As you learned earlier, preparation is important.
Once you get the meeting on the books, spend at least an hour preparing for it.
Review your notes from all your calls, and research,
including their goals, challenges, plans, timeline,
decision makers expected on the call, and potential objections.
You should be able to state their GPCT from memory.
If you don't know all those things,
there's no way you'll be comfortable handling objections.
One big tip is to research everyone who will be on the call.
At that point, you should know all the decision makers involved,
including your main point of contact, we'll call your champion.
Your champion is your secret weapon.
You don't choose a champion, they self-select.
They're the ones who really want to buy your product because it'll help improve
their life or help them do their job better.
You've found your champion when you hear them saying things like,
I love your company.
I've been following you guys and I read your blog for years.
Make them successful.
Stay in touch with them on a regular basis and don't let them fall off your radar.
That person is often times not the decision maker, but
the one that's going to help you navigate the entire decision making process.
That person can be your mole and
provide you information that you wouldn't otherwise have access to.
Such as competitors that are involved,
conversations being had, issues they don't bring up with you on calls.
You'll set up a call with a champion the day before a closing call and
ask them about everyone who will be on that call.
Learn more about the people you don't know, what they like,
their communication style, their pet peeves, biggest concerns and so on.