predictable-revenue

The saved excerpt is a snapshot from when this skill was listed. The external source remains the complete and most current version.

---
name: predictable-revenue
description: 'Build a scalable outbound B2B sales machine with specialized roles (SDR, AE, CSM). Use when the user mentions "outbound sales", "Cold Calling 2.0", "cold email sequences", "sales pipeline", "SDR process", "sales development", "build an outbound sales team", or "fill my pipeline". Also trigger when setting up a B2B SaaS sales team from scratch or building a lead-qualification framework to improve close rates. Covers the three lead types (seeds/nets/spears), role specialization, the referral-email method, ANUM qualification, and pipeline math. For offer design, see hundred-million-offers. For persuasion science, see influence-psychology.'
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: wondelai
  version: "1.4.0"
---

# Predictable Revenue Framework

A systematic approach to building a scalable, predictable B2B sales machine — the outbound prospecting system that helped Salesforce add $100M in recurring revenue.

## Core Principle

**Predictable lead generation drives predictable revenue.** The biggest mistake in sales is having the same people prospect AND close — specialization creates a repeatable, scalable machine. Traditional cold calling is dead; Cold Calling 2.0 (mass, personalized cold emails that generate referrals to the right person) is the new outbound.

## Scoring

**Goal: 10/10.** Score a sales process 0-10 by awarding 2 points for each of the five [Quick Diagnostic](#quick-diagnostic) rows it satisfies (prospecting/closing separated, defined outbound process, 3-month pipeline predictability, known lead-type mix, standardized SDR→AE handoff). Bands: **9-10** = role separation plus a repeatable process that predicts pipeline; **5-6** = some specialization but ad-hoc prospecting or unpredictable pipeline; **≤3** = one person prospects and closes, revenue depends on heroics. Always give the current score and the specific diagnostic rows blocking 10/10.

## The Three Types of Leads

**Not all leads are equal — treat them differently.**

| Type | Source | Conversion | Cost | Example |
|------|--------|------------|------|---------|
| **Seeds** | Word of mouth, referrals, organic | Highest | Lowest (takes time) | Customer referral, NPS-driven |
| **Nets** | Marketing campaigns, inbound | Medium | Medium | Content, SEO, webinars |
| **Spears** | Outbound prospecting | Lower but predictable | Higher (people-intensive) | Cold Calling 2.0 |

**Key insight:** Most companies over-invest in nets and under-invest in spears; seeds are the best but can't be manufactured quickly. Invest accordingly — customer success and referral programs (seeds), content and paid acquisition (nets), SDR team (spears).

See [references/lead-types.md](references/lead-types.md) when deciding where to invest — it sizes the seeds/nets/spears budget split by company stage.

## Sales Role Specialization

**The #1 principle: separate prospecting from closing.** When AEs prospect and close, they hate prospecting and pipeline becomes feast-or-famine.

| Role | Focus | Metrics |
|------|-------|---------|
| **SDR (Sales Development Rep)** | Outbound prospecting → qualified opportunities | Qualified meetings/month |
| **MDR (Market Development Rep)** | Inbound lead qualification | Qualified leads/month |
| **AE (Account Executive)** | Close deals | Revenue closed, win rate |
| **CSM (Customer Success Manager)** | Retain and grow accounts | Retention, expansion revenue |

### SDR (Sales Development Rep)

Generate qualified pipeline: research target accounts, send Cold Calling 2.0 emails, get referred to the right person, qualify with ANUM, pass to AEs. Not their job: closing, inbound leads, or existing customers. One SDR typically generates 10-20 qualified opportunities per month — measure opportunities, response rate, meetings booked, and pipeline value.

### AE (Account Executive)

Close deals from qualified pipeline: run discovery, demo, negotiate, close, hand off to CSM. Not their job: prospecting (SDR), inbound qualification (