s needs and urgency.
This framework is called P.A.C.E.D, standing for Problem, Alignment, Champion, Evaluation, and Decision. It helps founders qualify deals quickly and practically, with a problem-centric approach, enabling them to stay aligned with the buyer’s priorities.
1. Problem (P)
Key Question: Is there a critical problem the buyer needs to solve?
Identify the buyer’s top 3 challenges.
Ensure the buyer is aware of the cost of inaction and the urgency around solving the problem.
Dig into the root cause of the issue—what’s driving the need for change now?
Why it Matters: Without a critical problem, there’s no reason for the buyer to act. A deal without a clear, pressing problem will likely stall or fail.
2. Alignment (A)
Key Question: Does your solution align with the buyer’s strategic goals and priorities?
Assess whether your solution solves a problem that aligns with their business objectives.
Map your solution to their OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) or other strategic initiatives.
Confirm that the solution matches their timeline for achieving these goals.
Why it Matters: If your solution doesn’t align with the buyer’s strategic goals, even the best product won’t get traction. This ensures that you're targeting the right problem with the right priority.
3. Champion (C)
Key Question: Is there someone internally pushing for this solution?
Identify whether there is a champion who believes in your solution and can influence internal decisions.
Ensure that the champion has authority and access to key decision-makers.
Validate that the champion is actively driving the internal conversation to get buy-in.
Why it Matters: A strong internal advocate can make or break a deal. Without a champion, deals often stall, as there is no one internally pushing for progress.
4. Evaluation (E)
Key Question: How is the buyer evaluating solutions, and where do you stand?
Understand the criteria they are using to evaluate vendors and solutions.
Ensure your solution meets or exceeds these criteria, or be prepared to adjust.
Identify other competitors and assess your position in the evaluation process.
Why it Matters: Knowing how the buyer is evaluating solutions allows you to position your offering clearly and adjust your messaging to address any gaps in their criteria.
5. Decision (D)
Key Question: Who are the decision-makers, and how do they make decisions?
Identify the decision-makers and their roles.
Understand the decision-making process: who signs off, what are the timelines, and how is consensus reached?
Confirm the buyer’s budget and willingness to invest in solving the problem.
Why it Matters: If you don’t know who makes the final decision or how decisions are made, your deal is at risk. This step ensures you are engaging the right stakeholders and that they have the ability and budget to close the deal.
Additional Key Concepts:
Mutual Action Plan (MAP): Establish a clear next step for both sides after each interaction. This helps ensure that the deal is moving forward with shared goals and timelines.
Root Cause Analysis: Always dig deeper into the buyer's problems. Asking why multiple times until you uncover the root issue helps clarify the real motivation for change.
Executive Involvement: In mid-market and enterprise deals, involve senior executives on your side early in the process to establish credibility and help push deals through.
When to Use P.A.C.E.D:
Early-stage founders qualifying their first enterprise deals.
Startups selling into both mid-market and enterprise customers.
Sales teams in need of a simple, adaptable, buyer-centric qualification process.
The P.A.C.E.D Framework is designed to provide clarity, structure, and buyer alignment without overwhelming founders or sales teams with complex sales methodologies. It focuses on the core principles of problem-solving, alignment, and decision-making, ensuring that founders can qualify and advance deals quickly, while staying adaptable to both mid-market and enterprise sales environments.
The Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and Minimum Viable Sales Method (MVSM) are both rooted in simplicity, iteration, and learning:
Core Focus: MVP focuses on delivering the essential features to validate market demand, while MVSM focuses on executing the simplest, most effective sales process to validate deal viability.
Iterative Approach: Both involve continuously learning and adapting. With MVP, it's about iterating the product based on customer feedback. In MVSM, it's refining the sales process based on what works to close deals.
Efficiency: MVP aims to avoid overbuilding, focusing only on what's necessary to test the market. Similarly, MVSM avoids overcomplicating sales, focusing only on the essential steps needed to move deals forward.
Validation: MVP validates the product’s market fit; MVSM validates the sales process’s effectiveness in closing deals.
Both approaches seek to minimise risk and maximise learning while ensuring efficient use of resources.
