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Content by Diana Cappello, Templates 4 SCs
(Adapted by PreSales Collective)
Great SCs aren’t just technical experts—they’re trusted advisors. And that advisory role doesn’t stop with prospects; it extends to your Account Executives (AEs) too. One of the best ways to build that trust and drive continuous improvement is through intentional debrief calls.
Why Debrief Calls Matter
Too often, post-call conversations default to logistics: who’s sending the recap, booking the next meeting, or following up with collateral. While those are important, they’re only part of the picture. A debrief call is your moment to exchange real insights, reflect on what worked, and identify what could be improved.
Diana recommends holding a short debrief after every prospect or customer-facing call—especially demos. The goal isn’t just feedback; it’s mutual learning.
The Three Key Questions
Use these prompts to guide your debrief:
- How do you think the call went?
Don’t just ask your AE—come prepared with your own honest assessment. Think about the audience’s engagement and whether you achieved your call objectives. - What went well?
Start with the positive. Reinforcing what worked builds trust and encourages repeat behavior. Whether your AE told a great story or kept the call on schedule, highlight it. - What could or should have gone differently?
This is the trickiest but most important question. Start with your own self-reflection (“I wish I had...”) before offering feedback to your AE. This creates psychological safety and invites honest dialogue.
Delivering Feedback with Care
If you need to offer critical feedback, be mindful of your timing and approach. Ask: “I’ve got some feedback—would now be a good time?” If they’re not in the right mindset, it can wait. But don’t let important feedback go unspoken—it can impact deals and team reputation.
Think of it this way: friends don’t let friends walk around with food in their teeth.
Make It a Habit
To encourage consistency, Diana recommends putting these three questions directly into the meeting agenda or calendar invite. It helps set expectations and mentally prepare your AE for the conversation.
Want a ready-to-use debrief template? You can find one on Etsy in the Templates 4 SCs shop.
Diana Cappello is a Director of Solutions Consulting with over 15 years of experience building and scaling presales organizations across GTM SaaS and AI platforms. She has driven $60M+ in ARR by streamlining SE operations, accelerating pipeline velocity, and shaping product strategy.
Cappello launched demo automation enabling 1.5x pipeline growth without additional hires, scaled presales teams from 7 to 100+ SEs while cutting ramp time from 6 to 2 months, and led a global SE team to 126% quota attainment. Her leadership drove revenue from $30M to $330M and supported multimillion-dollar enterprise deals with clients like Microsoft and Salesforce.
Cappello is dedicated to empowering technical professionals and growing presales organizations. Outside of work, she enjoys snowboarding, time with family, and sharing homemade baked goods.
