You have an important sales presentation coming up with some all-too-important clients. It’s a chance to land a big account. A chance to impress you bosses. So, how do you not blow it?
Some sales presentations are a hit and others fail, and it’s good to know not every factor is under your control. Still, there are many different ways to make mistakes during a sales presentation, and you can stack the deck in your favor by avoiding some of the most simple and basic errors.
Here are five quick tips on how to avoid sales presentation disasters:
Avoid too much obvious ad-libbing. While you want to avoid a canned, stiff presentation full of clichés, presenting on the fly can bring about its own set of problems. Don’t slack on your level of preparation, so that your organization, information and talking points are spot on even while you’re being casual.
Know your tech. Do not let computer or projector problems take away from your presentation. Know how to use PowerPoint, back up your presentation files, prepare for poor Internet connectivity (with backup files), use a remote, and disable updates and notifications on your tablet or laptop.
Know what to do if you get caught off guard. You won’t have an answer for everything. So know your responses to those situations ahead of time. When you’re met with objections or don’t have all of the necessary research on hand, know what you will say and do next.
Be aware of body language. It should be obvious, but don’t stand with your back to the room – you should not be reading word-for-word from your presentation. And be aware of awkward, non-verbal body language – always smile and look people in the eye.
Don’t talk too much … really. Yes, it’s your presentation, but you can talk too much. No one wants to sit through a boring one-way presentation. Make plenty of time to listen, answer questions, and make it interactive.
Bring real value. Whatever mistakes you might make, don’t make the mistake of giving a presentation that doesn’t include valuable information. Be clear and concise in articulating the value of what you are presenting and why it’s important.
Some sales presentations are a hit and others fail, and it’s good to know not every factor is under your control. Still, there are many different ways to make mistakes during a sales presentation, and you can stack the deck in your favor by avoiding some of the most simple and basic errors.
Here are five quick tips on how to avoid sales presentation disasters:
Avoid too much obvious ad-libbing. While you want to avoid a canned, stiff presentation full of clichés, presenting on the fly can bring about its own set of problems. Don’t slack on your level of preparation, so that your organization, information and talking points are spot on even while you’re being casual.
Know your tech. Do not let computer or projector problems take away from your presentation. Know how to use PowerPoint, back up your presentation files, prepare for poor Internet connectivity (with backup files), use a remote, and disable updates and notifications on your tablet or laptop.
Know what to do if you get caught off guard. You won’t have an answer for everything. So know your responses to those situations ahead of time. When you’re met with objections or don’t have all of the necessary research on hand, know what you will say and do next.
Be aware of body language. It should be obvious, but don’t stand with your back to the room – you should not be reading word-for-word from your presentation. And be aware of awkward, non-verbal body language – always smile and look people in the eye.
Don’t talk too much … really. Yes, it’s your presentation, but you can talk too much. No one wants to sit through a boring one-way presentation. Make plenty of time to listen, answer questions, and make it interactive.
Bring real value. Whatever mistakes you might make, don’t make the mistake of giving a presentation that doesn’t include valuable information. Be clear and concise in articulating the value of what you are presenting and why it’s important.
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