Playbooks
Decision
SDRs
AEs

Storylane for
Pre-call read up

Prepare prospects before sales calls for more advanced discussions
Who’s it for
Sales teams, Solution engineers, Sales enablement
Where it works
Meeting confirmations, calendar invites, pre-RFP prep
What you’ll achieve
Higher meeting show rates, better prospect preparation, shorter sales cycles

Why it matters

Instead of having AEs waste precious meeting time on basic product walkthroughs, pre-call demos ensure prospects arrive prepared with foundational understanding. This enables more advanced, value-focused conversations that accelerate deal progression.

Prospects see the product. We skip over the discovery, and jump straight into a high-intent demo. Time saved for buyers and sellers. Skip over all the back and forth!
Melany Hallgren
Sales Manager, Campminder

Key takeaways

  • Send immediately after booking - Share pre-read demos while prospect interest is highest with clear value proposition
  • Keep it under 5 minutes - Focus on essentials that will advance the upcoming conversation without information overload
  • Use Buyer Hub - Allow prospects to explore multiple, centralized demos based on their their role and use cases
  • Set up completion alerts - Get notified when prospects engage to gauge their preparation level and interest

Implementation guide

Demo creation
Demo creation
Distribution
Distribution
Multi-stakeholder appraoch
Multi-stakeholder appraoch

Context-setting approach

  • Begin with clear explanation of why this information matters to their specific situation
  • Preview what they'll gain from the upcoming meeting and how the demo prepares them
  • Include overview of meeting agenda to help prospects maximize the time investment
  • Define key terminology that will arise during the conversation for confident participation

Targeted information design

  • Focus only on information most relevant to the upcoming call or RFP response
  • Frame content around core business problems you solve for their industry or role
  • Avoid information overload while ensuring prospects understand key differentiators
  • Include essential background that will enable more sophisticated discussion

Meeting confirmation process

  • Send pre-read demos immediately after scheduling while interest remains high
  • Use compelling subject lines emphasizing the value of reviewing before the call
  • Include clear instructions on what to expect and how long the review will take
  • Append ?email= parameters to demo URLs for personalized engagement tracking

Reminder sequence setup

  • Schedule follow-up 24 hours before meeting with shortened version or key highlights
  • Include questions prospects should consider before the meeting to prime their thinking
  • Encourage prospects to share pre-read content with other meeting attendees
  • Provide easy way for prospects to submit questions directly from the demo

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Role-specific versions

  • Create different pre-read demos for various stakeholder types (technical, business, executive)
  • Address each stakeholder's unique priorities and concerns within their demo version
  • Include relevant use cases and examples that resonate with their specific responsibilities
  • Tailor complexity and depth based on their likely product familiarity and expertise

RFP preparation strategy

  • Send targeted demos to procurement teams focused on key differentiators
  • Influence evaluation criteria by highlighting unique capabilities and advantages
  • Provide comprehensive product overview that supports detailed RFP responses
  • Include competitive positioning relevant to their evaluation process

1. Crafting effective pre-reads

Create demos specifically designed to prepare prospects for upcoming interactions:

  • Context setting: Begin with a clear explanation of why this information matters to the prospect's specific situation and what they'll gain from the upcoming meeting.
  • Problem-solution structure: Frame the demo around the core business problems you solve, helping prospects understand how your solution addresses their specific challenges.
  • Targeted information: Focus only on the most relevant information for the upcoming call or RFP response, avoiding information overload while ensuring prospects understand key differentiators.
  • Essential terminology: Define industry and product-specific terms that will arise during the conversation, helping prospects feel confident and prepared.
  • Preview agenda: Include an overview of what will be covered in the upcoming meeting, helping prospects understand how to make the most of the time.

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2. Strategic timing and delivery

Maximize impact by delivering pre-read demos at optimal moments:

  • Meeting confirmation: Send pre-read demos immediately after scheduling the meeting while interest is high, with a clear subject line emphasizing the value of reviewing before the call.
  • Reminder sequence: Schedule a follow-up 24 hours before the meeting with a shortened version or key highlights from the demo to refresh their memory.
  • RFP preparation: When responding to RFPs, send pre-read demos to the procurement team focused on your key differentiators to influence evaluation criteria.
  • Multi-stakeholder approach: For meetings with multiple attendees, create role-specific versions of the pre-read that address each stakeholder's priorities.
  • Integration with tools: Use calendar invites, email sequences, and meeting platforms to seamlessly deliver pre-read demos at the right moments.

3. Measurement and optimization

Use insights from pre-read engagement to improve both demos and meetings:

  • Engagement tracking: Monitor which sections prospects spend the most time on to identify areas of highest interest for the upcoming conversation.
  • Meeting adaptation: Review engagement data before calls to tailor your presentation based on which parts of the pre-read resonated or were skipped.
  • Follow-up content: Create post-meeting demos that build on areas where pre-read engagement was highest to maintain momentum.
  • Completion alerts: Set up notifications when prospects complete pre-read demos to gauge interest levels and preparedness.

4. Learnings and best practices

  • Keep pre-read demos under 5 minutes to complete, focusing on essentials
  • Include questions prospects should consider before the meeting to prime their thinking
  • Highlight sections most relevant to their role or stated challenges
  • Allow prospects to submit questions directly from the demo
  • Encourage prospects to share the pre-read with other stakeholders
  • Use the same terminology and visuals in both pre-read demos and live presentations for consistency

Examples and inspiration

TCP Software
Discovery demos
Campminder
Pre-call demos

Advanced strategies

Prospects see the product. We skip over the discovery, and jump straight into a high-intent demo. Time saved for buyers and sellers. Skip over all the back and forth!
  • Review engagement data before calls - Tailor your presentation based on which demo sections resonated or were skipped by prospects
  • Use consistent terminology - Ensure pre-read demos and live presentations use the same language and visual elements for continuity
  • Enable questions within demos - Allow prospects to submit questions directly from the demo experience for better meeting preparation
  • Create post-meeting demos - Build follow-up content that expands on areas where pre-read engagement was highest
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