Selling any product or service is a challenging process, and it gets especially difficult when the product is complex and has technical aspects. There are situations when the sales team can get the customer's attention, but the effect is so difficult that its functionality needs to be demonstrated to the client to close the sale.
That is where two teams are involved in selling high-tech products, namely sales and presales. Both have distinct roles in the sales process; however, their ultimate goal is closing B2B deals.
If you are planning a career in sales or presales or simply want to know the difference between the two roles, then you are at the right spot. This article will explain how sales and presales differ and the significance of both in selling technical products.
Sales vs. Presales: Navigating Roles and Responsibilities in Marketing
In simple terms, sales teams handle the emotional aspects of the sales process, such as building and nurturing relationships with potential clients. On the other hand, presales take on the technological parts of the sales and help customers understand how a technical product works.
However, the differences between sales and presales span far beyond the simple distinction. Here are all the important differences between the two marketing roles:
The difference in responsibilities: The most obvious difference between sales and presales is in the duties of the two teams.
Responsibilities of sales teams: The duties of a sales team include:
· Identifying potential clients and making sure they are a good fit for your product
· Handling negotiations
· Deal Closing
· Providing after-sales support to customers
Responsibilities of presales teams: Presales teams have different responsibilities to fulfill. Their responsibilities include but aren't limited to:
· Giving product demos
· Assisting the customers with product setup
· Handing over the product to customers
· Creating documentation
· Identifying client's problems
· Demonstrating why a product is a good fit for the client
Navigating the Distinct Skillsets: Sales vs. Presales in Technical Marketing
Another major difference between sales and presales people is in the knowledge they are supposed to possess. While salespeople are required to have more of the traditional sales skills of negotiation and permutation presales, people need to have a high level of technical knowledge.
That said, when a sales team is selling technical products, they may be required to have some technical knowledge about the product.
Diverging Paths: Timing differences
Another major difference between sales and presales is when they come into play during the sales process. As the name suggests, presales teams engage with the clients during the earlier sales process stages. On the other hand, sales teams come into the picture once it is time to close the deal. However, in some cases, the presales team may play a role in helping the customer set up the technology and learn how to use the product properly.
Another difference between sales and presales roles is the time they spend working on a client. Once the sales teams identify a client, the presales may spend weeks or months researching, understanding the client's needs, and giving product demos. On the other hand, sales teams come into play when the client has already agreed to purchase the product and doesn't have to spend a long time convincing the client.
Conclusion
With an increasing amount of tech-based companies, there has been a rise in demand for presales professionals. So it is likely that you might hear the term presales being used often along with sales in the tech industry.
Now that you have read this article, you can easily differentiate between the two and tell these roles apart.