Inside Sales Series Five ways to create more impact and movement with your inside sales presentations Inside Sales Series

David Malone Trainer| Speaker | Consultant

Often presentations like this one, suggest that there is a difference between making a face to face ‘PowerPoint’ presentation and giving a virtual inside sales one via web technology And I’d agree with this!

However, from my experience often what follows is a presentation about face to face presenting principles disguised as best practice virtual presenting..... regardless of whether it is or not. And that’s not so good!

Don’t get me wrong! So principles transfer fine... But most don’t! For sure there are some fundamental principles that will remain the same regardless of whether your sales presentation is with a real audience or a virtual one. But there are some things you must plan and execute differently!

You are competing against their i-phone/tablet/laptop which they are using while attending your remote presentation They won’t expose own short comings or ignorance in front of a virtual audience They often exclude themselves from open conversations with you the presenter by pressing the mute button Virtual Sales Presentations are different because

So based on my experience, I will put forward five ideas to help you to create virtual sales presentations that are more engaging and that will move your opportunity to the next stage. PS: And I promise not to use any face to face presenting tips unless they are relevant!

Begin with the end of mind! If you build your presentation message slowly you risk losing your audience’s attention fast. Open up by painting a picture of what it might look like 6 months into using your product or service – then work the presentation backwards. 1 UTOPIA

Context: Create contrast with a very detailed ‘now versus 6 months time’ Numbers: Include the numbers and KPI indicators that are important to the various buyer types in the audience Visuals: Use graphs to show visual contrasts – graphs and the like You should do this by using

Get the audience involved – its not a lecture! 2 2

Asking Questions that require articulation by the buyer –How does this compare with what you currently use? –What advantages might this bring? –How is this different? –What concerns have you? –In what ways might this you benefit you? –In what ways could this give you an advantage? Do this by asking more questions at all stages of the presentation

Present the sales prospect’s holiday photographs committment 3

Question: Which set of holiday photographs are more interesting to you …. (a) Holiday photographs that you are in? (b) Holiday photographs of a stranger in a strange location? Answer : Your ‘holiday photographs’ because – 1. You are in them … you are the star of the show! 2. You are familiar with the location 3. They are about your world and your experiences YOUR PRESENTATION SHOULD LOOK AND FEEL LIKE THEIR SET OF PHOTOGRAPHS …… here’s how

Their Holiday Photos! Use their slide template / colours (if possible) Use their preferred type face Use images from their world /website (or similar) Dual brand Use examples / case studies from their target market / preferred vertical / existing client base Reference their products, processes and protocols throughout (Using their language and phraseology)

Hand over control Let audience be a part of your presentation 4

Uploading our slides in advance to webinar platform Allowing audience access to slides as you progress through the presentation. Handing over control to the keyboard: Let the audience make adjustments to presentation as you proceed. Letting them experience as much of the product or service as is possible via the web presentation technology. Allowing them adjust aspects of the presentation (If appropriate) Do this by

Don’t just deliver the presentation... Try and move it towards the next step in your sales process Include next step 5

Include ‘discussion around a next step’ as a visual agenda item at the start of your presentation Have a slide called ‘Next steps’ When you arrive at this slide link your prompt for a next step to the feedback they have given you Paraphrase their feedback Be suggestive....(For example) “Might I suggest the next step will be to write a more detailed proposal with pricing?” Here’s how …

“Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go – they merely determine where you start” – Quibein davemalonesalescoach