For a long time, I thought my job started when the meeting started.
Show up prepared. Know the product. Answer questions. Run a clean demo.
What I’ve learned—sometimes the hard way—is that the real work happens before the call ever begins. The pre-call is where alignment is built, mistakes are avoided, and trust with the salesperson is either strengthened or quietly eroded.
As I’ve spent more time partnering closely with sales teams, I’ve realized that working well with salespeople isn’t a “nice to have” skill. It’s essential to success. If we’re not aligned before the meeting, the prospect feels it immediately—even if they can’t quite name why.
Here’s how I’ve been getting more intentional with salespeople in the pre-call, and what’s made the biggest difference.
1. Get Clear on the Real Reason for the Meeting
The calendar invite is never enough.
Before every call, I ask the salesperson one simple question:
“Why did they agree to take this meeting?”
Not the official reason. The real one.
Was it curiosity? Pressure from a boss? A specific pain? A bad experience with a competitor?
If we don’t align on this, the call risks becoming a generic walkthrough instead of a targeted conversation. The better we understand the prospect’s motivation, the easier it is to keep the meeting focused and relevant.
2. Align on Roles—Out Loud
Assumptions kill good calls.
I now make it a point to clearly align on:
- Who is opening the call
- Who is driving which sections
- Who is listening for what
This doesn’t need to be formal, but it does need to be explicit. When sales and technical partners step on each other—or leave gaps—the prospect notices. Clear roles create confidence and flow.
3. Decide What Not to Show
One of the biggest mistakes I see is trying to show too much.
In the pre-call, I ask:
“If we can only show one or two things, what actually matters?”
Then we cut the rest.
This forces discipline and ensures the call is anchored to value, not features. The pre-call is the time to make hard decisions about scope—so the live meeting doesn’t drift.
4. Pressure-Test the Narrative Together
Before the call, I walk through the story with the salesperson:
- What problem are we solving?
- Why does it matter now?
- What should the prospect believe by the end of the call?
If the story doesn’t make sense internally, it won’t land externally. These conversations surface gaps early—before they become awkward moments in front of the customer.
5. Define Success Before the Call Starts
At the end of the pre-call, I ask:
“How will we know this was a good meeting?”
Not “did we get a next step,” but:
- What clarity should the prospect have?
- What question should be answered?
- What risk should be reduced?
When success is clearly defined ahead of time, the call becomes easier to navigate—and easier to close intentionally.
The biggest shift for me has been this: I no longer view pre-calls as logistics. I view them as strategy.
When salespeople feel like you’re invested before the meeting, trust builds quickly. When you show up aligned, intentional, and focused, the prospect feels that confidence immediately.
Great calls don’t happen by accident. They’re built together, before anyone ever says hello.
