What is Pre-Sales Activities & Process with Example

Normally all Sales activities (leaving out the activities undertaken by Marketing function) can be broadly categorized into pre sales and post sales activities.

What is Pre-Sales?

Pre sales meaning before the sales. In other words, it includes all the activities or processes that are performed in order to convert a lead or prospect to a paying customer or client. The pre-sales concept is applicable across all the businesses that deal with customers and clients in order to sell their products and services.

Pre-Sales Activities

Pre Sales Activities are the tasks that are performed before the product is sold to a customer. These activities often include prospect and qualify leads, product research, market research, data analysis, customer analysis, making unique selling propositions, managing deal qualifications and proposals, etc. These activities combined are performed in order to sell the product.

Pre-Sales Process

A Pre-Sale Process is a set of activities carried out in order to convert a new customer or win a new business contract. This process starts with the contact phase and ends once the customer is acquired or a product is sold. The pre-sales process flow includes tasks like making proposals based on customer requirements, product demonstration, etc.

Pre Sales Documents

They are of 2 types 1) Inquiries and 2) Quotation:

Inquiries : Inquiry documents are customer request for information about product.(e.g. Is product is available, product cost, delivery date etc.). T-code for Inquiries is –

  • VA11 – Create Inquiry
  • VA12 – Change Inquiry
  • VA13- Display Inquiry

Quotes: This is a legally binding document to the customer, for delivering product or service to customer T-code for Quotes is –

  • VA21 – Create Quotation
  • VA22 – Change Quotation
  • VA23- Display Quotation

Pre Sales Support

It defines tracking of customer contacts by sales visits, phone calls, letters and direct mailings.

  • Customer Tracking : Sales personnel track customer.
  • Mailing Campaigns: Sales personnel or company arrange a mailing campaigns to reach customers.
  • Customer telephone Queries: Sales support personnel answer Customer queries.

Post Sales activities

These activities include Farming, Relationship Management and Support.