How Effective is your Company’s Sales Presentation? Part II

How Effective is your Company’s Sales Presentation? Part II

We have found that these percentages should be switched if your organization is serious about successfully influencing your prospects and closing more deals. The presentation should begin with focusing 75-80% on the “why” and then concluding with 20-25% on the “what”. Provided below is a brief outline which focuses on the “why”:

Recommended Change in Sales Presentation Focus

Title slide needs a dynamic statement that engages prospects and target audiences instantly.

Inside slides need to focus on the prospect. Why should the prospect be interested in your presentation? What is in it for them? What issues, challenges, or opportunities does your product or services address? What value do you bring to the prospect?

Slides should directly address the issues, challenges and/or opportunities and the value/ benefit you bring to their organization instead of just listing features and functions. It is important to put yourself in their shoes. Give them a very strong why!

Once the ground work has been laid as to the issues, challenges, and/or opportunities, it is critical to establish value. Differentiate your products and services from the other potential solutions in the market.
Why are you different, better, the leader, etc and more importantly, how does that impact the prospects business?

Lastly, provide specific corporate information i.e. number of years in business, clients, etc. If you have done a proper job of explaining and demonstrating the “Why” this section can be held to a minimum by only focusing on key corporate statistics.

Final slide should always end with a strong call to action. What is the next step? What is the desired outcome that you are trying to accomplish?

Clients have seen a significant increase in their closing ratios and overall sales presentation effectiveness by making these simple changes. More credibility can be established by focusing on the prospect and truly understanding their challenges, objectives and opportunities rather than beating your hands on your chest and telling the prospect how great your company is.

Executives, it may be time to sit in on a sales presentation to determine if your sales team is more focused on the “What” or the “Why”.

Michael
mhammond@nexleveladvisors.com