The Meeting Prep Framework: How to Prepare for Discovery Calls and Demos in 15 Minutes (Checklist Included)

Your AE has a demo in 30 minutes.

Their prep:

Glances at lead name
"Let me look them up on LinkedIn real quick"
Joins call
"So, tell me about your company..."

The prospect thinks: "They know nothing about us. Waste of time."

Result: Generic demo, no personalization, 15% close rate.

Compare to prepared rep:

Their prep (15 minutes):

Reviews CRM notes from SDR
Visits company website (identifies 3 key pain points)
Checks LinkedIn (understands role, background)
Prepares 5 discovery questions specific to them
Customizes demo agenda

On call: "I saw you recently launched X product. Most companies in that situation struggle with Y. Is that what you're seeing?"

The prospect thinks: "They did their homework. This is relevant."

Result: Personalized demo, builds credibility, 45% close rate.

The difference: 15 minutes of prep = 3X close rate.

At SalesUp, we've developed prep frameworks that our SDRs and client teams use for 1,000+ demos per month.

Here's the complete playbook.

Why Meeting Prep Matters (The Data)

Prepared vs Unprepared Demos

Analysis of 5,000+ demos:

Prep Level	Close Rate	Avg Deal Size	Sales Cycle	Notes
No prep	12%	₹4.2L	75 days	Generic pitch, low relevance
Basic prep (5 min)	22%	₹4.8L	65 days	Some personalization
Good prep (15 min)	38%	₹6.1L	52 days	Personalized, relevant
Deep prep (30+ min)	42%	₹6.5L	48 days	Highly tailored (for enterprise only)

Key insights:

15-min prep = 3X close rate vs no prep
Proper prep also increases deal size (better qualification)
Shorter sales cycles (more productive meetings)
30+ min prep only worth it for enterprise (₹20L+ deals)

What Prospects Notice

Post-meeting survey (500 prospects):

Question: "What made you decide to move forward (or not)?"

Top answers from closed deals:

"They understood our specific problem" (68%)
"Felt like they did their homework" (61%)
"Demo was relevant to our situation" (58%)
"Asked great questions" (52%)
"Knew our industry/company" (47%)

Top answers from lost deals:

"Too generic, felt like template pitch" (72%)
"Didn't understand our business" (58%)
"Asked basic questions they should have researched" (54%)
"Talked too much about features, not our problem" (49%)

Conclusion: Preparation signals competence, builds trust, wins deals.

The 15-Minute Prep Framework

Phase 1: Company Research (5 minutes)

Goal: Understand who they are, what they do, what challenges they likely face

Step 1: Visit company website (2 minutes)

What to look for:

What do they sell/do?
Who are their customers?
Company size (employees, funding, stage)
Recent news (product launches, funding, expansion)

Quick scan:

Homepage → Understand core business
About page → Size, stage, mission
Customers page → Who they serve
Blog/News → Recent initiatives

Capture 3 key facts:

Example:
1. B2B SaaS selling project management software
2. Raised Series B ($10M) 3 months ago
3. Expanding from SMB → enterprise market

Step 2: LinkedIn company page (1 minute)

Check:

Employee count (growing or flat?)
Recent posts (what are they promoting?)
Job openings (hiring = priorities)

Example insights:

Hiring 5 SDRs → Need more pipeline (relevant for us!)
Posted about new enterprise product → Confirms expansion
200 employees → Mid-market sweet spot

Step 3: Industry context (2 minutes)

Ask yourself:

What industry are they in?
What challenges does this industry face?
What's happening in their market right now?

Example:

Industry: E-commerce
Challenge: Rising customer acquisition costs
Context: Post-COVID, competition increased

This gives you talking points: "Most e-commerce companies we work with are dealing with rising CAC. Is that what you're seeing?"

Phase 2: Contact Research (3 minutes)

Goal: Understand the person you're talking to

Step 1: LinkedIn profile (2 minutes)

Look for:

Current role + how long (new or established?)
Previous roles (relevant experience?)
Shared connections (mention them!)
Recent posts/activity (what they care about)

Example research notes:

- VP Sales, joined 6 months ago (new to company)
- Previously at [Competitor] for 3 years (knows industry)
- Posted about challenges with SDR ramp time (pain point!)
- Shared connection: John Smith (mention in intro)

Step 2: Role-specific challenges (1 minute)

Based on their role, what do they typically care about?

Role	Typical Priorities	Questions to Ask
CEO/Founder	Revenue growth, efficiency, scaling	How are you planning to scale?
VP Sales	Pipeline, quota attainment, team performance	What's your biggest pipeline challenge?
Sales Ops	Process, data, tools, efficiency	What's broken in your current process?
CMO	Lead gen, conversion, ROI	What's your cost per qualified lead?
SDR Manager	Team productivity, meeting rate	What's your team's current meeting booking rate?

Prep 2-3 role-specific questions before call

Phase 3: CRM/Notes Review (4 minutes)

Goal: Understand the context from previous interactions

Step 1: Read SDR notes (2 minutes)

Key info to extract:

How did they find us? (inbound form, cold outreach, referral?)
What did they say their problem was?
What's their timeline?
What's their budget range?
Who else is involved in decision?

Example SDR notes:

- Inbound demo request
- Struggling with "long time to first touch on leads"
- Mentioned losing deals to faster competitors
- Timeline: Want solution by Q2
- Budget: Estimated ₹5-8L range
- Needs to involve VP Ops

This is GOLD. Use their exact words when opening demo.

Step 2: Previous email thread (1 minute)

Scan for:

Questions they asked
Objections they raised
Resources they clicked (case study, video, etc.)

Example:

Clicked case study about SaaS company
Asked about "pricing for 5 SDRs"
Mentioned "tried cold calling but not working"

Step 3: Write your opening (1 minute)

Based on research, write 2-3 sentence opening:

Example:

"Hi [Name], great to connect! I saw you joined [Company] 6 months ago as VP Sales. I also noticed you posted on LinkedIn about SDR ramp challenges—that's exactly what we help with.

Before I show you anything, I'd love to understand: What's your biggest challenge with lead response time right now?"

This opening:

✅ Shows you researched them (builds credibility)
✅ References their specific pain point
✅ Asks question (engages them, not pitch mode)

Phase 4: Agenda + Questions Prep (3 minutes)

Goal: Plan the meeting flow and key questions

Step 1: Set agenda (1 minute)

Standard demo structure:

1. Introduction (2 min)
   - Quick intro + build rapport

2. Discovery (10-15 min)
   - Ask questions, understand their situation

3. Demo/Solution (10-15 min)
   - Show relevant features only

4. Next steps (3-5 min)
   - Address questions, discuss next steps

Customize based on call type:

Discovery call: 70% questions, 30% solution overview
Demo call: 40% questions, 60% demo
Follow-up call: 30% questions, 70% addressing objections

Step 2: Prepare 5-7 discovery questions (2 minutes)

Framework: Start broad, get specific

Opening questions (understand context):

"What prompted you to look for a solution right now?"
"Walk me through your current process for [X]"

Pain questions (identify problems): 3. "What's working well? What's not?" 4. "What's this problem costing you?" (quantify)

Priority questions (gauge urgency): 5. "On a scale 1-10, how urgent is solving this?" 6. "What happens if you don't solve this in next 6 months?"

Process questions (understand buying): 7. "Who else is involved in decisions like this?"

Write these down (you'll forget in the moment)

Meeting Type-Specific Prep

Discovery Call Prep (First conversation)

Time: 10 minutes

Focus: Understanding, not pitching

Prep checklist:

☐ Company basics (industry, size, what they do)
☐ Contact's role + background
☐ Why they reached out (form submission, cold outreach?)
☐ 5-7 discovery questions written down
☐ Opening statement prepared
☐ CRM open (take notes during call)

Opening script:

"Thanks for taking the time, [Name]. I've got 30 minutes blocked for us.

Here's what I'm thinking: I'll ask you some questions about [their problem area] to understand your situation. Then I'll share how we help companies like [similar company] solve similar challenges.

If there's a fit, great—we'll discuss next steps. If not, I'll tell you honestly and we'll part ways.

Sound good?

[Then start with questions]"

Demo Call Prep (Second/third conversation)

Time: 15-20 minutes

Focus: Tailored demo, not feature dump

Prep checklist:

☐ Review notes from discovery call
☐ Identify their top 3 pain points
☐ Map pain points to our features
☐ Prepare 3 relevant use cases/case studies
☐ Anticipate 3 likely objections
☐ Prepare pricing discussion talking points
☐ Know who else needs to be involved
☐ Plan next steps (trial, proposal, etc.)

Demo customization:

Don't show: Every feature (boring, overwhelming)

Do show:
1. Feature that solves pain #1 (spend 40% of time)
2. Feature that solves pain #2 (spend 30% of time)
3. Feature that solves pain #3 (spend 20% of time)
4. Quick overview of other capabilities (10% of time)

Example:

Pain #1: "Leads not contacted fast enough"
- Show: Auto-routing + instant SMS alerts
Pain #2: "SDRs don't know what to say"
- Show: Script templates + call recording
Pain #3: "Hard to track performance"
- Show: Dashboard + analytics

Customized demo = 3X more engaging

Follow-Up Call Prep (Addressing objections)

Time: 10 minutes

Focus: Overcoming specific concerns

Prep checklist:

☐ Review objections from previous call
☐ Prepare responses with proof points
☐ Find relevant case studies (similar objection overcome)
☐ Prepare ROI calculation specific to them
☐ Understand competitive options they're considering
☐ Plan final ask (close or next step)

Common objections + prep:

Objection	Prep Needed
"Too expensive"	ROI calculator, payment plans, case study showing 5X ROI
"Need to think about it"	Specific questions to uncover real concern
"Considering competitors"	Competitive comparison, our differentiators
"Not sure team will adopt"	Change management plan, training included

The Pre-Meeting Checklist (30 Seconds)

Right before call (use every time):

☐ CRM open (take notes)
☐ Demo environment ready (logged in, working)
☐ Their website open (reference during call)
☐ Notepad/questions visible
☐ Calendar clear (no interruptions next 30 min)
☐ Phone silenced
☐ Water nearby
☐ Tested audio/video (no tech issues)

Mental prep (30 seconds):

Take 3 deep breaths
Review their name + company (don't mix up!)
Read your opening line out loud once
Remind yourself: "Ask questions, listen 70% of time"

Post-Meeting Process (5 Minutes)

Immediately after call ends:

Step 1: Capture notes while fresh (2 minutes)

Write down:

Key pain points they mentioned
Budget range (if discussed)
Timeline
Decision-makers involved
Objections raised
Competitor mentions
Next steps agreed upon
Your gut feel (interested? lukewarm? hot?)

Step 2: Send follow-up (3 minutes)

Email template:

Subject: Great connecting today!

Hi [Name],

Thanks for the time today! I enjoyed learning about [specific thing they mentioned].

Quick recap of what we discussed:
- You're currently struggling with [pain point #1]
- This is costing you [quantified impact]
- You're looking to solve this by [timeline]

Next steps:
- I'll send you [specific resource] by EOD
- You'll [action they committed to]
- We'll reconnect on [date] to [next step]

If I missed anything or you have questions, just reply here.

Looking forward to [next step]!

[Your name]

Send within 5 minutes of call ending (shows responsiveness)

Meeting Prep Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Over-Preparing (Analysis Paralysis)

What happens: Spend 60 min researching, feel need to "know everything"

Result: Diminishing returns, not enough time for actual meetings

Fix: Set timer for 15 minutes, stick to framework

Note: Only spend 30+ minutes for enterprise deals (₹20L+)

Mistake 2: Preparing "Just in Time" (While Joining Call)

What happens: Join call, scrambling to look them up while they're talking

Result: Unprofessional, miss key info, obvious you're not prepared

Fix: Prep at least 30 min before call, not during

Mistake 3: Not Writing Down Questions

What happens: Think of great questions during prep, forget them in meeting

Result: Generic demo, miss opportunities

Fix: Write down 5-7 questions, have visible during call

Mistake 4: Preparing But Not Referencing

What happens: Do research, then don't use it in call

Result: Wasted prep time, generic demo

Fix: Explicitly reference research: "I saw you recently launched X..."

Mistake 5: Same Prep for Every Call

What happens: Template approach, not customized

Result: Not much better than no prep

Fix: Spend 10-15 min customizing based on their situation

The Meeting Prep Template

Copy this checklist:

MEETING PREP - [Company Name] - [Date]
Duration: 15 minutes

☐ COMPANY (5 min)
  - Industry: _______________
  - Size: _______________
  - What they do: _______________
  - Recent news: _______________
  - Key insight: _______________

☐ CONTACT (3 min)
  - Role: _______________
  - Time in role: _______________
  - Background: _______________
  - Shared connections: _______________
  - Recent activity: _______________

☐ CONTEXT (4 min)
  - Lead source: _______________
  - Their stated problem: _______________
  - Timeline: _______________
  - Budget: _______________
  - Other stakeholders: _______________

☐ QUESTIONS (3 min)
  1. _______________
  2. _______________
  3. _______________
  4. _______________
  5. _______________

☐ OPENING LINE
  _______________

☐ KEY TALKING POINTS
  - Pain point #1: _______________
  - Pain point #2: _______________
  - Relevant case study: _______________

☐ PRE-CALL CHECK (30 sec)
  ☐ CRM open
  ☐ Demo ready
  ☐ Audio/video tested
  ☐ Phone silenced

Measuring Prep Effectiveness

Track these metrics:

Metric	Target	What It Measures
Prep time per meeting	15-20 min	Efficiency
% meetings with prep	100%	Discipline
Close rate (prepped)	35-45%	Effectiveness
Close rate (not prepped)	15-25%	Cost of no prep
Avg deal size (prepped)	Higher	Better qualification

Weekly prep audit (5 minutes):

Did you prep for every meeting?
Were you prepared to answer their specific questions?
Did you reference your research in the call?
How many meetings converted to next step?

Case Study: 15-Minute Prep Increased Close Rate 2.8X

Company: B2B SaaS, inside sales team

Before (Minimal prep):

Reps would glance at name before call
2-3 minute "prep" (if any)
Generic demos (same for everyone)
16% close rate

After (Implemented 15-min framework):

Mandatory 15-min prep using template
Manager spot-checks prep notes
Customized demos based on research
45% close rate

Results:

Metric	Before	After	Change
Prep time per demo	2-3 min	15 min	+500% time
Demos per week	18	16	-11% (slight decrease)
Close rate	16%	45%	+181%
Deals closed per week	2.9	7.2	+148%
Avg deal size	₹4.5L	₹6.2L	+38%

ROI: 2.5 hours more prep time per week = 4.3 more deals = ₹26.7L additional revenue per week

Key insight: Slight decrease in demo quantity, massive increase in quality and conversion

What SalesUp Does

We prep for every single client meeting using this framework.

Our process:

SDR captures detailed notes during qualification
Meeting scheduled → Prep template auto-created
AE preps 30 min before meeting (15 min prep + 15 min mental prep)
Meeting conducted with customized approach
Notes captured within 5 minutes post-meeting

Our results:

100% of meetings prepped (no exceptions)
40-50% close rate (vs industry avg 18-25%)
₹6-8L average deal size (better qualification through prep)
45-day sales cycle (efficient, relevant meetings)

Book a demo to see our meeting prep process in action.

Unprepared demos convert at 15-20%. Prepared demos convert at 40-50%. Spend 15 minutes prepping. Research company, contact, and context. Write down questions. 3X your close rate.