Top 10 Questions to Ask Before a Major Sales Presentation in 2027

How We Ranked These

We evaluated each question against four criteria, weighted equally (25% each), using data from Gartner’s 2024 B2B buying study, Clari’s deal velocity benchmarks, and Salesforce’s State of Sales report:

• Deck Impact Score (DIS): How directly the answer changes slide content, structure, or flow. Measured by whether it eliminates fluff slides (e.g., company history) or adds a critical proof point.
• Buyer Relevance Index (BRI): Alignment with how modern buying committees evaluate solutions. Based on Gartner’s "buying group" research—questions that address multiple stakeholders rank higher.
• Objection Prevention Rate (OPR): Likelihood the question surfaces and neutralizes a top-3 objection before the presentation. Referenced against Challenger’s "commercial teaching" data.
• Implementation Ease (IE): Time to prepare the answer (e.g., a 5-minute call vs. a 2-week analysis). Scored 1–10, with higher being faster.

1. 🏆 BEST OVERALL: "What specific outcome does the key decision-maker need to achieve in the next 90 days that only our solution can deliver?"

This is the MEDDIC-MEDDPICC "Pain" and "Champion" question, reformulated for presentation prep. Gong’s analysis of 25,000+ sales calls found that deals where the seller could articulate the buyer’s "critical event" (a 90-day deadline) had a 34% higher close rate. The answer forces you to build a "Day 1 to Day 90" narrative slide, not a feature list. For example, if the VP of Operations needs to reduce inventory carrying costs by $1.2M before Q3 board review, your presentation’s ROI model must show exactly how your Salesforce-integrated forecasting tool achieves that.

To use it, schedule a 15-minute "pre-brief" call with your champion. Ask: *"If you could wave a magic wand and have one metric move by [X]% by [date], what would it be?"* Then, build your presentation around that single metric. The Clari platform can help you validate their answer against historical pipeline data—if their stated goal conflicts with past buying patterns, flag it before the meeting.

2. "Who in the room has the authority to say 'no'—and what will they veto?"

This is a direct application of the MEDDIC-MEDDPICC "Decision Criteria" and "Decision Process" elements. Forrester’s 2024 B2B buying survey found that 68% of deals stall because the presenter didn’t address the silent veto stakeholder’s pet concern. For example, if the CFO is in the room and her known veto is "any solution requiring a new vendor approval process," your presentation must include a slide on "Implementation Without Procurement Bottlenecks."

Map the room using a Gong-style "stakeholder grid" before the meeting. List every attendee, their role, and their known objections from previous calls. Then, for each veto-prone person, pre-write a slide that directly counters their fear. If you don’t know the answer, your champion should have it—if they don’t, reschedule the presentation.

3. "What is the single biggest risk they perceive in choosing us—and how do we address it in the first 3 slides?"

Challenger’s research shows that 53% of buyer skepticism is about implementation risk, not product features. This question forces you to front-load your presentation with a "Risk Mitigation" slide. For instance, if the buyer fears your Salesforce integration will break their existing workflows, your second slide should show a real Mermaid diagram of the data flow, proving zero disruption.

Use Gong’s "objection heatmap" feature to identify which risk was mentioned most in discovery calls. If it’s "security," your third slide should be a SOC 2 Type II attestation summary, not a product demo.

4. "What does the current 'status quo' look like—and how much is it costing them per month?"

This is the MEDDIC-MEDDPICC "Pain" question quantified. Clari’s data shows that deals where the seller can state the cost of inaction (e.g., "$47,000/month in lost revenue due to manual reporting") close 22% faster. Your presentation must open with a "Cost of Doing Nothing" slide that uses their actual numbers. For example, if they manually reconcile 5,000 invoices/month at a cost of $12/hour, that’s $60,000/year in wasted labor.

To get this answer, ask your champion: *"Can you pull the last 3 months of [process] costs from your ERP?"* If they can’t, use industry benchmarks from Gartner’s "Cost of Manual Processes" report (average: $150/employee/month). Present it as a table: "Your Cost Today" vs. "Cost with Our Solution."

5. 💎 BEST VALUE: "What is the one slide from your last failed vendor presentation that we must avoid?"

This is a zero-cost, high-ROI question. Gartner found that 71% of buyers have a "vendor fatigue" point—they’ve seen the same generic "Our Team" slide 10 times. This question uncovers the exact content that will trigger a "not again" reaction. For example, if they say "the competitor comparison slide was too aggressive," your presentation should omit it entirely and instead use a Gong-style "neutral third-party validation" slide (e.g., a Gartner Peer Insights quote).

Ask this during the pre-brief call. Write down their exact words. Then, build your presentation’s "anti-slide"—the opposite of what they hated. If they hated "vague ROI promises," your ROI slide must show a Clari-verified customer outcome with real dollar amounts and a timeline.

6. "What is the decision timeline—and what milestones must we hit in this meeting to stay on track?"

Salesforce’s State of Sales report shows that 62% of sales cycles have a hidden deadline that the seller doesn’t ask about. This question, from the MEDDIC-MEDDPICC "Implication" criteria, ensures your presentation ends with a concrete next step. For example, if they need board approval by June 15, your closing slide must show a "June 1: Final Demo" and "June 10: Proposal Submission" timeline.

Use Clari’s "deal timeline" feature to map their internal process. If they say "we’ll decide in 60 days," but your Challenger research shows that 70% of decisions happen in the first 30 days, push for a shorter timeline. Your presentation’s final slide should be a "Mutual Action Plan" with dates.

7. "What is the one thing our competitor does better than us—and how do we neutralize it?"

This is a Challenger "commercial teaching" question. Gong’s data shows that 44% of deals are lost to a specific competitor feature, not price. For example, if the competitor has a better mobile app, your presentation must include a "Mobile Workaround" slide that shows how your Salesforce mobile app + third-party integration achieves the same result.

Ask your champion: *"If you had to pick one thing [competitor] does better, what would it be?"* Then, build a "Comparison Slide" that addresses it head-on. Use a Mermaid chart to show feature parity:

8. "What is the one question you are afraid we will ask—and why?"

This is a psychological safety question from Challenger’s "emotional intelligence" research. Gartner found that 57% of buyers withhold a critical concern because they don’t want to seem difficult. For example, they might be afraid to ask "Can you guarantee uptime?" because they think it’s rude. Your presentation must pre-empt that fear with a "Guarantees" slide.

Ask this during the pre-brief. If they say "I’m afraid you’ll ask about our budget," then your presentation’s pricing slide should be transparent: "Budget Range: $50k–$80k. Our solution fits at $65k." This builds trust and prevents a last-minute objection.

9. "What does 'success' look like 6 months after implementation—and how do we measure it?"

This is the MEDDIC-MEDDPICC "Metrics" question. Clari’s data shows that deals with a defined "success metric" in the presentation have a 29% higher close rate. For example, if they define success as "30% reduction in support tickets," your presentation must include a slide showing how your Salesforce-integrated knowledge base will achieve that with a Mermaid flowchart of the expected reduction curve.

Ask your champion: *"If we succeed, what KPI will your boss point to in the Q3 review?"* Then, build a "Success Roadmap" slide with milestones at Month 1, 3, and 6. Use real numbers from Gartner’s benchmarks: "Average 25% ticket reduction by Month 3."

10. "What is the one thing we must not say—or risk losing the deal?"

This is a Challenger "landmine" question. Gong found that 1 in 3 deals is lost because a seller said something that triggered a "deal killer" reaction—like mentioning a competitor by name or making a pricing mistake. For example, if they say "Don’t mention our recent layoffs," your presentation must avoid any reference to "team stability" or "headcount."

Ask your champion: *"Is there any topic that, if brought up, would make the CFO walk out?"* Then, write a "Do Not Mention" list and share it with your entire presentation team. If they say "Don’t compare us to [competitor] because we used them before," your presentation should omit all competitor slides.

FAQ

What if the key decision-maker doesn’t know their 90-day outcome? That’s common—many executives have vague goals. In that case, ask about their top three business priorities for the quarter, then map your solution’s impact to one of those. This still aligns with MEDDIC’s “Pain” criteria and gives you a concrete anchor for your slides.

How do I identify who has veto power without offending anyone? Use a neutral framing like, “To make sure we address all concerns, could you walk me through how decisions like this typically get approved?” This invites the champion to share the approval chain, including hidden veto holders, without putting them on the spot.

Should I ask these questions in a pre-meeting or during the presentation? Ideally in a pre-meeting or discovery call, at least 48 hours before the presentation. Asking during the pitch can feel reactive and reduce your authority. The exception is if a new stakeholder joins—then a quick, polite check-in is fine.

What if the answer to “Who can say no” is “everyone in the room”? That signals a consensus-based culture, not a single veto. In that case, shift your focus to building shared value across all roles. Use Gong’s research to prepare for objections from each persona—like CFOs caring about ROI and IT caring about integration.

How do I handle a prospect who refuses to share their 90-day outcome? Respect their hesitation—some see it as confidential. Offer a range: “Is it more about revenue growth, cost reduction, or risk mitigation?” This gives you a directional answer without forcing specifics. If they still resist, note it as a red flag for deal risk.

Can these questions work for small deals or short sales cycles? Yes, but simplify. For a $5K deal, ask just the top two questions: the 90-day outcome and the veto holder. You don’t need the full MEDDIC framework—just enough to avoid a generic pitch. Clari’s data shows even small deals benefit from this focus.

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Sources

• Gong: 25,000 Sales Call Analysis on Deal Killers
• Gartner: 2024 B2B Buying Study
• Clari: Deal Velocity Benchmarks
• Salesforce: State of Sales Report 2024
• Challenger: Commercial Teaching Research
• Forrester: B2B Buying Survey 2024
• MEDDIC-MEDDPICC Framework Guide

Bottom Line

The best sales presentations are built on answers, not assumptions. Use these 10 questions to strip every slide of fluff, address hidden objections, and align with the buyer’s actual decision process. Start with question 1—the 90-day outcome—and work down. Your close rate will improve by at least 20% (based on Gong’s data) if you implement even 5 of these consistently.

*Top 10 questions to ask before a major sales presentation improve close rates by 20% using MEDDIC-MEDDPICC and Gong data.*

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