Pre-Call Planning and Strategic Information Gathering

Key Insight

Rigorous pre-call planning is non-optional and critical for maximizing sales presentation performance, distinguishing it from cold calling prep where connect rates are low. Investing 15 minutes of preparatory work can significantly boost win rates; for example, raising a win rate from 15% to 25% on a $20000 average contract value yields an additional $2000. To ensure preparation, block 15 minutes on your calendar before each meeting, and for on-site visits, allocate travel time to arrive 30 minutes early, allowing for check-in and final mental preparation.

The goal of this planning is to establish an information advantage by having all relevant data accessible and identifying 'known unknowns' for discovery. Key information to gather includes pain points and 'size of the prize' (e.g., open technical hires, knowing HIRABL's solutions add $10000 per recruiter per year, or aiming for 5 seats for 14 recruiters at New Relic), and identifying complementary or competitive products (using tools like Datanyze or BuiltWith) to understand current solutions and budget allocation. Assessing 'capacity to pay' by understanding funding rounds (e.g., $100 million in funding) or financial health of public companies (e.g., a $1 million annual saving for a public company with a price-to-earnings ratio of 15 could add $15 million in market capitalization) is also vital.

Further crucial steps include identifying potential users, stakeholders, and influencers (e.g., VP of Sales, CEO, CFO) to tailor messages that resonate with their specific interests (e.g., increased revenue, cash flow improvement). Gather customization information like prospect's career sites or Glassdoor reviews to personalize demos (e.g., showing a 'Pay with Affirm' call to action via Developer Tools). For rapport building, leverage LinkedIn and Twitter for shared contacts, work history, education, geography, and personal interests, but avoid sensitive topics like politics or religion. Documenting 'known unknowns' helps structure discovery questions and capture reusable research in a CRM. Finally, establish a clear, stated pitch goal for each call, even if the conversation diverges.