In this episode, Matthew James and Timmy Hendrickson are joined by Nalin Senthamil, Founder and CEO of Storylane, to discuss the future of pre-sales and AI driving influence beyond pipeline. They explore how demo automation is transforming the self-serve buyer experience, the changing role of solutions engineers, and how AI can create 10X impact in pre-sales workflows. Nalin shares insights on leveraging AI for demo personalization, managing complex product integrations, and why the traditional discovery call may be dying.

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 Matthew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/

• Connect with Timmy Hendrickson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmyhendrickson/

• Connect with Nalin Senthamil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nalinpradeep/

Links and Resources Mentioned

• Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack

• Storylane: https://www.storylane.io/

Timestamps

00:04 Welcome

01:08 Nalin's background and founding Storylane

03:08 What does a self-serve buyer experience look like?

08:18 How AI has changed presales

13:40 Training AI agents to answer technical questions

17:02 AI testing customer scenario

19:28 Overlooked use cases for demo automation

26:30 One workflow where AI can create 10X impact today

Key Topics Covered

1. The Death of Discovery Calls

   • Why buyers are coming to conversations already educated

   • How self-serve experiences span the entire buying journey

   • The role of AI sales agents in initial discovery

2. The Four Categories of SE Work

   • Relationship building and strategic solutioning

   • Demo delivery and POC management

   • Administrative tasks and CRM updates

   • Knowledge sharing and product insights

3. AI as an SE Sidekick

   • Demo preparation and tailoring automation

   • Administrative task reduction

   • Strategic thinking enhancement rather than replacement

4. Demo Automation Use Cases

   • Supporting different AE to SE ratios

   • Managing complex product integrations

   • Upsell and expansion opportunities

   • Micro-demos for specific features

5. Training AI for Technical Questions

   • Leveraging tribal knowledge from Slack, Google Drive, and call recordings

   • Importance of data quality and curation

   • Automatic ingestion of organizational knowledge

6. The Future of Pre-Sales

   • AI enabling faster iteration and personalization

   • Strategic partnership between CS and pre-sales for upsells

   • The evolution from technical support to strategic advisory roles

In this second part of our conversation with Raphael Joseph, former SE turned recruiter and founder of Brando Tech, Jack Cochran and Matthew James dive deep into why traditional job hunting methods no longer work in today's market. Raphael shares strategic insights on how SEs should approach job searching in 2025, treating themselves as products and leveraging their natural skills to navigate the competitive landscape.

IMPORTANT: This is Part 2 of a two-part series. Make sure to listen to Part 1 first for the complete discussion on personal branding and LinkedIn optimization.

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/

• Connect with Raphael Joseph: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphael-joseph-23044150/

Links and Resources Mentioned

• Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack

• Episode Sponsor: Opine - https://tryopine.com

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome

04:42 What is "classic job hunting" and why it's dead

11:52 How to get on recruiters' radar

13:33 Starting your job search the right way

21:04 Treating job hunting like account management

27:23 Interview process changes and AI requirements

30:30 Why it's not a numbers game anymore

Key Topics Covered

1. The Death of Classic Job Hunting

   • Why sending CVs to job postings no longer works

   • How companies receive hundreds of applications they can't process

   • The cycle of posting jobs, failing to hire, then using recruiters

   • Why your application often goes unread

2. The New Digital Job Hunting Approach

   • Treating yourself as a product you're selling

   • Building warm leads with hiring managers

   • Using SE skills for job hunting: research, discovery, and value proposition

   • The importance of targeted, high-touch approaches over spray-and-pray

3. Working with Recruiters Effectively

   • Why good recruiters provide 1-in-3 odds vs 1-in-300 direct applications

   • How recruiters can prep you with insider knowledge

   • The value of having internal champions in the hiring process

4. Market Dynamics in 2025

   • Why it's now an employer's market

   • The shift from growth-at-all-costs to profitability focus

   • How COVID overhiring led to current oversupply of candidates

   • AI's impact on hiring decisions and productivity expectations

5. Interview Strategy in the Current Market

   • Companies' increased specificity in requirements

   • Why "must-haves" are truly must-haves now

   • The importance of AI literacy and demonstrable skills

   • How to address gaps in your experience strategically

6. Leveraging SE Skills for Job Hunting

   • Using research abilities to identify opportunities

   • Applying discovery skills to understand company needs

   • Creating value propositions for yourself as a candidate

   • Avoiding the same mistakes SEs coach AEs to avoid

In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James are joined by Raphael Joseph to discuss the critical importance of building a strong LinkedIn profile for PreSales professionals. They explore how the platform has evolved as a powerful career tool, especially in today's competitive job market. Raphael shares practical tips on crafting a professional presence that highlights your unique value proposition, explains the impact of consistent engagement, and offers advice on creating authentic content that resonates with hiring managers.

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/

• Connect with Raphael Joseph: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphael-joseph-23044150/

Links and Resources Mentioned

• Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack

• Sponsor: Opine - https://tryopine.com

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and introduction to LinkedIn's evolution

01:50 Sponsor: Opine

03:06 Raphael's background and career journey

10:46 Why you should build your LinkedIn profile before you need it

21:11 Focusing on your ideal customer profile (ICP)

25:21 Engagement strategies: connecting, commenting, and posting

33:49 Overcoming nervousness about posting

Key Topics Covered

1. LinkedIn Profile Optimization

   • Using your banner as prime real estate to showcase your unique value

   • Crafting a clear headline that highlights your specialization

   • Writing descriptions that focus on the value you provide

   • The importance of professional photos and consistent branding

2. Strategic Profile Positioning

   • Reverse-engineering your profile based on your target roles

   • Focusing on 3-4 key specializations rather than listing everything

   • Using industry-standard job titles even if your company uses different terminology

   • Making it easy for recruiters to find you through targeted keywords

3. Building Meaningful Connections

   • Connecting with 100-200 potential hiring managers weekly

   • Engaging with their content through thoughtful comments and questions

   • Creating a network before you need it for job searching

   • Leveraging connections for opportunities when transitions occur

4. Content Creation Strategy

   • Starting with comments before moving to creating original posts

   • Sharing authentic experiences from customer interactions

   • Finding your niche audience within the PreSales community

   • Focusing on consistency rather than viral metrics

5. The Changing Job Market

   • How market conditions have shifted from candidate-focused to employer-focused

   • Why specificity now trumps broadness in skills presentation

   • Standing out in a competitive environment through specialization

   • Using LinkedIn as your primary job search tool rather than traditional resumes