Gong AE Shares 'NSTW' Framework for Sales Calls
A top-performing AE at Gong shared his "NSTW" (Next Steps, Timing, Who) framework for managing complex sales cycles. The tactic involves using a mutual success plan template to align on next steps without overwhelming the buyer, a proven method for enterprise deals.
The "NSTW" (Next Steps, Timing, Who) framework is a tactic for executing a broader strategy known as a Mutual Success Plan (MSP), sometimes called a Mutual Action Plan. These plans are crucial in enterprise deals, with some data showing they can increase win rates by as much as 26% by creating a transparent, co-authored roadmap that aligns both buyer and seller on key milestones and responsibilities. For platforms, monetizing payments has become a primary revenue lever, shifting from a cost center to a profit driver. SaaS companies that embed payments can increase revenue per customer by two to five times. Monetization models range from simple transaction fee markups and revenue shares with payment providers to charging for premium features like advanced analytics or offering value-added services such as instant payouts or "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) options. Vertical SaaS leaders like Toast and Shopify exemplify this strategy. A significant portion of Toast's revenue, approximately 80%, comes from financial technology solutions, primarily transaction-based fees. They leverage a payment facilitator (PayFac) model, embedding payments into their core software. Shopify also drives substantial revenue through Shopify Payments, which is built on Stripe's infrastructure, by charging transaction fees that vary based on the merchant's subscription plan. Fintech-forward CFOs and CTOs evaluate payment infrastructure based on specific unit economics. Key metrics include Gross Payment Volume (GPV), which indicates scale, and the Net Take Rate (NTR), which reveals the actual percentage of revenue kept after processing costs. Other critical KPIs are the authorization rate, transaction success rate, and the overall cost per transaction, as these directly impact revenue and profitability. The push for real-time payments is reshaping treasury operations, with over 60% of the global population expected to use digital wallets by 2026. However, cross-border B2B payments remain a significant friction point due to fluctuating foreign exchange (FX) rates, hidden intermediary bank fees, and slow settlement times, which can take five or more days and complicate cash flow management. AI is being deployed to tackle these complexities. AI-powered routing can dynamically choose the most efficient payment path based on cost, speed, and reliability, with some merchants seeing a 2-3% increase in approval rates. In fraud detection, AI has boosted success rates by 20% to 300% in some cases by analyzing diverse data points to reduce false positives, a significant improvement over static, rule-based systems. Transitioning from mid-market to enterprise sales requires a strategic shift from transactional speed to a more patient, multi-stakeholder approach. Executive negotiation in this arena focuses on total enterprise value, not just price. Effective tactics include anchoring discussions with a premium offering, quantifying the ROI for different stakeholders (like cost savings for a CFO), and bundling services to avoid straight discounts. Sales leaders emphasize mapping the entire decision ecosystem and involving your own executives in a planned manner to build alignment.
