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Breaking into Presales Without Technical Background
Kalyan's story is particularly inspiring for individuals without extensive technical experience. After graduating college in 2020, he started as a Sales Development Representative (SDR) at RSA Security. Though he didn't enjoy cold calling, this position provided him with valuable insights into the sales process and helped him build internal networks.
"Cold calling is not a fun passion item for anyone involved," Kalyan reflects. "But it showed me sales, it showed me the top of the funnel, and it helped me network internally."
This networking eventually led to an opportunity when a junior SE position opened up. Despite lacking security knowledge, Kalyan dedicated himself to learning how to demo effectively, spending two weeks intensively preparing for his interview. His work ethic and eagerness to learn impressed his interviewers, securing him the position despite his limited technical background.
Building Domain Expertise
Once in the role, Kalyan faced the steep learning curve of acquiring security domain knowledge. He describes his first demos as heavily scripted and rigid, but he was determined to improve.
A pivotal moment came when his manager emphasized the importance of certifications. Kalyan studied intensively for the Security Plus and Network Plus certifications, dedicating his evenings to learning after full workdays.
"I don't think I've studied harder since high school or college than for these certifications," he shares. "I would work from nine to five, and then I would study from five to nine."
This dedication paid off as the certifications provided him with the domain expertise necessary to become more confident and flexible in his presentations. Understanding the broader security landscape allowed him to articulate how products fit into customers' overall security infrastructure, making his value propositions more compelling.
The Four Do's of Demos
Through his experience, Kalyan developed a framework he calls "The Four Do's of Demos":
1. Do Your Own Discovery
While account executives focus on sales process details, solutions engineers should investigate product-market fit and technical pain points. Kalyan always asks customers about their goals for the coming year to understand what they're truly looking for.
2. Frame Every Click
Before demonstrating any feature, Kalyan explains why he's showing it and how it addresses the customer's needs. "I often think of a demo as just a complex version of storytelling," he explains. "You're basically going from a beginning, middle to an end, and if you frame everything properly, it's much easier to articulate the value."
3. Evaluate Specific KPIs
Understanding customers' key performance indicators before demos allows SEs to tailor their presentations and relate features to customers' specific goals. This approach also facilitates smoother transitions to proof of concept (POC) phases.
4. Challenge the Challenger
Every SE will face difficult stakeholders who question the value of their solution. Kalyan emphasizes the importance of confidently standing your ground when you believe in your product's value, even when facing skepticism.
POC Strategy: Not One-Size-Fits-All
Kalyan advocates for customized proof of concept approaches rather than standard timeframes for all customers. "All POCs don't have to be the same," he notes. Some customers with extensive requirements may need longer evaluations, while others simply looking to "check a box" might only need a week.
He emphasizes collaboration with account executives during POCs and recommends consistently revisiting success criteria throughout the process to ensure alignment with customer expectations.
Internal Brand Building
Kalyan's success wasn't limited to customer-facing roles. He strategically built relationships with leadership by developing innovative processes that became key differentiators in their sales approach. His workshop sequence, which helps customers establish clear success criteria and implementation plans, became a valuable tool that leadership was eager to adopt.
"To move more strategically inside your own organization, having those connections is a very important part," he advises, highlighting that selling internally often follows the same principles as selling externally.
Continuous Learning
As he wrapped up the episode, Kalyan emphasized that presales is a field of continuous learning. Even as he's progressed from novice to expert, he continues to learn and grow in his role, offering to share study guides and resources with others looking to advance in the field.
Connect with Kalyan on LinkedIn!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Presales Podcast airs live on the show Presales LIVE every other Tuesday at 8 AM Pacific, 11 AM Eastern, 4 PM GMT. Follow the Presales Collective LinkedIn page at linkedin.com/company/presalescollective and Join the Presales Collective Slack community at presalescollective.com/slack to stay updated on future episodes and community initiatives.
Breaking into Presales Without Technical Background
Kalyan's story is particularly inspiring for individuals without extensive technical experience. After graduating college in 2020, he started as a Sales Development Representative (SDR) at RSA Security. Though he didn't enjoy cold calling, this position provided him with valuable insights into the sales process and helped him build internal networks.
"Cold calling is not a fun passion item for anyone involved," Kalyan reflects. "But it showed me sales, it showed me the top of the funnel, and it helped me network internally."
This networking eventually led to an opportunity when a junior SE position opened up. Despite lacking security knowledge, Kalyan dedicated himself to learning how to demo effectively, spending two weeks intensively preparing for his interview. His work ethic and eagerness to learn impressed his interviewers, securing him the position despite his limited technical background.
Building Domain Expertise
Once in the role, Kalyan faced the steep learning curve of acquiring security domain knowledge. He describes his first demos as heavily scripted and rigid, but he was determined to improve.
A pivotal moment came when his manager emphasized the importance of certifications. Kalyan studied intensively for the Security Plus and Network Plus certifications, dedicating his evenings to learning after full workdays.
"I don't think I've studied harder since high school or college than for these certifications," he shares. "I would work from nine to five, and then I would study from five to nine."
This dedication paid off as the certifications provided him with the domain expertise necessary to become more confident and flexible in his presentations. Understanding the broader security landscape allowed him to articulate how products fit into customers' overall security infrastructure, making his value propositions more compelling.
The Four Do's of Demos
Through his experience, Kalyan developed a framework he calls "The Four Do's of Demos":
1. Do Your Own Discovery
While account executives focus on sales process details, solutions engineers should investigate product-market fit and technical pain points. Kalyan always asks customers about their goals for the coming year to understand what they're truly looking for.
2. Frame Every Click
Before demonstrating any feature, Kalyan explains why he's showing it and how it addresses the customer's needs. "I often think of a demo as just a complex version of storytelling," he explains. "You're basically going from a beginning, middle to an end, and if you frame everything properly, it's much easier to articulate the value."
3. Evaluate Specific KPIs
Understanding customers' key performance indicators before demos allows SEs to tailor their presentations and relate features to customers' specific goals. This approach also facilitates smoother transitions to proof of concept (POC) phases.
4. Challenge the Challenger
Every SE will face difficult stakeholders who question the value of their solution. Kalyan emphasizes the importance of confidently standing your ground when you believe in your product's value, even when facing skepticism.
POC Strategy: Not One-Size-Fits-All
Kalyan advocates for customized proof of concept approaches rather than standard timeframes for all customers. "All POCs don't have to be the same," he notes. Some customers with extensive requirements may need longer evaluations, while others simply looking to "check a box" might only need a week.
He emphasizes collaboration with account executives during POCs and recommends consistently revisiting success criteria throughout the process to ensure alignment with customer expectations.
Internal Brand Building
Kalyan's success wasn't limited to customer-facing roles. He strategically built relationships with leadership by developing innovative processes that became key differentiators in their sales approach. His workshop sequence, which helps customers establish clear success criteria and implementation plans, became a valuable tool that leadership was eager to adopt.
"To move more strategically inside your own organization, having those connections is a very important part," he advises, highlighting that selling internally often follows the same principles as selling externally.
Continuous Learning
As he wrapped up the episode, Kalyan emphasized that presales is a field of continuous learning. Even as he's progressed from novice to expert, he continues to learn and grow in his role, offering to share study guides and resources with others looking to advance in the field.
Connect with Kalyan on LinkedIn!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Presales Podcast airs live on the show Presales LIVE every other Tuesday at 8 AM Pacific, 11 AM Eastern, 4 PM GMT. Follow the Presales Collective LinkedIn page at linkedin.com/company/presalescollective and Join the Presales Collective Slack community at presalescollective.com/slack to stay updated on future episodes and community initiatives.
Breaking into Presales Without Technical Background
Kalyan's story is particularly inspiring for individuals without extensive technical experience. After graduating college in 2020, he started as a Sales Development Representative (SDR) at RSA Security. Though he didn't enjoy cold calling, this position provided him with valuable insights into the sales process and helped him build internal networks.
"Cold calling is not a fun passion item for anyone involved," Kalyan reflects. "But it showed me sales, it showed me the top of the funnel, and it helped me network internally."
This networking eventually led to an opportunity when a junior SE position opened up. Despite lacking security knowledge, Kalyan dedicated himself to learning how to demo effectively, spending two weeks intensively preparing for his interview. His work ethic and eagerness to learn impressed his interviewers, securing him the position despite his limited technical background.
Building Domain Expertise
Once in the role, Kalyan faced the steep learning curve of acquiring security domain knowledge. He describes his first demos as heavily scripted and rigid, but he was determined to improve.
A pivotal moment came when his manager emphasized the importance of certifications. Kalyan studied intensively for the Security Plus and Network Plus certifications, dedicating his evenings to learning after full workdays.
"I don't think I've studied harder since high school or college than for these certifications," he shares. "I would work from nine to five, and then I would study from five to nine."
This dedication paid off as the certifications provided him with the domain expertise necessary to become more confident and flexible in his presentations. Understanding the broader security landscape allowed him to articulate how products fit into customers' overall security infrastructure, making his value propositions more compelling.
The Four Do's of Demos
Through his experience, Kalyan developed a framework he calls "The Four Do's of Demos":
1. Do Your Own Discovery
While account executives focus on sales process details, solutions engineers should investigate product-market fit and technical pain points. Kalyan always asks customers about their goals for the coming year to understand what they're truly looking for.
2. Frame Every Click
Before demonstrating any feature, Kalyan explains why he's showing it and how it addresses the customer's needs. "I often think of a demo as just a complex version of storytelling," he explains. "You're basically going from a beginning, middle to an end, and if you frame everything properly, it's much easier to articulate the value."
3. Evaluate Specific KPIs
Understanding customers' key performance indicators before demos allows SEs to tailor their presentations and relate features to customers' specific goals. This approach also facilitates smoother transitions to proof of concept (POC) phases.
4. Challenge the Challenger
Every SE will face difficult stakeholders who question the value of their solution. Kalyan emphasizes the importance of confidently standing your ground when you believe in your product's value, even when facing skepticism.
POC Strategy: Not One-Size-Fits-All
Kalyan advocates for customized proof of concept approaches rather than standard timeframes for all customers. "All POCs don't have to be the same," he notes. Some customers with extensive requirements may need longer evaluations, while others simply looking to "check a box" might only need a week.
He emphasizes collaboration with account executives during POCs and recommends consistently revisiting success criteria throughout the process to ensure alignment with customer expectations.
Internal Brand Building
Kalyan's success wasn't limited to customer-facing roles. He strategically built relationships with leadership by developing innovative processes that became key differentiators in their sales approach. His workshop sequence, which helps customers establish clear success criteria and implementation plans, became a valuable tool that leadership was eager to adopt.
"To move more strategically inside your own organization, having those connections is a very important part," he advises, highlighting that selling internally often follows the same principles as selling externally.
Continuous Learning
As he wrapped up the episode, Kalyan emphasized that presales is a field of continuous learning. Even as he's progressed from novice to expert, he continues to learn and grow in his role, offering to share study guides and resources with others looking to advance in the field.
Connect with Kalyan on LinkedIn!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Presales Podcast airs live on the show Presales LIVE every other Tuesday at 8 AM Pacific, 11 AM Eastern, 4 PM GMT. Follow the Presales Collective LinkedIn page at linkedin.com/company/presalescollective and Join the Presales Collective Slack community at presalescollective.com/slack to stay updated on future episodes and community initiatives.
