The pitch starts too early. The prospect has nodded, and the rep takes the nod as permission to explain.
These six questions are the gate. If you cannot answer them from what they said, you are not ready to pitch.
Why they took the call
A booked meeting is not a reason. People take calls out of courtesy, curiosity, or because someone told them to. You need the reason in their words.
If the answer is vague, the rest of the call will be vague. Stay here until you hear a real trigger: a renewal, a hire, a lane that went quiet, a quote that came in high.
What made this worth a conversation today, instead of next month?
What they already tried
If you do not know what failed, your pitch will sound like the last vendor. Ask what they put in place, what they stopped using, and what they wish that thing had done.
Reps skip this because they are afraid the answer is that things are fine. Fine is useful. It tells you where not to spend the next twenty minutes.
What have you already tried, and where did it fall short?
What better sounds like, in their words
Do not hand them your outcome. Ask them to describe a good month. A recruiter wants a role filled without a second search. A broker wants a lane that does not get shopped. A founder wants a deal that does not die in procurement.
Write down their sentence. The pitch should use it, not replace it.
If this were working, what would be different by the end of the quarter?
Who else feels it
A problem that lives with one person is a favor. A problem that shows up for the person who signs, the person who uses it, and the person who gets blamed when it slips is a deal.
Get the names. You will need them before you ask for a next step.
Who else is dealing with this besides you?
What it costs to wait
Timing objections are cheaper to handle now than at the end. Ask what another quarter of the current setup costs, in money, time, or risk.
You are listening for a clock, not a speech. A renewal date, a hiring freeze, a lane award. If there is no clock, say so, and ask what would create one.
If nothing changes this quarter, what do you lose?
What would make this a no
Reps hunt for a yes and miss the condition that kills the deal. Ask what would make them pass: a budget shape, a contract they cannot exit, a stakeholder who will not switch.
A clear no is faster than a polite maybe, and a clear condition is something you can plan around.
What would make you decide this is not worth doing?
Answer the six from their words, not yours. Then pitch. The product should sound like a response, not a script you were waiting to start.