Five Pages to Open Now
Before any call, open these five types of pages. They provide a quick overview of a company or account. You might already have some of these open.
These pages offer a broad view. Look for financial health, recent news, and key initiatives. This forms your basic understanding of the company's current state.
**Actionable Takeaway:** Open the company's official website (homepage or about page), their LinkedIn company profile, their latest press releases page, their investor relations page (if public), and one relevant industry news article mentioning them.
Ask for a Brief, Not a Novel
Ask the person who set up the call for a brief. This should be short and to the point. A good brief highlights critical information.
Request key details. These include the call's purpose, the attendees from both sides, and any specific areas of discussion. Ask for their desired outcome.
**Actionable Takeaway:** Send a quick message: 'Could you share a brief on the call's purpose, attendees, and what you hope to achieve?'
Turn Information into Questions
Once you have the tabs open and a brief, scan for gaps. What information is missing? What seems unclear?
Look for contradictions between sources. Note any areas where the company's public statements differ from recent news. Formulate questions to clarify these points.
Your goal is to show you did your homework. You also want to get new, useful information. LocalBridge can send your open tabs to a large language model. Ask it to 'Extract key facts and suggest clarifying questions from these pages.'
**Actionable Takeaway:** Use the extracted facts and the brief to write down five open-ended questions. These should help you understand their challenges or goals better.
What Not to Trust in AI Output
Large language models are helpful for quick summaries. They can highlight keywords and suggest questions. However, they are not always accurate.
Do not blindly trust facts or figures presented by an AI. Always cross-reference critical data with the original source. Especially check financial data or legal information.
**Actionable Takeaway:** Double-check any specific numbers, names, or dates suggested by AI against the original website or brief. Treat AI output as a starting point, not the final word.