PRESENTING & SELLING
Presentations serve a variety of purposes. They can be used to inspire and motivate people or they can be designed to convey information formally (as in a lecture) or informally (as in a team briefing).
But most often, they are used to promote a product, service, or idea, or to persuade stakeholders about a particular course of action. In other terms, whether overtly or covertly – most presentations aim to sell.
SELLING SUCCESSFULLY IN YOUR PRESENTATION
- Sell benefits, not features
The presenter must centre on what matters most to the buyer – general discussion won’t do. Talk about specific benefits. How does the product or service help to solve a problem or improve a situation?
- Believe what you are saying
An animated, enthusiastic presentation is a must. Buyers do not want to buy from someone who does not appear fully committed to the product, even if it is relevant to their needs.
- Expect to close
If the presentation is effective, the decision to buy, or buy in, is a natural step. Be prepared to ask for some kind of commitment and agree to take immediate action, even if it is only setting up a further meeting.
- Show, don’t tell
Visual representations and physical demonstrations bring sales presentations to life. People remember what they see and do for themselves, so be creative.
- Know your stuff
To establish your credibility, you need to know a great deal about your product or service. As well as handling general, predictable queries, be prepared to demonstrate your knowledge in every respect.
Reference: Aileen Pincus
