Presentations:
The sales presentation is where you tell your story as previously discussed there are many ways to make a presentation. Your presentation can be a simple few sentences to a long sales letter, a speech or presentation, a slide show, a video sales letter, or e-mail. There are many ways to make presentations, your business will define what works best for you.
Presentations are made in a variety of ways. You may use a few different ways during the sales process. As each step in the sales process needs to be planned and implemented we always suggest that you write out your complete presentation.
Once you have written your first draft you can take the step of recording your presentation. You want to see how it flows, how does it sound?
Taking these steps will do two things:
- You will learn about all the objections and stumbling blocks in your presentation. You can then write out your responses to objections.
- You will be practicing and gaining confidence with each phase of the process. Confidence is a critical factor in all sales presentations. The more confidence you have, the better your chance of making a sale.
Initial Prospect presentation
These presentations can be anything from a classified ad to a phone call or in person meeting. This is a very important step, so close attention should be paid to these presentations.
This is your first contact, in most cases. You can easily make a bad impression so practice makes perfect.
You should have two or three ads made up so you can test them against each other. Find out the one that pulls the best results and use it to test all other advertisements.
If you make your presentation in person or on the phone, you need to have written out scripts to practise.
Testing is a key factor in sales. Find something that works, this becomes your “Control” ad or script. All other ads or scripts will be tested against the results your “Control”. This holds true with direct mail ads, email ads and even classified ads. You find a winner, then try for another winner. Testing is the only way to keep on top of your market place.
We live in an information time, we are bombarded with information every minute of the day and night. If you do the same type of advertising, don’t expect good results from your ads.
You must stand out from the crowd!
Standing out from the crowd is a proven technique in today’s very busy information world. You need to find something that makes you different. Dare to be outrageous in fact pick up Bill Glazer’s book in our Amazon library Outrageous Advertising, a great read.
Your Outrageous thing doesn’t need to be a major thing, but just something that you can do better or faster or a little cheaper. You can even add something to your product or service as a bonus or extra. These little additions or changes can sometimes be enough to make you standout.
If you can figure out something big that can work for you then use it. If possible, break it down into a couple of components and offer one as a Free introductory offer and the second part as a component they get once you have their contact information.
These Free products alone can be your standout point in your initial presentation or contact. I use them every day in my mortgage business. I offer free books available in books by e-mail or hard copy sold on Amazon.
Find a way to stand out from the crowd with your advertising. Stop just giving your name and contact information. You are wasting time, space and money when you look like everyone else. You need to stand out from the crowd. Attract some attention, then offer your prospect something that they can use in exchange for their contact information or the chance to make your presentation.
The Free product is your magnet to attracting a new prospect.
Grab their attention by offering them something of real value. The more value you can give them the better this single idea works. If your prospect or customer gets real value from this free product they will also develop a relationship with you where they may feel a little indebted to you for your great gift. Check our section on building a Free Product.
This is your plan and goal of the initial presentation. Build the prospects interest in your product or service. Make them want to learn and hear more.
Now it’s time for the Sales presentation.
Sales Presentations:
You have their attention, now you need to convert this initial interest into a burning desire to want and need your product or service.
You need to spell out how and why your product will help your customer or client. Do not focus on the features of your product, focus on how that feature will help your customer. Describe how they will save time, effort, money or whatever it is your product or service does. Tell them how your specific product or service will help them right now, today.
Stop selling what you think everyone else is selling. Start selling how your client will benefit from using your product or service. How will it change their life? Paint a picture of how life will be once they own your product or service. Will it make things easier? Faster? more profitable?
Sit down now and write out your benefits and features for your product or service. After each benefit, you now need to paint a little picture of how this will make your customer feel. Build these feelings into your presentation. Too many sales people miss this critical step. You need to figure out how your product or service will change your customer’s life and learn how to express this in your advertising.
Do not be afraid of a long script or sales letter. If it draws your client into your presentation they will read and listen to you.
Make them want your service/product. If possible, add some bonuses for people that act fast. If you can, make only a few of your products or services available at a time you can use scarcity in your presentation. If only a few can have it, many will normally want it. You must build this scarcity into your presentation. This is a very important feature if you can make it work for your business.
You need to move your client through the process systematically. Write out your presentation and once again record it and practice it. Write out all the objections and issues that may pop up. Make sure you review your presentation from all sides.
Act as a client that would want to buy your product or service. Then act like one that would never want it. Write out every objection you can find. Ask your current clients the issues that cause them concerns.
Your current clients make the best place to test new ideas and products or services. They also make the best place to research how to make your products or services better. Do your research, talk to your past clients, and find out what they like and dislike. Survey your current and old clients to see what they liked about you and your business. Use this information to build or improve on your presentations. What could be done to make your product or service better and worth more. This is critical research and should be conducted as soon as possible.
Involve the prospect in the presentation
Talking to your client is one thing, listening is another. Allowing your prospect to become involved in the presentation is a very important step. Build your presentation so that you have OPEN ended questions that need more than a yes or no answer.
Make a point on a feature or benefit than ask them how they would feel once they have your product or service. Get them involved in the product demonstration. Allow them to touch and feel your product if possible. Once they do, ask them how this makes them feel. Can they see themselves using this?
Write out a series of questions that you can use throughout your presentation to get them involved. If your presentation is not in person, then build questions into your sales letter. You need to make your prospect feel like they already own your product or service.
The better you can do this the easier it will be to close the sale and make a new customer. If this is not part of your presentation now, you need to make it part. Write out 3 ways you can get your prospects involved or thinking about how they will feel once they own your product or service.
Missing the above step can be a fatal error and you already have enough issues that make it hard to succeed. Not listening to your clients is not one that you can afford to have.
Reach out and contact your past clients and customers
Your sales presentation must be worked over multiple times. You start with your initial sales presentation and then test different parts out. Testing out each section of your presentation allows you to create a better offer for your clients.
It makes you a better sales person and eventually if you do it often enough it can make you a lot of money.
Test, Test and Test some more!
Yes, it means more work, even when you think you have the perfect presentation but practice makes perfect. Perfect is an ever-changing thing, nothing will ever be perfect. You must continue to test and research what works and what doesn’t. Change is not a bad thing, it allows you to adapt to new situations. It makes you stronger and more adaptable. Embrace change, find ways to make your business stand out from all the rest. Find your “Secret Ingredient” then use it to your advantage.
There is no failure if you try to learn each time something doesn’t work. Failure only occurs when you no longer try. If you give up and stop moving forward, then failure has beaten you. If you have read this far I doubt you are a failure.
You are like me and searching for that great idea that will help you to sell more of your products or services. I feel insatiable when I read and study sale and marketing material. Even though the majority has been already written it is changing daily due to our methods of communication.
Years ago, who would have thought email or texting would be a way you are being sold a product or service. Who even considered the idea that the Internet would have such a major impact on the sales and marketing world?
This is not to say the old proven methods of direct mail and in person selling have disappeared or become useless. Far from it, today’s new methods allow you to gain a deeper understanding and sharper focus on your specific client or customer.
Learn to master these new techniques to help increase your prospecting and chances to sell your service and products.
Study the masters of this art, Tom Hopkins, Brian Tracy, Zig Ziglar, Harvey McKay and Anthony Robbins. Our Amazon library is full of great sales leaders and their books. You need to master your ability to make a great sales presentation. Learn from the best