The 3 Presales Data Points Your CRO Needs to Know
The best presales leaders that we know bring 3 Presales Data Points to their CRO’s attention in sales forecast calls. Learn more about what they are and how they help you earn your seat at the table.
Sales forecast calls tell your sales leadership:
What is going to close and when?
Will we be over our revenue target (and if so, where are our risks)?
Will we fall short (and if so, what can we do to make up the gap)?
On every forecast call, the sales teams contributes 4 core Sales Data Points about each deal:
Opportunity Stage,
Deal Size,
Close Date,
Forecast Category (e.g. Commit, Best Case, Pipeline).
With this sales data, CROs run through various revenue scenarios to try and predict upcoming performance.
Historically presales teams have been excluded from forecast calls with the thinking “What could presales contribute that my AEs don’t already know?”
Using modern presales management solutions, like Homerun Presales, presales teams are now generating new and varied Presales Data through their regular day-to-day activities.
As a result, presales teams have extremely valuable data that no one else has, but everyone wants.
Bring these 3 Presales Data Points to your CRO to earn your seat at the ‘sales forecast’ table.
#1) Presales Warning Signs
Presales warning signs can take multiple forms, but they are how a presales team raises their hand and says “We are concerned about this deal…”
Common Examples:
Presales Sentiment = Concerned
1+ Product Gap / Feature Request Blocker
1+ Evaluation Plan Blocker (e.g. stuck on a step in our process; failing test/use cases in a POC/POV)
Your CRO will SIT UP and LEAN FORWARD the moment you start sharing a Presales Report that shows all deals that are in Commit, but have at least one Presales Warning Sign.
Once seen, your CRO will never be able to live without it!
#2) Presales Stage
The Presales Stage is the presales equivalent to the sales stage, but from a presales perspective.
Suppose you are told that a key deal is in Salesforce’s standard Stage 3, which is ‘Demo or meeting’.
What does that really tell you?
Did we already do a demo?
Are we doing another one?
Are we building a custom demo?
Are we doing an onsite workshop?
Are we doing a POC or POV?
Your Presales Stages can tell you! 👍
#3) Technical Win
When defined and used properly, the Technical Win can be a key signal about your product's technical-goodness-of-fit to meet your prospect's needs.
Do you have the required features?
Did you satisfy the POC/POV test/use cases with demonstrated success?
If you do not know yet, then the deal should not be in Commit!
Do you need helping bring your CRO the Presales Data that will earn you a seat at the 'sales forecast' table? Talk to one of our presales experts about the Homerun Presales workspace and the Presales Data that can generate for you. Click here to get started!
