What are the ingredients to a great sales presentation?
You’ve spent months targeting the right prospects. They’ve finally agreed to meet you. You get to the meeting. You have just half an hour to impress them.
Everything comes down to this meeting. First impressions count, right? But remember only 2% of sales happen when two parties meet for the first time. And you want to ensure you leave the right lasting impression.
Emma Jefferys, is an Accredited Coach and Licensed NLP Practitioner from Action Woman. She shares her top tips on how to deliver the perfect sales pitch.
Commanding the room
Commanding the room is imperative in a strong sales pitch - your role is to engender a feeling of confidence in the room. That means believing in what you have to say, speaking clearly and not too fast and making sure your body language shows that you know what you are talking about too.
Connecting
This may be business but we are all humans. There is huge power in connecting with both the hearts and minds of the people in the room. Who are they? What keeps them awake at night? What do they really care about? Understand this and making a real connection is much easier. Be a story teller
Don’t talk at them. Your role is as a storyteller. Take them on a compelling journey, check they are with you as the tale unfolds, and lead them to clear action at the end of the story.
Mirroring
People warm to and buy from people they feel are similar to them. We bond on similarities not differences. Which is where mirroring is your best friend. By subtly reflecting the tone, pace and volume of the voices in the room and mirroring body language you will build rapport much faster.
Don't make assumptions Don’t make assumptions. You may think you know who the decision maker is or fall into the trap of addressing the most senior person in the room but that is a dangerous strategy. Engage everyone there as much as possible as you don’t know who holds the real power. Be proud
You are not making unsolicited calls. Remember you have an answer or solution to a real life problem. Be proud about what you can offer, show your expertise and your passion as well as really listening to what they have to say.
Nailing the contents
As well as the physical delivery of the presentation, the contents is also key. Here are some pointers to ensure you have the best chance of success:
1. Keep concise
Research shows that our attention span declines after 10 minutes. But, you can maintain your audience’s attention for much longer if you break up your presentation at least every 10 minutes. You can do this by introducing questions, videos and polls.
2. Make it relevant
Never use a generic presentation. Ensure the language, images and, critically the content, are tailored to your audience. I like to use plenty of images from photo libraries like Pexels and Unsplash. You can also use quotes from business experts to back up what you are saying.
3. Ensure your presentation reflects your brand
Make your pitch look unique and professional. Incorporate your logo and brand colours. I always create a word and Powerpoint template with my branding to give it a professional feel. Remember it is also a way of reinforcing your brand and giving your audience a better feel of who you are.
4. Use case studies
Case studies make interesting and memorable content. Try and pick relevant ones that your audience can relate to. They are instant proof to aid your credibility and demonstrate the success of your product/solution you’re selling. They may also give new ideas to your audience to see how your brand could work in their environment.
Here are some sample questions you could ask your clients:
Name, position & business
How long have you worked together?
Summarise the work you have undertaken and when, outlining what was involved?
What made you select xx?
What is different about their offering?
What was it like to work with x?
What business impact has been generated (ideally can you quantify or quote a %)?
How have your customers responded?
Please provide a short quote that can be used as a customer testimonial for marketing
The perfect match
Try not to be disheartened if you don't win the work. Think instead what you have learnt from pitching for the project.
Action Woman adds "Losing out on a job does not mean you or your approach were not good enough. It simply means they were looking for something different. It is good to know that upfront and move on to clients who are looking for what you offer rather than being inauthentic or not being able to actually deliver the job. It’s a bit like dating - you’re looking for a great match on both sides."
Building on the right foundations
Of course your sales pitch is highly important, but ultimately you need to ensure you have a strong sales strategy. Without this, you wont be focused, and you could be wasting valuable resources targeting the wrong people with the wrong message.
For some further help, have a look at my free infographic, my sales and marketing jargon buster and the differences between sales and marketing.
Or get in contact for a chat about how to get your sales and marketing on track.
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