Assembles data-driven commercial cases for expansion conversations by compiling usage evidence, value metrics, benchmark comparisons, and pricing context into structured proposals. Use when asked to build an expansion proposal, create an upsell case, prepare a commercial conversation, assemble evidence for a pricing discussion, draft an expansion business case, or when any expansion signal needs to be translated into a customer-ready commercial narrative. Also triggers for questions about expansion proposals, upsell preparation, commercial evidence, or growth case building.
Assembles the evidence package for expansion conversations. Pulls usage data, value metrics, benchmark comparisons, and pricing context into a structured proposal that the CSM can use to frame the commercial discussion. Part of the Commercial Motion pillar.
This is a data assembly and formatting skill. It builds the case. The CSM owns the conversation -- timing, framing, negotiation, and relationship management are entirely human decisions.
From the expansion signal and CSM input, classify the opportunity:
| Expansion Type | Signal Pattern |
|---|
| Commercial Implication |
|---|
| Seat growth | Licence utilisation >80%, credential sharing detected, new team adoption | More users on the current tier. Pricing = per-seat increment |
| Tier upgrade | Feature-gating hits, power users needing advanced capabilities | Current users moving to a higher product tier. Pricing = tier price difference |
| Cross-sell | New department interest, adjacent use case emerging | New product or module for a new use case. Pricing = new product pricing |
| Geographic expansion | New region or entity adopting | Same product, new contract entity. Pricing = new agreement |
Pull from all relevant skills:
Value already delivered (lead with this):
Growth evidence (show the natural progression):
Capacity constraint evidence (show the current limit):
Commercial context:
Not for sharing with the customer, but for the CSM's negotiation preparation:
This context helps the CSM understand the customer's negotiating position. A customer with high switching costs has less leverage; a customer with low switching costs has more. The CSM adjusts approach accordingly.
Internal prep document (for CSM eyes only):
Customer-facing summary (for the conversation):
{
"account_id": "string",
"expansion_type": "seat_growth",
"current_arr": 42000,
"proposed_expansion_value": 12000,
"total_proposed_arr": 54000,
"evidence": {
"value_delivered": {
"headline": "340 hours saved in Q1 through automated workflows",
"supporting": ["2847 workflow completions (+22% QoQ)", "75% feature adoption (above segment median)", "78% active user ratio (growing)"]
},
"growth_signals": {
"licence_utilisation": "93% for 45 days -- capacity ceiling reached",
"organic_spread": "12 new users from Marketing department in last 40 days",
"credential_sharing": "3 users detected sharing credentials"
},
"benchmark_position": "Above average across all metrics. Top quartile in workflow completions",
"switching_cost": "High -- 3 integrations, 47 trained users, 18 months of workflow configuration"
},
"internal_prep": {
"pricing_standard": 12000,
"discount_authority": "CSM can offer up to 10% on seat additions without approval",
"likely_objections": ["Budget timing -- Q2 budget may already be committed", "Want to see the open P2 ticket resolved first"],
"recommended_approach": "Lead with the Marketing team expansion as evidence of broadening value. Frame seats as making official what is already happening organically. Do not discount proactively -- wait for a pricing objection before offering flexibility.",
"risk_factors": ["Open P2 ticket on API latency -- resolve before commercial conversation", "CFO not engaged -- may need champion to socialise internally before formal ask"],
"timing": "After P2 resolution. Target within 2 weeks"
},
"customer_summary": {
"opening": "Your team has outgrown the current setup. 93% of seats are in use and your Marketing team has started adopting organically. We should make sure everyone who needs access has it.",
"value_frame": "Your team saved 340 hours last quarter through automated workflows -- that is up 22% from the prior quarter. The value is compounding as adoption deepens.",
"expansion_frame": "Adding 15 seats would eliminate the credential sharing your team is working around and give the Marketing team proper access. The investment is [X] per year.",
"forward_look": "With the Marketing team onboarded, there is also an opportunity to explore the Advanced Reporting module -- your analytics team has been asking about custom dashboards."
},
"requires_csm_review": true
}
| Decision Point | Context Provided | What the Human Decides |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Account health, open issues, renewal date, budget cycle | Whether now is the right moment. The data may say yes but the relationship may say wait |
| Framing | Customer-facing summary with value-led opening | How to position the expansion -- consultative vs. direct, formal meeting vs. casual conversation |
| Who to present to | Stakeholder map, champion vs. economic buyer | Whether to go through the champion first or directly to the budget holder |
| Pricing strategy | Standard pricing, discount authority, competitor context | Whether to hold price, offer flexibility, bundle with renewal, or structure as a multi-year deal |
| Escalation | Risk factors, stakeholder gaps | Whether to involve a sales partner, executive sponsor, or manager in the conversation |
Required:
Strongly recommended:
Downstream consumers:
references/commercial-frameworks.md -- Framing templates by expansion type, pricing conversation structures, and objection response patterns