Don't just broadcast information to stakeholders. Use presentation time for discovery. Ask direct questions like "Is this relevant?" and observe body language to learn what truly matters to them. Each meeting is a chance to refine your understanding of their priorities for the next interaction.

Go beyond persuasion during a sales call. Use "pre-suasion" to shape the conversation's context beforehand. By strategically sending relevant content, links, and discussion topics, you can prime the prospect to focus on your strengths, making the eventual sales meeting far more effective.

Asking basic questions that could be answered by research makes you appear lazy. Instead, conduct pre-call research to form hypotheses about the prospect's business. Present these hypotheses with the goal of being corrected. This demonstrates preparation, raises your status, and invites a more nuanced conversation where the prospect corrects your understanding.

Before discovery, state the meeting's Purpose (to determine fit), Plan (topics and timing), and desired Outcome (a decision on next steps). This structured agenda aligns expectations, prevents prospects from becoming impatient for a demo, and gives you control of the interaction.

Professionals often miss opportunities by operating on autopilot before meetings. Engaging in informal moments in elevators or hallways builds crucial credibility and momentum before the formal presentation even begins. Your presence before the meeting sets the tone.

Reframe the calendar invite from a logistical tool to a strategic one. Instead of just a title and URL, include the meeting's core goal, expectations for participants, or a specific question to be addressed. This sets the stage before anyone joins, ensuring attendees arrive prepared and focused on the objective.

Instead of a generic title, use the calendar invite to prime attendees for engagement. Frame the meeting title as a question or an action-oriented challenge. This sets a proactive tone and focuses participants before they even join the call, making the start of the meeting more dynamic.

Instead of asking prospects to educate you with generic questions, conduct pre-call research and present a hypothesis on why you're meeting. This shows preparation and elevates the conversation. Even if you're wrong, the prospect will correct you, getting you to the right answer faster.

When meeting with senior leaders, shift the focus from your status updates to their priorities. Ask what's top of mind for them, what challenges they face, and how you can help. This reframes you from a direct report into a strategic ally, building trust and social capital.