Presales People and their roles - why people believe it is the best job in the world?

Presales people, who are technically proficient, not only understand client needs and present tailored solutions but also prioritise enablement, ensuring prospective customers are empowered to make informed decisions. "We don't sell" but "our customers buy from us". We emphasise the importance of enablement, and presales teams guide clients through the technical evaluation process by providing them with the necessary resources and knowledge.

While technical capabilities play an important factor for presales careers, it's not the only factor that determines success. Success often hinges on a combination of technical proficiency, communication skills, customer-centricity, business acumen, problem-solving abilities, adaptability and salesmanship. What defines the best presales professionals?

Human beings exhibit a variety of communication styles, we all are different. It dependents on personalities, cultural influences, situations and context. We take different approaches and express thoughts, ideas and emotions in various forms.

Presales leaders frequently make selections based on both extroverted and introverted traits. Different communication style such as assertive, aggressive, passive, passive-aggressive, collaborative, diplomatic and empathic play key roles in the success of presales team members. Effective communication often involves adapting one's style to fit the needs of the situation and fostering positive and constructive dialogue.

In presales, innate curiosity fuels the drive to seek deeper understanding, ask probing questions, and explore innovative solutions for clients. Open-minded presales people can develop a natural inclination to seek out new knowledge, experience and information. Be willing to ask questions, challenge assumptions and engage with clients with an open and inquisitive mind only leads curious presales people to learn, discover and grow.

Being curious involves listening, as it drives us to seek out new field insights. While we are curious, we naturally become more attentive and we absorb the insights. We gain a deeper sense of awareness and understanding. Curiosity serves as the catalyst for active listening, propelling us to tune in more. During the pandemic we were unable to exercise that experience.

SEs demonstrate a level of integrity, expertise and accountability in all of their interaction with clients, direct colleagues and other stakeholders. They learn to uphold ethical standards, delivering high-quality solutions and maintain a customer focus - delivering a proactive attitude towards problem-solving. The highest priority is in building trust and credibility with their clients through transparent communication, timely delivery of commitments and a focus on delivering value.

Continuous learning and development to stay abreast of industry IT trends, technological advancements, and best practises in presales methodologies and frameworks. This level of professionalism fosters positive relationships, driving successful outcomes for clients and maintaining their reputation and the organisation they represent.

Presales Engineers must embody accountability, taking ownership or responsibilities and actions, and accepting the consequences, whether positive or negative.

SEs learn to develop a profound technical understanding of the solution they represent and master their products, services and solutions they represent. They have in-depth knowledge of the technical aspects and also understand how their architectural components integrate and align with clients' needs and objectives. Presales engineers leverage their technical expertise to propose value.

The next level is about developing a strategic and analytical mindset over time and proposing devising innovative solutions to clients becomes the norm. Learning to possess strong problem-solving skills and navigating through complex technical and internally political landscapes drives the growth of expertise and resourcefulness. Ultimately leading to resilience in the face of adversity.

Sufficient technical understanding of the intricacies of the represented product are a must. While trying to "sell features" will fail, the understanding of the underlying solutions architecture and component functionality will help clients to make informed decisions to "buy".

Engaging effectively with clients and driving successful outcomes is more critical. Undeniably technical proficiency is important for SEs, it is not the sole determinant of success in that career. Factoring in humility, professionalism and possessing an inquisitive mindset are often more critical. Humidity allows presales engineers to approach client interactions with openness and receptivity, fostering trust and collaboration. Professionalism ensure that we conduct ourselves with integrity, reliability and respect, enhancing our credibility and reputation in the eyes of clients and peers. Moreover, an inquisitive mindset drives continuous learning and innovation, enabling presales engineers to stay ahead of industry trends, anticipate client needs in the field and offer truly valuable solutions. While technical knowledge provides a foundation, it is the qualities that ultimately differentiate exceptional presales engineers and drive meaningful impact in their roles.

In conclusion, while technical expertise lays the groundwork for success, humility, professionalism an inquisitive mindset and soft skills are invaluable attributes that can be cultivated and refined, ultimately distinguishing exceptional presales engineers.