Optimizing GTM Efficiency: Insights from Tom Edwards’ DEMOFESTx London Presentation

At DEMOFESTx London, Tom Edwards, Consensus Global Adoption Leader at BlackLine, delivered a presentation on the evolving role of presales in today's go-to-market (GTM) strategies. Tom shared how BlackLine uses Consensus to unite different teams and create cohesion in their GTM processes.

Breaking down silos

Driving Synergies Across GTM Teams

One of the key messages in Tom's presentation was the importance of breaking down organizational silos. He explained how BlackLine's presales, marketing, and other GTM teams use demo automation to drive a unified buyer experience. By utilizing demos across the buyer journey–from demand generation to partner enablement–Tom emphasized the need for synergy across functions.

"A cohesive message is critical."

-Tom Edwards, Consensus Global Adoption Leader | BlackLine

By aligning the content that marketing delivers with what presales showcases and what partners discuss, companies can create a seamless and consistent buyer experience. 

Who owns the demo?

Moving Beyond Presales

Tom posed a question during his presentation: "Who owns the demo?" 

Traditionally, demos have been the domain of presales, but that is shifting. As companies use more video and click-through demos across marketing and sales, the ownership of demos has expanded beyond presales. 

This perspective opens up new opportunities for presales professionals to become key strategic partners across the organization, helping deliver impactful, outcome-driven demos through various channels.

The future of Presales:

Advisory or Creative?

Tom left the audience with a critical question: "What skills will presales need in the future?"

He suggests two potential paths.:

1. Presales consultants become trusted advisors and focus on building credibility and guiding the prospects or
2. Presales consultants become experts in creating engaging video demos.

As demo automation becomes more common, companies may need to rethink their presales roles to adapt to these growing demands.

Tom's presentation highlighted how demo automation and GTM integration are not just about efficiency– they are about creating a unified, engaging experience for buyers. By fostering collaboration between marketing, sales, presales, and partners, companies can deliver a consistent, high-quality journey that accelerates decision-making and builds trust.

Want to learn more about creating a seamless GTM strategy?