--- name: deal-review-prep description: "Package a single deal for a pipeline / deal-review meeting as a disciplined four-part packet — MEDDICC state element-by-element, the single biggest risk, exactly what is needed to advance the current stage, and one specific ask of the manager — instead of a status paragraph. Use when prepping a deal to bring to a forecast call, pipeline review, or 1:1 with your manager. Do NOT use for structuring raw discovery-call notes (that is discovery-meddic-capture), flagging a whole pipeline against hygiene rules (pipeline-hygiene-review), or scoring an inbound lead (lead-qualification)." metadata: decimalai-skill-id: "864c1620-61e4-4344-b974-ddeae69c05a0" decimalai-version-id: "315abad0-dc20-4b54-a1cf-77b6c9544683" decimalai-version: "1" decimalai-body-sha256: "bd99d21a11463951d8b402f93a658388040944a0c8795aa17d89439ed570518e" decimalai-name: "deal-review-prep" decimalai-format: "1" decimalai-invocation: "model" decimalai-category: "sales-support" decimalai-source: "https://app.decimal.ai/s/deal-review-prep@1/SKILL.md" --- # Deal Review Prep ## What this does This skill turns "where is this deal at?" into a **deal-review packet**: a fixed, four-part structure a rep brings to a pipeline review, forecast call, or manager 1:1. The bare-model default is a flowing **status paragraph** — "Great call last week, champion is engaged, we're doing a demo Thursday, feeling good about this one." That paragraph reads fine and hides everything that matters: which qualification elements are actually unproven, the one thing most likely to lose the deal, what would truly move it forward, and what the rep needs from the room. The packet forces four disciplines the paragraph skips: 1. **MEDDICC state element-by-element** — every element rated, including the ones you *can't* answer. 2. **The single biggest risk** — exactly one, not a hedge-list of five. 3. **What advances the stage** — the concrete event/proof that moves it to the next stage, not "keep engaging." 4. **One ask of the manager** — a single specific, answerable request, not "need support." ## When to use / when NOT to **Use when:** - Prepping a deal to **present at a pipeline review, forecast call, or QBR**. - Getting a deal ready for a **1:1 with your manager** where you want help on it. - Someone asks "get the [big/key/top] deal ready for review" or "what should I bring on this one." **Do NOT use when:** - The task is turning **raw discovery-call notes** into a qualification record — that is `discovery-meddic-capture` (it captures; this one reviews and asks). - The task is running a **whole pipeline against hygiene rules** to flag violations — that is `pipeline-hygiene-review`. - The task is **scoring an inbound lead** against an ICP — that is `lead-qualification`. - The task is drafting a **follow-up email** to the buyer — that is `sales-follow-up-recap`. ## The packet: four parts, always in this order ### Part 1 — MEDDICC state (element-by-element) Emit all seven MEDDICC elements as their own labeled lines, each with a **strength rating** and a terse state. Never fold them into a paragraph, and never drop an element because you don't have it — an element you can't answer is the most important line on the page. Rate each element one of three ways: - **SOLID** — confirmed, with a fact behind it. - **WEAK** — you have something, but it's assumed, second-hand, or thin. - **UNKNOWN** — not established. Say so out loud; do not omit the line. The seven elements: - **Metrics** — the *quantified* outcome the buyer will get, a number with a unit. "They'll save time" is WEAK; "cut a 40-hour monthly close to under 10" is SOLID. - **Economic Buyer** — the single person with budget authority to approve the spend. Your day-to-day contact is usually **not** the economic buyer — if you've only met the contact, this is WEAK or UNKNOWN, not SOLID. - **Decision Criteria** — the requirements the deal is judged on (must-have features, integrations, security, price ceiling). - **Decision Process** — the *steps and dates* from here to signature (evaluation, security review, legal, sign-off). Criteria = what they judge; process = how and when. - **Identify Pain** — the concrete cost of the status quo that is driving change *now*. A feature wish is not pain. - **Champion** — someone with influence who sells for you when you're not in the room. A friendly contact with no pull is a coach, not a champion — rate accordingly. - **Competition** — who or what you're up against, *including the status quo / "do nothing."* If no rival is named, the competition is usually the status quo, not UNKNOWN. ### Part 2 — The single biggest risk Name **exactly one** risk: the thing most likely to lose the deal or slip its date. This is the hard part and the point of the exercise — the bare model lists every risk it can think of, which is the same as naming none. Force the choice. - Tie it to a specific MEDDICC gap or deal fact from Part 1, not a generic worry. "No confirmed economic buyer — we're selling to a champion who can't sign" beats "there's some risk on budget." - If two feel equally fatal, pick the one that would surface *soonest* and say why the other is secondary. One primary risk, stated plainly. ### Part 3 — What's needed to advance the stage State the **current stage → next stage**, then the **one concrete event or proof** that earns the move. This must be an observable thing that either happens or doesn't — a meeting held, an artifact produced, a commitment made — not an attitude like "build more momentum" or "keep them warm." - Good: "To move Proposal → Negotiation: get the security questionnaire returned and a redline back from their legal." - Weak: "Continue to nurture the relationship." (Not an event; can't be checked.) Tie the advance directly to the biggest risk when you can — the fastest way forward is usually to retire the thing most likely to kill the deal. ### Part 4 — One ask of the manager End with **exactly one** specific, answerable request the manager can act on. It should be a concrete thing — an executive introduction, a pricing/discount approval, a specialist resource, air cover, or a specific coaching decision — phrased so the manager can say yes or no. - Good: "Can you get me a 15-minute intro to their CFO through our VP's network before month-end?" - Weak: "I could use some help on this one." / "Let me know if you have any advice." If the deal genuinely needs nothing, say "No ask — on track" rather than padding a fake one. But one real, specific ask is the default: a deal worth reviewing almost always has a next move the manager can unblock. ## Format A titled packet with the four parts as labeled sections, Part 1 as a rated list. Terse over narrative. No opening "here's where we are" paragraph and no closing pep talk — the four parts are the whole deliverable. ## Worked example (shape only) > **Deal review — mid-market ops automation** > > **MEDDICC** > - Metrics: SOLID — 3-day monthly close, CFO wants < 1 day. > - Economic Buyer: WEAK — believed to be the CFO; met only the FP&A manager, never confirmed she signs. > - Decision Criteria: SOLID — audit trail + ERP integration are hard requirements. > - Decision Process: UNKNOWN — no steps or dates established. > - Identify Pain: SOLID — manual close cost them a missed board deadline last quarter. > - Champion: WEAK — FP&A manager is enthusiastic but unproven with leadership. > - Competition: WEAK — status quo (in-house spreadsheets); one unnamed rival hinted. > > **Biggest risk:** No confirmed economic buyer and no decision process — we're building on a WEAK > champion, so the deal can stall indefinitely with no one able to drive a signature. > > **To advance (Discovery → Proposal):** Get the FP&A manager to set up a 30-minute working session > with the CFO to confirm budget authority and map the buying steps and target date. > > **Ask of the manager:** Will you join that CFO session as our exec sponsor so it lands as a > peer-level conversation, not a rep pushing up?