Time is the most valuable commodity for pre-sales teams.

In this episode, Jarod Greene sits down with David Yockelson, Distinguished Vice President and Gartner Fellow, as he shares his insights on how driving efficiency in collaborative efforts with account executives can lead to more effective business cases and stronger customer relationships.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. The Importance of Time in PreSales: David highlights how presales teams often struggle with managing their time effectively. Streamlining processes like demo automation and interactive demos can give them valuable hours to focus on higher-level tasks.
2. Collaborative Business Case Development: Learn how presales professionals can work more closely with account executives to build compelling, personalized business cases that resonate with customers and help drive sales.
3. Understanding Customer Needs: Discover how sales engineering teams can better understand and address individual customer needs, ensuring that solutions are relevant, impactful, and aligned with the customer’s unique goals.

Things to listen for:

(00:00) The most valuable commodity for pre-sales teams

(00:56) The challenges with time management

(02:13) How to effectively move prospects through the funnel

(03:13) The role of pre-sales in developing business cases

(04:23) The impact of demo automation on pre-sales efficiency

(05:51) Why ROI stories need to be personalized to the customer

Is discovery or demos the secret weapon in sales?

In this episode of V5, host Jarod Greene chats with Tom Josephson, Director of Solution Consulting at TCP Software, about a controversial take: demos aren’t as crucial as everyone believes. Find out how mastering discovery can lead to deeper customer connections and more successful deals.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The Power of Discovery: Tom explains why understanding your buyer’s needs through effective discovery can give you an edge over competitors, even when pricing becomes a factor.
• Shifting the Focus: Setting clear expectations for demos ensures they are laser-focused on what matters most to the customer.
• Value-Based Selling: Tom shares insights on how to sell capabilities during discovery, getting buyers excited and showing alignment long before the demo.

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Demos don’t matter, discovery does

(00:45) Lessons Tom learned from the deals he lost and won

(02:07) Why strong discovery sets up the demo for success

(03:02) What to do when a prospective client requests early demos

(03:53) Steps to secure buy-in on the importance of discovery

How can tapping into your team's strengths transform sales engineering, boost win rates, and forge stronger customer connections?

In this episode, Jarod Greene, host of V5, and Deirdre Sommerkamp, Chief Solutions Officer at Skillibrium, discuss the benefits of assigning SEs based on their specific skills for different stages of the sales cycle.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. The Power of Strengths-Based Sales Engineering: Deirdre introduces the concept of assigning multiple SEs to opportunities based on their unique strengths, leading to a more effective sales process.
2. The Importance of Collaboration and Continuity: Detailed note-taking and pre-call strategies are essential for maintaining seamless transitions and ensuring that every team member is aligned, regardless of who takes the lead in different stages of the sales cycle.
3. Adapting to Customer Preferences: Tailoring your sales engineering approach to fit the specific needs of your buyers is crucial, and flexibility in SE assignments can significantly impact customer satisfaction and sales success.

Things to listen for:
(00:00) Strengths-based approach to sales engineering

(01:51) How to balance continuity and specialization

(02:39) Importance of collaboration and note-taking

(03:43) “We-first” vs. “Me-first” mentality

(04:40) When using a strengths-based approach

How is AI transforming the role of sales engineers, and what does this mean for the future of B2B revenue streams?

In this episode, Matt Darrow, CEO and Co-founder of Vivun, and Joseph Miller, Co-founder and Chief Data Scientist at Vivun, share how AI will affect sales engineering teams. They explore concepts like the integration of top-down and bottom-up approaches and how AI technologies are fundamentally altering the nature of labor in B2B sales. You’ll also learn the critical skills sales engineers need to have to stay competitive in an increasingly AI-driven market.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. The Evolution of AI: Joe takes us back to the fundamentals, explaining the top-down and bottom-up strategies that have helped AI evolve over the decades.
2. The Impact on Labor and Productivity: GenAI disruption is different from previous technological advancements, meaning they can’t be mitigated by retraining alone.
3. The Future of Sales Engineering: Sales Engineers will have to adapt to new AI tools, leveraging them for automation and strategic advantage.

Things to listen for:

(00:00) The evolution of AI

(01:14) Merging top-down and bottom-up approaches

(04:22) We underestimate the advancements in AI technology

(06:51) AI's impact on the future of work and labor disruption

(13:55) How partial automation is shaping the future workforce

(18:42) Usability challenges in the early stages of AI integration

(20:08) Revolutionizing sales engineering with AI in solution design

(22:27) Essential skills for sales engineers to adapt to AI

(25:48) Automating tactical work with AI to free up time for innovation

What’s the real secret to sales success? It’s all in the pre-sale.

On The Unexpected Lever, we’re diving deep into what happens before the deal closes and why it’s more than just demo automation. It’s about understanding real problems and providing meaningful solutions. Brought to you by Vivun, this show celebrates the unsung heroes—sales engineers—who drive revenue growth by connecting with clients, solving challenges, and delivering results.

Whether you're aiming for stronger revenue, higher retention, or shorter sales cycles, remember: the pre-work makes the dream work.

Tune in to learn how these strategies can transform your sales approach.