Identify
Identify the ideal accounts to work, the key events driving your fastest and largest opportunities, as well as the types of champions you want to build.
Influence
Once in discussion, help your champion build the narrative internally by mapping pain->problem->people impacted->priority to solve, as well as current state vs future state.
Implement
Speed the deal up by de-risking success and ensuring a strong plan is in place to hit the ground running.
Iterate
Continue expanding with your client based on the growth model you both aligned on in the “Influence” stage. Iterate your own selling practices.
12 Week Programming - Change Based Selling
WEEK 0 – ONBOARDING
Complete CBS intake assessment
Sign coaching agreement
Identify 2–3 active or recent deals to work
Establish baseline beliefs about selling, change, and buyers
Set expectations for the 12-week arc
SESSION 1 (WEEK 1) – SALES = CHANGE (FOUNDATIONS)
Reframe selling as guiding change, not pitching products
Identify micro vs macro change in deals
Establish “from → to” thinking
Select primary deal(s) to work through the program
Define what winning this coaching block looks like
Assignments (Weeks 1–2): observe change signals in deals, write current → future state summaries
WEEK 2 – OBSERVATION & SIGNAL GATHERING
Track buyer language for change readiness
Identify emotional vs rational resistance
Note where momentum exists or stalls
SESSION 2 (WEEK 3) – IDENTIFY (PROBLEM + PRIORITY)
Deep P4 work: Pain, Problem, People, Priority
Distinguish symptoms from root problems
Identify compelling events (explicit and implicit)
Assess whether the problem is truly a priority
Validate problem clarity from the buyer’s perspective
Assignments (Weeks 3–4): refine P4 per deal, map stakeholders, test problem statements
WEEK 4 – PROBLEM REFINEMENT
Adjust problem framing based on buyer feedback
Remove weak or assumed priorities
Confirm who actually feels the pain
SESSION 3 (WEEK 5) – CHANGE READINESS (COM-B)
Assess Capability, Opportunity, Motivation for change
Identify gaps preventing movement
Evaluate political and organizational constraints
Determine if the buyer can drive change internally
Decide whether to advance, reshape, or disengage
Assignments (Weeks 5–6): test COM-B assumptions, adjust messaging, identify leverage points
WEEK 6 – MOMENTUM & FRICTION ANALYSIS
Understand criterion velocity
Identify where friction is informational vs emotional
Track shifts in buyer posture
Observe internal alignment or misalignment
SESSION 4 (WEEK 7) – INFLUENCE (INTERNAL NARRATIVE)
Map stakeholders and decision dynamics
Clarify economic buyer vs champion vs blockers
Shape the internal story the buyer must tell
Align messaging to different personas
Begin Change Map development
Assignments (Weeks 7–8): refine internal narrative, build consensus tools, update Change Maps
WEEK 8 – CONSENSUS CHECK
Identify weak links in stakeholder alignment
Test internal narrative durability
Adjust for resistance or political pushback
SESSION 5 (WEEK 9) – IMPLEMENT (MANAGING FRICTION)
Prepare for legal, security, procurement, and finance friction
Frame risk of inaction vs risk of change
Develop internal-ready business case language
Identify first irreversible step toward change
Plan for execution barriers before they appear
Assignments (Weeks 9–10): rehearse business case, prep champion, refine implementation steps
WEEK 10 – EXECUTION SIGNALS
Monitor deal velocity and confidence
Identify stalling patterns early
Adjust influence strategy as needed
SESSION 6 (WEEK 11) – ITERATE (EXPANSION + REPEATABILITY)
Conduct deal post-mortems (won, lost, or stalled)
Identify repeatable patterns and leverage
Plan next change or expansion opportunities
Build personal CBS playbook from learnings
Define next 90-day selling focus
Assignments (Weeks 11–12): document insights, finalize playbook, commit to new selling behaviors
WEEK 12 – COMPLETION
End-of-program reflection
What changed in how you sell?
What signals you now notice that you didn’t before?
What beliefs about selling were updated?