What are your tips for showing the system to a client in a demo and closing the sale after they show interest?
First, congratulations on the numbers – 500 emails, 10 replies, 8 opportunities, that’s a 2 % reply rate and an 80 % conversion from replies to opportunities, which is a solid 1.6 % positive reply rate. My main tip is not to treat the sales call as a demo. Framing it as a demo puts the burden on you and turns you into a “dancing monkey” performing for the client, rather than a consultant partnering with them. Instead, position the call as a consultative session. I usually start by saying I built a very similar system for another client recently and ask if they’d like to see it. Then I spend roughly the first half of the call asking deep, consultative questions: what problems are they facing, how much money those problems cost them, what solutions they’ve tried, why they’re looking to solve it now, and any fears they have. After gathering that information, I synthesize a simple solution – essentially a system that addresses about 80 % of their problem – and walk them through a comparable example I’ve built. I keep the explanation straightforward and focus on how it solves their specific pain points. This consultative structure lets you demonstrate value without the pressure of a formal demo and makes closing the sale feel natural.
I do this kind of thing in Maker School, where we run through what a sales call looks like, show how to do a high‑quality call, give bullet points, and talk about kickoff calls. I don’t gatekeep automation knowledge—I do the builds live. If you want sales help, check out Maker School. Briefly, here’s how I structure a call: first, I set expectations and frame the conversation (e.g., confirm we’re on the same page about time). I start by asking why you responded to my outreach, then a few more questions about your business, and finally I explain how I might solve your problem. I want you to walk away with something tangible, so I’ll prepare a free document, asset, or template to give you by the end of the call. After that, we follow the frame we set: I ask ‘why me?’ and ‘why now?’, then I run a customer audit—covering your acquisition, fulfillment, onboarding, client management, HR processes, etc. After you walk me through those, I discuss my solution and send a proposal with the scope. I prefer not to handle objections or do hard selling on the call; I’d rather let the value speak for itself, which comes from my background in heart‑based sales. That’s my approach.
I realize there are comments I haven't responded to; I'll figure out a process to respond to them. Sorry about that. How do you make your contract with clients? What to add in the contract? Okay, this is a great thing. So, write the best proposals: agency proposals. Let's do 20 men. I'll cover structure, mainly spend time talking about the customer problem, pressing pain points, paraphrasing, empathizing with their situation, demonstrating understanding. That's really big. Then spend the last 30% talking about your solution, pitching price, and talking logistics. Okay. Visuals, automated mechanisms. So, excuse me, legal regard what I personally do. I am not a lawyer. Automated proposal generation mechanisms.
I start with a kickoff call where I deliver quick wins to minimize buyer's remorse, and I always take payment upfront before any work begins - never considering a client 'onboard' until the money is in my account. After receiving payment, I create a detailed proposal that serves as both a sales document and a roadmap. Roughly 60% of the proposal outlines the client's problems, demonstrating my understanding from any prior small project; about 20% covers the proposed solution; the remaining 20% discusses logistics, principally compensation. I typically pitch a large monthly fee - recently moving from $6,900 to around $12,000-$12,300 - and often add a revenue-share component to align incentives, inspired by the idea that sharing upside makes both parties more comfortable and can lead to more money. I discuss performance-based versus flat pricing, noting that beginners should lean performance-based, intermediates may go flat, and experts often return to performance-based because they have confidence in delivering results. Once the client agrees and pays, I invite them to a kickoff call to set communication expectations: I'm highly reachable via Slack (within 15 minutes) and hold daily office hours from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. PT, plus a weekly strategy session. I ask clients to commit to the same recurring time each week for at least 50 out of 52 weeks, emphasizing consistency so they take the calls seriously and see ongoing value. During each meeting I review wins from the past week, outline what I'll do next, and address any questions or fires, ensuring I always show up with something tangible to justify the retainer. I then follow the roadmap, checking off the 45-plus tasks in order, and optionally sync with the client's project-management system (though I've moved away from using my own ClickUp board as the single source of truth). I also note that other agencies like DesignJoy use shared boards, but I prefer bringing a quick note of wins and next steps to each meeting.
Your job is not to sell at this stage; your job is to learn everything you can about how the prospect is running their business. Approaching the call from a learning perspective rather than a sales perspective actually increases the probability of selling. Many people rush to sell too early and miss that building rapport and perceived authority is the best way to sell. You can build rapport by paraphrasing what the customer says in slightly different words, showing you understand them. Approach the call with curiosity and ask questions; genuine curiosity increases the chance of closing a deal. Set expectations at the start: let them know you're just there to learn about their business and that a firm decision isn't required by the end of the call unless they want it. Your goal is to see if you can help them, and ask a couple of quick questions to verify that. Now, to frame the conversation, ask what made them respond to your outreach, what they're looking for, where they're coming from and where they're going—think of it like a doctor diagnosing.