Prepare the next conversation, session or decision.
Work through these 10 steps and choose the actions relevant to your situation. The pitfalls are illustrative examples, not customer quotations. Use the checklist on screen or print it for your preparation.
Choose the audience
Illustrative pitfall
“The story appealed to a user while the sponsor needed a business case.”
- Identify who will hear or read the story.
- Understand the decision they are making.
- Check the priorities that matter to their role.
Start with the work
Illustrative pitfall
“The opening described our company instead of the customer's situation.”
- Name a recognisable workflow or challenge.
- Use the buyer's language where appropriate.
- Avoid assuming a problem the buyer has not confirmed.
Make the friction specific
Illustrative pitfall
“Inefficiency was too vague to mean anything.”
- Describe where the work becomes difficult.
- Explain who is affected and how.
- Use a realistic example without exposing confidential details.
Describe the useful change
Illustrative pitfall
“The story promised transformation without saying what would change.”
- Show the practical difference in the workflow.
- Explain how the relevant capability supports it.
- Keep the change within current approved product scope.
Connect to an outcome
Illustrative pitfall
“A feature benefit was presented as a guaranteed business result.”
- Link the workflow change to the buyer's stated goal.
- Distinguish supported outcomes from guarantees.
- State assumptions that affect the result.
Use credible evidence
Illustrative pitfall
“An impressive claim had no source behind it.”
- Select a permitted and relevant example.
- Verify figures and customer-publication permissions.
- Label fictional examples and estimates clearly.
Keep the structure simple
Illustrative pitfall
“Too many examples obscured the main message.”
- Use a situation, change and value sequence.
- Keep only details needed to understand the connection.
- Prepare a short spoken version as well as supporting detail.
Acknowledge boundaries
Illustrative pitfall
“The story hid the effort the customer would need to contribute.”
- State relevant implementation or adoption dependencies.
- Explain limitations that affect the buyer's decision.
- Invite questions about fit.
Test the story
Illustrative pitfall
“The seller liked the story but the buyer could not recognise their work.”
- Ask a colleague to explain the main point back.
- Check the story against the buyer's known priorities.
- Remove jargon and unsupported flourishes.
Invite a useful response
Illustrative pitfall
“The story ended with a generic sales pitch.”
- Ask whether the situation matches the buyer's experience.
- Explore what is different in their context.
- Agree the evidence or next conversation that would help.
Put it to work
Turn the checklist into focused practice.
NewSkilz shapes practical training around your people, goals, real working situations and approved content.