In reality, “knowing your audience” isn’t one thing. It’s a process.
Here’s what great reps actually do before every meeting.
Step 1: Map the people
Before anything else, top reps identify who’s involved in the deal:
- Who’s the decision-maker, influencer, or blocker?
- What’s their role in the buying process?
- What motivates them personally and professionally?
Where to look:
- LinkedIn → role, background, mutual connections
- CRM → account hierarchy, ownership, and deal history
- Past meeting notes → who attended, who spoke, who cared
This helps them build a clear map of the human landscape behind the deal — who to focus on, and how to approach each stakeholder.
Step 2: Understand their world
Once they know who they’re talking to, great reps dig into what’s happening around them:
- What’s going on in their company — new launches, restructures, growth targets?
- What industry trends or challenges are shaping their decisions?
- What internal pressures might be influencing their priorities?
Where to look:
- Company website & newsroom (press releases, leadership changes)
- Industry publications & newsletters
- LinkedIn posts from company executives
- Tools like Crunchbase or Dealroom (for growth or funding insights)
- CRM and notes from colleagues who’ve engaged with the account
This is where preparation turns into insight. It’s the difference between sounding generic and sounding like an insider.
Step 3: Find the hooks
Finally, they connect the dots:
- What problem are these people really trying to solve?
- How does our solution tie into their goals?
- What stories or proof points will land best with this audience?
Where to look:
- Past deal notes and win/loss analysis
- CRM records of similar accounts
- Customer testimonials or case studies
- Notes from discovery calls
- Competitor insights (to see what alternatives they might be considering)
Great reps tailor their message to the person in front of them — not to the generic persona in a deck.
“If you want to win deals, you can’t just know your product — you have to know your people. The reps who do their audience homework are the ones who make it look effortless.”
— Maya R., Enterprise Account Executive
How can AI help you do this at scale
Knowing your audience is the heart of great selling — but it’s also the part that takes a lot of time.
That’s where AI steps in, not to replace your prep, but to supercharge it.
Map the people — instantly
AI identifies everyone involved in a deal, along with their background, role, and what topics they care about most — automatically pulling from CRMs, call summaries, and past interactions.
Understand Their World — effortlessly
AI scans company updates, news, and recent interactions to brief you on what’s happening inside and outside the organization — so you’re always context-ready.
Find the hooks — intelligently
AI suggests relevant talking points, case studies, and value angles based on what has resonated in similar deals — so you sound like an insider from the start.
"Before uman, our sales team was bogged down by manual tasks and inconsistent content. Now, we're booking significantly more meetings, closing deals faster, and our account managers are uncovering cross-sell opportunities we never knew existed"
— Stephan De Stoop, Akkodis
