Module 3: Paid Pilots & Pre-sales
Paid Pilots & Pre-sales
How to structure pilot contracts and upfront deposits before writing your first production line of code.
The ultimate validation is money in the bank. A customer who will not commit $500 for an early pilot will almost never convert to an active paying account later.
Structuring the Pilot Agreement
Keep the pilot contract under 2 pages. Include only three essential clauses:
- Target Outcome: The single concrete metric the software will deliver (e.g. “Automate lead qualification for 50 inbound form fills per day”).
- Timeline: A bounded 30-day evaluation period.
- Commitment: A non-refundable pilot fee credited against an annual subscription upon success.
Handling Price Objections
When a prospect balks at pricing:
- Frame the cost against existing headcount or wasted hours.
- If they ask for a discount, reduce the scope or onboarding support rather than lowering the base price.
Graduation to Full Production
At day 25 of the pilot, review the outcome metrics with the decision-maker and transition them to an automated recurring billing subscription.
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