/eol-internal-enablement

EOL Internal Enablement Template

Pick a level, pin the two dates, then build only the sections your level warrants. Quality checks at the bottom.

Provenance

Adapted from prompts/eol-internal-enablement.md in the https://github.com/deanpeters/product-manager-prompts repo.

Pick your level first

Most packs are Level 2. Never default to the heaviest.

Two dates, always separated: enablement complete → then announcement.

Sticky-note rule: bullets are 4-8 words; FAQ answers are 1-2 sentences.

Template

## EOL Internal Enablement Pack: [Product Name]

**Level**: [1-Light / 2-Standard / 3-Heavy]
**Materials included**: [list]
**Announcement target date**: [date]
**Enablement must be complete by**: [date -- before announcement]

---

### 1. Support FAQ (all levels)

Organized by what customers ask, highest call volume first.

#### What is happening?
- Q: [Customer question in plain language]
- A: [Honest, specific answer in 1-2 sentences]

#### What does this mean for me?
- Q: [Impact question]
- A: [What continues, what changes]

#### What are my options?
- Q: [Migration or alternative question]
- A: [Concrete next step with timeline]

#### What about my data?
- Q: [Access, export, retention question]
- A: [Format, deadline, retention window]

#### What about my contract?
- Q: [Contractual question]
- A: [Answer aligned with Legal guidance]

#### When does support end?
- Q: [Support timeline question]
- A: [Specific dates per phase]

#### Escalation path
- Level 1: [Name/role -- standard questions]
- Level 2: [Name/role -- unhappy customers]
- Level 3: [Name/role -- churn-risk accounts]
- Executive: [Name/role -- named accounts, press, legal]

---

### 2. Sales Talking Points (L2+)

#### Positioning the Transition
- Frame: [How to describe this]
- Avoid: [Language that creates problems]
- Lead with: [Customer benefit statement]

#### Product Comparison

| Capability | [Sunset Product] | [Replacement] |
|---|---|---|
| [Capability 1] | [Status] | [Status] |
| [Capability 2] | [Status] | [Status] |
| [Known gap] | [Status] | [Gap + workaround or parity date] |

#### Pipeline Impact Guidance
- Deals in progress: [what to do]
- Renewals pending: [what to do]
- Bundled pricing: [what to do]
- New prospects asking: [what to say]

#### Competitive Response
- If a competitor raises our EOL: [response]
- If asked "what else are you killing?": [response]

---

### 3. Objection Handling (L2+)

Acknowledge -- Reframe -- Offer. Every offer pre-approved.

#### "We just bought this / renewed last quarter."
- Acknowledge: [validate the frustration]
- Reframe: [honest reason or genuine upside]
- Offer: [approved accommodation]

#### "The replacement doesn't have feature X."
- Acknowledge: [validate the gap]
- Reframe: [what it does better]
- Offer: [workaround or parity timeline]

#### "We're going to leave entirely."
- Acknowledge: [take it seriously]
- Reframe: [what staying preserves]
- Offer: [retention path or exec conversation]

#### "Why should we trust your next product?"
- Acknowledge: [validate the trust concern]
- Reframe: [what this transition demonstrates]
- Offer: [commitment or continuity guarantee]

#### "Can you make an exception for us?"
- Acknowledge: [validate the ask]
- Reframe: [what is and isn't flexible]
- Offer: [the real accommodation available]

(Add 2-3 objections specific to this product.)

---

### 4. Channel Partner Brief (L3)

#### What partners need to know
- [Key date and what it means for them]
- [Inventory and ordering guidance]
- [Warranty and service obligation changes]

#### What partners can tell their customers
- [Approved messaging summary]
- [Where to direct questions]

#### What partners should NOT do
- [Actions that create problems]

---

### 5. Training Session Outline (L3)

- Duration: [60-90 minutes]
- Audience: [Sales, CS, Support, Partners]
- Format: [Presentation plus role-play]

Agenda:
- [5 min] Context and decision rationale
- [10 min] Timeline and phase walkthrough
- [15 min] FAQ review and Q&A
- [15 min] Objection role-play
- [10 min] Escalation paths and resources
- [5 min] Open questions and next steps

---

### Assumptions to Validate
- [Assumption 1]
- [Assumption 2]
- [Assumption 3]

Quality checks

Any "no" is a rewrite, not a nitpick.

Timing

• Enablement-complete date precedes the announcement date on the plan
• Support sees this before customers do — not the same morning

FAQ

• Organized by what customers ask, not internal categories
• Highest-call-volume questions come first
• Every answer is 1-2 sentences and specific — no "we're evaluating options"
• Every answer is actually true (if it isn't, the plan is the problem, not the wording)

Comparison table

• At least one honest gap is named, with workaround or parity date
• A rep could hand this to a customer without being embarrassed

Objections

• Every response acknowledges before reframing
• No response tells the customer their reaction is wrong
• Every offer is pre-approved with a limit — nothing ends in "I'll see what I can do"
• The five predictable objections are covered, plus 2-3 product-specific ones

Escalation

• Four rungs, each with a name — not a role that maps to nobody
• Each rung has a trigger a rep can recognize mid-call
• A rep could answer "who do I call at 4pm Friday?" from this

Proportion

• Level was chosen deliberately, not defaulted to the heaviest
• If you went lighter, you know which material dropped out