The quality of your meetings reflects the quality of your results, whether you hit your number in Q1 or not. The most consistent theme across our client base, from managing partners to frontline sellers, was simple: too many meetings still waste time and lack decision-making. Your meetings are just conversations; they are opportunities to move things forward.
Here’s what we’re seeing work inside organizations that are leading the pack.
FOR SALES PROFESSIONALS
Up-front contracts build clarity, trust, and momentum.
Try this opener in your next meeting: “Can we take the first 5 minutes to explore what you think we can accomplish today and what the next decisions are?”
TOP TAKEAWAY: Use UFCs Everywhere, Even in Casual Chats
One client at a trade show shifted from passive chats to meaningful meetings set by simply asking, “Can we talk about what a next step might look like if this makes sense?” And it worked! People committed to post-event meetings on the spot.
This small move positioned him as credible and confident, and it eliminated a lot of vague, “we’ll circle back” energy. Read more.
Listen like it’s your job because it is.
The most successful reps and leaders we worked with this quarter weren’t the ones talking the most. They were the ones asking better questions and actually paying attention to the answers.
In one session, a participant said: “When I shut up and followed the 70/30 rule (listening/talking), I stopped solving problems I didn’t fully understand, and I closed the deal.” Read more.
TOP TAKEAWAY: You can take control of the conversation and its outcomes by asking better questions.
- Pause before responding
- Summarize what you hear
- Use clarifying questions
- Show you’ve done your homework
Trust starts with listening. Credibility starts with preparation.
FOR SALES LEADERS
Stop Managing the Pipeline. Start Coaching the Person.
The highest-performing sales managers this quarter made one subtle but powerful change. They stopped running 1:1s around deal and pipeline interrogations and started using them to coach mindset, habits, and pre-call planning strategy.
A VP of Sales we work with shared this: “When we focused our weekly 1:1s on behavior and deal strategy—not just forecasts—we saw stronger preparation, better questions, and faster closes.” Read more.
TOP TAKEAWAY: Use each 1-on-1 to ask great questions.
- Explore headspace and development areas: “What’s one thing you need from me to stay sharp?”
- Dig into 1–2 key upcoming deals with a pre-call planner: “What’s going to stop this deal from moving forward?”
- Coach toward clarity or expectations and commitment to taking action: “What behavior will move your pipeline the most this week?”
Set the expectations for every meeting.
Every high-leverage conversation, internal or external, deserves a UFC. When leaders modeled this, their teams followed suit.
One senior leader told us: “Once I started using UFCs, even with internal meetings, I noticed people showed up clearer, more prepared, and more decisive. I didn’t expect it to be this effective.” Read more.
TOP TAKEAWAY: Core UFC Elements: Purpose, Time, Agenda, Expectations, Next Steps.
No more ambiguity. No more winging it.
The result? Shorter sales cycles, fewer “think-it-overs,” and a sharp decline in no-shows.
Accountability Without Micromanagement
We continue to see professional services firms struggle to hold teams accountable for business development. It’s not a motivation issue; it’s an expectation issue. What you measure matters.
TOP TAKEAWAY: Being busy with billable hours ≠ growth for the firm.
Instead, we need to start tracking:
- # of client expansion conversations
- # of referral requests and introductions
- # of strategic networking activities per week
Start planning for growth with KARE. Which accounts do you want to Keep, Attain, Recapture, and Expand?
If you want to increase sales, you need to expect it, measure it, and coach the necessary skills. Read more.
TAKE THESE LESSONS LEARNED INTO Q2
Meetings don’t just fill the calendar. They shape the relationships that impact the deal and your organization’s culture. If you're not prepared, you're leaving revenue on the table.
Leaders: Listen to the AI Audio Overview of this quarter’s sessions (for leaders' ears only).
Clients: We look forward to seeing you for your sessions this week! Click here for info.
Not a client? Want to talk about applying this approach to your Q2 strategy?
Let’s connect this month.
