Five-Minute Prep Card
Before every call, write down one goal, three questions, one proof with a number and the next step you will ask for.
Rackham reports that planned calls with a clear objective did better in Huthwaite's work, but this was the firm's own unpublished data, so the prep card is sensible practice rather than proven.
Why it works
Writing the goal and the next step forces you to decide what success looks like before you are in the room. Three prepared questions stop you from filling silence with talk about yourself.
How to do it
- Look at their website, LinkedIn page, the person's profile and any recent news.
- Write one goal for this call, in one line.
- Write three questions, at least one about what the problem costs them.
- Pick one proof with a number that matches their likely problem.
- Write the next step you will ask for, with a day, and one topic you will not bring up.
What to say
I saw you opened a new plant near Rajkot. How is hiring going for it?
My goal today is simple: to see if your open field roles are a fit for us. If they're not, I'll say so.
Avoid
Preparing a long list of things to tell them. Prep is for questions and one proof, not for a speech.
Example
Before meeting the HR head of a fertiliser company in Pune, Kavita spent five minutes on the card. Goal: learn how many sales roles open each kharif season. Proof: twelve area managers placed for a Nagpur seed firm last year. Next step: a call with the regional sales head the following week.
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