You might be missing the mark if your sales presentations aren’t selling. Here’s what to do instead.
Set the stage. Your sales presentation title must engage the listener in the program. If you were a bank CEO, would Building Better Business get your attention? How about Lower Your Default Rates: What’s Missing In Your Financial Reports? Yes, customers do want better business, but it’s too bland and unspecific. Banks want to lower their default rates. Bankers are curious about what’s missing in their primary tool for lending. Your title should capture the listener’s attention so they want to hear more.
Credibility first. Grab the listener’s attention when you start your presentation. All the customer cares about is his business and how you can help him. Before you can help him, he wants to know that you are a credible supplier. In your presentation, first establish your credibility. You earn credibility from the clients you work with, the longevity of serving them and the results you produce. Briefly discuss any of these and you’ll get the prospect’s attention.
Tell the story. Boring bullets have to stop. Use visuals effectively if you want to create a compelling presentation. For example, one client included a spreadsheet to show that he reviewed data in the financial report. Yet, his message was about the people related issues that caused businesses to fail. I recommended he replace the financial report with a visual with a business professional’s face over the spreadsheet. As he presents, he would say, “A spreadsheet won’t capture the leadership skills, the sales effectiveness or other people related issues that will tell you a loan customer is in trouble.” He then gave a reason why he would be needed. He said, “In my experience, I have consistently seen that it’s the people input that causes companies to fail 80% of the time, not the financial report data.”
Acknowledge there’s a problem. You cannot tell a customer he has a problem. He must tell you. Be sure you’re asking the questions that uncover customer concerns that they’re willing to address. By getting the customer to acknowledge the problem, confirm that it’s a big one, and get agreement that he can’t solve it himself, you get the customer to realize he needs to act on his problem. It only makes sense to present your solution in your presentation after you get this agreement. You will increase the chances that he will buy.
The next time you make a presentation, ask if you are doing all these steps. It’s one thing to make a presentation. The real objective is to make the sale.
