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Technical expertise matters in presales, but finding success is in how you work with prospects and sales teams. It’s easy to fall into patterns that feel productive but actually slow you down, dilute your message, or cause clients to disengage.
Here are eight habits that often sabotage presales professionals and how to replace them with better practices.
Habit #1 - Talking More Than Listening
It’s natural to want to show off knowledge, but presales discussion is a discovery process. When you talk too much, you might miss out on valuable insights causing prospects to feel unheard.
Fix it: Adopt the 80/20 rule: listen 80% of the time and speak only 20%. Ask open-ended questions that invite depth, then recap what you’ve heard to confirm accuracy. This not only shows respect but also ensures your solutions address the real pain points.
Habit #2 - Skipping Discovery and Rushing to the Demo
Jumping straight into a demo might feel efficient, but it almost guarantees you’ll deliver something generic. Without discovery, you risk missing the emotional drivers behind the deal and presenting a solution that doesn’t resonate.
Fix it: Qualify early and thoroughly. Use frameworks like Functional Technical Discovery (FTD) to capture details, then record them in an Opportunity Scoping Document (OSD). Before moving forward, validate what you’ve uncovered with the client. This creates alignment and ensures your demo feels tailored, not templated.
Habit #3 - Overloading Demos with Features
When every feature gets equal airtime, nothing stands out. Feature overload risks overwhelming stakeholders and derailing the conversation.
Fix it: Treat the demo as a narrative. Frame the solution around the top three client priorities and weave features into a story that highlights outcomes. Keep the session interactive, asking prospects to react and guide the flow. This approach is more engaging and helps clients picture themselves using the solution.
Habit #4 - Weak Follow-Up After a Demo
A great demo without timely follow-up is like running a marathon and stopping a mile from the finish line. Silence after a presentation leaves prospects wondering if you care and opens the doors for competitors.
Fix it: Follow up within the “golden hours” (24–48 hours) with a recap email summarizing key takeaways and next steps. You can also keep communication consistent by sharing relevant insights or thought leadership, showing that you remain invested in their success.
Habit #5 - Misalignment with Sales
Even the strongest presales performance can fall apart if sales and presales aren’t aligned. Mixed messages confuse clients, undermine credibility, and slow down deal progress.
Fix it: Treat sales alignment as a non-negotiable by:
- Schedule regular syncs to align on goals and messaging
- Running dry rehearsals before client sessions
- Sharing feedback openly
- Refining your joint strategy
Habit #6 - Chasing Every Opportunity
Not every lead is worth pursuing. When you spread yourself too thin, you waste valuable cycles on deals that don’t fit, leaving less time for those that actually have a chance of closing.
Fix it: Use clear qualification criteria like budget, urgency, and fit. Lean on structured frameworks such as the Functional Qualification Framework (FTQ). Be willing to walk away from opportunities that don’t meet the bar.
Habit #7 - Avoiding Objections
Objections can feel uncomfortable, but avoiding them only postpones reality. Worse, it signals to clients that you’re not confident in your solution. Objections are valuable because they highlight gaps you can address and provide opportunities to build trust.
Fix it: Reframe objections as a gift and welcome the tough questions. Approach them with curiosity and empathy, drawing on methods like those in Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg. Be honest about limitations, but focus on risk mitigation and how your solution still delivers value.
Habit #8 - Avoiding Continuous Learning
The presales landscape evolves quickly: products change, competitors adapt, and customer expectations rise. If you don’t intentionally invest in learning, you’ll fall behind in product knowledge and industry trends.
Fix it: Dedicate at least 30% of your time to professional development and stay up to date on industry trends, competitive moves, and customer challenges. Pursue certifications, attend training sessions, and debrief every deal — win or lose — to capture lessons.
Final Thoughts
Being effective in presales is less about knowing features and more about knowing people: how to listen and align. By avoiding these common pitfalls, you’ll not only improve deal outcomes but also establish yourself as a strategic partner in every sales cycle.
Dr. Johannes Hangl is a business and economics professional who recently completed his Ph.D. at Mendelova univerzita v Brně. With advanced degrees in logistics from Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen and business management fromPrivate University of Applied Sciences and Academy Handel Munich, he specializes in presales, supply chain management, and developing strategies that drive growth.
A father of three, Johannes values balancing professional excellence with family life. He takes a relaxed approach to life while maintaining a strong focus on efficiency and structure at work, believing in working smarter rather than harder to achieve optimal results. He's always interested in connecting with professionals for potential collaborations and can be reached at Johannes.Hangl@Presales-Handbook.com.
