Business presentations enable you to personally introduce your products to prospective customers. One of the things that your potential clients value very much is brevity. They expect your presentation to summarize a few key points, answer the questions or concerns they might have, explain the benefits that you are offering them, and provide facts that can help them to decide whether to do business with you or not.
You don’t want to go to a meeting ill-prepared so here are a few pointers that should help you nail your next presentation.
Package your message in form of client benefits
Whether you are talking about physical goods or services, people spend money on them mostly because of their benefits and not their features. Few customers care about the ingredients of your business proposal. Almost all potential customers want to know the benefits that those ingredients will bring them first. You should therefore make sure that every point you present clearly shows the benefit that a customer will enjoy.
Frame your proposal in a way that answers one of the customers’ most important questions, “What’s in it for me?”
Ask, then listen
Although a proposal is mostly about you telling potential clients what you can do for them, always remember that the conversation should go both ways. The likelihood of a sale happening increases as a prospective client asks questions, shares his reservations, and gives opinions. You should therefore make your presentation short and give many chances for clients to step in.
During your presentation, ask questions to potential clients that require more than simple one-word answers. Nod every time a potential client gives a valid point but avoid interrupting.
Show, don’t tell
People start owning a product the moment they take it for a test drive, put it in their hands, or carry it into a fitting room. If you sell physical products, you should take every opportunity to allow potential clients to hold and try the products out. You should know that people are more likely to want your products when they get involved in a tactile manner.
Pre-empt objections
When you are making a presentation to potential clients, you must be prepared for objections and criticism. Your clients are likely to raise objections to delay your presentation in order to gather more facts from you to justify their buying decisions. Most times, potential clients disguise their questions in form of objections so as to get more out of you.
You should brainstorm any objections that potential clients might raise and prepare to answer them. In fact, you should introduce objections on behalf of the clients in order to start conversations where you will address the objections. If potential clients follow up with their own questions, probe further to figure out exactly what he/she wants to know. Show potential clients that you understand their questions by paraphrasing first and then responding positively.
The M word
Do not discuss budgets and money too much shortly after meeting your potential clients. You should try to make the conversation about your clients’ problems and the solutions you have to offer.
A solution like this one from Barco ClickShare can enable more professional presentations.
Post supplied by Mark Stubbles, Mark gets very nervous before a presentation but finds that proper preparation helps.