Welcome to The Independent Operator, a new blog series from Pavilion featuring insights for GTM leaders navigating fractional and advisory work.
Meet Neil...
Neil Weitzman is a longtime Pavilion Ambassador and the co-leader of our CAF (Consultant, Advisor, Fractional)sub-community. A seasoned fractional CRO and GTM leader and founder of weitzmangtm.com, Neil brings tactical wisdom and unfiltered insights to help independent executives thrive. This article is part of The Independent Operator, Neil’s ongoing series for Pavilion.
🔗 Connect with Neil on LinkedIn
📧 neil@weitzmangtm.com or check out how to work with him at weitzmangtm.com
Last month, we covered what CEOs ask of fractional execs. This month we turn inward: how do fractional CROs (or any CRO) coach sales teams so discovery calls move the deal instead of just feeling nice?
“The meeting went well.” ~ Every rep, right before six weeks of ghosting
If you have parachuted into even one sales org, you have heard that line. If you have been a sales leader of any kind you have heard that line. You might have even said it yourself.
Heads nod, the deck looks slick, everyone laughs at the opener, yet silence follows. A Fractional CROs first job is to erase that polite white lie that came from opinion and gut feel and replace it with evidence.
Good Fractional CROs leaders can turn “great meeting” chatter into measurable momentum and move from Guessing to Proving.
Why discovery is the fractional’s proving ground
- As a Fractional Leader you arrive as an outsider. Fixing discovery can show impact within days.
- Discovery faults hide everywhere: unclear next steps, recycled pain points, no budget check.
- Tight discovery lifts every downstream metric, and CEO trust climbs with it.
An evidence-based discovery framework
Apply these checkpoints on every call you coach. They work with new reps and veterans.
- Define success before the call begins
Example: “By the end of this call we will confirm if a workshop next week makes sense.”
- Qualify again at every stage
Budget, timeline, decision maker, urgency. Never trust old notes.
- Book a meeting from a meeting (BAMFAM --- my favourite skill to reduce sales cycle)
Calendar invite in the prospect’s inbox before anyone disconnects.
- Send a summary the same day
Bullet email: what we heard, what we promised, what they owe us.
If any checkpoint is missing, the meeting did not go well, no matter how friendly it felt.
How fractional leaders coach this shift
- Score, do not judge - Create a one-to-five rubric for each checkpoint. Get reps to self-score before feedback.
- Win, Risk, Learn Fridays -Each deal summed up in three bullets. Reflection over rah-rah.
- Ride-along week one -Sit silent on ten live calls. Use real recordings for rewinds instead of fake role play.
- Use an AI Coach (e.g. Avarra) to help with specific coaching use cases like this and avoid uncomfortable manager/rep role plays.
Trusting and testing seasoned reps
Veteran sellers can hide behind experience, confidence and charm. Evidence removes the crutch.
Be sure to change your questions from emotion to evidence.
As Matt Green states in his recent post on the topic.
- Instead of "How confident are you?" ask "What evidence do we have?"
- Instead of "What's the close probability?" ask "What could prevent this from happening?"
- Instead of "When will they decide?" ask "What specific event triggers their decision?"
If any proof is missing, coach rather than blame. Experienced reps respect data.
One thing to do this week
Pull three discovery recordings. Score each against the four checkpoints. Choose the lowest scoring habit and put in place a specific plan to improve it. Progress will speak louder than any deck.
See you next month with another unfiltered dispatch from the independent operator life. Until then, stop guessing and start proving.
