Sales Proof of Concept Template
Sales Proof of Concept Template
Collaborate with customers to design a solution that solves their business needs with this free sales proof of concept template.
Who this template is for
Sales teams and buyers who need a structured, repeatable way to validate a product’s fit before making a purchasing decision.
What this template is for
This template helps sales teams create a shared workspace for running a structured proof of concept (POC). It organizes goals, success criteria, key resources, and next steps in one place. This makes it easier for buyers to evaluate the product, align stakeholders, and make a confident purchase decision.
How to use this template
- Sign up for a free Dock account.
- Create a new workspace and select the proof of concept template.
- Customize the template by adding relevant success criteria, timelines, and key resources.
- Save your customized version for future POCs.
- Set up a new workspace for each POC, tailoring it to the specific needs of your prospect.
- Introduce the workspace to your buyer at the start of the POC, making it the go-to hub for tracking progress and collaboration.
- Use the workspace to keep momentum, share updates, and ensure all stakeholders stay aligned throughout the evaluation process.
What’s in this template?
Proof of Concept Overview
Use the overview section to outline the goals of the proof of concept and the approach taken to achieve them. This section also contains information on the relevant stakeholders on both your and the client’s side.
Project Milestones
This section includes a table for information on the inputs and goals of each phase of the POC project. It also has a section for outlining the agreed-upon success criteria for assessing when goals have been met.
Solution Overview
This next section is intended to present the value of the product or service provided to the client with relevant sales-oriented materials. Here, you can embed PDFs, videos, or other relevant content.
Why use Dock’s Sales Proof of Concept Template?
Dock’s sales proof of concept (POC) template is the most effective way to manage and standardize your POC process while keeping buyers engaged, whether you’re in the early stage of validating an idea or refining a final product. For technical sales teams and account executives, a well-structured POC is key to demonstrating a product’s feasibility, reducing friction in the sales cycle, and ultimately driving a higher win rate.
With Dock, you can create a structured, repeatable POC framework that helps both sellers and buyers align on business objectives, success criteria, and next steps—all in one shared workspace.
Whether you’re testing a SaaS platform, assessing new features, or running an IT project, Dock keeps everything organized in a single, easy-to-access link—eliminating the need to juggle email threads, scattered documents, or lost Slack messages.
Plus, Dock is able to link with CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce, making it easier to track POC progress alongside the rest of your product management pipeline.
Dock’s intuitive editor makes it easy to customize the template for different buyers. Embed demo videos, link security docs, add mutual action plans, and rearrange layouts to fit each deal’s needs. And since buyers can access the workspace with just their email—no logins required—it reduces friction and makes collaboration seamless. You can also turn your POC into a guided trial, helping buyers test your product with structured steps, clear expectations, and embedded resources that drive deeper engagement.
With Dock’s built-in engagement tracking, you can see exactly which stakeholders are engaging with the POC workspace, which resources they’re viewing, and when they’re making progress—helping you gauge deal momentum, improve sales cycle forecasting, and validate findings from your market research.
With built-in automation, Dock reduces the manual follow-up required in a POC, ensuring your team spends more time closing and less time chasing updates. A well-executed POC also helps sales and product management teams refine their SaaS offering based on real buyer feedback, leading to better alignment throughout the product lifecycle. A smoother POC process means faster conversions and more revenue for your business.
Here’s what else Dock’s POC template can do for you:
Streamline the proof of concept process
- Provide a single workspace to manage all POC materials, timelines, and expectations, ensuring a structured roadmap for evaluation.
- Align buyers and sellers around clear success criteria to validate both scalability and usability.
- Keep all stakeholders on the same page with easy access to documents and updates, making collaboration more efficient.
- Reduce confusion by eliminating email clutter and scattered files, keeping the focus on testing a working model that reflects real-world conditions.
Personalize at scale
- Customize each POC while maintaining a repeatable structure, adapting to different product design requirements.
- Tailor the workspace to match the buyer’s industry, proof of principle, or pain points.
- Curate relevant resources, case studies, and success metrics for each prospect to support a compelling business case.
- Save time with a scalable framework that ensures consistency across deals while allowing for flexibility.
Improve deal visibility and forecasting
- Track stakeholder engagement to see who is actually involved in the buying process and using the working model.
- Monitor views, clicks, and interactions to identify deal momentum and assess usability in a real-world context.
- Identify bottlenecks and adjust strategy in real time to align with the buyer’s roadmap.
- Use data-driven insights to forecast which POCs are most likely to convert and ensure scalability post-purchase.
By using Dock’s proof of concept template, you give buyers the clarity and confidence they need to make a purchasing decision—while keeping your sales process efficient and repeatable.
Related Templates
How do I use this template?
Sign up for Dock for free, create a new workspace, and select the proof of concept (POC) template. Customize it to fit your business development needs, save it as a reusable template, and create a new workspace for each client. Whether you're testing a mobile app, a new workflow, or a potential minimum viable product, this template helps structure your proof of concept. Use the workspace to collaborate with buyers, track progress, and validate your business idea before moving to full-scale product development.
Is this template free?
Yes, Dock is free to try for up to 50 workspaces. Every paid Dock plan includes unlimited template and workspace usage, making it a cost-effective solution for testing real-life use cases and refining your methodology.
Can I modify this template?
Yes, you can customize your own copy of the template and tailor it for each POC. Whether you’re adjusting for different target audiences, modifying success criteria, or incorporating automation, Dock makes it easy to iterate and improve your approach.
Can I personalize this template for every client?
Yes, each workspace can be customized with client-specific details, success criteria, and resources. This ensures your proof of concept aligns with their unique use cases, business goals, and evaluation methodology.
Can I share this template with my team?
Yes, you can keep templates private or share them with your team. Dock allows you to control template visibility and access settings, making it easy to collaborate on business development projects across different teams.
What is a sales proof of concept?
A sales proof of concept (POC) is a structured process that helps buyers evaluate a product before making a purchase. For sales leaders and presales professionals, a POC serves as a way to validate a product’s effectiveness in a real-world environment while demonstrating its proof of value (POV). Whether you're introducing a startup software solution, a sales enablement tool, or a complex enterprise system, a well-organized POC helps ensure the product aligns with the buyer’s needs before full-scale adoption.
What is a proof of concept document?
A proof of concept document outlines the scope, objectives, success criteria, and key deliverables of a POC. It serves as a guide for both the buyer and seller, ensuring alignment on expectations and evaluation metrics. This document is particularly useful for project management teams in startup environments, helping them track the proof of value (POV) of their solution and refine their approach before committing to full-scale deployment.
What should you include in a sales proof of concept template?
- Clear objectives and success criteria to measure proof of value (POV)
- A defined timeline and milestones to keep the POC on track
- Key stakeholders and their roles for structured accountability, including presales professionals
- Relevant product documentation and resources to support evaluation
- A mutual action plan to track progress and manage the project management workflow
Dock’s proof of concept template includes all these elements, making it easy to set up and execute a structured POC tailored to different sales enablement use cases.
When should you use a proof of concept?
A proof of concept is useful when a buyer needs to validate a product’s capabilities before committing to a purchase. It’s commonly used in sales enablement, startup growth strategies, and project management workflows—especially for enterprise solutions, sales leaders, or software products where stakeholders require hands-on testing before making a decision.
Proof of concept best practices & tips
- Set clear success criteria – Define measurable goals to prevent scope creep and ensure proof of value (POV).
- Get buy-in from all stakeholders – Make sure sales leaders, technical decision-makers, and end users are engaged from the start.
- Keep communication centralized – Use Dock’s shared workspace to streamline updates and enhance project management efficiency.
- Track engagement – Use Dock’s analytics to see which stakeholders are reviewing materials and interacting with the POC.
Proof of concept mistakes to avoid
- Undefined success criteria – Without clear goals, the POC can drag on indefinitely, delaying deployment in startup environments.
- Lack of stakeholder involvement – If key sales leaders and presales professionals aren’t engaged, the POC may not lead to a sale.
- Disorganized documentation – Scattered files slow down the project management process. Dock keeps everything in one place, making collaboration seamless.
How to share a proof of concept template internally
With Dock, you can store your POC template in a shared workspace so your sales enablement and presales professionals always have access. Use Dock’s permission settings to manage who can view and edit templates, ensuring that everyone involved in the project management workflow stays aligned.
How to share a proof of concept template with clients
Introduce the POC workspace early in the sales process—ideally right after a demo or initial discovery call. Guide the buyer through the workspace, explaining how they can track milestones, validate proof of value (POV), and access key resources. Throughout the POC, reference the workspace to keep collaboration focused and progress transparent.
How long should a proof of concept last?
A proof of concept typically lasts between 2 to 6 weeks, depending on the complexity of the sales enablement tool or startup solution being evaluated. The key is to set a clear timeline upfront to keep the POC on track and demonstrate proof of value (POV) quickly.
What’s the difference between a proof of concept and a pilot?
A proof of concept (POC) is a short-term test designed to validate a product’s proof of value (POV) and fit for a buyer’s needs. A pilot is a broader, real-world implementation of the product within the buyer’s environment, often involving full deployment for a subset of users. Pilots are typically the next step after a successful POC, helping to refine project management workflows before a full rollout.
Who should be involved in a proof of concept?
- Sales representative – Guides the buyer through the POC process
- Technical expert (e.g., Sales Engineer) – Assists with setup, integrations, and troubleshooting
- Buyer champion – The internal advocate leading the evaluation process
- Sales leaders – Executives or managers who will approve the final purchase
- End users – Team members who will use the product and provide feedback based on real-world use cases
How do you measure the success of a proof of concept?
Success should be measured against predefined criteria such as:
- Whether the product meets the buyer’s sales enablement and technical requirements
- Adoption and engagement levels during the POC
- Feedback from key stakeholders, including presales professionals
- Quantifiable improvements or efficiencies demonstrated by the product
Dock’s POC template includes a structured success criteria section to help you track these metrics and ensure the proof of value (POV) of your solution.
How do you keep a proof of concept from stalling?
- Set clear goals and timelines upfront to keep the process moving.
- Assign ownership – Make sure both the seller and buyer have clear responsibilities within the project management workflow.
- Regularly check in with stakeholders – Use Dock’s workspace comments and activity tracking for real-time updates.
- Ensure quick access to support – Have a sales engineer or presales professional available to resolve blockers.
Can a proof of concept be used for internal projects?
Yes, many teams use proof of concept templates to evaluate new tools, sales enablement solutions, or internal startup initiatives before rolling them out company-wide. Dock’s template can be customized for internal project management workflows just as easily as for external sales.
How do I convert a successful proof of concept into a sale?
- Summarize results – Highlight how the product met (or exceeded) the success criteria.
- Address any remaining objections – Gather stakeholder feedback and resolve concerns.
- Present a transition plan – Show how the buyer can move from POC to full implementation smoothly.
- Leverage engagement data – Use Dock’s analytics to identify the most engaged stakeholders and tailor your final pitch accordingly.
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