In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Karthik Krishna, Manager of Solutions Engineering at Freshworks and Presales Collective's Regional Community Leader for Chennai. They explore how Solutions Engineers can gain strategic influence in deal cycles beyond just giving demos and answering technical questions.

Episode Highlights

• Karthik shares his journey from developer to pre-sales professional

• The evolution from "demo-giver" to strategic partner in deal cycles

• How SEs can co-own opportunities with Account Executives

• Navigating tough conversations when deals aren't a good technical fit

• Building credibility to increase your strategic influence

• Leveraging customer success and implementation teams for deal strategy

About Our Guest

Karthik Krishna is a Manager of Solutions Engineering at Freshworks, where he has built and coached distributed teams of SEs across companies of all sizes. He also serves as the Presales Collective Regional Community Leader for Chennai, recently hosting an event with over 60 SEs in attendance.

Follow the Hosts and Guest

• Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/

• Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/

• Connect with Karthik Krishna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karthikkrishna-s/ 

Links and Resources Mentioned

• Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack

• Presales Collective: https://www.presalescollective.com

Timestamps

00:00 - Welcome and introduction

02:46 - Karthik's background and journey to presales

05:28 - What it means to "be in the room" for deal strategy

11:27 - Handling deals that aren't a good technical fit

16:30 - Building AE-SE relationships and trust

20:02 - Leveraging past customer experiences

27:14 - Growing strategic influence as an SE

32:30 - First experience in pipeline meetings and QBRs

Key Topics Covered

1. The Evolution of the SE Role

   • From technical demonstrator to strategic partner

   • Building relationships alongside technical expertise

   • Flying "under the radar" while still influencing deals

2. Co-Ownership vs. Support

   • Understanding sales' responsibilities and pressures

   • Taking appropriate accountability for deal outcomes

   • Building a partnership model with Account Executives

3. Strategic Influence Tactics

   • Speaking up consistently, even when not initially heard

   • Framing technical concerns alongside potential solutions

   • Leveraging past experiences and customer success stories

4. Cross-Functional Collaboration

   • Involving product, implementation, and customer success teams

   • Using collective wisdom to validate concerns

   • Creating a "common voice" across departments

5. Building Credibility

   • Trust your instincts and speak up

   • Demonstrate value through accurate deal insights

   • Help teammates at critical junctures

Bottom Line

Solutions Engineers possess unique insights that can make or break deals, but gaining the opportunity to share those insights strategically requires building credibility, relationships, and influence over time. The most successful SEs find ways to contribute to deal strategy while respecting the unique pressures faced by their sales counterparts.

Presales LIVE airs every other Tuesday. Join the Presales Collective Slack community to stay updated on future episodes, and follow the PSC LinkedIn page for upcoming shows.