The most thankless role in any B2B company's sales organization is the Presales Manager (or Director). On one hand, you're expected to absorb the pressure, complaints, and second-guessing from the VP of Sales and frontline sales reps. On the other, you're responsible for shielding your own team—the presales solution engineers—and providing them with the emotional support they need. You have no budget or authority for financial incentives, so you're left cajoling your people to get the work done. It's a classic squeeze play: caught in the middle, with your position feeling precarious every single day. Our hearts go out to every Presales Manager and Director out there.So how do you, as a Presales Manager or Director, grow in your role? How do you lead your team effectively, demonstrate irreplaceable value, and secure your position and career trajectory? Do you really have to stumble through trial and error on your own (and yes, nobody's going to hold your hand)? Are there any learning resources designed specifically for presales management?After years of research, we've found that resources tailored to presales managers do exist—but they're scarce. Here's our take and where we suggest you look:I. Books Dedicated to Presales ManagementTo our knowledge, there's exactly one book in the world written specifically for presales managers: The Sales Engineer Manager's Handbook, co-authored by John Care and Chris Daly. You can find it on the secondhand market on Amazon. Full disclosure: we haven't read it ourselves. John Care is also the author of Mastering Technical Sales: The Sales Engineer's Handbook (published in Chinese as 《售前之道》).We're evaluating whether to bring this book to the Chinese market, depending on how well the Chinese edition of Mastering Technical Sales performs. To be honest, the outlook isn't great. The audience is just too niche. In Western markets, such books can command premium prices—the English edition of Mastering Technical Sales sells for $98. But in China, it's nearly impossible to charge a comparable price; the Chinese edition currently sells for under 60 RMB. Unless domestic readers step up their purchasing, we'll struggle to break even.This is a sad reality of the presales ecosystem in China—and frankly, it's the fate that presales managers and practitioners face. It's one more snowflake in an avalanche.II. But We Do Have Presales Management Frameworks!As an organization dedicated to empowering presales professionals, we focus on engaging with company leadership and presales heads at a high level, delivering tangible value through strategic conversations. That's why, in the area you've all been asking about—presales management systems—we've built up our own substantial body of knowledge and results.The 4S Professional Presales Method (4S专业售前法), pioneered by Coach CD, encompasses the presales management mindset framework, presales talent management framework, and presales skills model framework. Here's an overview:- Presales Management Mindset Framework
- What organizational models exist for presales?
- Where should the boundaries be drawn between presales and other departments?
- What tools are available for managing the value of the presales function?
- What internal team structures work best?
- What processes should a presales department have in place?
- What technical influence resources should presales command?
- What management tools should presales build and maintain?
- Presales Talent Management Framework
- Presales Skills Model Framework
- 294 discrete skill points
These valuable resources are being made public for the first time. We're offering printed framework charts to company leaders and presales managers who need them.Currently, they're available exclusively through the"Professional Presales Empowerment 6-Piece Kit" (专业售前赋能6件套).The "Professional Presales Empowerment 6-Piece Kit" includes:
1. One copy of Mastering Technical Sales (Chinese edition), available with the translator's signature upon request—to strengthen your presales business management capabilities.
