The ten stages.
Always capitalised. Always in this order.
| No. | Stage | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Pain | Find it, probe it, don't let go. |
| 02 | Requisition | Who actually controls the budget? |
| 03 | Obstruction | Identify the blocker and name them in the CRM. |
| 04 | Champion | Or "Champion-adjacent enthusiast". |
| 05 | Timeline | Theoretical. |
| 06 | Obfuscation | Make sure the customer can't identify the faults in your solution. |
| 07 | Leverage | Yours, allegedly. |
| 08 | Objections | Log all 47, address the top 3. |
| 09 | Gatekeeper | Befriend or bypass. |
| 10 | Insecurity | Leave the customer too scared to churn. |