A sales manager once said the following (and no truer words have been spoken)…

"It’s better to practice with each other than with your clients."

Why wouldn’t you practice with your work friends? Messing up and correcting yourself with your teammates is how you’ll learn to make it right when in front of your customers.

Your practice focus should be on specific scenarios you anticipate coming up in key meetings. In all instances, grab a friend and sit on Zoom or in the conference room and practice. For a few key areas, your practice could look like this:

1. Value prop: present the specific value prop best framed for your client…and then instruct your practice partner to push you on some of the issues. You’ll want to get practice time hearing how you respond to various potential reactions.
2. Objections: instruct your practice partner to present you with objections so you can hear how you handle them. Are you brief and succinct? …and not rushing to solve them, but instead going slowly collaboratively? What about the solution to each objection? Your practice partner can help you craft the right messaging for that client.
3. Strategic questions: ask your partner the same strategic questions you will be asking your customer so you can – again – HEAR how you respond and drive the conversation.

Finally, remember the number one privilege of role-playing as a seller: call time-out and play your do-over card if you don’t like how you’ve responded. That’s exactly what practice is for. Making mistakes, fixing them on the spot, and correcting them.