PreSales Podcast by PreSales Collective is a podcast dedicated to growing the Sales Engineering and Solution Consulting community. We aim to provide PreSales pr...
In today’s episode, Jack Cochran (General Manager, PreSales Collective) and new co-host Matthew James discuss the evolution of PreSales Collective and key industry trends for 2025. They announce the expansion of local PSC chapters, tease upcoming leadership conferences, and explore controversial topics like AI in pre-sales and team structure debates. The episode offers insights into career development opportunities beyond traditional paths and emphasizes the importance of community involvement in shaping the future of pre-sales. 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. Follow the Hosts Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/ Connect with Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/ Links and Resources Mentioned Follow the PreSales Collective's LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/presalescollective Join PreSales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack PreSales Collective newsletter: https://www.presalescollective.com/newsletter Simon Sinek's "A Bit of Optimism" podcast episode with Trevor Noah: https://simonsinek.com/podcast/episodes/trevor-noah-makes-my-brain-hurt/ Jack's YouTube video on microphone quality: https://youtu.be/B6nl64Sv7pw?si=wtOud1fS27ryqavI Timestamps 00:00 - Welcome 01:26 - PSC Unlimited 02:34 - Show Kickoff 05:20 - Regional Community Leader Launch 12:24 - In-Person Leadership Conference Teaser 16:12 - Changes to PreSales LIVE & PreSales Podcast 18:02 - What Have You Been Listening To? 22:03 - Topics for 2025 28:16 - How to Get Involved in the PSC Key Topics Covered 1. PreSales Collective Updates Launch of PreSales Live show New regional community leader program Upcoming leadership conferences (announcement pending) Slack community surpasses 16,000 members 2. Industry Trends for 2025 Presales influence within organizations Career paths and organizational changes Moving beyond demo-centric roles AI and automation in presales Team structure debates (pre/postsales integration) 3. Getting Involved Regional Community Leader opportunities Content creation and speaking opportunities Local chapter participation Blog writing and podcast guest appearances
--------
35:20
Sneak Peek at 2025
As 2025 approaches, the PreSales Podcast has some exciting changes coming! First and foremost, Matthew James is joining Jack Cochran as co-host of the podcast. Also, starting in January, the show will be recorded live on LinkedIn via the new show PreSales LIVE! Join Matthew and Jack as they talk to guests and answer a live Q&A at the end of each episode.
--------
3:47
A Fireside Chat with the New GM of PSC
Today on the PreSales Podcast we have an exciting announcement, we have the pleasure and opportunity to announce the next General Manager at PreSales Collective, Jack Cochran. We talk about this exciting new chapter for PreSales Collective, how we are expanding with a new PreSales Collective board of directors, the excitement of hitting the milestone of 50,000 members, and the community's future. What I love most about Jack is that he is deeply rooted in this thing, he has experience running communities, content creation, like his podcasts, and a passion to drive the collective forward. We discussed Chris' proudest moments here, lessons learned over the past 17 months, and his transition into the board of directors. Chris will still be extremely active in the community at large. This is a story between two humans, discussing our love and appreciation for this profession. I am thrilled to see this organization continue to help people worldwide, so let’s jump right in with Jack. Thank you so much for tuning in. I hope you enjoyed as much as I did.
--------
41:17
The Demo Challenge: Capturing Buyer Attention Before the Demo w/Todd Janzen
Welcome to the Pre-Sales Podcast! Today we have a fantastic guest joining us—Todd Janzen. Todd brings a wealth of experience from his impressive career in pre-sales, including his time at Salesforce and now as SVP of Customer Success and Buyer Enablement, Consensus In our conversation, we dive into the presales craft, influence in GTM, and more. One of the standout points was Todd's focus on the statistic that 83% of B2B buyers engage in self-discovery before ever speaking to a sales representative. We also explore Todd's unique journey into pre-sales, starting from his early days in consulting to becoming a solution engineer at Salesforce. He shared insights on how he developed innovative approaches to enhance demo environments and improve the overall buyer experience, emphasizing the need for solution engineers to unlock their full potential throughout the customer journey. So, grab a seat and get ready, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
--------
40:23
Product Power Plays: Scale, Sales, and PreSales w/Sarah Idriss
Sarah Idriss is a PreSales + Product dream state, blending customer feedback with product roadmap in innovative ways, and It's my pleasure to have her on the PreSales Podcast. Episode Takeaways: Relationship of Product + PreSales (and beyond). The vital role PreSales plays in shaping product development and ensuring alignment with customer needs. What makes a good product...and what makes a great product? What differentiates good products from great ones: integrating PreSales feedback into product innovation. Feedback loop - how to fine-tune product features. Using PreSales insights to fine-tune product features, leading to more market-ready and successful launches. Customer-centric product and presales focus, how to build something that matters Product & PreSales are each other's best weapons to get great outcomes, but their primary drivers are often different. Sarah talks about her drive to build the best product to give the most value to as many people as possible at scale. Embracing the different drivers of PreSales and Product teams helps her forge more effective relationships between both departments to get the ultimate win. Sarah can be best reached at [email protected] Thank you for tuning in!
PreSales Podcast by PreSales Collective is a podcast dedicated to growing the Sales Engineering and Solution Consulting community. We aim to provide PreSales professionals with the resources, knowledge, network, and mentorship to develop long, impactful careers
On the PreSales Podcast, you’ll hear from global PreSales Leaders, top individual contributors, industry experts, trainers, and even companies who have developed products for our profession.
Listen to PreSales Podcast by PreSales Collective, All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
Ireland