The Sales Rep's 5-Minute Pre-Call Competitive Prep Routine
Why 5 Minutes Beats Zero Prep
60% of B2B deals are competitive. Zero prep = winging it = 30% win rate.
5 minutes prep = structured attack = 55%+ win rate.
Top AEs treat competitive calls like chess matches, not conversations.
Minute 1: Account Context (60 Seconds)
Goal: Understand their current state.
```
Current state:
- Incumbent/vendor?
- RFP stage?
- Budget approved?
- Decision makers?
From Salesforce/previous emails:
- Mentioned Competitor X?
- Budget range?
- Timeline urgency?
```
Pro Tip: Check LinkedIn last 30 days. New hires from competitors = opportunity.
Minute 2: Competitor Mapping (60 Seconds)
Top 3 competitors for this account/vertical:
```
Threat Level: High/Med/Low
Recent claims: [From win/loss or battle cards]
Known weaknesses: [From intel]
```
Skip if non-competitive deal. Focus time where it matters.
Minute 3: Battle Card Blitz (60 Seconds)
3 things only:
- #1 Strength they might claim
- #1 Weakness to expose
- Landmine question to plant
```
Example:
Strength: "Biggest customer base"
Weakness: "Slow innovation/support"
Landmine: "How important is vendor responsiveness?"
```
Physical copy: Print top 3 battle cards. Circle key points.
Minute 4: Talk Track Rehearsal (60 Seconds)
Say out loud your positioning vs top competitor:
```
If they say "Competitor cheaper":
"True on sticker. But [competitor] implementation = 3x consulting fees. Here's TCO..."
If they say "[Competitor] more features":
"Features ≠ outcomes. We focus on [3 outcomes you care about]."
```
Pro Tip: Record yourself. Sounds different spoken vs read.
Minute 5: Call Objectives + Landmines (60 Seconds)
Win the call by:
```
Primary: Plant doubt about Competitor X implementation
Secondary: Get competitor shortlist
Landmine: "How do you define success in first 30 days?"
Close: "Based on timeline, should we prioritize this?"
```
The Physical Prep Kit (Print This)
3 pages max:
- Account 1-pager (CRM summary)
- Top 3 battle cards (strength/weakness/landmine)
- Talk tracks (3x1 scenarios)
Put in clear plastic sleeve. Lasts all day.
Weekly Routine (10 Minutes Sunday)
Update your "always ready" intel:
- Refresh top 3 battle cards
- Review recent win/loss from team
- Update 1 talk track from last week's calls
Common Rep Mistakes
❌ 30-Page Slide Deck Review
Waste of time. Prospects don't care about your full product.
❌ Feature Dumping
"Here's everything we do better" → overwhelming.
❌ No Landmine Questions
Never challenge competitor claims.
Metrics That Matter
Track your prep:
```
Calls prepped: __ / __ competitive calls
Win rate prepped vs unprepped: __%
```
Target: 100% prep on competitive calls >$50k.
Tools That Make It Faster
- Battle cards in CRM or Slack
- Quick competitor refresh (60 seconds)
- Win/loss database accessible pre-call
Rival Radar does the heavy lifting - pulls latest intel, formats battle cards, suggests landmines.
Printable 5-Minute Checklist
```
[ ] 60s: Account context + current vendor
[ ] 60s: Competitor mapping (top threat)
[ ] 60s: Battle card blitz (strength/weakness/landmine)
[ ] 60s: Talk track rehearsal (spoken)
[ ] 60s: Call objectives + 1 killer question
```
Print. Laminate. Desk staple.
Top AEs win 25% more competitive deals because they always prep. 5 minutes = insurance policy on quota.
Generate battle cards + landmines in 60 seconds. [Prep faster with Rival Radar](https://userivalradar.com/signup).