You’ve prepared, and done your homework. Finally you are about to sit down with your prospective client – or perhaps do a group presentation.
Think of three parts to the presentation, and it will make things much easier and smoother.
The opening:
If anyone is in your meeting that you have not directly met before, you need to get them up to speed, and set the foundation for why you are meeting and what you have learned. This is an introductory point to get all on the same page. For example:
As you may or may not know, I was called in initially by John Smith, in response to lower sales numbers than in past years. I had the opportunity to do some team and individual assessments, which has brought us here today to present our proposal.
The middle:
Explain what it is that you are here today to present – a proposal, a plan, and outline, or an idea. By having a good, clear opening first, you can lay the foundation for what it is that you are really here to say. Then say it.
Sales have dipped 25% in the past year due to turnover and inconsistencies in your sales method. Our recommendation is sales consulting on your process, and individual coaching with key sales reps – because the reps have different levels of experience and success. We want to bring everyone up a notch – and to help them make their numbers they need customized plans. (Show 3 PowerPoint slides or handouts. Keep it brief.
The summary:
Wrap up your ideas at the end by summarizing:
As adults we need repetition for main ideas to absorb. Do a quick summary review of the presentation. Don’t do what most people do though…. They begin to summarize, and then go off on a tangent so the summary loses most of its power. This happens when presenting ideas ALL the time. Stay succinct. If you have realized you forgot some point or story that is important – still wrap up and go back afterward to your thought once you’ve summarized and you have a pause to gather your thoughts.
In conclusion, “tell them what you are going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them.”. This will help drive home your main points, and offer a good chance of the prospective customer retaining some of what you presented. Make it interactive, and do a similar approach if you're doing this remotely - by phone or webinar.
