B2B sales cycles are never as simple as a template makes them look. If you’re trying to use Fathom to streamline your process, you’ve probably noticed the “one size fits all” approach mostly fits nobody. This guide is for folks who want to actually make Fathom templates useful for their specific sales cycle—whether you’re selling $2k SaaS or six-figure enterprise deals.
Let’s skip the fluff and get your templates working for real sales situations.
Step 1: Know What (and Who) You’re Selling To
Before you touch a single template, map out your sales process—warts and all. Templates are just a starting point. If you try to force your process to fit a tool, you’ll end up with cluttered notes and annoyed reps.
- Map your actual sales stages. Write down the steps your deals actually go through. Don’t use your CRM’s defaults unless they’re accurate.
- List your buying personas. Who’s typically in the room? CFO? IT? End users?
- Spot the bottlenecks. Where do deals get stuck? You’ll want your template to prompt for these details.
Pro Tip: If you work in a team, get everyone’s input. The “real” sales process is rarely written down anywhere, so gather the war stories.
Step 2: Audit Fathom’s Default Templates
Head over to Fathom and look at what’s included out of the box. Most templates are set up for basic discovery calls or generic deal notes. That’s fine for simple cycles, but B2B can get messy fast.
- Open a default template. Go line by line. Ask yourself, “Will this help my team close a deal, or is it just busywork?”
- Mark what’s missing. For example: multi-stakeholder questions, technical fit, procurement process.
- Ditch what’s irrelevant. If you never ask about “decision timeline” on first calls, cut it.
What usually works: Fathom’s focus questions (like “What’s your main challenge?”) are a good baseline.
What to ignore: Overly broad prompts like “Any next steps?”—make these specific to your process, or they’ll just get skipped.
Step 3: Build a Template for Your Sales Cycle
Armed with your process map and a list of what you actually need, it’s time to build (or heavily edit) a Fathom template.
The Basics: Structure Your Sections
Break your template into sections that fit your sales flow. A typical B2B cycle might look like:
- Discovery
- Pain points
- Current tools
- Who’s involved in the decision?
- Technical Fit
- Integrations needed
- Security requirements
- IT sign-off required?
- Procurement
- Budget owner
- Procurement steps
- Legal review?
- Next Steps
- Specific follow-ups (not just “Email summary”)
- Who’s responsible
- Date/time for next meeting
Don’t overdo it. If your template is a wall of questions, nobody will fill it out honestly. Stick to what actually moves deals forward.
Use Conditional Prompts (If Fathom Supports Them)
If you’re in an industry where sales cycles fork (e.g., SMB vs. enterprise), build in conditional prompts or separate templates for each. Don’t try to make one monster template cover every scenario.
Example:
- For smaller deals, skip the procurement section.
- For enterprise, add prompts for “Who’s your IT security contact?”
Step 4: Add Prompts That Drive Useful Conversations
Templates should help reps ask better questions—not just check boxes. The goal is to get to the real blockers early.
- Ask about all the buying roles. Not just “Who’s the decision-maker?” but “Who else needs to sign off?”
- Force clarity on timelines. Don’t settle for “soon”—ask, “What happens if this isn’t solved this quarter?”
- Highlight tech gotchas. “Have you tried integrating a tool like this before? Any lessons learned?”
What works: Prompts that nudge people to dig deeper.
What doesn’t: Vague questions like “Anything else?”—they rarely spark real info.
Step 5: Test Your Template With Real Calls
No template survives first contact with a real conversation. Run a few calls using your new template and pay attention to:
- What gets skipped? If a section is always blank, it’s probably not useful.
- Where do you go off-script? That’s a sign the template doesn’t match reality.
- Is anything slowing you down? If reps are complaining, listen—clunky templates cost deals.
Iterate ruthlessly. It’s better to have a short, sharp template than a “complete” one nobody uses.
Step 6: Keep Templates Short, Clear, and Focused
This can’t be said enough: less is more.
- Limit to must-have info. You can’t automate good judgment, but you can automate reminders for key gaps.
- Use plain English. Don’t copy jargon from the website—write prompts the way you’d actually talk.
- Review every quarter. Sales cycles change. So should your templates.
Ignore: Fancy template features you don’t need. If you’re not using Fathom’s AI suggestions or auto-tagging, don’t feel guilty—they’re not magic.
Step 7: Share and Train—But Don’t Force Adoption
Roll out your new template to the team, but don’t make it a “thou shalt” policy. Encourage feedback, and make it clear that the template is there to help—not to micromanage.
- Walk through a real call. Show how the template helps.
- Ask for tweaks. Someone on your team will spot a gap you missed.
- Keep it optional at first. If it’s actually better, people will use it.
Honest Take: What to Skip or Watch Out For
- Don’t try to capture everything. Templates are a memory aid, not a CRM replacement.
- Avoid “template bloat.” If you add a section for every edge case, you’ll end up with a monster nobody wants.
- Don’t expect perfection. There’ll always be outlier deals that don’t fit. That’s fine—just take notes manually when needed.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Customizing Fathom templates for B2B sales cycles isn’t rocket science, but it does take a bit of upfront work. The best templates don’t try to cover every possibility—they help you focus on what actually closes deals.
Start small, trim what doesn’t work, and don’t be afraid to ignore bells and whistles. Iterate quarterly, and you’ll end up with a template that makes your sales process smoother instead of slowing you down.
Now go tweak those templates—and remember, if something feels like busywork, it probably is. Cut it.