About
About this playbook
This is the front end of the client journey only — from the moment a new opportunity reaches us to the moment a signed, paid deal is handed to the delivery team. Onboarding and build delivery live in a separate playbook.
The current team uses it today for consistency; it's written in enough detail that a future hire could pick up a stage and run it. Where a step names a tool, that's the tool we actually use — not a placeholder.
How to use it
- Section 1 — the map and the roles.
- Section 2 — the engagement and billing model that every later stage references. Read it first.
- Section 3 — the stage-by-stage SOPs.
- Section 4 — templates and checklists you actually open during a deal.
Working defaults — confirm or change
Build payment is 50% deposit / 50% on delivery. Pre-engagement form goes to every prospect (lighter version for warm referrals). Subscription start equals the quoted build length from kickoff — a 30-day build → managed-infrastructure billing begins at end of day 30. The date does not move because the client was slow.
Section 1
The eight-stage spine
Each stage lists owner, main tool, and definition of done.
Lead Intake & Logging
Pre-Engagement Form
NewFit Call
Scope & Price
Proposal Presentation & SOW
NewFollow-up & Close
Deposit & Billing Setup
FixHandoff to Delivery
Who owns what
- Clinton
- Owns the sale end to end: intake, qualification, fit call, pricing, proposal presentation, close, deposit, handoff. Final sign-off on every proposal.
- Derek
- Leads the dev team. Joins fit calls on the technical side, owns the build time/feasibility estimate, receives the handoff to delivery.
- Dev team (Jesse, Jordan, JC)
- Provide input to technical scoping when asked; receive the handoff brief. Not client-facing during the front end.
Tool stack
- Craft Brain
- Our CRM. System of record for every opportunity: source, contact, stage, form answers, scope, follow-up reminders.
- cal.com
- Booking fit calls and the proposal presentation.
- Lovable
- Proposal + SOW template and e-signature.
- Stripe
- Deposit and subscription billing (ACH or card); Mercury is the receiving bank.
- Slack
- A dedicated channel is created per client at close (Stage 7).
Section 2 — Read this first
Engagement model & billing terms
This fixes our single biggest operational problem: clients who take their time blowing past the build window AND delaying when recurring revenue starts. The fix isn't in delivery — it's set in writing before anyone signs.
The two phases, defined
- Build (one-time)
- A fixed-scope project with defined deliverables and milestones, delivered in a target window — our standard is 30 days, quoted longer for larger scope. 50% deposit to start, 50% on delivery by default. Length, milestones, and client responsibilities are fixed in the SOW at signing.
- Managed Infrastructure (recurring)
- Ongoing monthly subscription to run, monitor, optimize, and support the system after the build. It begins on a fixed date set at signing — not when the client finishes their part.
The billing trigger — the rule
Managed-infrastructure subscription start date = quoted build length, counted from kickoff, locked in the SOW at signing. 30-day build → billing begins end of day 30. 45-day build → end of day 45. The date is written into the SOW as a calendar date at signing. It is independent of build status.
If billing started "when the build is finished," every client delay would also delay our revenue — exactly the trap we're in today. Tying the start to the quoted length, fixed at signing, means a slow client delays their own go-live, not our revenue.
The delay clause — the only exception
The build clock and subscription start date pause ONLY for delays Craft causes, documented at the time. They do NOT pause for client-caused delays (late access, late approvals, unavailable stakeholders, missing content). This single rule is what makes the date enforceable and must be stated plainly in the SOW.
Client responsibilities (stated up front, in the SOW)
- Access credentials & permissions for all relevant systems.
- A named point of contact + authorised decision-maker reachable within the agreed response window.
- Review, feedback, and approvals at each milestone within the approval window.
- All content, data, assets, and information reasonably required for the build.
Stage 0
Lead Intake & Logging
- Trigger
- A new opportunity reaches us — referral, partnership, inbound, or outbound.
- Owner
- Whoever it comes through (Clinton or Derek).
- 1Log the opportunity in Craft Brain same day: name, company, contact details, source.
- 2Note size signals if known (locations, rough company size) and what they think they want.
- 3Set routing: if it came through Derek, both Clinton and Derek join the fit call; otherwise Clinton takes the first call.
- 4Assign opportunity owner in Craft Brain and set the next action (send pre-engagement form).
Definition of done
Opportunity exists in Craft Brain with a named owner and a next action — nothing lives only in someone's inbox or head.
Stage 1
Pre-Engagement Form
- Trigger
- Opportunity logged.
- Owner
- Clinton.
Send the form before the fit call so the conversation starts with context. Full version for cold/inbound, light version for warm referrals.
Full version
- Your name, role, and company.
- Company size / number of locations.
- What prompted you to reach out — and who referred you, if anyone?
- What are you looking to achieve?
- What does success look like 6–12 months from now?
- What's the main problem today — what's manual, broken, or costing you?
Warm-referral light version
- Who referred you, and what did they say we'd be good at helping with?
- What are you hoping we can help you with?
- In a line or two — what outcome are you after?
- Rough timeline?
- Anything we should review before the call?
Stage 2
Fit Call
- Owner
- Clinton; Derek joins for technical fit or when the lead came through him.
- Qualification bar
- ~$30k minimum engagement (sometimes ~$15k build plus ongoing management). Real business problem with desired outcome, engaged decision-maker, realistic timeline.
Call structure
- 1Introduction — who we are and how we got connected.
- 2How we work — typical project, build-then-managed-infrastructure model, investment level. Sets expectations before getting into their situation.
- 3Their situation — driven by their form answers: outcomes, success picture, what's broken.
- 4Technical fit — Derek explores feasibility and constraints if relevant.
- 5The mutual decision — ask directly: "Does it make sense for us to move forward?" If no, part on good terms. If yes, all on the same footing.
- 6Next step if yes — book proposal presentation on cal.com.
Definition of done
Opportunity is marked qualified with a booked presentation date, or politely closed with a reason logged.
Stage 3
Scope & Price
- Trigger
- Fit call ends in a "yes."
- Owner
- Clinton (commercial); Derek (technical scope + time estimate).
- 1Derek estimates the build effort and timeline from project history, defines deliverables and milestones.
- 2Set quoted build length (e.g. 30 or 45 days) — this also sets the subscription start date per Section 2.
- 3Price the build (one-time) and the managed-infrastructure fee (monthly).
- 4Log everything in Craft Brain: scope summary, milestones, build length, prices, the locked Managed Infrastructure Start Date.
Stage 4
Proposal Presentation & SOW
The proposal carries: outcomes, scope and milestones, investment (build + managed infrastructure), and the engagement & billing terms from Section 2 — including the subscription start date and client responsibilities. SOW and e-signature live in Lovable.
- 1Build the proposal in Lovable from the approved scope.
- 2Present it live — walk the client through it on a call or screen-share. We don't email a link and hope. Anchor on outcomes and the milestone schedule; make billing terms explicit so there are no surprises later.
- 3Handle pushback by adjusting scope or options, not by leading with a discount; reconnect price to the outcome they told us they want.
- 4After the walkthrough, send the Lovable link for signature.
Stage 5
Follow-up & Close
This stage exists because follow-up is where we lose deals to busyness, not to "no."
Follow-up cadence (reminders in Craft Brain)
- Day 0 — send the SOW link with a clear next step.
- Day 2 — check in: any questions on the proposal?
- Day 5 — light nudge with a relevant proof point or answer to an open question.
- Day 9 — direct close: "should we get this moving, or is the timing off?"
- Outcome logged in Craft Brain either way.
Stage 6
Deposit & Billing Setup
- Trigger
- Signed SOW.
- Owner
- Clinton.
- 1Send the deposit invoice via Stripe (50% by default).
- 2Schedule the managed-infrastructure subscription in Stripe to start on the locked Managed Infrastructure Start Date — set today, not later.
- 3Confirm Mercury receives the deposit.
- 4Mark opportunity as Closed-Won in Craft Brain.
Definition of done
"Closed-Won" with deposit confirmed and the subscription start date set in Stripe matching the SOW.
Stage 7
Handoff to Delivery
- 1Create the client's dedicated Slack channel.
- 2Complete the handoff brief: scope and deliverables, milestones, quoted build length and locked subscription start date, client responsibilities and due dates, key contacts, technical notes from discovery.
- 3Walk Derek and the dev team through the brief so delivery starts with full context.
- 4Book the client kickoff — which begins the delivery/onboarding playbook.
Section 4
Templates & checklists
Fit-call agenda (use live)
- Intro & how we got connected (5 min)
- How we work: build → managed infrastructure, investment level (10 min)
- Their outcomes, success picture, and current problems (15 min)
- Technical fit — Derek (10 min, if relevant)
- "Does it make sense for us to move forward?" — explicit yes/no
- If yes: book the proposal presentation, set expectations
Proposal / SOW outline
- Executive summary
- The problem we're solving
- Our approach & what we bring
- Scope & deliverables
- Schedule & milestones
- Investment — build (50/50) + managed infrastructure (monthly)
- Engagement & billing terms — subscription start date, client responsibilities, delay clause
- SOW + signature (Lovable)
Handoff brief checklist
- Scope & deliverables
- Milestones & quoted build length
- Locked subscription start date
- Client responsibilities & due dates
- Key client contacts
- Technical notes from discovery
- Client Slack channel created
- Kickoff booked