Remote Work & Tools
The Multitasking Myth in PreSales: What Really Works?
Multitasking feels productive but costs focus. What brain research says, and how presales people can work in focused blocks.
Right now, I'm watching a Netflix series about our brain, and one episode focuses on multitasking. I highly recommend watching it. Its main point: multitasking doesn't make us more productive. It makes us less effective.
As PreSales professionals, we juggle discovery calls, demo prep, RFPs (opens in a new tab), internal meetings, and follow-ups. Multitasking feels necessary. In practice it slows us down, adds errors and drains our mental energy. Structured focus works better.
How to Improve Focus
📌 1. Create Structure
Every switch between tasks costs time. Block time for specific activities instead:
✅ Discovery call preparation
✅ Demo rehearsals and storytelling refinement
✅ Follow-up communications
✅ Internal collaboration with sales and product teams
The PreSales Handbook highlights that deep work leads to higher quality outcomes and fewer mistakes.
📌 2. Take Breaks
Our brain needs downtime to maintain peak performance. Apply:
🕐 The Pomodoro Technique (25 min focus, 5 min break)
🌿 Short walks or screen-free moments to refresh thinking
⏳ Mindful pauses before switching tasks to stay engaged
📌 3. Check Emails Twice a Day
Email is a huge distraction. Instead of checking it constantly:
📩 Set dedicated time slots (e.g., 10 AM and 4 PM) to process emails
🚀 Use email templates for common responses
📵 Keep notifications off during deep work
📌 4. Use the Eisenhower Matrix to Prioritise
To avoid multitasking, focus on the work that actually affects your deals. The Eisenhower Matrix helps classify tasks based on urgency vs. importance:
✅ Urgent & Important → Do it now (e.g., final demo prep, urgent client requests)
📅 Important but Not Urgent → Schedule it (e.g., skill development, improving demo storytelling)
🔄 Urgent but Not Important → Delegate or automate it (e.g., email responses, internal admin work)
❌ Neither Urgent nor Important → Eliminate it (e.g., unnecessary meetings, busy work)
This framework ensures you spend more time on strategic, high-impact tasks and less on distractions.
📌 5. Automate Repetitive Work
Repetitive tasks drain time and mental energy. Automate them!
🔹 Microsoft Power Automate: Automate lead follow-ups, email notifications, and CRM updates.
🔹 Pre-Recorded Demos: Instead of doing the same demo multiple times, create a polished video for early-stage prospects.
🔹 Email Templates & Snippets: Save time by using canned responses for FAQs and follow-ups.
🔹 Scheduling Tools: Use Calendly or Microsoft Bookings to avoid email back-and-forth for meeting scheduling.
Time saved = More time for impactful client conversations.
📌 6. Learn to Say No (or Push Back!)
As a PreSales professional, you get requests from all sides. Not every request deserves your time.
🚩 Signs You Should Say No:
❌ Requests outside of your expertise (redirect to the right team).
❌ Low-priority tasks that don't impact deals.
❌ Last-minute demo requests without proper discovery.
Instead of saying "Yes" to everything, negotiate priorities:
💬 "I'd love to help, but I'm focused on [high-impact task]. Can we discuss a better timeline?" 💬 "This request doesn't align with our priorities right now. What's the core issue we're solving?"
Every NO to a low-value request frees time for the work that counts.
📌 7. Qualify Hard, Don't Waste Time
The best PreSales professionals focus on the deals they can win.
🔎 Key Qualification Questions:
✔️ Does the prospect have a budget?
✔️ Do they have a real business problem, or are they just "exploring"?
✔️ Is there a clear timeline for a decision?
✔️ Who are the key decision-makers, and have we engaged them?
If the answers aren't clear, push for clarity or deprioritise. As the PreSales Handbook emphasises, a well-qualified deal means less wasted time and higher win rates (opens in a new tab).
How PreSales Professionals Can Reduce Task Overload
🔹 Automate repeatable tasks like pre-recorded explainer videos and demo automation (opens in a new tab)
🔹 Prioritise high-impact activities by distinguishing urgent from important
🔹 Know when to say NO and push back on low-value distractions
If you want to learn more about PreSales, please visit www.presales-handbook.com (opens in a new tab), buy the PreSales Handbook (opens in a new tab), or take the PreSales Mastery Course (opens in a new tab). And remember to check out the PreSales GPT (opens in a new tab).
First published on LinkedIn.
About the author
Dr. Johannes Hangl
Presales leader with more than a decade in B2B software. I write about what works in real deals: discovery, demos and the people side of selling.
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