Presales are essentially everything you do before closing a deal. They include everything from gathering knowledge to qualifying leads to drafting sales proposals.
Mark Keene II, the director of sales and projects at ETG Digital, likens presales activities to an athlete’s pre-game prep. He says like coaches and scouts in sports, the presales team provides research and guidance that sales reps can use to achieve success. When you have all the prospect’s details at the ready, you can better understand their needs, which can lead to greater speed in the sales process and increased revenue.
Keene says presales activities are becoming increasingly important. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we highlight his best practices for creating a strong presales operation. Read on for some tactics you can put in play today.
Hire promo pros. It’s always a good idea to hire people who know the industry well — or who want to learn it. Keene says this can help you zero in on prospects’ pain points faster and build stronger personal relationships.
Define your presales process. Make sure everyone on your team knows each step of the presales process. This includes who does what and when different team members get involved. Everyone should know their role and the reason behind it, Keene says.
Round up as much info as possible. This is a key step in your presales activities. Don’t just focus on crossing the finish line but consider things from the prospect’s point of view. What challenges are they facing? How have they tried to solve these challenges in the past? Who makes buying decisions? Keene advises heavily researching your prospects so you have as much information as possible.
Be prepared for every interaction. Everyone’s time is valuable, Keene says, which is why you should spend time in advance doing your homework. This allows you to be prepared for every call and presentation.
Establish expectations. Keene recommends coordinating details during the qualification stage (or as early in the presales process as possible). This can help you avoid misunderstandings about pace and timing.
Measure performance. Pull data from your sales CRM to gauge how you’re doing. For example, Keene says you could measure win rates, time spent in each phase and time to close. This information can tell you where you’re succeeding and where you can improve in the future.
Presales is the groundwork that sets you up for success. When you give it its own distinct phase, you can ensure you have everything you need for smoother and faster sales.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Mark Keene II is the director of sales and projects at ETG Digital, a Salesforce strategic partner.
