If you work in B2B sales, you’ll be familiar with sales enablement. This term, and the method behind it, is gaining momentum in the sales industry, and for good reason. The process has a measured success on win rates by equipping sales professionals with the right tools. Companies that put a sales enablement strategy in place will see an impressive ROI.
A lesser-known term, but one also gaining traction, is “presales enablement”. This method is all about improving the sales capacities of a business before any selling has begun. It is arguably the most important stage of a sales lifecycle, as it identifies the key pain points of a customer and explains how a product or service can provide a solution.
Presales vs sales
The best way to think of presales vs sales is that presales is largely technical, focusing on what the client needs, whereas sales is more emotive, appealing to the “better nature” of a customer. This distinction is, of course, generalized—the two are in flux, and one informs the other—but broadly speaking this is what distinguishes the two.
How does presales enablement work?
Visualize the sales enablement process as an ecosystem. It is a complex web of technology, training, and tools, all aimed at delivering a better buying experience for the customer. Presales enablement is just one part of that, leveraging the right tools to support professionals at the initial stage of the sales cycle.
The goal of presales is to initiate and support the sales process, with a focus on market research, capitalizing on opportunities, lead nurturing, and providing technical information during the sale. The presales enablement method uses tools to elevate these processes, ensuring that every stage of the sales cycle is conducted as efficiently as possible.
With a presales enablement method in place, the sales cycle becomes a well-oiled machine. By the time sales professionals get to sell, the groundwork has already been laid. A comprehensive profile of a customer has been built; winning proposals and demos have been prepared. The sales executive can identify a customer’s pain points and has the technical collateral or data to provide a solution. A business relationship—vital for the win—is quickly established.
Understanding the presales process
The presales process covers any specific action which happens before or contributes to the sale. It will be different for every organization, but typically follows the standard pipeline:
- Lead generation
- Customer discovery
- Product demonstration
- Proposal
After a deal has been made, the presales teams can also be involved in the training, implementation, or follow-up of a sale. An effective presales department will work closely with the sales team, providing support at every touchpoint in the sales cycle.
The role of technology in presales
Technology plays a large role in an effective presales strategy. For lead generation, automation platforms can help presales teams find, nurture, and identify qualified leads. CRM data is essential for prospective customers, and presales software like account maps help provide an accurate picture of the business dynamics in a company.
The product demonstration landscape is also changing, with sales teams relying less on “impersonal” demo tools, like videos and infographics, in favor of a more hands-on approach. From a customers’ perspective, platforms that allow users to use and interact with the product provide a more realistic picture of a product’s capabilities.
The success of virtual demos in presales
Virtual demo labs are an exciting piece of presales software that allow customers to try out tech products in virtual environments. Virtual demos are a great presales tool, keeping prospects engaged, while providing an accurate representation of your product. They allow for personalized product demonstrations that can get to the specific pain points that your customer faces. You can also simulate real scenarios in sandboxed environments helping your prospects to further see the value of your product.
Our customers, for example, use CloudShare solutions as part of their presales strategy to streamline and manage custom demos, create custom templates for their sales teams, and prepare virtual events.
Dig your presales foundations
Companies that invest in a robust presales strategy will see an impressive ROI. A presales enablement infrastructure allows presales teams to do their best work, and a well-oiled presales process can be elevated through technology. Tools like CRMs, automated solutions, analytics, and virtual demos will accelerate and streamline the sales cycle, improving win rates and engaging the customer.
For more information about how to build a successful presales strategy, get in touch with the CloudShare team, or request a demo today.
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