What is Presales? A Deep Dive into Pre-Sale Activities and Their Impact on Sales Outcomes

Many people are not familiar with presales and may confuse it with sales — or even think it’s the same thing. In reality, presales is a set of activities that occur as part of the  sales cycle. It involves customer research, data analysis, lead qualification, solution design and detailed demos. 

Definition of Pre-sales

Presales is an important function in any organization as it helps bridge the gap between the prospect and the sales team. It involves a range of activities that are designed to help customers make informed decisions about a product or service.

The term “presales” can be misleading since it suggests that it’s a function that precedes the sales process. Instead, it is an integral part of the sales process, and it occurs in parallel with the activities of the sales executive. In most cases, “Sales Engineer,” “Solution Consultant,” or “Solution Engineer” are more appropriate titles. All of these fall under the larger umbrella of presales. They’re roles for individual contributors with deep, often-technical knowledge of the product.

What’s the Difference between Presales and Sales?

Presales and sales play distinct yet interconnected roles in the overall sales process. 

Presales — also known as sales engineering in some orgs — involves technical experts or specialists who collaborate with potential clients to understand their specific needs, challenges, and objectives. These professionals focus on tailoring solutions, conducting product demonstrations, and addressing technical queries to showcase the value and feasibility of a product or service. Their primary goal is to build a compelling case for the product or service before the formal sales negotiations begin. 

The sales function occurs in parallel with the work done by  presales. Sales teams, armed with a deep understanding of the client’s requirements, are responsible for gathering requirements,   negotiating terms, closing deals, and managing ongoing relationships. While presales is more focused on technical aspects and solution customization, sales teams concentrate on both understanding customer needs and the commercial aspects of the transaction, ensuring a smooth transition from interest to a finalized agreement. 

Presales sets the stage for successful sales endeavors by digging deeper into client needs to ensure that the product being sold can deliver an effective solution, while the sales function navigates the business aspects to secure and nurture lasting customer relationships.

Core Objectives

The core objective of presales is to support the sales executive with technical and solution expertise, as well as to helppotential customers make informed decisions about a product or service. This involves understanding their needs, identifying pain points, and providing solutions that address their specific requirements.

Presales also plays a critical role in ensuring that the customer’s expectations are aligned with the product or service being offered. This helps reduce the risk of customer churn and ensures that customers are satisfied with their purchase.

Key Activities

Presales involves a range of activities that are designed to help customers make informed decisions about a product or service. Some of the key activities include:

• Product Demos: Providing product demos to potential customers to showcase the features and benefits of the product or service.
• Needs Assessment: Understanding the customer’s needs and identifying pain points that the product or service can address.
• Proof of Concept: Providing a proof of concept to potential customers to demonstrate how the product or service can solve their specific problem.
• Proposal Creation: Creating proposals that outline the features, benefits, and pricing of the product or service.
• Sales Collateral: Creating sales collateral such as case studies, whitepapers, and brochures to help potential customers make informed decisions.

Roles in Presales

Here are three common roles you may encounter within the presales field:

Presales Consultant

A presales consultant works closely with sales teams to help them understand a potential customer’s needs. They analyze customer requirements and recommend the best products or services to meet those needs. Presales consultants often have a technical background and can provide technical support to sales teams during the sales cycle.

Solution Architect

A solution architect is responsible for designing solutions that meet a customer’s needs. They work with sales execs and presales consultants to understand the customer’s requirements and then design a solution that meets those needs. Solution architects need to have a deep understanding of the products and services offered by their company and how those products and services can be combined to create a solution that meets the customer’s needs.

Technical Account Manager

A technical account manager (TAM) is responsible for managing the technical relationship between a company and its customers. They work closely with customers to understand their needs and ensure that they are getting the most out of the products and services they have purchased. TAMs need to have a deep understanding of the products and services offered by their company and how those products and services can be customized to meet the customer’s needs.

Depending on the organization, other presales roles or titles can include solutions Technical Sales, Solutions Advisor, Customer Advisor, Product Evangelist, and more. Each requires a combination of technical expertise, customer service skills, and sales acumen. 

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Presales Process

The presales process is an integral part of the overall sales cycle. Presales professionals engage and build relationships with potential customers, and they help these prospects find the right solution to their needs. The presales process involves several steps that help in building strong relationships and establishing trust. 

These are the three main steps in the presales process.

Discovery

The first step in the presales process is discovery. Once the sales development rep (SDR) and account executive (AE) have identified a prospect is a good potential fit for the solution, the presales professional is often brought into the process to help with discovery. 

It is the role of the presales professional to ask probing questions to develop a deep understanding of a prospect’s problems and pain points, and to evaluate how the solution being sold can help to solve those problems. While the AE will focus on building out the financial return on investment (ROI) of the solution, the presales professional will dig into the technical aspects of the solution to ensure that the proposed approach is viable and that it’s a good fit for the customer.

During customer engagement, it is essential to ask the right questions to understand the specific pain points and requirements. This step is crucial in building trust and establishing a long-term relationship with the customer.

Solution Design

Once presales has engaged with the prospect and have a clear understanding of their requirements, the next step is to design a solution that meets their needs. This step involves working with the prospect to identify the best possible solution and designing a plan that meets their requirements.

Solution design involves identifying the right product or service, configuring it to meet the prospect’s needs, and providing a detailed plan of how the solution will be implemented. This step is crucial in ensuring that the customer is satisfied with the proposed solution and is willing to move forward with the purchase.

Proposal Development

Presales is also involved in proposal development. This step involves creating a detailed proposal that outlines the solution designed for the customer. The proposal should include all the relevant details, such as the scope of the project, timelines, costs, and any other relevant information.

Proposal development is crucial to convincing a prospect to move forward with the purchase. A well-crafted proposal can help establish credibility and trust with the customer and increase the chances of closing the deal.

By following these steps, you can establish trust with the customer, build a long-term relationship, and increase the chances of closing the deal.

Skills and Tools

To be successful in presales, you will need to possess a variety of skills and use various tools. Here are some essential skills and tools:

Communication Skills

One of the most important skills in presales is communication. You will need to be able to communicate effectively with potential customers, understand their needs, and explain how your product or service can meet those needs. This requires excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as active listening skills. You should also be able to adapt your communication style to suit different types of customers.

Empathy

Empathy is a critical skill for success in presales. A good presales professional will put themselves in the position of the customer and think about what they’d want to see in the ideal solution. 

Are there major gaps that the solution isn’t well-suited to fill? Oftentimes it’s the presales professional who is the best person to call this out — even if (or especially if) it’s not what the sales executive wants to hear, because sometimes it means that the deal is less likely to close.  A great presales professional is an advocate for the prospect throughout the sales process.

Technical Expertise

Presales professionals should have a good understanding of the technical aspects of their product or service. This includes knowledge of the product’s features, benefits, and limitations. You should also be familiar with the technology that your product or service uses, as well as the technology used by your customers. This will help you to answer technical questions and provide accurate information to potential customers — and to communicate with engineers on the customer team when appropriate.

Sales and CRM Software

Presales professionals should be comfortable using sales and customer relationship management (CRM) software. This software is used to manage customer interactions, track sales leads, and monitor sales performance. You should be able to use this software to track customer interactions, update customer information, and analyze sales data. Having experience with sales and CRM software will give you an edge in the presales process.

Overall, possessing excellent communication skills, technical expertise, and experience with sales and CRM software are essential for success in presales. By using these skills and tools, you can effectively communicate with potential customers, understand their needs, and explain how your product or service can meet those needs.

Challenges and Solutions

Presales is not an easy job, and there are many challenges that come with it. However, with the right approach, you can overcome these challenges and become a successful presales professional.

Handling Objections

One of the biggest challenges in presales is handling objections. Customers may have concerns about how your product or service solves their specific problems, and it’s presales’ job to address these concerns and provide solutions. To handle objections effectively, you need to be prepared and knowledgeable about your product or service. You should also be able to communicate clearly and confidently, and be able to provide evidence to support your claims.

Customizing Solutions

Another challenge in presales is customizing solutions for each customer. Every customer is different, and their needs and requirements will vary. To provide the best possible solution, you need to understand the customer’s business and their unique challenges. You should also be able to customize your solution to meet their specific needs. This requires a deep understanding of your product or service, as well as strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Time Management

Presales can be a time-consuming job, and it’s important to manage your time effectively. You may have multiple customers to deal with, each with their own unique requirements and challenges. To manage your time effectively, you need to prioritize your tasks and focus on the most important ones first. You should also be able to work efficiently and quickly, without sacrificing quality.

Presales is a challenging but rewarding job. By handling objections effectively, customizing solutions, and managing your time wisely, you can become a successful presales professional.

Who makes a good presales professional?

Sales is often one of the most interesting and well-compensated departments in a technology company. Presales is a great career choice for people who want to be part of the sales organization, but are turned off by some of the less enjoyable parts of sales. Tasks like cold calling, prospecting, dealing with contract redlines, negotiating pricing and closing deals — all critical parts of the sales process —are not responsibilities of presales.

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Presales professionals are usually well-compensated,  but without as much pressure to hit a quota as account executives. This is especially true in organizations that invest heavily in sales. Presales professionals often have quotas,  but they’re usually based on the success of the team of account executives that the presales professional supports. Also, where an AE might have a 50/50 split of base and variable compensation, a presales professional will usually have a higher percentage of their total compensation in base salary. There is more income certainty,   but potentially less upside potential compared to sales roles.

Presales professionals can come from any background,  but some of the most common are engineering, professional services, or customer success within the organization. These are roles all require individuals to develop a deep level of product expertise, which can then be leveraged in presales for the benefit of prospects and the sales team.