Introduction:

Welcome to the School of Presales podcast with your host, Rainer Schuppe. In today's episode, we delve into the realm of competitive intelligence (CI). Stay tuned as we uncover the importance of CI in the world of presales and how it can give you a competitive edge.

What is Competitive Intelligence?

Competitive intelligence, often abbreviated as CI, is the strategic gathering of information about competitors in the market. It involves understanding how competitors operate, their messaging, target markets, strengths, weaknesses, and pricing strategies. By obtaining CI, presales teams can differentiate their products, refine their messaging, and make informed decisions.

Why is CI Crucial?

CI is vital for several reasons:

- It helps distinguish your product from competitors, showcasing your unique value proposition.

- It aids in understanding market trends and identifying opportunities and threats.

- CI enables effective objection handling by addressing customer concerns about competitor offerings.

- It ensures your product remains relevant and competitive in a constantly evolving market landscape.

Gathering Competitive Intelligence: Strategies and Tactics

There are various methods for gathering CI:

- Website analysis: Examining competitor websites for product offerings, pricing, and messaging.

- Conference interactions: Engaging with competitors at industry events to glean insights.

- Product testing: Installing and testing competitor products to understand their capabilities and limitations.

- Customer feedback: Speaking directly with customers, especially those using competitor products, to understand their experiences and preferences.

- Internal CI teams: Assigning dedicated personnel within your organization to focus on gathering and analyzing CI.

Ethical Considerations and Best Practices

While gathering CI is essential, it's crucial to maintain ethical standards:

- Avoid misrepresentation or deception when interacting with competitors.

- Respect non-disclosure agreements and legal obligations, especially when hiring employees from competitor firms.

- Ensure CI is disseminated responsibly within your organization and used for strategic purposes rather than unethical practices.

Conclusion

Competitive intelligence is a powerful tool in the presales arsenal, offering valuable insights into competitor strategies and market dynamics. By leveraging CI effectively, presales teams can refine their approach, enhance their product positioning, and ultimately drive success in a competitive landscape.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the School of Presales podcast. If you have any questions or topics you'd like us to explore in future episodes, reach out to us via our community or LinkedIn page. Until next time, this is Rainer signing off.

If you like to learn more about this topic join our community https://school-of-presales.mn.co (subscription only, 14 days trial period) or read along the blog on the website https://schoolofpresales.com.

This podcast complements the offering. Here I will share my thoughts, tips, stories and more about my journey in Presales and what I learned from it.

In this episode of the "School of Presales" podcast the focus is on a crucial aspect of Presales management: metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs). I delve into the significance of metrics, the distinction between data and information, and the essential role they play in performance monitoring and decision-making.

Understanding Metrics

After 20 years of selling performance management software I can state clearly: metrics are simple data points over time, providing insights into system states and performance trends but data is not actionable information - datapoints need interpretation and context to be of any use.

Purpose of Metrics

The primary purpose of metrics, as I explain, is to facilitate performance evaluation, decision-making, and forecasting within sales organizations. Metrics serve as key performance indicators, offering insights into what strategies are effective, where improvements are needed, and how resources should be allocated.

Selecting Effective Metrics

While numerous metrics are available, it is important to select those aligned with specific organizational objectives. He cautions against relying on misleading or irrelevant metrics and provides insights into identifying and prioritizing useful metrics, such as conversion rates and sales cycle length.

Avoiding Misuse of Metrics

One grave mistake is the equating of metrics with goals - metrics should support overarching objectives rather than serve as endpoints. I highlight the dangers of incentivizing undesirable behaviors and advocates for a balanced approach that prioritizes meaningful outcomes over arbitrary targets.

Conclusion

In closing, I can not emphasize enough the critical role of metrics as guardrails for organizational performance, guiding decision-making and resource allocation. Let's engage further on the topic and discuss importance of thoughtful metric selection and interpretation in driving sales success - for example in our community. Or the blog comments.

With insightful commentary and practical advice, this episode offers valuable guidance for navigating the complex landscape of Presales management metrics.

If you like to learn more about this topic join our community https://school-of-presales.mn.co (subscription only, 14 days trial period) or read along the blog on the website https://schoolofpresales.com.

This podcast complements the offering. Here I will share my thoughts, tips, stories and more about my journey in Presales and what I learned from it.

In this episode of the School of Presales podcast, I delve into the challenges and strategies surrounding the adjustment of 2024 targets in response to a remarkable 100% year-over-year growth in 2023. Though in the startup scene the recurring nature of such adjustments and discusses the implications of doubling sales targets makes this no surprise - it is still a challenge.

I look at the three crucial areas that need attention for successful scaling of the Presales team: hiring, adjusting demo systems, and refining the Proof of Concept (POC) process. It is important to carefully expand the team and I share insights on hiring practices and onboarding new talent without disrupting existing structures.

After hiring comes onboarding and documenting onboarding processes and encourages new hires to contribute to this documentation, eases the burden on presales leaders.

We also touch upon the necessity of a reliable demo system that represents the company's value effectively. With the growth design problems surface which can make demo akward for the presenter hence we need to do something.

As the conversation progresses, I look into the complexities of scoping and managing the POC process, emphasizing the need for easy and effective documentation tools. He introduces the idea of leveraging tools like Google Forms for scoping calls and stresses the importance of managing POCs efficiently.

And of course the School of Presales can help you with workshops to scale your organization. Doubling the numbers in 2024 needs a structured approach, suggesting that with the right structure, exponential growth need not be daunting.

Explore the workshops, which include a one-year membership in the School of Presales community, providing ongoing support and guidance to navigate the complexities of SaaS growth in the coming year.

Make 2024 your year.

Workshops: https://schoolofpresales.com/success-in-2024

If you like to learn more about this topic join our community https://school-of-presales.mn.co (subscription only, 14 days trial period) or read along the blog on the website https://schoolofpresales.com.

This podcast complements the offering. Here I will share my thoughts, tips, stories and more about my journey in Presales and what I learned from it.

In episode #5 of the School of Presets podcast, we discuss the challenges and importance of Proof of Concept (POC) in the sales process.

While some may try to avoid POCs due to time and effort investment, they are often necessary, especially in the startup world. We cover common issues in POC execution, such as endless POCs, low conversion rates, and successful POCs that don't lead to deal closing.

To address that, we advocate for a thorough scoping process that aligns business problems with the solution offered.

We can't stress enough the significance of focusing on business use cases rather than just showcasing features.

The episode outlines a scoping session strategy, including key aspects like timing, personas, and use case discussions with the customer. And we dive into tooling; like Google Forms to simplify the documentation process and ensure easy collaboration. The goal is to create a shared document that evolves during the POC, capturing progress, feedback, and success stories.

And of course the School of Presales offers to assist listeners in refining their scoping and POC processes for a more predictable and successful sales outcome in the new year.

If you like to learn more about this topic join our community https://school-of-presales.mn.co (subscription only, 14 days trial period) or read along the blog on the website https://schoolofpresales.com.

This podcast complements the offering. Here I will share my thoughts, tips, stories and more about my journey in Presales and what I learned from it.

In this lively podcast episode, Rainer spins a captivating tale about a sales pro navigating the wood-selling world for a small company. Picture this: a Sequoia tree, standing tall amidst smaller ones, poses a unique challenge.

We then dive into the realm of storytelling in sales and presales. But he just doesn't just talk about it — he brings it to life, stressing the difference between merely reading a story and authentically telling one.

Rainer shares insights on crafting your own story, linking it seamlessly to your product, and sprinkling in real-life customer success stories like precious "story nuggets."

Bursting with enthusiasm, he underscores the importance of timing in storytelling and warns against the pitfalls of overselling. Get ready for a dynamic journey with Rainer in the School of Presales podcast!

If you like to learn more about this topic join our community https://school-of-presales.mn.co (subscription only, 14 days trial period) or read along the blog on the website https://schoolofpresales.com.

This podcast complements the offering. Here I will share my thoughts, tips, stories and more about my journey in Presales and what I learned from it.

In this episode of the School of Presales podcast, hosted by Rainer, the focus is on the unique role of being the first sales engineer in a B2B software startup. Titled "The Pioneer's Path: Forging Success in Sales Engineering," I emphasize the dual challenge and reward of this pivotal position.

Covering the imperative for technical expertise, I highlight the necessity for a seasoned professional who not only sells a product but shapes the trajectory of the entire organization. The discussion delves into the significance of a technical background, the ownership of the product, and the dynamic nature of customer interactions.

Emphasizing trust as the currency for success, I advocate for a transparent, collaborative approach, dispelling the notion of information hoarding. The hands-on mindset and adaptability required in a startup environment are underscored, making it clear that the first sales engineer sets the tone for the entire team.

I then wrap it up by emphasizing the importance of fair compensation for the first sales engineer, acknowledging the intrinsic link between motivation and financial security.

In conclusion, the episode explores the challenges and rewards of being a pioneer in sales engineering, shaping the path for the entire team and laying the foundation for a successful organization. Listeners are invited to join the community for further discussions on all things Presales.

If you like to learn more about this topic join our community https://school-of-presales.mn.co (subscription only, 14 days trial period) or read along the blog on the website https://schoolofpresales.com.

This podcast complements the offering. Here I will share my thoughts, tips, stories and more about my journey in Presales and what I learned from it.

A hearty welcome to the School of Presales podcast hosted by Rainer.

I'm a presaler since 20 years, and since then I am ask what I actually do. What is Presales? And what is it good for?

This episode is my take on the answers to those 2 questions.

Few people know that Presales is usually found in software sales. And that it can dramatically boost your sales numbers when done right.

B2B enterprise software sales without Presales is like Luke Skywalker flying to the Death Star without his navigator - R2D2 - possibly blowing it up but very likely to fail miserably.

Listen and enjoy.

If you like to learn more about this topic join our community https://school-of-presales.mn.co (subscription only, 14 days trial period) or read along the blog on the website https://schoolofpresales.com.

This podcast complements the offering. Here I will share my thoughts, tips, stories and more about my journey in Presales and what I learned from it.

A hearty welcome to the School of Presales podcast hosted by Rainer.

I'm a presaler by heart since 25 years, and by profession it's 20. And why? Because it is the best job in IT in the world. The job of a Sales Engineer.

After founding the community https://school-of-presales.mn.co (subscription only, 14 days trial period) and blogging on the website https://schoolofpresales.com this podcast complements the offering. Here I will share my thoughts, tips, stories and more about my journey in Presales and what I learned from it.

We start with the answer to the question what the best job in IT is and how to actually become a sales engineer.

Short answer: it is a multifaceted role if done right and covers everything from technology over communication and presentation to project management and sales. Plus much more.

And it is paid well.

The requirements are not tough but it is never a first job as it needs experience in one or the other field before you can embark on a fantastic ride in the world of Presales.