In my role as a Presales Consultant, I often find myself in meetings or working on RFP/RFQ/Tenders where the script has already been written—at least in the client’s mind. They’ve received a quote from another vendor or service provider, a list of specs, a shiny box with all the right numbers on it. They want to talk about that box and how mine compares.
But here’s the thing: I don’t play the box-to-box game.
Sure, I could get into the weeds and start pointing out marginal advantages or cost differences. But that’s a losing battle. There will always be a competitor with better datasheet specs or a lower price tag. Specs are like bait in the water—designed to draw you into a comparison trap. And if you accept that invitation, you’re playing by someone else’s rules. You’re swimming in a Shark’s territory.
And you don’t beat a shark by swimming in its ocean. You bring it out of water.
Instead, I change the game. I focus on the problem—not the product. I ask questions, dig deep, and work to understand the real pain points. Because at the end of the day, clients don’t need a box. They need a solution that fits their unique challenge.
If nothing in my portfolio fits that challenge, I walk away. Because forcing a square peg into a round hole doesn’t serve anyone—not the client, not me, and not the integrity of what I do.
Presales isn’t about specs. It’s about strategy. It’s about insight, guidance, and value that go beyond what’s printed on a datasheet. When I lead with that mindset, I don’t need to compete on specs—because I’m offering something entirely different.