What Is Pre-Sales?

Pre-sales refers to all activities that occur before a client commits to purchasing a service or product. It involves understanding the client’s needs, proposing solutions, and often creating proof of concepts (POCs) or proof of technologies (POTs) to demonstrate how a solution can work. For the company, the goal is to show how their technology can solve the client’s challenges. For the client, it’s about making sure their investment will pay off.

The Value of Design in Pre-Sales

There’s a popular saying that "good design is good business," and the data backs it up. For instance, IBM’s Enterprise Design Thinking approach has demonstrated that a user-centred, iterative design process can reduce design time by 75%, shorten development time by 33%, and bring products to market twice as fast. According to a Forrester report, this approach can also deliver a 301% return on investment (ROI). Businesses that incorporate design into their strategies see 32% more revenue and 56% higher stakeholder returns over five years compared to those that don’t.

This principle is just as relevant in technology pre-sales. Yet, a common misconception persists: many believe design isn’t necessary when creating POCs or demonstrating a technology’s capabilities. This often stems from a misunderstanding of what design truly brings to the table, especially when there’s no immediate user interface to design. However, design in pre-sales is much more than aesthetics—it’s about developing user-centric solutions that align with the client’s objectives and the technology being tested. And this is where designers make their mark.

The Designer’s Role: Filling the Gaps

In technology pre-sales, designers are essential in asking the right questions to ensure both the client’s and the company’s objectives are met. Here are three key ways designers add value:

1. Identifying the User

Even in engagements that focus on testing a technical hypothesis, there’s always a user at the beginning and end of every solution. A designer’s role is to identify these users and ensure their needs are considered in the solution. For instance, take a retailer looking to improve energy efficiency by automating non-essential equipment in their stores. At first glance, it might seem like there’s no direct user involved, but a designer will dig deeper and uncover multiple key personas whose needs must be addressed. For example, they might find:

• The person monitoring the automation: how will they know if something goes wrong?

• The decision-maker using the data: what insights do they need to make informed choices?

• The electrician maintaining the equipment: do they need access to schedules to prevent interruptions?

By identifying these users, designers ensure that the technology being tested not only improves efficiency but also enhances the overall experience for everyone involved.

2. Enhancing Project Success Through User-Centricity

A user-centric approach, like IBM’s Enterprise Design Thinking, speeds up delivery times and improves ROI. In pre-sales, this approach ensures that the technology being tested is not just technically sound but also solves real-world problems for the people who will use it. Why stop at proving the technical capabilities of a product when you can also ensure it positively impacts the end users? Incorporating this focus early on helps avoid potential pitfalls later in the sales process and leads to stronger, more effective solutions.

3. Crafting a Compelling Story

One of the most undervalued skills designers bring to pre-sales is the ability to tell a story. When presenting a solution to clients, especially during POCs, it’s not enough to simply showcase technical features. You need to craft a narrative that resonates with the audience and motivates them to become champions of your solution. By framing the problem, explaining the decisions behind the solution, and outlining the potential impact on users, designers create a compelling story that inspires confidence.

For example, if you’re working on a POC to automate store equipment for a retailer, don’t just focus on the technical aspects. Instead, craft a story that shows how the solution helps store managers hit sustainability targets, assists electricians with maintenance, and provides decision-makers with real-time data to optimise energy efficiency. A well-crafted narrative can transform a demonstration into a persuasive argument that rallies internal advocates within the client’s organisation.