Negotiating with a president is a complex sale, not a simple sale. In the SPIN Selling Fieldbook (https://www.amazon.com/SPIN-Selling-Fieldbook-Practical-Exer...), Neil Rackham makes the case that in complex sales situations it is better to get a continuation than a 'no'. Additionally, the objective is likely a series of incremental wins toward a desirable future rather than an all-in-one victory. I get where Swisher is coming from, and I agree that the CEOs should plan to manage the inevitable spin that will surround the meeting, but it seems like going to the meeting is worth doing.

Side note: when I was using it as a consultant I actually saw a lot of positive results from the SPIN Selling approach. The idea is to demonstrate to your customer you understand their situation, problem, the implication of that problem, and customer needs. Then, map their needs back to your product to show, in your customer's words, how what you're selling satisfies their needs. The framework is proposed in opposition to the classical concept of the "hard sell" or "closer" method often applied at car dealerships.