Forecast This: Why Presales Belongs in the Room

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May 5, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Karthik Krishna, Manager of Solutions Engineering at Freshworks and a community leader for Chennai, expands on how Solutions Engineers can elevate their role in deal cycles. He shares his transition from developer to pre-sales professional and highlights the shift from merely giving demos to becoming strategic partners. Karthik emphasizes the importance of trust and collaboration with Account Executives, navigating challenging conversations, and leveraging teamwork for effective deal strategies.

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ANECDOTE

From Demo Giver to Deal Co-owner

Karthik transitioned from just giving demos to co-owning deals with account executives.
He highlighted missing critical deal insights when SEs aren't included in strategy sessions.

ADVICE

Navigate Tough Deal Fit Conversations

Foster open, healthy conversations involving sales, pre-sales, and leaders to decide if a deal is a good fit.
Leverage your manager and other stakeholders like product and implementation teams for tough deal decisions.

INSIGHT

Many Stakeholders Shape Deal Success

High touch strategic deals require involvement from multiple stakeholders beyond just sales.
Customer success and support teams bear the brunt of bad fits, so their input is critical in deal decisions.

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In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Karthik Krishna, Manager of Solutions Engineering at Freshworks and Presales Collective's Regional Community Leader for Chennai. They explore how Solutions Engineers can gain strategic influence in deal cycles beyond just giving demos and answering technical questions.

Episode Highlights

Karthik shares his journey from developer to pre-sales professional
The evolution from "demo-giver" to strategic partner in deal cycles
How SEs can co-own opportunities with Account Executives
Navigating tough conversations when deals aren't a good technical fit
Building credibility to increase your strategic influence
Leveraging customer success and implementation teams for deal strategy

About Our Guest

Karthik Krishna is a Manager of Solutions Engineering at Freshworks, where he has built and coached distributed teams of SEs across companies of all sizes. He also serves as the Presales Collective Regional Community Leader for Chennai, recently hosting an event with over 60 SEs in attendance.

Follow the Hosts and Guest

Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/
Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/
Connect with Karthik Krishna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karthikkrishna-s/

Links and Resources Mentioned

Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack
Presales Collective: https://www.presalescollective.com

Timestamps

00:00 - Welcome and introduction

02:46 - Karthik's background and journey to presales

05:28 - What it means to "be in the room" for deal strategy

11:27 - Handling deals that aren't a good technical fit

16:30 - Building AE-SE relationships and trust

20:02 - Leveraging past customer experiences

27:14 - Growing strategic influence as an SE

32:30 - First experience in pipeline meetings and QBRs

Key Topics Covered

The Evolution of the SE Role
- From technical demonstrator to strategic partner
- Building relationships alongside technical expertise
- Flying "under the radar" while still influencing deals
Co-Ownership vs. Support
- Understanding sales' responsibilities and pressures
- Taking appropriate accountability for deal outcomes
- Building a partnership model with Account Executives
Strategic Influence Tactics
- Speaking up consistently, even when not initially heard
- Framing technical concerns alongside potential solutions
- Leveraging past experiences and customer success stories
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Involving product, implementation, and customer success teams
- Using collective wisdom to validate concerns
- Creating a "common voice" across departments
Building Credibility
- Trust your instincts and speak up
- Demonstrate value through accurate deal insights
- Help teammates at critical junctures

Bottom Line

Solutions Engineers possess unique insights that can make or break deals, but gaining the opportunity to share those insights strategically requires building credibility, relationships, and influence over time. The most successful SEs find ways to contribute to deal strategy while respecting the unique pressures faced by their sales counterparts.

Presales LIVE airs every other Tuesday. Join the Presales Collective Slack community to stay updated on future episodes, and follow the PSC LinkedIn page for upcoming shows.