If you’re responsible for building or updating sales playbooks, you know the drill: endless email threads, random docs, and meetings where someone’s screen sharing while everyone else zones out. It’s messy, slow, and nobody’s actually collaborating.
This guide is for sales leaders, enablement folks, or anyone who’s sick of the old way. If you want to actually work together on playbooks during meetings—where everyone’s voice is heard and stuff gets done—here’s how to make it happen using Vowel and its live meeting features.
We’ll walk through a practical, step-by-step approach to collaborating on sales playbooks inside Vowel. Along the way, I’ll call out what works, what doesn’t, and how to avoid wasting time.
Why bother with live collaboration?
Let’s be honest: Most “collaboration” is just one person talking while everyone else waits for the meeting to end. Live editing and discussion can change that—but only if you do it right.
Live collaboration helps you: - Catch gaps and unclear steps in real time. - Get buy-in from the people who’ll actually use the playbook. - Save time (no more “I’ll send you the doc after the call”). - Build playbooks that people actually follow.
But you do need some structure, or it turns into chaos. Here’s how to actually make it work.
Step 1: Set up your playbook workspace in Vowel
Before you run a meeting, get your foundation right.
Here’s what works: - Create a dedicated folder or shared meeting space in Vowel for your sales playbook project. - Collect all existing docs, templates, and resources there—even if they’re messy. - Decide what you want to accomplish in your first session (e.g., outline a new play, update objection handling, etc.). - Share access with everyone who should have a say: reps, managers, enablement, maybe even a marketer or two.
What to ignore:
Don’t obsess over perfect organization up front. Dump everything in one place—tidy later.
Pro tip:
If you already have a rough playbook or template, upload it as a doc or paste it into a Vowel note. This gives everyone a starting point.
Step 2: Schedule a playbook working session (not just a meeting)
Treat this like a working session, not a presentation. The goal is to build or improve the playbook together—live.
To do: - Pick a small group of decision-makers and actual users (no more than 6–8 people, or it gets unwieldy). - Send a short agenda ahead of time. Example: “We’ll outline the new inbound lead response play together. Bring your ideas.” - Block 45–60 minutes. Anything longer and attention drops.
What works:
Keeping the invite list tight. Too many cooks, and nothing gets done.
What to ignore:
Don’t try to “finalize” everything in one session. Focus on making progress.
Step 3: Use Vowel’s live meeting features to co-edit and discuss
Here’s where Vowel’s live features actually make a difference—if you use them right.
Shared Notes
- Open the shared notes section so everyone can see and edit in real time.
- Paste in your playbook template or outline. Make sections for each part (e.g., “Discovery Questions,” “Demo Steps,” “Objection Handling”).
- Assign sections to people (“Taylor, can you fill in the demo checklist?”).
- Encourage typing and editing live—not just watching.
Live Reactions and Chat
- Use reactions (“👍”, “🤔”) to quickly vote on ideas or flag confusion.
- The chat sidebar is good for side questions—so you don’t derail the main discussion.
Time-Stamped Action Items
- As you agree on steps, assign action items right in Vowel. These get tracked with the meeting recording and notes, so nothing falls through the cracks.
- Example: “Morgan will draft the new objection handling section by Friday.”
What works:
- Having one person facilitate and keep things moving.
- Using the notes as the source of truth—not a separate doc somewhere else.
What doesn’t:
- Letting everyone talk at once.
- “We’ll update the doc later.” Do it live, or it doesn’t happen.
Pro tip:
If someone can’t make it, record the meeting in Vowel. They can watch the replay and see exactly where decisions were made—no more “who changed this?” drama.
Step 4: Review, clarify, and iterate—live
Don’t just write—make sure people understand what’s actually in the playbook.
- After you’ve filled in a section, have someone else read it out loud. If it sounds confusing, it is.
- Ask, “Would you actually do this on a call? Why or why not?”
- Make quick edits in the shared notes, based on real feedback.
What works:
- Pressure-testing scripts or steps by role-playing (“How would you handle this objection?”).
- Keeping edits visible to everyone, so there’s no version confusion.
What to ignore:
Don’t waste time wordsmithing every sentence. Get the steps and logic right; polish later.
Pro tip:
Use the “decisions” feature in Vowel to mark what’s final, and what still needs work. This gives clarity without endless follow-ups.
Step 5: Assign follow-ups and next steps—right in Vowel
At the end of your session, don’t just say “we’ll follow up.” Make it specific, and use Vowel’s built-in tools to track it.
- Assign sections for people to flesh out or refine.
- Set deadlines and tag owners in the notes or action items.
- Decide what needs a second working session and schedule it on the spot.
What works:
- Clear ownership. If everyone owns it, nobody owns it.
- Short deadlines. Strike while the meeting’s still fresh.
What doesn’t:
- Hoping someone volunteers later.
- Making another 20-person meeting for “feedback.” Small, focused groups move faster.
Step 6: Share, get feedback, and keep improving
Once you’ve got a draft, share it with the broader team. But don’t just email a doc and hope for the best.
- Use Vowel’s meeting recordings and notes to show how decisions were made—this builds trust and transparency.
- Ask for feedback using comments or by scheduling a quick review session (again, small groups work best).
- Make live edits based on real suggestions—not just “great work!” comments.
What works:
- Showing your work. People are more likely to buy in if they see why things changed.
- Keeping the playbook in Vowel, so it’s easy to update after every feedback round.
What doesn’t:
- Sending static PDFs or docs that nobody updates.
- Pretending the playbook is “done.” It never is.
What to avoid: common pitfalls
- Too many cooks: Small groups get real work done. Big meetings just create more meetings.
- Overcomplicating the process: Fancy workflows and approval chains don’t make a better playbook.
- Ignoring live editing: If you’re not updating the playbook in the meeting, you’re just making more homework for yourself.
- Chasing perfection: A good-enough playbook now beats a “perfect” one that never ships.
Keep it simple—and keep going
Building or updating a sales playbook is never really “done.” The point is to make it useful and keep it evolving with your team. Using Vowel’s live meeting features, you can actually collaborate—meaning everyone’s on the same page and stuff gets done faster.
Start with small, focused sessions. Edit live. Assign real action items. Don’t overthink it. Iterate as you go, and don’t be afraid to call something “good enough for now.”
That’s how you build a playbook your team will actually use. Now, get in there and start typing.