Most customer calls are lost before the first question is asked.
Not because of poor selling.
Not because of weak product.
But because success was not defined upfront.
When I ask this question "what do you want to achieve from the meeting?, I often hear things like:
• “Build the relationship”
• “Explain what we do” or even...
• “Meet and greet”. 🙄
But they fail two critical tests.
𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
They are passive. The best meetings involve both parties committing to something.
𝟮. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱.
At the end of the meeting, nothing measurable has happened.
If nothing changes as a result of the meeting…
the meeting achieved nothing.
There is 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 that helps here.
And you 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 to use it.
If you’re a founder…
If you’re a technical leader who has hired salespeople…
You don’t need to master the science and art of selling.
Just do three things:
𝟭. 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹(𝘀) 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.
“What outcome are you trying to achieve?”
𝟮. 𝗣𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆.
If the objective is vague (e.g. “meet and greet”), 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁.
𝟯. 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀.
To what extent did they achieve the objective (it's never black or white)?
That simple coaching loop improves sales discipline dramatically.
Early in my career I learned a powerful distinction from SPIN Selling.
Every customer meeting produces one of two outcomes:
⬇️ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – the conversation keeps moving. Another discussion happens, but nothing really progresses.
⬆️ 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 – the deal moves forward. And this involves the prospect taking action.
Examples of an 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 might be:
• Agreement to quantify the ROI
• Introduction to the budget holder
• A technical evaluation with defined criteria
• A workshop to scope & agree the solution
An 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
Clarity of objective changes behaviour.
It sharpens preparation.
It improves questioning.
And it dramatically reduces meetings that feel like a waste of time.
For both sides.
💬 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳:
What specific 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 do you want to achieve?