In an era where buyers do most of their research before ever speaking to sales, presales professionals are more important than ever. But technical skills alone don’t win deals, soft skills are the differentiator.
In this article, we explore the essential soft skills presales teams need to thrive today. We also answer some of the toughest questions SE leaders are asking.
What soft skills make the biggest difference in the buying cycle today?
Presales success today hinges on three core soft skills:
- Emotional intelligence – Reading the room, connecting with people, and managing your own emotions in high-stakes conversations is critical. It’s about earning trust, not just showing tech.
- Situational awareness – Sticking rigidly to a demo script can be fatal. Great SEs pivot based on what’s happening in the moment: the questions asked, the tone of the room, the buyer’s pain points. The goal is to advance the deal, not just finish the demo.
- Genuine curiosity and care – Buyers can sense authenticity. SEs who deeply care about solving problems not just showing features, build deeper connections and more trust.
Presales professionals must shift from “demoing” to guiding and really lean into curiosity and empathy. That’s where real impact happens.
How do you build rapport between Sales Engineers and Account Executive?
Strong SE–AE partnerships are built on empathy.
Empathy helps you understand your AE’s pressures and priorities. The best SEs proactively invest in the relationship with the AEs they work with.
That might mean:
- Taking the time to learn about your AE’s working style
- Offering feedback, talk about what is and isn’t working
- Sharing the workload when something’s not clicking with a buyer
It’s also about treating your AE like a true partner and not just a booking source. Candid conversations, mutual respect, and a willingness to adjust are what build long-term rapport.
Between the AE and the SE, how do you determine who should lead the relationship in the sales cycle?
Traditionally, the AE takes the lead in managing the customer relationship, but that doesn’t mean the SE should take a backseat. In fact, some of the most effective presales professionals are the ones who proactively lean in to build their own connections with key stakeholders.
When there’s a gap, because the AE isn’t clicking with the buyer or it’s just an off day, a great SE steps up. Sometime that can look like:
- Setting up a one-on-one with a technical stakeholder
- Helping to surfacing unspoken concerns
- Asking deeper discovery questions
- Offering a different communication style that resonates
These individual touchpoints not only build trust but can also unlock key insights that move the deal forward.
To avoid stepping on each other’s toes, coordination is key. Teams should conduct pre-call syncs to clarify roles, responsibilities, and who’s leading which part of the conversation. In today’s fast-paced sales cycles, slowing down enough to align internally can be the difference between a good meeting and a great one.
How do we keep presales and/or sales from becoming just another AI-driven function?
AI is changing the game, but it won’t replace the human connection in the buying cycle.
As AI takes over routine tasks and top-of-funnel activities, human connection is your biggest differentiator. Buyers want real insights. They want to feel understood. And they still make emotionally driven decisions. That’s why discovery, personalization, and relevance matter more than ever.
To stay relevant:
- Add value through deeper discovery, personalization, and live-time insights
- Lean into storytelling that makes the product relevant to the buyer’s pain points
- Read body language and listening for what’s not being said
- Say no when something’s not the right fit, honesty stands out
The ability to adapt, empathize, and genuinely connect will define the next generation of winning presales teams.
What are some ways we can incorporate AI to help us work smarter?
AI can be a powerful accelerant especially when it comes to demo prep. It is a highly effective tool to speed up prospect research. Drop in a prospect’s 10-K and quickly summarize the information and generate intelligent discovery questions
The goal isn’t just speed its relevance. AI lets you show up better prepared and more focused on what matters to your buyer.
Allowing you to connect the dots, personalize the story, and deliver the message with human authenticity.
How can presales leaders position their teams as strategic partners when trust is at an all-time low?
If presales feels sidelined, it often comes down to this: the rest of the organization doesn’t fully understand the value SEs bring.
Leaders can fix this by making sure two things are crystal clear:
- What value the presales team delivers
- Why it matters to the business
This requires proactive internal storytelling. Show how SEs accelerate deals, de-risk evaluations, and build relationships that drive revenue.
It also requires coaching SEs to step confidently into that strategic role. A great SE doesn’t just support the sale, they help shape it.
What is the difference between a technical demo and a meaningful demo?
A technical demo shows what your product does.
A meaningful demo shows how your product changes the buyer’s world. It doesn’t overwhelm with features. It connects the dots between the product and the buyer’s goals, helping prospects clearly see that your solution is the right fit.
In short…
In an age of automation, the most valuable skill in presales isn’t knowing your product, it’s knowing your buyer. From mastering emotional intelligence to leading with empathy and insight, today’s SEs must bring a human approach to every interaction. When you do, you move beyond demos, you become a trusted advisor, a strategic partner, and a key driver of revenue.
Interested in getting more insight around important interpersonal skills in presales and how to coach these in your team? Watch the full discussion between Ron Whitson, Justin McDonald, and Jim Tocci as they dive into “Relational Capital as Your Sales Superpower.”
