The Science of First Call Exceptionalism | Why SDRs Matter More Than Ever| How Champion Empowerment Determines Close Rates | The Rule of Threes That Closes Enterprise Deals | Greg Costigan, Sales Leader at Box, Zuora & Zenefits

You have to be so much better than the incumbent if you want to have even the slightest change.

This episode is a tactical masterclass on early-stage B2B sales. You’ll learn how to nail the first meeting, architect modular demos, multi‑thread like a pro, and turn proposals into “Champion Empowerment” decks that actually close. We also cover ROI modeling, executive sponsorship, outbound strategy, and the exact behaviors that separate A‑players from everyone else.

Our guest is Greg Costigan leads the sales team at Performica and has built and led GTM organizations at Box, Zuora, Zenefits, LearnUp, Hone, and MindGym. He’s closed complex enterprise deals, championed award‑winning programs (e.g., Pinterest’s Brandon Hall–recognized L&D initiative), and specializes in taking startups from founder‑led sales to scalable processes.

In Today’s Episode We Discuss:
01:33 - Sales process is a science—ditch gut feel for repeatable rigor.
04:51 - Stop skipping steps—credibility beats the ‘one‑call close’ myth.
07:01 - First meeting playbook: GGGA, pre-read, ruthless prep.
10:57 - Lead with a hypothesis—change the buyer’s frame (Challenger).
13:32 - First-call exceptionalism: come in hot and create momentum.
14:51 - Yes, demo on call one—and land a clean close.
19:44 - Multi-thread fast: champion texting, exec sponsors, rule of threes.
22:19 - Demo excellence: send agenda early, close BANT/MEDDICC gaps.
23:59 - Modular demos: tailor admin, user, integrations to stakeholders.
27:51 - End every demo with a scoping or proposal—never ambiguity.
34:14 - Turn proposals into a Champion Empowerment deck that sells itself.
36:54 - No exec sponsor? You’re at risk—fix it before forecasting.
38:20 - Build a simple ROI model—finance will ask, be ready.
54:49 - Outbound isn’t dead—SDRs matter more than ever.