When it comes to B2B SaaS sales, there are two specific yet complementary roles that drive business success: presales and sales.
While the presales process uses technical know-how to match solutions with customer needs, sales focuses more on relationship building and closing the deal.
Both are essential for delivering a seamless buying experience.
Understanding the differences between presales and sales is important for organizations that aim to improve their customer journey.
Misalignment or unclear responsibilities between presales and sales teams can lead to lost opportunities, lengthy sales cycles, or dissatisfied customers.
Presales vs sales
Presales and sales teams usually work toward a common goal, but their methods, responsibilities, and focus set them apart.
Presales, explained
Presales professionals ensure that technical solutions align properly with a customer's needs.
They're essentially the bridge between showcasing the product's features and applying them to what the client is looking for.
Is your presales process in need of an overhaul? Learn how to build and improve your presales process to drive success
These roles call for a high degree of technical expertise and product knowledge, as well as strong communication skills so that they can convey complex concepts clearly.
Common job titles associated with presales include solutions consultants, sales engineers, and technical account managers, each of whom contributes to the sales cycle in their own unique way.
Solutions consultants
Solutions consultants take the time needed to understand the client's needs and concerns.
They then take that information and design a customized solution that meets each demand. These individuals work closely with sales teams to determine how the product addresses pain points.
Collaborating in this way often results in more scheduled discovery calls and product demonstration requests.
Sales engineers
Sales engineers take a closer look at the technical aspects of the sale.
They create sales proof of concepts and manage product demonstrations so that potential customers can determine the product's suitability.
They also collaborate with product development teams to address any technical concerns and evaluate how the product's features meet the demands of a specific deal.
Technical account managers
Technical account managers work between sales and presales teams.
While they contribute during the sales processes, technical account managers also focus on ensuring customer satisfaction after the deal closes.
This effort supports smoother implementation and helps secure long-term client loyalty.
Other roles
Other presales roles may include demo specialists, POC managers, or subject matter experts (SMEs). Each of these professionals possesses specialized skills that make it easier for presales teams to work through complicated deals.
Sales, explained
The sales team in B2B SaaS works to build and nurture positive customer relationships.
Their main goal is to identify potential customers, pitch and negotiate deals, and close contracts.
Unlike the presales team, which focuses more on technical alignment, the sales team operates more within the relational aspects of customer decision-making.
Common sales roles include account executives (AEs) and business development representatives (BDRs).
AEs
AEs (account executives) oversee the entire sales cycle, from initial engagement to contract closure, and:
- are the face of the company
- present solutions
- address customer objections or concerns
- negotiate contract terms to finalize deals
BDRs
BDRs focus on lead generation and lead qualification. They:
- help ensure that the sales pipeline is full of high-quality prospects
- validate lead qualification
- pass matching leads over to Account Executives
- ensure that the sales team targets the right opportunities
Other roles
Roles like regional sales managers or customer success managers may overlap with those of the sales team, especially when it comes to those working in account management and upselling.
Key responsibilities
Each team brings its own expertise to the table: presales ensures technical alignment while sales teams build and manage customer relationships.
Presales responsibilities
Presales professionals and teams handle an array of unique tasks, including:
- Needs assessment and solution design: Presales professionals work to identify client pain points and create tailored solutions for them.
- POC development and management: These individuals create proofs of concept to validate the product’s feasibility in the client’s environment.
- Technical demonstrations: present software demos that showcase product capabilities.
- Addressing technical questions: Presales experts handle complicated technical objections and align solutions to each customer's needs.
Sales responsibilities
The sales team has a different set of priorities designed to guide the prospect into becoming a loyal customer.
- Lead generation and qualification: Identifying potential customers and assessing their readiness to buy the product or service.
- Client relationship management: Building trust and maintaining ongoing communication with clients.
- Negotiation and closing: Collaborating with the presales team to finalize agreements and secure business commitments.
- Account management: Post-sale upselling and ensuring customer satisfaction with the product (which may also include walking the customer through specific processes).
When to involve presales in the sales process
Timing is everything. Bringing presales in at the right stages not only streamlines workflows but also shows prospects that your company is organized, knowledgeable, and prepared to meet their needs.
A well-timed transition between teams can build the prospect's trust, enhance the buying experience, and improve the likelihood of closing deals.
Early-stage involvement
The presales team tends to get involved with the sales process early on in the following ways:
- Participating in technical discovery calls.
- Providing product expertise in prospect meetings.
- Supporting initial conversations with customized insights.
Mid-stage involvement
Around the middle of the sales process, presales professionals perform these essential tasks:
- Designing and presenting customized product solutions.
- Managing POCs to validate the fit of the solution for the prospect’s needs.
- Conducting in-depth product demonstrations.
Want to give better product demos and solve common demo issues? Read our guide to SaaS demos.
Late-stage involvement
Finally, in the later stages of the sales process, presales professionals can help with:
- Addressing final technical objections.
- Advising on technical contract elements.
- Supporting smooth transitions to implementation and customer success teams.
Do you need a presales team?
Having a presales team provides numerous benefits that go beyond closing deals. From ensuring product alignment to building stronger client relationships, presales professionals add a level of depth to the sales process.
When you integrate presales into your sales strategy, your organization can enhance its credibility and create a smoother buyer journey, which benefits both the client and your bottom line.
For example, a competent presales team can result in:
Increased win rates
Technical experience helps build both trust and credibility with clients. Tailored solutions, supported by presales professionals, increase the likelihood of closing deals. Studies show that companies with dedicated presales teams achieve higher conversion rates than those that do not.
Shorter sales cycles
Presales professionals can quickly address client technical concerns, which helps in streamlining the decision-making process. Efficient sales POCs and demo automation further reduce delays and help shorten sales cycles.
Improved customer satisfaction
Presales efforts ensure that each solution aligns with customer expectations, which reduces the risk of miscommunication. Clear technical handoffs also contribute to smoother implementations and long-term customer satisfaction.
Enabling smooth collaboration between presales and sales
For presales and sales teams to operate as a well-oiled machine, collaboration must be intentional and planned thoroughly.
When teams are fully aligned, it leads to:
- fewer lost leads
- accelerated sales cycles
- clearer customer expectations
- better handoff process
- better sales efficiency
- better customer experience
Here’s how to achieve these benefits through better collaboration efforts:
Effective communication strategies
Strong communication is the backbone of effective collaboration between presales and sales teams. Without it, important details may get lost, and prospects could lose trust in the process.
The right communication strategy should include the following activities or points:
- Regular sync meetings for alignment.
- Shared documentation and knowledge repositories.
- Escalation processes for technical challenges.
Defining transition points
Misaligned handoffs between presales and sales can create friction and lengthen the sales cycle.
By clearly defining when and how presales gets involved, both teams can keep momentum while addressing client needs.
Your team’s transition process should include:
- Clear criteria for presales involvement.
- Seamless transitions between teams.
- Feedback loops for continuous improvement.
Shared goals and metrics
Shared goals encourage team collaboration, while misaligned objectives can lead to friction.
By establishing KPIs that measure both technical and relational aspects of the sales process, businesses can inspire better teamwork.
Consider the following during this part of collaboration planning:
- Align KPIs for presales and sales teams.
- Host joint account planning sessions.
- Share incentives to foster collaboration.
Metrics like win rates, time to value, and customer satisfaction scores show how presales contributes to sales outcomes. Each of these metrics aids the sales and presales processes.
Win rates
Win rates refer to the percentage of deals closed successfully compared to total opportunities.
Example:
A sales team improves win rates by aligning closely with presales to address customer objections during negotiations.
Time to value
Time to Value is the time it takes for a customer to realize the benefits of a product after purchase.
Example:
Sales teams reduce time to value by setting expectations and coordinating with adjacent teams for a faster rollout.
Customer satisfaction scores
Customer satisfaction scores (CSAT) are a metric that measures how happy customers are with the sales experience.
Example:
Sales representatives improve customer satisfaction by providing timely responses, personalized solutions, and seamless follow-ups after the sale closes.
Leveraging tools and technology
Presales teams rely on an array of specialized presales tools to streamline processes, deliver sales demo environments and present engaging demo presentations, and enhance collaboration with sales teams.
These tools enable presales professionals to create personalized solutions while ensuring efficiency throughout the entire sales cycle.
Collaboration tools are equally a must, as these enable seamless information sharing between sales and presales teams.
Dedicated sales and presales tools and tech foster greater alignment, improve workflows, and ultimately drive better sales and growth results.
Building an effective presales process
Building and ensuring an effective presales process is necessary for aligning technical expertise with customer needs. Key elements include:
- establishing clear criteria for when presales should engage
- creating a standardized approach for conducting demos and POCs
- and fostering collaboration with sales through regular communication
To improve your presales process or learn how to build an effective one, read our step-by-step presales process guide.
The present & future of presales in B2B SaaS
As B2B SaaS evolves, so too does the role of the presales team.
In fact, traditional labels like "presales" may no longer capture their strategic value.
These roles are becoming essential to customer experience, as they combine technical expertise with consultative selling.
For B2B SaaS brands, investing in presales means staying ahead of competitors.
As solutions become more and more complex, companies need to adapt their strategies to meet customer demands.
