If you’re in B2B sales, you know the drill: endless email threads, scattered Google Docs, and prospects who ghost halfway through the process. There’s a better way—shared workspaces. This guide is for anyone tired of chasing prospects through a maze of attachments and “just checking in!” emails. We’ll dig into how to actually use Valuecase shared workspaces to work with prospects—not just talk at them.
Why bother with shared workspaces?
Let’s be honest: most sales “collaboration” tools are just glorified file folders. Shared workspaces—when done right—let you and your prospect work together in real time, keep everything in one place, and (hopefully) speed things up. Valuecase promises to do all this, but it only helps if you use it well. Here’s how to set yourself up for fewer headaches and more closed deals.
Step 1: Set up your workspace before you send anything
Don’t just invite prospects to a blank page. The fastest way to kill momentum is to make your buyer do the heavy lifting. Take a few minutes to set up your Valuecase workspace first.
What to include: - Kickoff summary: One or two sentences on what you’re both trying to achieve. - Timeline: Key dates, next steps, and who’s responsible. - Docs & links: Product materials, pricing, contracts—whatever your prospect actually needs. - Contact info: Yours and theirs. Make it dead simple to reach the right person.
Skip: Overloading it with fluff. No one cares about your company history or a wall of marketing PDFs. Focus on what’s actionable.
Pro tip: Use Valuecase templates if you’re repeating the same process. Just remember to customize—prospects spot generic content a mile away.
Step 2: Invite your prospect the right way
Don’t just blast out an invite link and hope for engagement. Set context.
How to do it: - Personalize your invite: In your email (or call), explain why you’re using Valuecase (“to keep us both organized and save time”) and what they’ll find inside. - Be upfront about expectations: Let them know what you’d like them to do—review a doc, comment on a plan, or pick meeting times. - Address privacy concerns: Some prospects get nervous about new tools. Mention that Valuecase is secure and doesn’t require them to install anything.
What doesn’t work: Sending the invite as an afterthought or burying it in a sea of attachments. If you don’t make the workspace sound useful, they won’t use it.
Step 3: Make collaboration dead simple
Once your prospect is in the workspace, your job is to make it as easy as possible for them to participate.
Tips that actually work: - Highlight action items: Use checklists or callouts for tasks that need their input. - Tag people: If Valuecase supports @mentions, use them to assign tasks or ask questions. Don’t overdo it—nobody likes a notification firehose. - Keep updates short: Edit ruthlessly. Less is more, especially for busy buyers. - Comment, don’t lecture: Leave comments or questions in the workspace itself, not just in email. This keeps the conversation in one spot.
Avoid: Turning the workspace into another inbox. If you’re just duplicating email threads, you’re not saving anyone time.
Step 4: Use shared docs and mutual action plans (but don’t overcomplicate)
Shared workspaces shine when both sides can edit and track progress. Valuecase has “mutual action plans” and collaborative docs—use them, but don’t let the process take over.
How to keep it sane: - Set up a simple action plan: List milestones, who owns what, and dates. Don’t turn it into a project management tool—this isn’t Jira. - Real-time editing: Encourage your prospect to update status, upload docs, or add questions directly. - Version control: Valuecase handles this for you, so you won’t lose track of changes.
What to ignore: Fancy “engagement analytics” at first. Focus on getting the basics down—collaborating on real tasks. Analytics are nice, but they won’t close deals on their own.
Step 5: Keep everything in one place—no more endless email chains
One of the biggest wins: no more hunting through your inbox for the latest version of a doc or a signed contract. But this only works if you—and your prospect—commit to using the workspace as the main hub.
How to reinforce this: - Gently redirect: If someone emails you a doc, upload it to Valuecase and reply, “Just added this to our shared workspace so we’re all up to date.” - Centralize feedback: Ask for comments or approvals in the workspace, not via email or chat. - Regular check-ins: Post quick updates in Valuecase (not just over email), so both sides see progress.
Caution: Some prospects will still default to email. Don’t fight it, but keep nudging things back to the workspace when you can.
Step 6: Use Valuecase features that actually help (and skip the rest)
Not every bell and whistle is worth your time. Here’s what tends to be useful:
Worth your attention:
- Templates: Speeds up setup for repeat sales cycles.
- Embedded content: Drop in videos, calendars, or slides so they’re easy to find.
- Task assignments: For complex deals with multiple stakeholders.
Usually not worth it:
- Overly complex automations: If it takes longer to set up than to just do the task, skip it.
- “Engagement scores” as gospel: Use them as a signal, not a verdict. Some buyers just aren’t click-happy.
Bottom line: If a feature doesn’t save you or your prospect time, ignore it until you actually need it.
Step 7: Iterate based on what prospects actually do
You’ll get the most from Valuecase if you treat it as a work in progress. Pay attention to what your prospects actually use (or ignore) and adjust.
- Ask for feedback: “Is this workspace actually helpful, or just more noise?”
- Trim the fat: If something isn’t getting used, remove it.
- Refine templates: Small tweaks add up—don’t be afraid to change things as you learn.
Don’t: Fall in love with your setup. The best shared workspaces are the ones that adapt.
A few final takes
Shared workspaces like Valuecase can make the sales process faster and less painful—if you keep things simple and focus on what your prospect actually needs. Don’t get sucked into feature bloat or overthinking the setup. Start with the basics, keep everything in one place, and tweak as you go.
Remember: The goal isn’t to impress your prospects with software. It’s to make working with you the easiest part of their buying process. If you get that right, you’re already ahead.