CHAPTER 11
PREPARING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION

• How much information about the prospect is available
• The type of product or service you are selling
• Other factors unique to your own business and that of the prospect.

• Establish rapport and gather information

• meet decision makers
• uncover buying motives

• Presentation
• Handle objections
• Trial close

• Get the order

• Try to provide new money making ideas
• Don't give the same presentation over and over

• Fact finding questions
• Features and benefits to stress
• Objections anticipated
• Objection handling techniques
• Closing techniques

• Ask and answer questions
• Explore options
• Seek creative solutions

• Seller prepares an outline of the presentation in written form.
• Useful when the product or service requires extensive research into customer needs
• You must have developed several "units of conviction" worksheets
• The call is still structured

• Reveals need for any additional information,
• Makes it possible to check needs and goals against suggested solutions,
• Makes sure that you have a clear picture of the entire situation before arriving for the interview.

• Takes a tremendous amount of
1. Product knowledge
2. Selling skills and experience

• To sell your product to your customer.

• Features
• Advantages
• Benefits of your 

• Product
• Marketing plan
• Business proposal.

• Allow buyer to develop positive personal attitudes toward your product.
• Attitudes result in desire (or need).
• Convert need into want and into the belief that your product can fulfill a certain need.

• your product is best 
• you are the best source from which to buy.

1. Fully Discuss Your Product
   • Features
   • Advantages
   • Benefits
2. Present Your Marketing Plan.
3. Explain Your Business Proposition (value/cost comparison).

• Don't worry about making the perfect presentation.
• It's more important that you truly believe in your product.

• Sellers typically presents 6-8 features or benefits in a presentation
• Prospect remembers only one
• 39% of the prospects remember that one thing incorrectly
• 49% percent remember something that was not even mentioned

1. Using questions.
2. Being empathetic.
3. Keeping the message simple.
4. Creating mutual trust.
5. Listening.
6. Having a positive attitude and enthusiasm.
7. Being believable.

• Major premise.
• Minor premise.
• Conclusion.

• Make the presentation fun.
• Personalize your relationship.
• Build trust.
• Use body language.
• Control the presentation.
• Use the Paul Harvey dialogue.

• suggest the prospect should act now.

• name the famous or respected people or companies that use your product.

• attempt to have the buyer sell himself by imagining himself using the product.

• suggest that the prospect buy your product

• make it seem as if the purchase of your product is the buyer's idea.

• Gets the buyer to express why he or she needs the product
• Will probably also compel him or her to defend his purchase decision.

• a comparison statement using the words "like" or "as"

• implied comparison that uses a contrasting word or phrase to evoke a vivid image.

• compares two different situations which have something in common.

• Past sales help predict the future.
• The guarantee.
• Testimonials.
• Company proof results.
• Facts and Statistics
• Demonstrations - show the product in use
• Testimonials
1. Have your referral call the prospect
2. Bring letters
• Samples - appeal to the senses if possible
• Case Histories

• Restate the benefit before proving it.
• State the source and relevant facts or figures about the product.
• Expand of the benefit.

• Ask Questions.
• Product use.
• Visuals.
• Demonstrations.
• Listen
• Encourage the prospect to ask questions

• Increase retention.
• Reinforce message.
• Reduce misunderstanding.
• Create a unique and lasting impression.
• Show your buyer you are a professional.
• VISUAL AIDS HELP TELL THE STORY

• Short term results
• Your product should show immediate benefits

• Discover their goals and plans at the preapproach
• Concentrate on your offering's exclusive aspects
• Stress their personal and company benefits

• Personal relationship is not important.
• Don't spend too much time on the relationship
• Move quickly to a substantial benefit with a payback
• Be brief stress the bottom line
• Get them involved. Let them lead
• Drivers test your mettle. Prepare for a debate.
• Answer objections. Don't bluff
• Present alternatives. Let the prospect choose
• Use an action close.

• They are visionaries, dreamers
• Open with innovative suggestions for them to grow
• Learn and relate to their "game plan" Lots of questions
• Discuss ideas and concepts with respect
• Use some showmanship
• Don't get into arguments
• Ask if they want you to respond to their "blue sky" comments.
• Testimonials are important
• Let them see how it fits into their plan.

• Structured. They study everything
• Know their business thoroughly
• Use facts
• Prepare several alternatives

• They want to know you.
• They need your enthusiasm
• Approach with lots of personal information
• Bring testimonials, case studies and third party references
• Develop a personal relation ship with the prospect

• Data oriented
• Structured approach
• Low key, logic based
• Be sure that they understand your structure
• Emphasize test proven benefits
• Visual aides, charts and graphs. "Leave behinds"
• Don’t exaggerate or act flamboyantly
• Point out positives and negatives of your offering
• Use a detailed summary as a close.

• Convince of your sincerity.
• They have a hard time saying yes.
• Don't sound "canned."
• Make it look real informal but well organized
• Empathize. Reflect their feelings
• Spend time on the relationship during the presentation
• Be open and candid
• Use an interesting, entertaining style
• Assume the sale and move to the next step.

• Catch the buyer's interest
• Fortify your points
• Help the prospect understand
• Keep you interested and enthusiastic
• Cut down on the number of objections
• Help you close
• Get the prospect "involved"

• Concentrate the Prospect’s Attention on You
• Demonstrate Your Interest in the Prospect - start off by handing them something
• Demonstrate Benefits not features

• Let the prospect do something simple.
• Let the prospect work an important feature.
• Let the prospect do what he would frequently do.
• Ask the prospect questions throughout the demonstration.

• Is the demonstration needed and appropriate?
• Have I developed a specific demonstration objective?
• Have I properly planned and organized the demonstration?
• Have I rehearsed to the point that the demonstration flows smoothly and appears to be natural?
• What is the probability the demonstration will go as planned?
• What is the probability the demonstration will backfire?
• Does my demonstration present my product in an ethical and professional manner?

• "You know your product better than you know how your client's business can use it."
• You must determine what kind of buying decision to recommend to the prospect

• Building blocks in constructing the information you present.
• Prepared ahead of time
• Practiced until you are comfortable
• Add them to your store of available options for later use.
• Become a permanent part of your selling arsenal.
• Learn how to personalize units of conviction
• Recall them in the best order for helping the prospect see them clearly

1. Feature
2. Benefit
3. Buying motive associated with this benefit
4. Evidence or proof statements
5. Nail down or trial close

• Quality
• Convenience
• Cost saving
• Status
• Security

• The components of your product or service
• They are the same no matter who uses the product or service.

• Benefits are the value to the customer
• Translating features into benefits is one of your most important skills
• Transitional phrases connect features to benefits
• Because ..
• This lets you …
• That means …
• What this gives you …

• You need to develop a general sheet
• A specific sheet for each customer

• A yes/no question that confirms that the prospect agrees that the benefit is applicable
• If the prospect says no then go back over this benefit
• This gives you feedback and builds commitment

• After making a feature - benefit sequence
• After the presentation.
• After answering an objection.
• Immediately before you move to close the sale

• Built around benefits
• Fosters 2 way communication
• Leads to the close
• Gets the whole story out in less time
• Keeps the presentation on track

• Personal letters of reference
• Business cards of clients
• Pictures of clients using the product
• Pictures of finished installations

• Computers
• Videos
• Slides
• Presentation software use is growing

• Rehearse them!
• Customize them to fit each individual customer.
• Make them simple, clear, and straight forward.
• Control the demonstration.
• Make the demonstration true to life.
• Encourage prospect participation.
• Incorporate trial closes (nail downs) after showing or demonstrating a major feature, advantage, or benefit in order to determine if it is believed or important to the prospect.

• Their office
• Your office
• Restaurant
1. Less interruptions
2. Your prospect is obligated to listen
3. Non threatening atmosphere
4. Less stressful

• Wait until the prospect's attention is completely back to you.
• Restate the selling points that were of interest to the prospect.
• Invite participation.
• Make sure interest has been regained, then proceed.

• Offer to leave the room if the prospecy must take a call
• Turn off or silence your cell phone or pager.

• Customer gets involved with more than one person
• More accurate need definition
• Very useful of product is technical
• Different individuals bring more selling skills

• Requires special planning
• Must have a leader
• Must agree on objectives
• Must be better rehearsed

• Leader

• Coordinates the effort
• Monitors presentation
• Shows leadership, maturity and responsibility
• Must know the product, company policies and markets

• Tech advisor
• Finance advisor
• Etc

• Salesperson and barrister (attorney)
1. Good guy. Bad guy
2. Makes salesperson more careful
3. Impresses the importance off the meeting
• Opener and closer

• Trying to reach an agreement
• Use a win-win approach
• Negotiation takes place throughout each phase of the selling process.

• Predict problems ahead of time
• Talk to others that have worked with the prospect

• Information gathered will uncover the real needs of the prospect
• Agreement that a problem needs a solution sets the stage for negotiations

• Both parties are searching for a solution
• The "nail down" or trail close helps you confirm that needs are being met

• even after need discovery.
• Many objections are a request for information

• Shows that you are listening
• Gives you time to think

• a "what if" question that assumes that the prospect has made the decision

• request for additional freebies after the agreement has been made

• "Limited budget"
• Test the validity of the budget

• Talk it over with the "boss"
• You did not qualify this prospect

• physically grimacing when price is mentioned

• prospect says something is not negotiable when in fact it is
• Avoid through needs discovery and active listening

• Set it aside for now.
• It might not be all that important.

• Don't give away anything without getting something

• Get help