meeting-prep

/octave:meeting-prep - Strategic Meeting Battle Plan

Build a coached, strategic meeting battle plan rendered as a self-contained HTML document. Unlike /octave:brief (a reference dossier), this skill produces a battle plan — combining Octave intelligence with coaching frameworks to generate belief stacks, scripted talk tracks, discovery questions, a stakeholder map, landmine warnings, and a phase-by-phase game plan timed to your meeting duration.

The skill reads two coaching reference files at runtime:

• references/strategic-coach.md — Enterprise strategic sales coaching (belief stacking, ecosystem positioning, Socratic discovery)
• references/positioning-coach.md — Product positioning coaching based on April Dunford's methodology (positioned sales pitch, competitive alternatives, feature-value-emotion ladder)

If a user replaces these files with their own coaching frameworks, the skill adapts automatically.

Key differentiators:

• vs /octave:brief — brief is a reference dossier; meeting-prep is a coached battle plan with talk tracks and a timed game plan
• vs /octave:research — research outputs plain text; meeting-prep renders a styled HTML document with coaching intelligence
• vs /octave:deck — deck is a slide presentation for the audience; meeting-prep is internal prep for the seller

Usage

/octave:meeting-prep <target> [--type <meeting-type>] [--style <preset>]

Examples

/octave:meeting-prep acme.com                                    # General meeting prep
/octave:meeting-prep jane@acme.com --type discovery              # Discovery call battle plan
/octave:meeting-prep acme.com --type demo                        # Demo prep with talk tracks
/octave:meeting-prep acme.com --type executive                   # Executive meeting with board framing
/octave:meeting-prep jane@acme.com --type follow-up              # Follow-up with prior call context
/octave:meeting-prep acme.com --type qbr --style executive-dark  # QBR prep with specific style
/octave:meeting-prep "meeting with VP Sales at Acme"             # Context-based prep

Meeting Types

Type	Primary Focus
discovery	Discovery questions primary, belief framework, qualification
demo	Positioned pitch tailored to demo flow, demo landmines
follow-up	Updated pain from prior calls, deal advancement
executive	Concise TL;DR, executive talk tracks, board-level framing
qbr	Value delivered, renewal/expansion angles
general	Balanced all sections (default)

Instructions

When the user runs /octave:meeting-prep:

Step 1: Understand the Context

1.1 Identify the target:

• Email address -> Person-targeted prep (enrich person + company)
• Domain -> Company-targeted prep (enrich company + find key contacts)
• LinkedIn URL -> Person-targeted prep
• Meeting description -> Extract company/people from context

1.2 Detect or ask meeting type:

If --type not specified, infer from context or ask:

What type of meeting are you prepping for?

1. Discovery — First conversation, qualifying the opportunity
2. Demo — Showing the product, proving value
3. Follow-up — Continuing a conversation, advancing the deal
4. Executive — High-level strategic conversation
5. QBR — Quarterly business review with existing customer
6. General — Balanced battle plan (default)

Your choice:

1.3 Ask meeting duration:

The duration drives the game plan timeline — phases get proportional time allocations.

How long is this meeting?

1. 30 minutes
2. 45 minutes
3. 60 minutes
4. 90 minutes

Your choice:

1.4 Collect user context:

Ask if the user has any prior context to incorporate:

Do you have any prior context to fold in?

1. Call transcript or recording notes
2. Email thread or meeting notes
3. My own notes / talking points
4. No prior context — use Octave intel + coaching frameworks

Paste or describe (or press Enter to skip):

If the user provides a transcript, notes, or email thread, synthesize that context alongside Octave data. If they skip, proceed with Octave intel and coaching frameworks only.

1.5 Identify attendees:

Who's attending? (names, titles, emails — or "I don't know yet")

If attendees are unknown, build a general stakeholder map from Octave contacts.

1.6 Read coaching reference files:

Read the two coaching reference files from the skill directory:

• references/strategic-coach.md — Extract: belief stacking, ecosystem positioning, enhancement framing, ideal customer fit, guardrail reframe, Socratic discovery
• references/positioning-coach.md — Extract: positioned sales pitch (5 steps), feature→value→emotion, competitive alternatives, category framing, language mining, heads on pillows test

If the files are not found, fall back to general sales coaching best practices.

Step 2: Octave Context Gathering

Based on the target and meeting type, use Octave MCP tools to build a complete intelligence picture. Tell the user what you're researching and why.

Call as many tools as needed to build a thorough battle plan. The best meeting preps layer multiple sources — company enrichment + person enrichment + playbook messaging + proof points + conversation intel + coaching frameworks all combine to create a document grounded in real data. Don't stop at one tool when several would give you a stronger prep.

Not every tool applies to every meeting. Use your judgment about which are relevant to this specific situation. The tables below show what's available — pick the combination that gives you the richest context for the meeting type and target.

List vs Search — when to use which:

Tool	Purpose	Use when...
list_all_entities({ entityType })	Fetch all entities of a type (minimal fields)	You want a quick inventory — "show me all our competitors"
list_entities({ entityType })	Fetch entities with full data (paginated)	You need the actual content — "get full proof point details"
get_entity({ oId })	Deep dive on one specific entity	You found something relevant and need the complete picture
search_knowledge_base({ query })	Semantic search across library + resources	You have a concept or question — "how do we position for healthcare?"
list_resources() / search_resources({ query })	Uploaded docs, URLs, Google Drive files	You need reference material, uploaded assets, or source docs

Rule of thumb: Use list_* when you know what type of thing you want. Use search_* when you know what topic you're looking for.

Findings and events — always attempt, gracefully skip:

ALWAYS try to pull findings and events if you have a company domain or contact emails. Use a 90-day window. If data exists, it populates the "Prior Intelligence" section. If not, silently omit — no error message.

• list_findings({ query: "<company or contact>", startDate: "<90 days ago>" }) — surfaces what was actually said in calls: objections raised, features requested, pain points confirmed, competitor mentions
• list_events({ filters: { accounts: ["<account_oId>"] } }) — deal stage changes, meetings held, emails sent
• get_event_detail({ eventOId }) — deep dive on specific past interactions

---

For Person-Targeted Preps

Start with person and company enrichment, then pull positioning context:

What you need	Tool	When to use
Person deep-dive	enrich_person({ person: { email, firstName, lastName, companyDomain } })	Always for person-targeted preps — gives background, role, priorities
Company profile	enrich_company({ companyDomain })	Always — gives industry, size, tech stack, signals
ICP fit (person)	qualify_person({ person: { ... } })	When you need persona match and fit assessment
ICP fit (company)	qualify_company({ companyDomain })	When you need segment match and ICP scoring
Additional contacts	find_person({ searchMode: "people", companyDomain, fuzzyTitles })	When you want to map the broader buying committee
Matching playbook	get_playbook({ oId, includeValueProps: true })	After identifying relevant playbook — full strategy + value props
Playbook search	search_knowledge_base({ query: "<industry> <persona>", entityTypes: ["playbook"] })	When you need the best-fit playbook by concept
Proof points	list_entities({ entityType: "proof_point" })	Fetch all proof points with full data — metrics, quotes, logos
References	list_entities({ entityType: "reference" })	Customer references with full details
Competitive context	search_knowledge_base({ query: "<signals>", entityTypes: ["competitor"] })	When competitor is mentioned or likely in the deal
Recent intel	list_findings({ query: "<company or person>", startDate: "<90 days ago>" })	Conversation-based insights from past interactions
Deal history	list_events({ filters: { accounts: ["<account_oId>"] } })	Timeline of deal events
Synthesized prep	generate_call_prep({ companyDomain })	Quick comprehensive brief to use as a starting point

---

For Company-Targeted Preps

Start with company enrichment and contact discovery:

What you need	Tool	When to use
Company profile	enrich_company({ companyDomain })	Always — gives industry, size, tech stack, funding, signals
ICP fit scoring	qualify_company({ companyDomain })	Always — segment match, fit score, fit reasons
Key contacts	find_person({ searchMode: "people", companyDomain, fuzzyTitles })	Find stakeholders to populate the Stakeholder Map
Enrich contacts	enrich_person({ person: { ... } })	Deep dive on each key contact found
All playbooks	list_all_entities({ entityType: "playbook" })	Quick scan to find the right strategic approach
Playbook details	get_playbook({ oId, includeValueProps: true })	Full content + value props for the matching playbook
Value props	list_value_props({ playbookOId })	Fetch value props for the recommended playbook
All competitors	list_all_entities({ entityType: "competitor" })	Quick scan of competitive landscape
Competitor details	get_entity({ oId })	Deep dive on a specific relevant competitor
Proof points	list_entities({ entityType: "proof_point" })	Full proof points for the evidence section
References	list_entities({ entityType: "reference" })	Customer references for social proof
Topic search	search_knowledge_base({ query: "<industry> <use case>", entityTypes: ["proof_point", "reference"] })	Find proof points relevant to their specific situation
Recent intel	list_findings({ query: "<company>", startDate: "<90 days ago>" })	Conversation signals from calls and meetings
Deal events	list_events({ filters: { accounts: ["<account_oId>"] } })	Full deal history and timeline
Event details	get_event_detail({ eventOId })	Deep dive on specific past interactions
Uploaded resources	search_resources({ query: "<company or industry>" })	Relevant uploaded docs and assets

---

Output of this step: Present a content outline to the user for approval before generating:

BATTLE PLAN OUTLINE: [Company/Person] — [Meeting Type]
========================================================

Target: [Company name / Person name at Company]
Meeting Type: [Discovery / Demo / Follow-up / Executive / QBR / General]
Duration: [30 / 45 / 60 / 90] minutes
Attendees: [Names and roles, or "General stakeholder map"]
Style: [Will be selected in Step 3]

---

SECTIONS TO INCLUDE
-------------------

1. Header — Meeting details, date, duration, attendees
2. TL;DR — 2-3 sentence opportunity summary
3. Stakeholder Map — Buying roles: budget owner, champion, evaluator, gatekeeper
4. Their Pain — By stakeholder/theme, from context + enrichment
5. What They Need to Believe — Belief stack with proof status
6. Positioned Sales Pitch — 5-step scripted talk track
7. Discovery Questions — Segmented by stakeholder, meeting-type-aware
8. Landmines & Watch-Outs — Risk/mitigation pairs, competitive traps
9. Coach's Corner — Strategic + positioning coach perspectives
10. Meeting Game Plan — Timeline phased to [duration] minutes
11. Deal Intelligence — Budget, champion, decision maker, compelling event
12. The Line — One memorable sentence

Octave Sources Used:
- Company enrichment: [Company] — [key insights]
- Person enrichment: [Person] — [persona match]
- Playbook: [Playbook name] — [strategic angle]
- Proof points: [N] references pulled
- Findings: [N] recent signals (or "none found — skipped")
- Competitive: [If applicable]
- User context: [Transcript / notes / none]

---

Does this look good? I can:
1. Proceed to style selection and generation
2. Add or remove sections
3. Go deeper on any area
4. Change the meeting type or emphasis

Wait for user approval before proceeding.

Step 3: Style Selection

The battle plan uses the same CSS variable / style preset system as /octave:deck. Full preset definitions are in the deck skill's style-presets.md.

Battle plans default to readability-optimized presets. If --style was not provided, ask:

Pick a style for your battle plan:

1. midnight-pro     — Dark navy, white text, blue accents (default)
2. paper-minimal    — Off-white, black type, editorial simplicity
3. executive-dark   — Charcoal + gold, premium boardroom aesthetic
4. soft-light       — Warm white + sage green, calm and approachable
5. swiss-modern     — White + red accent, Bauhaus minimal
6. Use my brand     — Extract from website or provide colors
7. Match my deck    — Use the same style as an existing /octave:deck

Your choice (or press Enter for default):

Meeting Type	Recommended Default
Discovery	midnight-pro
Demo	midnight-pro
Follow-up	midnight-pro
Executive	executive-dark
QBR	executive-dark
General	midnight-pro

If the user selects "Use my brand," follow the brand discovery flow from the deck skill (website extraction via browser-use or WebFetch, manual fallback). If they select "Match my deck," ask for the deck file path and extract its CSS variables.

Step 4: Generate HTML

Build a single self-contained HTML file. The battle plan is a scrollable reference document — not a slide deck. Natural page scroll, sticky sidebar navigation, collapsible sections, and a print-friendly layout.

Output Directory

.octave-meeting-prep/
└── <kebab-case-name>-<YYYY-MM-DD>/
    └── <name>.html

Example: /octave:meeting-prep acme.com --type discovery -> .octave-meeting-prep/acme-discovery-2026-02-27/acme-discovery.html

The .octave-meeting-prep/ directory should be in .gitignore.

Meeting Type → Section Emphasis

Not all sections are equally weighted in every meeting type. The type determines emphasis:

Meeting Type	Emphasized Sections	De-emphasized / Condensed
Discovery	Their Pain, What They Need to Believe, Discovery Questions, Coach's Corner	Positioned Sales Pitch (lighter), Deal Intelligence
Demo	Positioned Sales Pitch, Stakeholder Map, Landmines & Watch-Outs	Discovery Questions (lighter), Deal Intelligence
Follow-up	Their Pain (updated), Deal Intelligence, Meeting Game Plan, Landmines	Stakeholder Map (condensed)
Executive	TL;DR, Positioned Sales Pitch (concise), Coach's Corner, The Line	Discovery Questions (fewer, strategic), Landmines (condensed)
QBR	Deal Intelligence, Coach's Corner, Meeting Game Plan	What They Need to Believe (condensed), Discovery Questions (expansion-focused)
General	All sections at equal weight	None

Document Sections (12 total)

1. Header Meeting title, generation date, meeting type badge (pill label like "Discovery Battle Plan" or "Executive Prep"), duration badge, attendee list with roles.

2. TL;DR 2-3 sentence opportunity summary. What's the situation, what's at stake, what's the play. Scannable in 10 seconds.

3. Stakeholder Map Cards for each attendee or known contact, tagged with buying role:

• Budget Owner — Controls the money
• Champion — Internal advocate, wants you to win
• Evaluator — Technical or functional gatekeeper
• Gatekeeper — Controls access to decision makers

Each card: name, title, LinkedIn URL (if known), inferred priorities, communication style notes, what they care about.

4. Their Pain Pain points organized by stakeholder or by theme, drawn from:

• User-provided context (transcript, notes, email thread)
• Octave enrichment data
• Findings from prior conversations
• Persona pain points from matching playbook

Each pain point: the pain (their words when possible), the business impact, your response.

5. What They Need to Believe Apply the belief stacking framework from strategic-coach.md:

• 5-6 sequential beliefs, each building on the previous
• Each rated: Proven / Mostly Proven / Needs Proof
• Evidence or proof point for each
• Highlight the weakest links — these are the meeting priorities

Visual: color-coded status (green = Proven, yellow = Mostly Proven, red = Needs Proof).

6. Positioned Sales Pitch Apply the 5-step positioned sales pitch from positioning-coach.md, scripted for this specific meeting:

1. Set the status quo — "Here's what we see in your world..."
2. Name the problem — "But as [trigger], [what breaks]..."
3. Introduce the category — "That's why [category] exists..."
4. Position in the category — "[Product] is the [differentiator] [category]..."
5. Proof — "[Similar customer] saw [result]..."

Each step includes a scripted talk track (actual words to say) plus a coaching note on delivery. Apply the feature→value→emotion ladder from the positioning framework for every product mention.

7. Discovery Questions Segmented by stakeholder (if attendees are known) or by category. Meeting-type-aware:

• Discovery: full question battery (diagnostic, forcing-function, accountability from strategic-coach.md)
• Demo: landmine questions, confirmation questions, "what would make this real?" questions
• Follow-up: progress questions, blocker questions, expansion questions
• Executive: strategic questions, vision questions, decision criteria
• QBR: value realization, adoption, expansion opportunity

8-12 questions max. Each with a brief coaching note on what the answer reveals.

8. Landmines & Watch-Outs Risk/mitigation pairs:

• Competitive traps (things the competitor wants them to ask about)
• Objections likely to surface (with coached responses)
• Topics to avoid or defer
• Signals to watch for (body language, tone shifts, questions they ask)

Visual: two-column layout — Risk | Mitigation.

9. Coach's Corner Two perspectives synthesized from the coaching frameworks:

Strategic Coach (from strategic-coach.md):

• Ecosystem positioning angle for this account
• Enhancement framing recommendation
• Ideal customer fit assessment
• Guardrail reframe if applicable

Positioning Coach (from positioning-coach.md):

• Category framing recommendation
• Competitive alternative analysis (what they'd do without you)
• Language to mine from prior context
• Heads on pillows test for this audience

10. Meeting Game Plan Phase-by-phase timeline matched to the meeting duration. Time allocations are proportional:

30-minute meeting:

Phase	Time	Focus
Open & Rapport	0-3 min	Set the frame, confirm agenda
Discovery / Pitch	3-18 min	Core content (meeting-type-dependent)
Proof & Stories	18-23 min	Evidence that lands
Next Steps	23-28 min	Clear commitments
Buffer	28-30 min	Questions, soft close

45-minute meeting:

Phase	Time	Focus
Open & Rapport	0-5 min	Set the frame, confirm agenda
Discovery / Pitch	5-25 min	Core content
Proof & Stories	25-33 min	Evidence that lands
Discussion	33-40 min	Questions, objection handling
Next Steps	40-45 min	Clear commitments

60-minute meeting:

Phase	Time	Focus
Open & Rapport	0-5 min	Set the frame, confirm agenda
Context Setting	5-12 min	Status quo, their world
Discovery / Pitch	12-35 min	Core content
Proof & Stories	35-45 min	Evidence that lands
Discussion	45-53 min	Questions, objection handling
Next Steps	53-58 min	Clear commitments
Buffer	58-60 min	Soft close

90-minute meeting:

Phase	Time	Focus
Open & Rapport	0-7 min	Set the frame, confirm agenda
Context Setting	7-18 min	Status quo, mutual discovery
Discovery / Pitch	18-50 min	Core content (deeper, more interactive)
Proof & Stories	50-62 min	Evidence + customer stories
Deep Discussion	62-75 min	Objections, technical deep-dives
Action Planning	75-85 min	Concrete next steps, timeline
Close	85-90 min	Summary, commitments

Each phase includes: what to say, what to listen for, and a transition line to the next phase.

11. Deal Intelligence Key deal context at a glance:

• Budget: Known budget or budget signals
• Champion: Who is championing internally (or "not yet identified")
• Decision Maker: Who ultimately signs
• Compelling Event: Timeline driver, if any (quarter end, contract renewal, initiative launch)
• Competition: Who else is in the deal
• Stage: Current deal stage and how long they've been there
• Next Milestone: What needs to happen next

If no deal data exists (new prospect), present what's known and flag what to uncover in this meeting.

12. The Line One memorable sentence that captures the strategic essence of this meeting. This is the thing you'd write on a sticky note and put on your monitor before the call. It should distill the entire battle plan into a single actionable insight.

Examples:

• "They believe the problem exists but don't believe anyone's solved it — that's your opening."
• "The VP is bought in; the Director needs proof it won't break their workflow."
• "This is a displacement deal — lead with what they lose by staying, not what they gain by switching."

HTML Architecture

See html-scaffold.md for the full HTML + CSS scaffold of the battle plan document.

Content Density Guidelines

Battle plans are reference documents — they should be thorough but scannable:

Section	Content Limit
TL;DR	2-3 sentences max
Stakeholder Map	4-6 stakeholder cards max
Their Pain	4-6 pain points max
What They Need to Believe	5-6 beliefs max
Positioned Sales Pitch	5 steps, each with 2-3 sentence talk track
Discovery Questions	8-12 questions max
Landmines & Watch-Outs	4-6 risk/mitigation pairs
Coach's Corner	2 perspectives, 3-4 bullets each
Meeting Game Plan	5-7 phases matching duration
Deal Intelligence	6-8 data fields
The Line	1 sentence

If a section would exceed its limit, prioritize by relevance to the meeting type and trim the rest.

Step 5: Delivery

After generating the HTML file:

1. Open the battle plan in the default browser
2. Present a summary:

BATTLE PLAN READY
==================

Folder: .octave-meeting-prep/<name>-<date>/
File:   .octave-meeting-prep/<name>-<date>/<name>.html
Style:  [Preset name or "Custom Brand"]
Duration: [30 / 45 / 60 / 90] min game plan
Sections: [List of included sections]

Navigation:
- Scroll naturally to read through sections
- Click nav dots on the right edge to jump to sections
- Click section headers to collapse/expand
- Print-friendly: Cmd+P / Ctrl+P for clean PDF output

---

Want me to:
1. Adjust or expand a section
2. Add/remove stakeholders
3. Go deeper on any topic (beliefs, talk tracks, questions)
4. Change the style
5. Regenerate for a different meeting duration
6. Export as PDF (print dialog)
7. Generate a brief for this account (/octave:brief)
8. Build a presentation from this (/octave:deck)
9. Done

MCP Tools Used

Research & Enrichment

• enrich_company — Full company intelligence profile
• enrich_person — Full person intelligence report
• find_person — Find contacts at a company by title/role
• find_company — Find companies matching criteria
• qualify_company — ICP fit scoring for a company
• qualify_person — ICP fit scoring for a person

Library — Fetching Entities

• list_all_entities — Quick scan of all entities of a type (minimal fields, no pagination)
• list_entities — Fetch entities with full data and pagination (proof points, references, etc.)
• get_entity — Deep dive on one specific entity
• get_playbook — Retrieve a playbook with full content and value props
• list_value_props — Value propositions for a specific playbook

Library — Searching

• search_knowledge_base — Semantic search across library entities and resources
• list_resources — Browse uploaded docs, URLs, and Google Drive files
• search_resources — Semantic search across uploaded resources

Intelligence & Signals

• list_findings — Recent conversation findings and insights
• list_events — Deal events (stage changes, meetings, outcomes)
• get_event_detail — Full details for a specific event

Content Generation

• generate_call_prep — Synthesized prep brief (useful as a starting point)
• generate_content — Generate positioning or messaging content

Error Handling

No user context provided:

No prior context provided. I'll build the battle plan from Octave intelligence and coaching frameworks.

The prep will be strong on strategy and positioning. After the meeting, run this again with your notes for a grounded follow-up prep.

Coaching reference files not found:

Coaching reference files not found in references/. Using general sales coaching best practices.

To customize coaching frameworks, add strategic-coach.md and positioning-coach.md to the skills/meeting-prep/references/ directory.

Octave Connection Failed:

Could not connect to your Octave workspace.

I'll build the battle plan from your provided context and coaching frameworks. The result will focus on talk tracks, discovery questions, and game plan without enrichment data.

To reconnect: check your MCP configuration or run /octave:workspace status

Company Not Found:

I couldn't find detailed intelligence for [domain].

Options:

1. Check the domain spelling and try again
2. Try a different domain or company name
3. Provide company details manually and I'll build the battle plan

No Findings Data:

No conversation signals found for [company/person] in the last 90 days.

Skipping the Prior Intelligence section. The battle plan will focus on enrichment data, coaching frameworks, and your provided context.

Attendees Not Specified:

No specific attendees provided. I'll build a general stakeholder map from Octave contacts and apply coaching frameworks broadly.

Tip: Adding attendee names and roles before the meeting makes the belief stack and talk tracks much sharper.

No Matching Playbook:

No playbook matches this audience profile directly.

I'll use general value props and positioning from the knowledge base, combined with coaching frameworks. Consider creating a playbook for this segment: /octave:library create playbook

Related Skills

• /octave:brief — Internal account dossier (reference doc without coaching frameworks)
• /octave:research — Deep-dive research on a company or person
• /octave:deck — Full slide presentation for the audience
• /octave:one-pager — Customer-facing leave-behind document
• /octave:battlecard — Competitive intelligence and displacement strategy
• /octave:pipeline — Deal-level coaching and pipeline strategy
• /octave:abm — Account-based planning with stakeholder mapping