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Stay Connected, Stay Informed: Your Source for Presales Leadership Insights
Between engaging discussions and expert insights, we’ve been busy at the PreSales Leadership Collective. Keep reading to check out what you’ve missed!
Stepping Up Your Game as a Presales Leader
The PreSales Leadership Collective offers access to exclusive Slack channels where members can engage in discussions, pose questions, and share best practices. In addition to this vibrant forum, PSLC hosts special AMA events featuring industry experts.
Cortney Zamm, Director of Solutions Engineering at Sprout Social, shared her perspective on trends in presales leadership — offering insights like this:
“We're definitely seeing the shift from PreSales to an overall Solutions motion that impacts the entire customer journey.
How this has looked in my organization at Sprout:
- We brought Professional Services under the Solutions umbrella early last year. This means pre and post Solutions roles sit under the same org, helping us align on how we approach our work and enable our teams.
- We've established new roles like Solutions Architects who help influence value and retention in existing accounts. We don't just impact the initial sale or upsell, but a more holistic customer acquisition and retention strategy for the company.”
High-level takeaways include:
- Common roadblocks with other departments
- The need for presales leaders to proactively showcase their value
- Requirements for transitioning from individual contributor to leadership role
- Coaching techniques to drive revenue, deal sizes, and win rates
The Evolution of Presales
We also chatted with Amin Ibrahim, Senior Director of Presales at Hootsuite — covering both broad and more specific topics and trends. Here’s a sneak peek of the discussion:
Question: “How do you see the role of presales changing over the next 2,5,10 years with a greater emphasis on automation and buyer enablement?”
Answer: “Buyers will become more and more knowledgeable, and become even more paralyzed with choice. As automation gets better, we'll need fewer PreSales folks, and they'll have a great impact. PreSales will have to get even better at simplifying, connecting to value, and differentiation.”
Question: “What specific strategies have you implemented to foster closer collaboration between presales and product teams within your organization?”
Answer: “My number one tool to get in close with product [teams] is coffee. In-person is best, virtual can also work. Get to know them, ensure that they feel safe around us and we won't throw them under the bus, and everything can flow from there.”
High-level takeaways include:
- Pairing SCs and product managers based on expertise and interest
- Fostering proactive engagement to develop strong partnerships
- Adapting to automation and buyer enablement as the presales role evolves
Maximizing the Presales and Product Partnership
To dive further into the significance of presales and product partnerships, we hosted a virtual roundtable session led by industry experts Greg Cooper, VP of EMEA Solutions at HashiCorp, and Mark Seager, leadership coach at Mastering Leadership Skills Ltd. The two shared valuable insights on enhancing collaboration between the two teams.
They emphasized the importance of building strong relationships to leverage the knowledge and expertise of both sides, facilitating effective customer engagement and opening new avenues for growth. As Greg aptly put, “We are selling their product — so we need to know it.”
The discussion also highlighted strategies for articulating the product story and using product teams as leverage for marketing and in customer conversations.
Mark said, “PMs can be a powerful marketing tool as well. When we run user conferences and user groups, having PM come in and present is very powerful.”
Both Greg and Mark emphasized the importance of keeping the relationship a two-way street. Greg said, “It’s easy for me to see the value of getting the PM involved … but what’s in it for the PM? What does the PM get out of the relationship?” Regularly check in and keep communication lines open to ensure the partnership is mutually beneficial.
The Role of a Field CTO
Finally, we conducted a webinar discussion focusing on the role of a Field CTO, featuring Jeff Stewart of SolarWinds and Colin Fallwell from Sumo Logic. The two compared their experiences in the role, highlighting the fluidity of the role’s definition and scope across organizations.
Colin had this to say:
“The Field CTO has got to really understand the technology that he’s working with or she’s working with, but also really understand the human element and what makes people successful in organizations around the use of technology”
The position of Field CTO is in a growth phase, but is generally defined as key stakeholders who have a unique blend of technical expertise, business acumen, and a deep understanding of customer journeys to transformation. Their responsibilities range from translating customer insights into product development strategies to fostering strategic engagements with stakeholders across the organization.
And finally, the session emphasized the distinctions between Field CTOs and SCs, specifically how the former inherently involves more strategic engagement with both customers and internal leadership — giving more visibility into the efforts and successes of Solutions teams. Jeff said:
“The role [Field CTO] really did elevate the voice of presales in my opinion…It really did elevate us to the CPO and CEO level engagement.”
Never Miss a Beat
PSLC stands as the leading resource for presales leaders worldwide. Gain exclusive access to compelling insights like the ones highlighted here, as well as a plethora of additional resources designed to empower you in your presales leadership journey, like:
- Exclusive events featuring presales trailblazers
- Playbooks, webinars, and other Knowledge Hub resources
- Networking and collaboration with fellow leaders
Stay Connected, Stay Informed: Your Source for Presales Leadership Insights
Between engaging discussions and expert insights, we’ve been busy at the PreSales Leadership Collective. Keep reading to check out what you’ve missed!
Stepping Up Your Game as a Presales Leader
The PreSales Leadership Collective offers access to exclusive Slack channels where members can engage in discussions, pose questions, and share best practices. In addition to this vibrant forum, PSLC hosts special AMA events featuring industry experts.
Cortney Zamm, Director of Solutions Engineering at Sprout Social, shared her perspective on trends in presales leadership — offering insights like this:
“We're definitely seeing the shift from PreSales to an overall Solutions motion that impacts the entire customer journey.
How this has looked in my organization at Sprout:
- We brought Professional Services under the Solutions umbrella early last year. This means pre and post Solutions roles sit under the same org, helping us align on how we approach our work and enable our teams.
- We've established new roles like Solutions Architects who help influence value and retention in existing accounts. We don't just impact the initial sale or upsell, but a more holistic customer acquisition and retention strategy for the company.”
High-level takeaways include:
- Common roadblocks with other departments
- The need for presales leaders to proactively showcase their value
- Requirements for transitioning from individual contributor to leadership role
- Coaching techniques to drive revenue, deal sizes, and win rates
The Evolution of Presales
We also chatted with Amin Ibrahim, Senior Director of Presales at Hootsuite — covering both broad and more specific topics and trends. Here’s a sneak peek of the discussion:
Question: “How do you see the role of presales changing over the next 2,5,10 years with a greater emphasis on automation and buyer enablement?”
Answer: “Buyers will become more and more knowledgeable, and become even more paralyzed with choice. As automation gets better, we'll need fewer PreSales folks, and they'll have a great impact. PreSales will have to get even better at simplifying, connecting to value, and differentiation.”
Question: “What specific strategies have you implemented to foster closer collaboration between presales and product teams within your organization?”
Answer: “My number one tool to get in close with product [teams] is coffee. In-person is best, virtual can also work. Get to know them, ensure that they feel safe around us and we won't throw them under the bus, and everything can flow from there.”
High-level takeaways include:
- Pairing SCs and product managers based on expertise and interest
- Fostering proactive engagement to develop strong partnerships
- Adapting to automation and buyer enablement as the presales role evolves
Maximizing the Presales and Product Partnership
To dive further into the significance of presales and product partnerships, we hosted a virtual roundtable session led by industry experts Greg Cooper, VP of EMEA Solutions at HashiCorp, and Mark Seager, leadership coach at Mastering Leadership Skills Ltd. The two shared valuable insights on enhancing collaboration between the two teams.
They emphasized the importance of building strong relationships to leverage the knowledge and expertise of both sides, facilitating effective customer engagement and opening new avenues for growth. As Greg aptly put, “We are selling their product — so we need to know it.”
The discussion also highlighted strategies for articulating the product story and using product teams as leverage for marketing and in customer conversations.
Mark said, “PMs can be a powerful marketing tool as well. When we run user conferences and user groups, having PM come in and present is very powerful.”
Both Greg and Mark emphasized the importance of keeping the relationship a two-way street. Greg said, “It’s easy for me to see the value of getting the PM involved … but what’s in it for the PM? What does the PM get out of the relationship?” Regularly check in and keep communication lines open to ensure the partnership is mutually beneficial.
The Role of a Field CTO
Finally, we conducted a webinar discussion focusing on the role of a Field CTO, featuring Jeff Stewart of SolarWinds and Colin Fallwell from Sumo Logic. The two compared their experiences in the role, highlighting the fluidity of the role’s definition and scope across organizations.
Colin had this to say:
“The Field CTO has got to really understand the technology that he’s working with or she’s working with, but also really understand the human element and what makes people successful in organizations around the use of technology”
The position of Field CTO is in a growth phase, but is generally defined as key stakeholders who have a unique blend of technical expertise, business acumen, and a deep understanding of customer journeys to transformation. Their responsibilities range from translating customer insights into product development strategies to fostering strategic engagements with stakeholders across the organization.
And finally, the session emphasized the distinctions between Field CTOs and SCs, specifically how the former inherently involves more strategic engagement with both customers and internal leadership — giving more visibility into the efforts and successes of Solutions teams. Jeff said:
“The role [Field CTO] really did elevate the voice of presales in my opinion…It really did elevate us to the CPO and CEO level engagement.”
Never Miss a Beat
PSLC stands as the leading resource for presales leaders worldwide. Gain exclusive access to compelling insights like the ones highlighted here, as well as a plethora of additional resources designed to empower you in your presales leadership journey, like:
- Exclusive events featuring presales trailblazers
- Playbooks, webinars, and other Knowledge Hub resources
- Networking and collaboration with fellow leaders
Stay Connected, Stay Informed: Your Source for Presales Leadership Insights
Between engaging discussions and expert insights, we’ve been busy at the PreSales Leadership Collective. Keep reading to check out what you’ve missed!
Stepping Up Your Game as a Presales Leader
The PreSales Leadership Collective offers access to exclusive Slack channels where members can engage in discussions, pose questions, and share best practices. In addition to this vibrant forum, PSLC hosts special AMA events featuring industry experts.
Cortney Zamm, Director of Solutions Engineering at Sprout Social, shared her perspective on trends in presales leadership — offering insights like this:
“We're definitely seeing the shift from PreSales to an overall Solutions motion that impacts the entire customer journey.
How this has looked in my organization at Sprout:
- We brought Professional Services under the Solutions umbrella early last year. This means pre and post Solutions roles sit under the same org, helping us align on how we approach our work and enable our teams.
- We've established new roles like Solutions Architects who help influence value and retention in existing accounts. We don't just impact the initial sale or upsell, but a more holistic customer acquisition and retention strategy for the company.”
High-level takeaways include:
- Common roadblocks with other departments
- The need for presales leaders to proactively showcase their value
- Requirements for transitioning from individual contributor to leadership role
- Coaching techniques to drive revenue, deal sizes, and win rates
The Evolution of Presales
We also chatted with Amin Ibrahim, Senior Director of Presales at Hootsuite — covering both broad and more specific topics and trends. Here’s a sneak peek of the discussion:
Question: “How do you see the role of presales changing over the next 2,5,10 years with a greater emphasis on automation and buyer enablement?”
Answer: “Buyers will become more and more knowledgeable, and become even more paralyzed with choice. As automation gets better, we'll need fewer PreSales folks, and they'll have a great impact. PreSales will have to get even better at simplifying, connecting to value, and differentiation.”
Question: “What specific strategies have you implemented to foster closer collaboration between presales and product teams within your organization?”
Answer: “My number one tool to get in close with product [teams] is coffee. In-person is best, virtual can also work. Get to know them, ensure that they feel safe around us and we won't throw them under the bus, and everything can flow from there.”
High-level takeaways include:
- Pairing SCs and product managers based on expertise and interest
- Fostering proactive engagement to develop strong partnerships
- Adapting to automation and buyer enablement as the presales role evolves
Maximizing the Presales and Product Partnership
To dive further into the significance of presales and product partnerships, we hosted a virtual roundtable session led by industry experts Greg Cooper, VP of EMEA Solutions at HashiCorp, and Mark Seager, leadership coach at Mastering Leadership Skills Ltd. The two shared valuable insights on enhancing collaboration between the two teams.
They emphasized the importance of building strong relationships to leverage the knowledge and expertise of both sides, facilitating effective customer engagement and opening new avenues for growth. As Greg aptly put, “We are selling their product — so we need to know it.”
The discussion also highlighted strategies for articulating the product story and using product teams as leverage for marketing and in customer conversations.
Mark said, “PMs can be a powerful marketing tool as well. When we run user conferences and user groups, having PM come in and present is very powerful.”
Both Greg and Mark emphasized the importance of keeping the relationship a two-way street. Greg said, “It’s easy for me to see the value of getting the PM involved … but what’s in it for the PM? What does the PM get out of the relationship?” Regularly check in and keep communication lines open to ensure the partnership is mutually beneficial.
The Role of a Field CTO
Finally, we conducted a webinar discussion focusing on the role of a Field CTO, featuring Jeff Stewart of SolarWinds and Colin Fallwell from Sumo Logic. The two compared their experiences in the role, highlighting the fluidity of the role’s definition and scope across organizations.
Colin had this to say:
“The Field CTO has got to really understand the technology that he’s working with or she’s working with, but also really understand the human element and what makes people successful in organizations around the use of technology”
The position of Field CTO is in a growth phase, but is generally defined as key stakeholders who have a unique blend of technical expertise, business acumen, and a deep understanding of customer journeys to transformation. Their responsibilities range from translating customer insights into product development strategies to fostering strategic engagements with stakeholders across the organization.
And finally, the session emphasized the distinctions between Field CTOs and SCs, specifically how the former inherently involves more strategic engagement with both customers and internal leadership — giving more visibility into the efforts and successes of Solutions teams. Jeff said:
“The role [Field CTO] really did elevate the voice of presales in my opinion…It really did elevate us to the CPO and CEO level engagement.”
Never Miss a Beat
PSLC stands as the leading resource for presales leaders worldwide. Gain exclusive access to compelling insights like the ones highlighted here, as well as a plethora of additional resources designed to empower you in your presales leadership journey, like:
- Exclusive events featuring presales trailblazers
- Playbooks, webinars, and other Knowledge Hub resources
- Networking and collaboration with fellow leaders
