What Should Sales Do While Presales Presents the PPT? Share This with Your Sales Team Now!

"CD, we totally bombed the technical presentation again yesterday!" Xiao Lin burst into the office, fuming. "I was explaining our intelligent scheduling algorithm when the client's VP suddenly interrupted, saying, 'I can't understand a word you're saying. We can't handle your technology.' I froze, completely lost for words. The room went silent for five minutes. And our sales director, Wang, just kept his head down, scrolling through his phone the whole time—didn't even try to rescue me! I was so embarrassed I wanted to crawl into a hole!"

The man sitting in the office, whom Xiao Lin called "CD," was the company's Chief Presales Officer. He held the same rank as the Chief Architect in the R&D center. They didn't manage teams but followed the technical career track, reaching its highest level—equivalent to the Sales Director on the management track. Both reported directly to the VP of Solutions. They each had their own private office. Word had it that the company was even considering adding a new level above them, called "Master," to further incentivize these chiefs.

CD turned from his computer screen and looked at Xiao Lin. "I feel for you, man. Three seconds of sympathy. But honestly, a lot of salespeople are just clueless! They think that during a technical presentation, the presales person is solely responsible for the content. They believe that once they've parked the presales person in front of the projector, their job is done. So, they end up scrolling on their phones, answering emails, or even stepping out to take calls during the client meeting! Is this a common experience for you?"

Xiao Lin said, "You're absolutely right! Most of the salespeople I work with are exactly like that! But as presales, shouldn't we be the ones leading the technical discussion? The salesperson really doesn't need to do much! As long as they don't interrupt, I'd be grateful if they could just step in and save the day when I'm in a bind!"

CD looked at Xiao Lin and said, "That's where you're mistaken. During a technical presentation, the salesperson shouldn't be a passive bystander. Instead, they should be the invisible director orchestrating the entire session! Even though they're not the one presenting, they are the ones in control and bear the primary responsibility for the success of the technical exchange!"

Xiao Lin seemed skeptical. CD paused, pulled up a meeting video on his phone, and said, "Take a look at this real case. See what happens when the salesperson isn't actively involved and how the client reacts—"

Xiao Lin slapped his thigh. "That presentation was a mirror image of ours yesterday!"

CD said slowly, "In the client's eyes, the salesperson's attitude is the company's attitude. If you're playing with your phone, the client will play with your project!"

Xiao Lin asked, "So, how can a salesperson be an effective behind-the-scenes director? What are the key phases?"

CD wrote on the whiteboard:

What the Salesperson Should Do During a Technical Presentation:

1. Set the Stage at the Opening

2. Control the Room During the Session

3. Plant the Seeds for Next Steps Afterward

Move 1: Set the Stage – 3 Sentences to Make the Client Sit Up and Listen

Xiao Lin: "So, how should the salesperson open the meeting?"

CD pulled up another meeting recording. "Let me show you how our top salesperson, Director Liu, does it:"

Xiao Lin's eyes lit up. "That opening turned the client's anxiety into anticipation!"

CD (drawing a flowchart): "Remember this formula—

Salesperson Sets the Stage = Pain Point Hook + Expert Credibility + Value Preview

A smart salesperson always says, 'Next, our expert who has solved similar challenges will share practical insights with you.'"

Move 2: Be the "Invisible Director" – 4 Actions to Control the Room

Xiao Lin: "So, what exactly should the salesperson do while the solution is being presented?"

CD said, "Mastering these four things is more than enough!"

1. Watch for Non-Verbal Cues: When the client strokes their chin or frowns, immediately interject: 'I see you mentioned the inventory backlog issue earlier. The intelligent replenishment module Mr. Lin is about to cover directly addresses that.'

2. Manage the Clock: At the 15-minute mark, remind the presales person: 'To ensure we have time for in-depth discussion, I suggest we focus on the three core modules next.'

3. Ask Engaging Questions: Proactively interact with the client: 'You mentioned earlier that your QC labor costs are high. With this AI visual inspection solution, how many inspectors do you think you could redeploy?'

4. Note the "Hot Buttons": When the client says, 'This feature is great,' immediately mark it with a star. Follow up on these points during the debrief.

Xiao Lin said while taking notes, "So the salesperson needs to be a 'human radar'!"

CD smiled. "That's what it means to control the room. The salesperson ensures the technical discussion never hits a lull, guides the presales person to adjust the content and focus based on client reactions, and continuously gauges the client's perspective."

Of course, we also need to avoid salespeople giving wrong directions or answers. Once, during a technical exchange, I was explaining our AI QC algorithm when a client asked about the training data source. Our salesperson jumped in and said, 'We have a partnership with BAT.' The client's CTO immediately retorted, 'Can BAT's data be used for automotive welding? Do you even understand AI data training?' A salesperson giving a wrong answer is far more damaging than not helping at all!

Move 3: Plant the Seed at the End – Make the Client Chase the Contract

Xiao Lin: "What if the client says 'we'll think about it' after the presentation?"

CD pulled up another meeting video. "Watch how a sales pro closes the loop—"