How important in the sales process is the actual presentation

Some of my colleagues at work feel they need additional sales training on how to present our company. They actually think that to have each of us give our 20 minute presentation will be beneficial to each of us.

I feel that the presentation is the culmination of all the other steps of the sales process that got you to the presentation point and while the presentation itself is important, all the other steps prior to the presentation are far more important. If you dont know your audience, understand their pains and have built rapport, you are just throwing a dart and hoping for a bullseye regardless of how well refined your actual presentation is.

Anyone have any feedback on this? -gpeterman

I think you're right about the role of the steps prior to the presentation. If your company feels the same way then what kind of presentation are they wanting you and the others to give? -Houston

Is it a standard, "canned" presentation? Or does each salesperson have the freedom to create their own presentation?

If is a company canned presentation, then the only benefit from group practice is to get feedback on the "sincerity" and polish of the presentation (and to give management an opportunity to evaluate how well or poorly their "message" is getting out--and who to come down on).

On the other hand, if each salesperson has the opportunity to develop their own presentation, the practice sessions can be very beneficial. It's a great opportunity to get feedback on what is good and want needs to be worked on. It gives everyone else the opportunity to pick up some tips on what one salesperson is doing that is really good. It gives those with less confidence and polish the opportunity to work on their presentations. It can give the group opportunities to present to different types of "buyers" and in different "situations." It can give people the opportunity to try new things. The benefit list is almost endless.

But the benefits of group presentations are only there if the salespeople take the task seriously. That's where the tough part comes in--getting buy-in by everyone that the exercise can be helpful.

Typically, if it is a company canned presentation, it's pretty useless because the only objective of most people is to get the words down exactly without the slightest interest in what they're really doing. But, then, company canned presentations tend to be pretty worthless anyway. But that's a whole different discussion. -pmccord

gpeterman,

I believe if you replace your presentation with a well thought-out diagnosis, you run farther and it better differentiates you from the other salespeople who are selling by presenting.

When I was an embalmer I saw how doctors were selling $100,000 plus procedures without selling. They diagnosed the situation and let patients decide what they wanted to do. There was no pressure only the facts.

And as we know, people don't argue with doctors.

What do you think? -Bald Dog

Houston,
I agree with your comment

Good work -Snowboy

In my business the presentation does not seem to be a high priority with my customers. If we're talking about the way I present myself, then yes, I think that makes a big impression on them.

Many of my customers aren't really interested and don't have time to look at my demonstration products. They want to visit with me and leisurely look through the brochures in their own time.

My business has been steadily growing since I started last October and I had my biggest sales this campaign. (campaigns are every 2 weeks). -ozzie

Being a good presenter does not necessarily make you a skilled salesperson. It is just one of several skills that enhance your probability of succes

Presenting is akin to marketing activities, which are one-to-many communication modes.

It is far more important to develop personal relationships of mutual trust and respect. The latter is a sales activity, which is a one-to-one communication. -JacquesWerth

Hello,
I think I agree most with Paul. (Great Comment Paul),

I think it is imperitive that all staff have their own personalised presentation or if it is a "canned" presentation the freedom to put their own personality in it.

Cheers. -dodobird

Agreed Ozzie - Self Presentation in any sales field is important -Snowboy

Well said Jacques - Keep up the great post and comments -Snowboy

William - Creating a presentation based on your own personality shoud come as a normal thing to anyone in sales. Delivery of any topic in sales should be done using a personal touch. Does anyone else agree with this?

CHeers. -Snowboy

I agree with you Houston. -John Hughes

Nicely Said Snowboy -John Hughes

"It is far more important to develop personal relationships of mutual trust and respect. The latter is a sales activity, which is a one-to-one communication."

I believe my customers and I regard the relationship between us as the most important thing and it's probably what gets me the most sales. Some customers are busy and don't have or take time to develop a relationship with me. These customers don't order regularly either. -ozzie

Try selling without a presentation. -Wonderboy

What is a "presentation" to you? -Houston

Bare minimum: a greeting or introduction, interviewing the prospect and the offer. If you work in an industry where you do billing or troubleshooting, then take care of that first before doing an interview to gather information (of course the offer would give details on the product or service while the interview would tell you whether an opportunity exists to make a sale - if you have access to a customer's account, you should review that first). -Wonderboy

Every salesperson presents. Whether that presentation is a formal presentation, wrapped up in a questioning process, mailed as a flier or brochure, or done with hand signals, everyone presents somehow, someway. It's communicating information the prospect needs or wants to know.

Question based selling is just as much presenting as a traditional presentation, just a different package.

The question isn't what's the newest, neatest process, or the wow-est new concept, or the most popular at the moment. It's what do you do well and how you can you do that when you're selling. For some, it's a formal presentation. For others, it's question based. For another, it may be another process.

Everyone is different--that's why there are so many different processes. They all work, some better than others--for the right people. All you have to do is find the process that works for you and then do it as often as possible. -pmccord

Way back when I entered the big, wide, world of selling the only training I got being told to go gettum tiger!

After a couple of years of bouncing off walls and not finding any reasonable success I took the Dale Carnegie Sales Course. In those days they focused on the acronym AICDC if I remember correctly.

A =Attention
I = Interest
C= Conviction
D= Desire
C= Close

From this formula I was able to create a presentation that could be easily adjusted for about any new circumstance. It also let my mind relax so I could listen more intently to my customer.

Has anyone else used this formula?

Chuck -Sales Pro 1000

You got it right except for the order, which is, AIDCA. It was first identified as the "Five Step Buying Decision Model." Later, salespeople used it as a way to manipulate prospects mind through the buying process.

I learned that formula in 1953 when I majored in Industrial Sales at what is now New York Technical University. The concept originated in the 1930s. It was tested and verified by a large group of psychologist in the late 1940s. Then, it was used as the foundation of the "Scientific Selling" movement of the 1950s, which was the precursor to "Consultative Selling." All of those concepts are derivations, of the now obsolete “Needs Selling” paradigm.

In the new “Wants Selling” paradigm, you only spend time with prospects that already have the Attention, Interest and Desire. Then, your sales focus is strictly on Conviction and Action. -JacquesWerth

Well said Jacques -Snowboy

"When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything that needs to be fixed will get nailed." - Annon.

There are far more effective sales tools than presentations. -JacquesWerth

I believe it's the presentation bit that holds salespeople back from being perceived as peers by buyers. That's why buyers often demand detailed proposals, detailed presentations and other bits and bobs which cost the seller a small fortune. And this small fortune is spent on buyers who've never expressed a conditional commitment to buy if the seller can fulfil their buying criteria.

Most of these buyers are not wildly committed but merely mildly interested.

How come that the non-presenting professions don't have the typical sales problems? Have you ever seen a heart surgeon do a sales presentation. It's justified because he's selling a $100,000 triple bypass procedure.

He doesn't present and no one argues and haggles with him. Why is that? I think it's because a thorough diagnosis was done beforehand, and the patient came to the decision to change (buy the procedure) without any coercion or typical closing techniques from the doctor. The doctor's power lies in the fact that he gives the power of decision to the patient. The doctor is fine whatever the patient decides. The doctor doesn't overcome objections.

I still believe that doctors are some of the best salespeople out there. But that's just me. And being a former medical professionals (well, embalmer), I'm a bit biased for the medical profession. -Bald Dog

My idea of a presentation is presenting the pros and cons of a recommended solution. Doctors do that too. -Iceman

Iceman, it seems to me from your comment that yours is not even a proper presentation (one-way preaching) but a relaxed and honest hype and bull****-free dialogue between peers. And that's brilliant. -Bald Dog

I have never known another way. How do others deliver presentations? Why would a presentation be one-way preaching? :cu -Iceman

In my experience, the salesperson comes into the boardroom, grabs hold of the projector's remote control, and then the monologue starts. The salesperson talks and the audience listens. After the presentation the manager says, "Good work Joe. I loved the dancing Teddy bear on the screen. I'll present your presentation to the boss, and if interested, we'll get back to you."

This is what I meant. And it happens so often. -Bald Dog

I have not experienced that type of presentation before. Are there industries where that is standard procedure? -Iceman

From my experience I see the use of a Power Point presentation is valuable in that it allows one to smoke out the major hitters within a company much earlier than a one-on-one sales call.

It doesn't guarantee that 100% will be in attendance, and probably they aren't.

I've had excellent results using a presentation like this when selling large groups where multiple people are involved with the buying decision.

Chuck -Sales Pro 1000

That's not a presentation style that I've used either. Maybe it's a coporate thing? :dun -Houston

Houston, what do you sell? -Sales Pro 1000

Real Estate. -Houston

Houston,

That was a fast reply.

I've not sold real estate so I'm not familar with what does and doesn't work to build one's business.

I do sell promotional advertising products to some local realtors but unfortunately most that I'm working with are floundering in this present market situation.

I guess I might be asking a loaded question here.

Have you ever used advertising specialty products successfully in your business?

Did you find they made any kind of difference?

I'd appreciate your thoughts about using the concept in this market that seems to be countrywide at this point and not just local.


Thanks for sharing whatever you can.

Chuck -Sales Pro 1000

Not that I remember. What type of businesses have you found see the most success with advertising specialty products? -Houston

Good question, Houston.

All businesses and organizations can benefit from the use of advertising specialty products if they are a part of a well thought out and executed project.

Realtors make up a sizeable portion of my business in the last part of the year. I sell them wall calendars, refrigerator magnets, pens, pencils, rulers, jar openers and the list goes on and on. -Sales Pro 1000

I don't see how advertising specialties would help me. How are other real estate agents using them successfully? -Houston

One of our clients is a $20 million a year dealer in promotional products.

Their biggest markets are pharmaceutical companies and the safety departments of major manufacturing, chemical, oil and mining companies. The latter are in the form of rewards for reductions in reportable accidents.

They do that with 5 salespeople. -JacquesWerth

Houston, thanks for your kind reply.

The key to spending money on advertising specialties is to have an outcome in mind before one can make an intelligent decision.

Let's say your farm is 1000 homes. Let's say you were to walk to each of these homes and leave something tangible on their doorknob.

What do you think the odds are that something positive will come out of this action? -Sales Pro 1000

Jacques,

Many thanks for your thoughtful contribution. I'm all ears.

Chuck -Sales Pro 1000

I think the odds would be low and improve with each delivery because of timing, awareness and positive association. The same for mail or telephone prospecting. -Houston

Houston, thanks.

I don't want to appear to have stolen this thread with my focus on advertising specialties so I want to insert the fact that the "presentation" here is really what is left on the door knob that will encourage one or two things. (1) the knee jerk response for the recepient to call to say thank you, and (2) a tool they can keep with your contact information on it

I feel as you do the odds are that the response to the effort is low. Most realtors I talk to feel the same way. Now for the rest of the story.

My 13 yr old grandaughter wanted something to do to earn money this summer and there are not many options for someone that age.

We signed up as an Avon representative. She walks from door-to-door on two streets near her home delivering catalogs. She covers two blocks on each street covering both sides. She knocks or rings the doorbell at each house, and if someone comes to the door she hands the catalog to them. If not, she leaves it. It takes her about 20 to 30 minutes for each street. After her second two week campaign she's making from $30 to $50 every two weeks.

She couldn't make this kind of money mowing lawns, and she basically has an annuity coming in now that school has started cause she can continue on the weekends.

Can this concept be applied to something like real estate?

Chuck -Sales Pro 1000

About 10 years ago I created a monthly brochure featuring all of my listings. I had my assistants drop these off in person to FSBOs. They would use it as a conversation opener if someone was home. If nobody was home they would leave the brochure on the front porch. It worked out pretty good. -Houston

Thanks for sharing Houston -Snowboy

Have you ever read Sharon Drew Morgens buying facilitation. I have been practicing this method for years and rarely need to do a presentation of my services.. if you ask the right questions to uncover not only the needs, but also thier buying habbits, ensure that building a rapport with the prospect is number one priority, then the prospect rarely needs you to go through a presentation. -zandrea

What do you consider a Presentation to be? -Calvin

Most of my sales are conducted over the phone. But what I mean by way of presentation is that I would perhaps do a PP presentation, go over the USP's or relevant selliong points and basically give information about what I have to offer. -zandrea

When does the prospect find out about what you have to offer? -Calvin

Hello Zandrea.

It's my suspicion that to enable you to be able to pick up the phone and write business is the result of someone, somewhere, at some previous time has spent the time, energy using their skills to make a presentation to those you are contacting.

In my area personnel services are a big and very competitive business and those I know who are successful can't rely on their clever use of words and phrases.

I'm a bit confused here.

Chuck -Sales Pro 1000

I often find, throughout the time when I am asking questions and building a rapport with the porspect, they will start to ask me questions (if I've done my job right anyway) like "can I help with that problem" or "how does my service compare to my competitors" I try to refrain from going into detail especially if I don't know enough about thier situation to know if I can actually help them. If I have come to the end of questioning them and am sure I help solve thier problems then I will just ask what they need to know about me and what I do. I will always get them to tell me, how I should sell myself to them. -zandrea

Isn't telling them about you and what you do a Presentation? -Calvin

I often write business on a first call, without the need for a face to face - to prospects that have not had a prior presentation.
The industry I work in is very competitive and I do not use any magic words or phrases. I just listen and ask the right questions. I approach all my prospects from a position of trust and I find that that they in turn reflect that back to me. The services my company offers are exactly the same as hundreds of others, therefore I try to be a little different in the way i sell to my prospects. The clients I bring on board, are happy to stay with me and even recomend me to other clients. The candidates I place in roles also become clientsand continue to use me -zandrea

A presentation to me is when you inform the prospect about you, your company and the solutions you're offering. It could even include demonstrating capabilities. -Calvin

This has been one of the better threads I just had to read through - people really kicking the ball around in a respectful and helpful way.

We have a presentation we can do using a booklet or online - it can be altered - BUT what matters most is first knowing why you're evening doing it and what's expected as an outcome. From that everything flows that matters.

The best I ever did at a friend's house was after pizza, wine and salad. My friends who are also distributors thought I should be formal and do this and that and say this and that - they had a very conventional format layed out and it was their best idea. But I didn't see it that way for reasons I won't get into now.

So after dinner after we'd been eating and chatting, etc. having fun - and the presentation was no surprise, they were expecting it - I asked for a big knife, was handed a big kitchen carving knife which I used to cut the lid of a huge pizza box which happened to be cheese and sauce free, and taking a big black magic market I began doing a presentation on the underside of the lid.

When I was finished I drew my famous duck at the bottom and signed it.

Six months later when I began making regular trips to the Milwaukee area to work with these new distributors, I stayed with them and the first thing I saw in their office was the pizzz box lid on top of their roll top desk.

Obviously some presentations are formal - group presentations using power point is something we also do, or one-on-ones with lap tops or booklets - but this is one I'll never forget.

MitchM -MitchM

Hope you don't mind me asking you a few questions.

Would you present to all your prospects?
Is there a standard presentation that you use, or would you adapt it to the prospect?
How often would you say you had objections or questions after you had done a presentation?
Do you consider a presentation to be something that you deliver on a face to face basis or would you do that over the phone? -zandrea

Would you present to all your prospects?

-YES if they said they wanted a presentation and were committed to acting on it.

Is there a standard presentation that you use, or would you adapt it to the prospect?

-Both

How often would you say you had objections or questions after you had done a presentation?

-Few objections. mostly questions of clarification during or after.

Do you consider a presentation to be something that you deliver on a face to face basis or would you do that over the phone?

-Either works for our business.

MitchM -MitchM

zandrea, in reading your post, a question came to mind. Is it your opinion that a "presentation" is synonymous with "magic words or phrases" or that a presentation is in some way contrary to establishing trust with a prospect? -Skip Anderson

I agree with you, Calvin.

And I would just add that a presentation is (or should be) focused on how our product or service meets the specific needs of the prospect to be most effective. -Skip Anderson

FWIW, here are my thoughts, zandrea:

Would you present to all your prospects? ALL THOSE WHO NEED A PRESENTATION, WHICH IS MOST PROSPECTS.

Is there a standard presentation that you use, or would you adapt it to the prospect? THE MORE ADAPTED A PRESENTATION IS TO THE PARTICULAR AND SPECIFIC NEEDS OF A PROSPECT, THE BETTER. IT'S THE OLD "WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME" IDEA - PROSPECTS ONLY CARE ABOUT WHAT MATTERS TO THEM. CANNED PRESENTATIONS ONLY SPEAK TO GENERALITIES.

How often would you say you had objections or questions after you had done a presentation? FAIRLY FREQUENTLY.

Do you consider a presentation to be something that you deliver on a face to face basis or would you do that over the phone? A PRESENTATION CAN BE DONE FACE-TO-FACE OR ON THE PHONE DEPENDING UPON THE DYNAMICS OF THE SELLING SITUATION.

[thanks for putting up with my BOLD responses!. -Skip Anderson

Zandrea,

Thanks for a more complete picture. I'm getting the drift of where you are going with this and what makes you successful. Keep up the excellent work and thanks for sharing.

I'm taking notes!

Chuck -Sales Pro 1000

Yes. Some presentations don't cover as many topics as others.

I have different modules of information or mini-presentations that I adapt specific to what I know about the prospect and his or her scenario.

A lot of the time prospects have common questions or concerns.

It could be delivered either way depending on the situation. -Houston