Strategies for creating a sales presentation

Most sales presentations I see these days do not address any of the questions that potential clients have, most are centered around telling the company story and the product but do not necessarily address the potential client. In sales, if you are not addressing the clients needs you are wasting your time. When communicating with a potential client, remember they are always thinking: “Why should I listen to you? What is in it for me? If you can’t answer these questions right off the bat, chances are you are not going to get pass the intro call/e-mail.

Mos of the presentations I read usually read something like this:

My company is….

We provide….

We have been very successful…

We work with XYZ clients….

Creating a great sales presentation requires a strategic approach that answers the basic question your potential client has, which are: Why should I listen to you? Why is in it for me? How will this benefit me?

Here’s a brief outline that you can use when building a sales presentation. This will help you brainstorm and build a clear sale proposition that will help you navigate the complex sales process:

1 — Outline your product benefits

• What are all the benefits associated with my product?

(Make a list as long and as detailed as possible. Include all major benefits, side benefits, and so forth)

2 — What are my potential consumer motivators?

• How does my product relate to my consumer’s two greatest motivations — the desire for gain and the fear of loss?
• Are there any other motivators that are worth exploring?

3 — Product differentiation

• What makes my product different from competing products?
• How can I raise the perceive value of my product without significantly raising my price?
• In light of all the facts (cost of good, cash flow, competitive advantages and offers) what is the best offer I can make my consumer (pricing, payment terms, rebates, volume discounts, premiums, and so forth?)

4 — Logical question about the potential consumer of my product

• Who is my primary consumer, and what percentage of my market does he or she represent? (Consider sex, age range, socioeconomic demographics, geographical location, etc…)
• What are the primary and secondary motivations for this consumer to buy the type or class or product I’m selling?
• What objections and excuses might this consumer use to delay or avoid a buying decision about this product?
• What answers or rebuttals to each of these objections and excuses can I offer?
• How can I improve the consumer’s perception of my product (awareness, credibility, quality, value)?

Spend some time going through these questions. Once you have a basic presentation that covers and addresses all these questions, reach out and get feedback. You can do this by sharing your presentation with people or friends in your industry or by building a survey and offering a reward in exchange for feedback.

Remember: Selling is not about telling your story or what your company does. It is about uncovering the prospects needs and proving how your product or service solves that particular need.

Originally published at ederholguin.com on February 10, 2015.