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Sales Technique Article - The Perfect Sales Presentation

Before you attend the meeting

Knowing your product/service is obviously essential, but can you highlight your company's USP?

Once you have put together your company details for a sales presentation, don't stick your USP in at the beginning as you will need this later.

Use notes and/or visual prompts.

Put these in to the likely order you will be presenting, as you should be controlling the presentation.

Research the prospect.

Your company may only offer a single solution, but how it will be received by your prospect will depend on the research you do before you attend.

At the meeting

Before you start check the time available for the meeting with the prospect. Then close with, "Are you going ahead with our service today?", or, "What timeframe are you working on before a decision is made?".

This is valuable information.

A) If the answer is, "Yes we are going ahead today", then you need to be looking at getting the contract signed/agreement confirmed in the meeting.

B) If the answer is, "No we are not deciding today but we will let you know later this week", then you need to make sure that you do not leave the meeting without an agenda for you and the prospect to agree on. Such as, "OK do you want me to call you Friday morning?".

The presentation

Start as you always do from previous successful presentations (if it ain't broke, why fix it?).

Cross reference your research on your client with your solution/product. Look for client approval (eye contact, nodding head) but avoid questions.

Bring in customer testimonials, experiences you have had or colleagues in relation to your service/product. HIGHLIGHT potential negatives and how to overcome these. You may be swimming into deep water even talking about a negative, but don't think the prospect isn't already formulating the same thought so you need to allay any fear. Also the negative has to be one that has a genuine possibility and a real solution to overcome it.

Fees/costs/price and the USP. They go together like strawberries & cream.

Client questions. If the client brings up no questions, be more concerned than if they do. If the client has a list of questions in his/her hand, ask if you may look at it, then cover each question (this will probably mean repeating part of your presentation). If the client has the list in front of him or her at the beginning of the presentation then ask to see it at the start, make a note of any question that isn't in the presentation, hand the list back to the client and tell the client which if these questions you will answer in the presentations and which you would like to address at the end.

ONE SIZE FITS ALL?

No is the answer. A good sales presenter will adapt the presentation every time, but never vary it too much as you will find the next prospect is different again. So the secret is to start with your same basic presentation then adapt it at the meeting or with your research notes.

Helpful hints

Make a check list of everything you should be covering in the meeting.

When booking the meeting TELL the prospect how long the presentation normally takes, ask if this is OK. If the client can only give you 10 minutes, then shorten the meeting to product/service, client testimonial, price & USP. (If this takes longer than 10 minutes then negotiate with your client for an extra 10 minutes).

Bring copies of the visuals/notes for the client. If there are 10 people attending the meeting then 10 copies for them, each one with your business card attached and leave spaces on the notes for your prospective to write down their own notes and questions to refer back to later.

If you are using a PowerPoint presentation make sure the prospective has something to take away with them.

Never leave the meeting without an agreed follow up agenda (unless you are walking out with a signed contract).

Use the three close formula:

1st close: At the beginning of the meeting ("Are you going ahead with our service today?").

2nd close: Price/USP, "does this meet with your approval?".

3rd close: Overcoming objections/ further questions. Ask again.

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