Most AEs know they should multi-thread.
Far fewer know how to do it systematically across personas, functions, and seniority levels.
That’s why I instituted what we call the 10-Minute Connect Play.
It gives AEs a simple, repeatable way to pull discovery forward and start multi-threading before the first real meeting even happens.
The Setup
Most evaluations start with one or two people.
And most start with a demo.
- If you outbounded, the CTA was probably a demo.
- If they inbounded, they almost certainly filled out a demo request form.
The endless debate about “Should we demo on the first call?” completely misses the point.
Once someone has committed to a demo, you’ve earned an opening.
The goal is to use that opening to turn what would have been the first call into the second, third, or even fourth.
The Play
Once the demo is booked, the AE sends a short note asking for a 10-minute connect ahead of time.
Something like:
Hi! I’m looking forward to the call on Thursday. Any chance we can connect for 10 minutes beforehand? I want to make sure I prep the right folks on my side and that we make the best use of the scheduled time. -Brian
That’s it.
This creates space for real discovery before the formal meeting.
And if there are multiple attendees on the demo, the AE now has the opportunity to get multiple 1:1 perspectives before anyone ever sees a slide.
Why I love this play
- It’s real multi-threading
- The AE is establishing direct relationships with everyone involved, not just the loudest or most senior voice on the call.
- It improves the demo immediately
- Those conversations can be synthesized into a simple “What We Heard” slide, which reframes the demo around the buyer’s reality—not your product flow
- It scales as the deal scales
- As new stakeholders come in, the AE can run the exact same play again.
Because the approach is consistent, early champions don’t feel bypassed or surprised
- As new stakeholders come in, the AE can run the exact same play again.
The pushback (and why I don’t buy it)
The most common objection I hear is some version of:
“That’s a lot of work before we even know if this is a real opportunity.”
Honestly, that’s usually a flag for me.
Enterprise sales is the work.
The best AEs love these 10-minute connects. They’re curious. They want context. They want to understand how decisions actually get made.
The ones who resist it are often better suited for more transactional sales… and that’s fine. Just be honest about which game you’re playing.