Sales presentations are your make-or-break moment. They decide whether you will land that deal or not. And in today’s competitive landscape with prospects being busier and more informed than ever, a mediocre slideshow won’t make the cut. Complex problems require easy solutions (yes, clients want straight answers to solve their pain points) and your presentation should deliver just that.

In this guide you will learn tips to deliver a successful sales presentation. 

What is a sales presentation?

What are the components of a sales presentation?

• Problem presentation 
• Proposing solutions 
• Highlighting value of the product/service 
• How your offering works
• Next steps on how to proceed post presentation

How to deliver a successful sales presentation?

👥 Understand the audience 

Understanding your audience comes first. It means knowing who you are speaking to, what the client’s problems are, what is the resolution they’re looking for, and how your product/service will help them solve that problem.

Make sure you tailor your sales presentation specific to the client for them to feel like you actually understand their problem and that your product is the perfect solution. You can do this by mentioning any of their recent achievements or giving a percentage higher than what they are already accomplishing.

📝 Craft a compelling message

How do you create a sales presentation with a personalized touch that instantly clicks with the audience? Let’s find out.

• Address the problem

By this time, you have figured out the pain points of the customer and how they are looking to resolve it. Show them that you see their challenges, relate to their concerns, and have a tailored solution just for them.

• Present the solution

Provide a solution to the problem. People are interested in features, agreed, but go one step further, make their lives easier and talk about how they will benefit from these features. 

Create a scenario where they can visualize the effects of using your product/service, what changes it will bring about, what numbers they can achieve and what their graph can look like.

• Back it up with data

If you’re presenting numbers, provide a well-researched, round about figure of what is achievable. You can also quickly run them through your research strategy and how you arrived at these numbers.

You can top it off with testimonials from other clients who have faced a similar problem to prove credibility and gain their trust. 

• Summarize at the end

Go over the features and benefits of your product/service once more. Explain the motto of the company, how you are dedicated to solving customer problems, and why your offering is the best suited to their situation. 

• Engage with questions

Use hand gestures to express yourself, create polls which compels the participants to pick up their device to answer, or even raise their hands to ask questions. 

This also combats our human tendency to zone out, keeping them mentally present.

End your presentation by opening the floor to questions your customers might have. Clear their doubts, and reassure them of the product/service value. 

📊 Use visual aids

Visual aids make a sales presentation more engaging and memorable. Using different colours, graphs, product demos and images grab more attention and are likely to keep the audience engaged throughout. 

🔮 Incorporate storytelling

Weaving stories in your sales presentation is the best way to establish relatability with your customers. It helps simplify complex solutions and also connect with them on an emotional level. 

For example, tell them a story of a customer who faced a similar issue and how their perspective of that problem changes after using your product/service. Mention to them the number they achieved and your support through the journey, especially post a deal close. 

This will provoke curiosity and instill faith in your customers toward the brand. 

What are some tips on making an interesting sales presentation?

💬 Communicate clear and simple 

Do not try to get overly technical with your presentation. 

Keep it simple. Don’t add too many data points or technical details that will overwhelm the audience. Pick the top 3-5 pain points of the customer, and explain how these can be solved using visual aids, videos and storytelling techniques.

🎬 Add unique elements to be memorable

What sets you apart from your competitors? What is your unique offering your customer should consider before choosing you? Add these elements in your presentation to make it memorable. 

Benefits and solutions that stand out from the competition are more likely to be etched onto memory than a generic one. 

These elements can be anything - humour, live polls, storytelling, or peculiar visuals.

🪞Rehearse

Plan your presentation in advance by structuring the content, refining the flow, and perfecting your delivery. Then, rehearse it thoroughly to ensure a smooth and confident presentation.

🧍Confident body language

Look confident and relaxed while delivering the presentation. This is your first impression as a brand and you want it to go well.

Practice looking in the eye while speaking to your audience, this is a sign that you are interested and listening carefully to what they have to say. Stand up straight, have a firm handshake, smile and nod when required.

💻  Seamless internet connectivity 

In case you are presenting online, make sure your internet connection is strong and other technicalities are well set up. Excessive static, echoing, and buffering kills the mood and for all you know, your prospect has stopped listening midway.

What are the mistakes to avoid during a sales presentation?

🗣 Avoid a monologue approach 

Trust me, nobody wants to hear you go on about your product for 30 minutes straight. You are only going to bore your prospects. 

Make sure to keep your sales presentation engaging, inviting and conversational. Ask open ended questions, include interactive elements and encourage your attendees to express their opinions. 

Two way communication is a healthy exchange of information, and one of the best ways to understand the expectation of the other party and work on it.

🤨 An unclear objective 

Define a clear objective from the start and reinforce it throughout the presentation. If your audience doesn’t know what they should do next, they won’t take action.

❌ Going to a meeting unprepared 

Never enter a sales presentation with poor preparation. We have discussed this earlier. Planning ahead and rehearsing is the key. It boosts confidence and saves you from the embarrassment of looking unprofessional.

🏃 Rushing through a presentation 

Your speech should sound consistent, you should enunciate and pause when required. Small breaks give time to absorb and opine. Be calm, steady, observe people’s reactions and play around it.

🤗 Lack of personalization

Don’t pitch the same old, generic, universally applicable solutions to everyone. 

Let’s go back to the top of the blog and analyze the part of understanding your audience. 

Start implementing these tips today and watch your sales presentations invite hundreds of sales quotations, and convert them into buying customers. 

Don’t forget to read our blog about how to prepare an efficient sales quotation. It’s part of the deal. C’mon now, go.