In this episode, Jack Cochran (General Manager, Presales Collective) and guest co-host Allison Macalik dive into the topic of "Presales People in Disguise" with Alex Nation. They explore the journey into presales roles, the importance of effective discovery techniques, the power of silence in customer interactions, and the unique relationship between presales professionals and sales teams. Alex shares valuable insights from her career transition from retail to tech, highlighting key skills that have made her successful in the presales world.
To join the show live, follow the Presales Collective's LinkedIn page or join the PSC Slack community for updates. The show is bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 8AM PT/11AM ET/4PM GMT.
Find us:
- Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
- Connect with Allison Macalik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonmacalik/
- Connect with Alex Nation: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandranation/
Links and Resources Mentioned
- Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
- Presales Collective newsletter: https://www.presalescollective.com/newsletter
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction
02:48 - Alex's background and journey into presales
08:59 - The importance of being a presenter pain point gatherer
10:40 - The power of effective discovery
14:24 - The art of silence in customer interactions
20:26 - Presales vs. Sales
26:20 - Advice to younger self
29:25 - How to find Alex
Key Topics Covered
- Career Transitions into Presales
- Alex's journey from Nordstrom to tech
- Finding your strength as a "presenter pain point gatherer"
- The accidental path many take into presales roles
- Effective Discovery Techniques
- The importance of listening more than speaking
- How good discovery differentiates vendors
- Building trust with customers through purposeful questions
- The Power of Silence
- Using silence as a negotiation technique
- Training yourself to be comfortable with pauses
- Demonstrating confidence through patience
- Presales and Sales Dynamics
- Developing empathy for sales counterparts
- Understanding the complete customer lifecycle
- Working together for customer success
- Career Development
- The unique pressures and rewards of presales
- Developing flexibility and resilience
- Creating paths for women in presales
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.