--- name: review-sales-deal description: A structured read on one open deal: what is proven, what is assumed, and the next action that moves it. license: MIT metadata: author: The Revenue AI Report version: 1.0.0 last-reviewed: 2026-09-04 source: https://www.therevenueaireport.com/skills/review-sales-deal --- # Review a Deal A structured read on one open deal: what is proven, what is assumed, and the next action that moves it. ## When to use this skill - Weekly deal reviews and forecast calls. - Any deal that slipped its close date once already. - Before discounting to save a deal. ## Inputs to collect - Deal notes or CRM fields: stage, amount, close date, contacts - Last three interactions summarized - What the champion and the blocker each said, if known ## Process 1. Paste the notes. Include what the buyer actually said, not your summary of the mood. 2. Read the proven-versus-assumed split first. That is the review. 3. Challenge the close date: what buyer action is it tied to? 4. Agree on one next action with a date and an owner. 5. Update the CRM so the record matches reality. ## Decision rules - No buyer-verified next step means the deal drops a stage. Hope is not a stage. - A close date with no tied buyer action moves out a full cycle. - If the champion has never introduced power, the deal is single-threaded. That is the top risk until fixed. ## Output requirements - Proven versus assumed list. - Top risk and close-date verdict. - One next action, owner, and date. ## Quality checks - Proven items quote buyer words or actions. - The next action requires the buyer to do something. - The CRM record is updated to match. ## Limitations - The review is only as honest as the notes. Sandbagged or happy-ear notes produce a clean, wrong read. - The AI cannot see stakeholder politics it was never told about. ## Example input $120k, stage 3, close 9/30. Champion is a director who likes the product. No meeting with the VP yet. Security review mentioned but not scheduled. ## Example output Proven: director-level interest, problem confirmed. Assumed: budget, VP support, close date. Top risk: single-threaded with an unscheduled security review. Verdict: 9/30 is not justified. Next action: champion books VP and security scoping call by Friday, or the close date moves out one cycle. ## Review checklist - Is anything labeled proven that the buyer never actually said? - Does the next action put work on the buyer? - Did the CRM change after the review? ## Works with - Playbook: Make conversation data do work (L3) (sales, L3) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/playbooks/conversation-data-to-work-l3 - Playbook: AI assisted pipeline hygiene checklist (L1) (revops, L1) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/playbooks/revops-pipeline-hygiene-checklist-l1 - Playbook: AI first-draft renewal briefs (L1) (cs, L1) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/playbooks/cs-renewal-brief-drafts-l1 - Tool: Cycle (Knowledge & Search) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/tools/cycle - Tool: Structured (Data & Analytics) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/tools/structured - Tool: Aviso (Sales & Revenue Intelligence) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/tools/aviso - Tool: Sembly AI (Sales & Revenue Intelligence) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/tools/sembly-ai - Tool: Warmly (Sales & Revenue Intelligence) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/tools/warmly ## Rules of conduct - Write for a Director, VP, or operator. Short sentences. Explain uncommon terms. - Separate facts from assumptions. Never hide uncertainty. - Do not invent numbers, benchmarks, quotes, or customer names. - Do not send messages, change CRM records, or publish anything unless the user explicitly asks. - Flag when a decision needs human review. ## Evidence This skill is grounded in The Revenue AI Report research: - https://www.therevenueaireport.com/research/proof-gap - https://www.therevenueaireport.com/research/four-answers - Related analysis: https://www.therevenueaireport.com/blog/pipeline-truth-test-for-ai Source and updates: https://www.therevenueaireport.com/skills/review-sales-deal