1/10/2025-Pitch meeting agendas, (part 2 of 2)

It is undebatable that preparing agendas guarantees productive interactions. And yet, agendas prevent elements that may adversely affect your meeting intentions and goals.

Yesterday, you were encouraged to create and use agendas to help you manage pitch meetings.

Today, focus on these meeting musts when building your agendas:

1. Present a custom value proposition for each customer meeting.

2. Proactively surface objections.

3. Qualify the customer…on everything: proposed deal size, timing, buying intent, etc. (Make them give you details and context.)

The above agenda items are your agendas and will not be published on the agenda version you share with your customers.

After creating the agenda you’ll use to manage your pitch meeting today, work on each of the following meeting musts:

1. Value prop: Create a custom value prop you will present for this prospect.

2. Objections: Script the questions you’ll ask your customers to surface their concerns, such as "What could prevent you from doing a deal with us?"

3. Qualify: Write a few open-ended questions that will give you the courage to push the customer for more after they offer vague answers. e.g. "Tell me more." Or simply, "Why?"

In addition to the beneficial results that agenda creation promotes, there are key things that agendas prevent.

1. Agendas prevent professional derailers from hijacking the meeting. For those instances, try this line, "That’s all great, Mr. Prospect, would you like to keep talking about that or get back to our agenda (that’s sitting on the table)?"

2. Agendas prevent you from running out of time. Meetings are hard to get…manage your time correctly, and you may get another one with that customer. Agendas keep everyone on track.

3. Agendas prevent you from rambling and losing sight of what’s important for that meeting.

4. Agendas prevent customers from thinking you’re an amateur. Seriously. To be viewed as a professional – one who is trusted with big money – you must act like a professional. Agendas are simple, yet powerful actions that represent professionalism.

Nobody created an agenda for the meeting featured in this over-the-top satirical vignette; you’ll hear every business cliche known to man

Watching this ludicrous scenario will motivate you to use agendas to keep your pitch meetings on track.