Should You Answer an RFI When the Prospect Goes Silent? We've all been there. An RFI lands in your inbox. You spend hours crafting a detailed response, hit send... and then? Silence. No calls. No emails. Just crickets. Then, weeks later, an RFP arrives. Should you even bother responding? It’s a frustrating but common scenario in PreSales. Let's explore when an RFI is worth the effort and when it’s better to walk away.   Why It’s Tempting to Ignore the RFP RFPs can be time-consuming. When a prospect sends one but then becomes unresponsive, it’s easy to feel that your efforts [...]

Missed Your Yearly Quota? Here's How to Bounce Back and Overachieve Next Year As the year draws to a close, many of us take a moment to reflect on our achievements and challenges. If you find yourself in the position of not having achieved your yearly quota, it's natural to feel a mix of disappointment and frustration. But remember, setbacks are often setups for comebacks. The question now is: What's next? How can you turn this experience into a catalyst for overachieving your quota next year? Let's explore strategies to help you rebound stronger than ever.   1. Reflect Honestly on [...]

Buyers Don’t Hate Salespeople! They Hate Being Sold To   Why This Perspective Matters Have you ever felt pushed into a decision rather than empowered to make one? That’s the difference between being sold to and being guided. Buyers today don’t dislike salespeople. They dislike outdated tactics that prioritise closing over clarity. What if, instead, we focused on enabling buyers to make confident, informed decisions? This shift isn’t just kinder, it’s smarter. Empowered buyers make better partners, advocate for your solution internally, and are more likely to stay loyal long-term.   A New Role for Sales: Guide, Don’t Push The B2B [...]

AI Won’t Replace PreSales Teams, But PreSales Professionals Who Use AI Will Replace Those Who Don’t The rapid evolution of AI technologies is reshaping industries, and PreSales is no exception. Yet, there's an important distinction to make: AI is not here to replace PreSales teams but to empower professionals who embrace it. Those who integrate AI into their workflows will have a distinct advantage, while others risk falling behind. The New PreSales Superpower: AI Augmentation AI is a tool, not a competitor. For PreSales professionals, it acts as a force multiplier, enabling smarter, faster, and more impactful engagements. Whether it’s automating [...]

What Cooking and PreSales Have in Common When people hear “PreSales,” they might picture software demos, client meetings, and technical jargon. When they think of “cooking,” they imagine spices, chopping boards, and family dinners. At first glance, these worlds seem poles apart. But as someone who loves cooking and thrives in PreSales, I can’t help but see their shared essence. The secret? Following a Recipe. Here’s how cooking and PreSales align and why following the right “recipe” is crucial for success.   The Foundation: A Well-Defined Recipe Cooking starts with a recipe. A detailed plan outlining ingredients and steps. In PreSales, [...]

Top 19 Focus Areas for Presales Professionals in 2025 As we move into 2025, the world of Presales continues to evolve, driven by technological advancements, changing buyer expectations, and the need for impactful storytelling. In the middle of the last year, my family and I decided to try something new: a challenge board. The idea was simple but exciting!!! We can set challenges for ourselves and one another. Completing your challenge earns you points, and gathering sufficient points allows you to win a prize. At first, we weren’t sure how it would go, but it quickly became a favourite activity for [...]

The Sweet Lessons from Dubai’s Viral Pistachio Chocolate Bar Dubai is known for its record-breaking attractions and luxurious offerings, but this time, the buzz is about a chocolate bar. Yes, a pistachio-filled chocolate bar that has taken the internet by storm, all thanks to a TikTok post by influencer Maria Vehera, amassing over 100 million views. Confession time: I haven’t tried it myself yet. Let’s face it, the price is a bit steep, but as a pistachio and chocolate enthusiast, the story behind its virality is irresistible. What’s even more fascinating is how this story aligns with strategies we can use [...]

After watching a military movie featuring Navy SEALs, I couldn’t help but see some striking parallels between their world and ours in PreSales. While the stakes are vastly different (we're not fighting for our lives), there's something to be learned from one of the most elite and efficient teams in the world. Navy SEALs operate in high-stress, high-risk environments where precision, adaptability, and teamwork are the keys to survival and success. These are qualities that can transform the way we operate in PreSales and Sales as well. Let’s explore what PreSales professionals can learn from the SEALs and how adopting some [...]

The Importance of Active Listening in Discovery While asking the right questions is crucial during discovery, the real game-changer lies in your ability to actively listen. Active listening ensures you're not just hearing your prospect’s words but fully understanding their emotions, underlying concerns, and business objectives. Marshall Rosenberg's book, Nonviolent Communication, is a valuable resource for learning this skill. Rosenberg emphasises empathetic listening, where you focus on truly understanding the speaker's needs, not just preparing your next response. It's easy to fall into the trap of prioritising your questions over the conversation itself. But by listening carefully, you can pick up [...]