CHAPTER FIVE The Sales Presentation 5 Ways to Make It Pay Off It worked! Your list making, contact identification, and outbound prospecting have paid off.
Download ReportTranscript CHAPTER FIVE The Sales Presentation 5 Ways to Make It Pay Off It worked! Your list making, contact identification, and outbound prospecting have paid off.
Slide 1
CHAPTER FIVE
The Sales
Presentation
5 Ways to Make It Pay Off
It worked! Your list making, contact identification, and outbound
prospecting have paid off. The prospect wants to learn more about
your services. Like a first date, this is a chance for both you and your
prospect to get to know a little more about each other. Unlike your
prospect, though, you have the responsibility for making a great
impression and leaving the door open for building a relationship.
Here are five ways to make your sales presentation outstanding:
1.
Be prepared! If you want to make the most of
the relatively short time that you will be given
for your sales presentation, then you need to
be prepared. And that preparation takes three
forms:
First do your homework and gather all the
information you can about your prospect
and their company. Look them up on
LinkedIn, review their website, and check
your internal records to see if any work has
been done with their company (or a
competitor’s) in the past.
Second, check your tech. Make sure that
the technology you are using in your sales
presentation is working properly – and
make sure it’s still working about 10
minutes before the sales presentation, so
you can avoid any last-minute tech
emergencies.
Finally, your presentation. This is the time to focus on what you
bring to the table, including the distinction you established back in
Chapter 1. This is what got you in the door, and this is what the
prospect is interested in. So focus on your distinction and how you
stand out from the crowd.
The “Sandwich Technique”, applied to sales
presentations. The goal is to get as much
information about what the prospect is looking
for as possible. The more information you have
about them and their needs, the better you
can tailor the discussion to their role and
interests, and how you can help them. So,
after you have secured the presentation, try
asking for more information in order to have a
more efficient and productive discussion.
Often, prospects will not give you this
additional direction or will say they want a
“general capabilities” presentation…probably
because they just don’t know much about you
yet, and you haven’t established much trust.
So, the first five minutes of your presentation
should be used to establish credibility and
rapport. Briefly talk about your industry
experience, interests, and any former
employers or colleagues you might have in
common (from the prep work you did on
LinkedIn before the call). Then, ask the
prospect about their role in the company,
issues they are dealing with, the types of
research projects they most often get involved
with, what they think they envision needing in
the future, etc. Consider asking the prospect
what they saw in your emails that struck them
as particularly interesting. Any information
you get at this point is critical to helping you
tailor the rest of the presentation to the
prospect’s specific situation.
2.
Have a modular presentation. Creating a
modular presentation lets you customize your
sales presentation in advance – or on the fly
for those situations where you’re not sure
what interests the prospect. For example, if
your distinction is customer satisfaction
tracking research, you might include modules
on customer satisfaction tracking, loyalty
research, lost customer or win-back research,
employee satisfaction research, etc. Keep each
section relatively short so you can skip through
the irrelevant sections, but be prepared to
expand on each slide that seems to meet your
prospect’s needs.
4.
3.
Have a POV. Have a point-of-view. Be
prepared to take a stand on critical issues in
your specialty and to defend them
appropriately. You don’t always have to
agree with the prospect; great market
researchers will be willing to entertain
alternative approaches to accomplishing
their goals, especially if they offer a benefit
over what they are currently doing. Your
opposing/different viewpoint will often be
considered a positive – a way for a company
to look at things from a different perspective,
hopefully to ultimately help them derive
better insights and make better decisions.
Be professional. Remember to follow the basic
rules of personal and professional etiquette:
be on time (or better yet, a couple minutes
early) and respect time limits. Be sure to listen!
If you feel you are talking too much, you
probably are; stop and check in with the others
on the call or in the meeting. Ask them how
your presentation is resonating with them, if
what you’re discussing is relevant, and if they
have any questions so you don’t veer too far
off track. Think of the sales presentation like a
date; to learn more about the other person
you need to get them to talk to you…and when
you’re talking, try to keep it interesting!
5.
At the end of the presentation, which was hopefully more of a
discussion than a speech, before the call ends, you want to
establish some next steps. Was there something you agreed to
follow-up on during the call? Remind the prospect that you will be
doing that. Ask the client for their reaction to what they heard.
Would they be comfortable inviting your firm to submit a proposal
for their next research project? Is there anything preventing them
from working with you? The purpose of the sales call is to open
the door – so make sure you leave it open.
Bonus Tip: Reach out to the prospect via
LinkedIn after the call; if they accept your
connection, you’re probably in good
standing – if they don’t, well, at least you
know where you stand!
Slide 2
CHAPTER FIVE
The Sales
Presentation
5 Ways to Make It Pay Off
It worked! Your list making, contact identification, and outbound
prospecting have paid off. The prospect wants to learn more about
your services. Like a first date, this is a chance for both you and your
prospect to get to know a little more about each other. Unlike your
prospect, though, you have the responsibility for making a great
impression and leaving the door open for building a relationship.
Here are five ways to make your sales presentation outstanding:
1.
Be prepared! If you want to make the most of
the relatively short time that you will be given
for your sales presentation, then you need to
be prepared. And that preparation takes three
forms:
First do your homework and gather all the
information you can about your prospect
and their company. Look them up on
LinkedIn, review their website, and check
your internal records to see if any work has
been done with their company (or a
competitor’s) in the past.
Second, check your tech. Make sure that
the technology you are using in your sales
presentation is working properly – and
make sure it’s still working about 10
minutes before the sales presentation, so
you can avoid any last-minute tech
emergencies.
Finally, your presentation. This is the time to focus on what you
bring to the table, including the distinction you established back in
Chapter 1. This is what got you in the door, and this is what the
prospect is interested in. So focus on your distinction and how you
stand out from the crowd.
The “Sandwich Technique”, applied to sales
presentations. The goal is to get as much
information about what the prospect is looking
for as possible. The more information you have
about them and their needs, the better you
can tailor the discussion to their role and
interests, and how you can help them. So,
after you have secured the presentation, try
asking for more information in order to have a
more efficient and productive discussion.
Often, prospects will not give you this
additional direction or will say they want a
“general capabilities” presentation…probably
because they just don’t know much about you
yet, and you haven’t established much trust.
So, the first five minutes of your presentation
should be used to establish credibility and
rapport. Briefly talk about your industry
experience, interests, and any former
employers or colleagues you might have in
common (from the prep work you did on
LinkedIn before the call). Then, ask the
prospect about their role in the company,
issues they are dealing with, the types of
research projects they most often get involved
with, what they think they envision needing in
the future, etc. Consider asking the prospect
what they saw in your emails that struck them
as particularly interesting. Any information
you get at this point is critical to helping you
tailor the rest of the presentation to the
prospect’s specific situation.
2.
Have a modular presentation. Creating a
modular presentation lets you customize your
sales presentation in advance – or on the fly
for those situations where you’re not sure
what interests the prospect. For example, if
your distinction is customer satisfaction
tracking research, you might include modules
on customer satisfaction tracking, loyalty
research, lost customer or win-back research,
employee satisfaction research, etc. Keep each
section relatively short so you can skip through
the irrelevant sections, but be prepared to
expand on each slide that seems to meet your
prospect’s needs.
4.
3.
Have a POV. Have a point-of-view. Be
prepared to take a stand on critical issues in
your specialty and to defend them
appropriately. You don’t always have to
agree with the prospect; great market
researchers will be willing to entertain
alternative approaches to accomplishing
their goals, especially if they offer a benefit
over what they are currently doing. Your
opposing/different viewpoint will often be
considered a positive – a way for a company
to look at things from a different perspective,
hopefully to ultimately help them derive
better insights and make better decisions.
Be professional. Remember to follow the basic
rules of personal and professional etiquette:
be on time (or better yet, a couple minutes
early) and respect time limits. Be sure to listen!
If you feel you are talking too much, you
probably are; stop and check in with the others
on the call or in the meeting. Ask them how
your presentation is resonating with them, if
what you’re discussing is relevant, and if they
have any questions so you don’t veer too far
off track. Think of the sales presentation like a
date; to learn more about the other person
you need to get them to talk to you…and when
you’re talking, try to keep it interesting!
5.
At the end of the presentation, which was hopefully more of a
discussion than a speech, before the call ends, you want to
establish some next steps. Was there something you agreed to
follow-up on during the call? Remind the prospect that you will be
doing that. Ask the client for their reaction to what they heard.
Would they be comfortable inviting your firm to submit a proposal
for their next research project? Is there anything preventing them
from working with you? The purpose of the sales call is to open
the door – so make sure you leave it open.
Bonus Tip: Reach out to the prospect via
LinkedIn after the call; if they accept your
connection, you’re probably in good
standing – if they don’t, well, at least you
know where you stand!
Slide 3
CHAPTER FIVE
The Sales
Presentation
5 Ways to Make It Pay Off
It worked! Your list making, contact identification, and outbound
prospecting have paid off. The prospect wants to learn more about
your services. Like a first date, this is a chance for both you and your
prospect to get to know a little more about each other. Unlike your
prospect, though, you have the responsibility for making a great
impression and leaving the door open for building a relationship.
Here are five ways to make your sales presentation outstanding:
1.
Be prepared! If you want to make the most of
the relatively short time that you will be given
for your sales presentation, then you need to
be prepared. And that preparation takes three
forms:
First do your homework and gather all the
information you can about your prospect
and their company. Look them up on
LinkedIn, review their website, and check
your internal records to see if any work has
been done with their company (or a
competitor’s) in the past.
Second, check your tech. Make sure that
the technology you are using in your sales
presentation is working properly – and
make sure it’s still working about 10
minutes before the sales presentation, so
you can avoid any last-minute tech
emergencies.
Finally, your presentation. This is the time to focus on what you
bring to the table, including the distinction you established back in
Chapter 1. This is what got you in the door, and this is what the
prospect is interested in. So focus on your distinction and how you
stand out from the crowd.
The “Sandwich Technique”, applied to sales
presentations. The goal is to get as much
information about what the prospect is looking
for as possible. The more information you have
about them and their needs, the better you
can tailor the discussion to their role and
interests, and how you can help them. So,
after you have secured the presentation, try
asking for more information in order to have a
more efficient and productive discussion.
Often, prospects will not give you this
additional direction or will say they want a
“general capabilities” presentation…probably
because they just don’t know much about you
yet, and you haven’t established much trust.
So, the first five minutes of your presentation
should be used to establish credibility and
rapport. Briefly talk about your industry
experience, interests, and any former
employers or colleagues you might have in
common (from the prep work you did on
LinkedIn before the call). Then, ask the
prospect about their role in the company,
issues they are dealing with, the types of
research projects they most often get involved
with, what they think they envision needing in
the future, etc. Consider asking the prospect
what they saw in your emails that struck them
as particularly interesting. Any information
you get at this point is critical to helping you
tailor the rest of the presentation to the
prospect’s specific situation.
2.
Have a modular presentation. Creating a
modular presentation lets you customize your
sales presentation in advance – or on the fly
for those situations where you’re not sure
what interests the prospect. For example, if
your distinction is customer satisfaction
tracking research, you might include modules
on customer satisfaction tracking, loyalty
research, lost customer or win-back research,
employee satisfaction research, etc. Keep each
section relatively short so you can skip through
the irrelevant sections, but be prepared to
expand on each slide that seems to meet your
prospect’s needs.
4.
3.
Have a POV. Have a point-of-view. Be
prepared to take a stand on critical issues in
your specialty and to defend them
appropriately. You don’t always have to
agree with the prospect; great market
researchers will be willing to entertain
alternative approaches to accomplishing
their goals, especially if they offer a benefit
over what they are currently doing. Your
opposing/different viewpoint will often be
considered a positive – a way for a company
to look at things from a different perspective,
hopefully to ultimately help them derive
better insights and make better decisions.
Be professional. Remember to follow the basic
rules of personal and professional etiquette:
be on time (or better yet, a couple minutes
early) and respect time limits. Be sure to listen!
If you feel you are talking too much, you
probably are; stop and check in with the others
on the call or in the meeting. Ask them how
your presentation is resonating with them, if
what you’re discussing is relevant, and if they
have any questions so you don’t veer too far
off track. Think of the sales presentation like a
date; to learn more about the other person
you need to get them to talk to you…and when
you’re talking, try to keep it interesting!
5.
At the end of the presentation, which was hopefully more of a
discussion than a speech, before the call ends, you want to
establish some next steps. Was there something you agreed to
follow-up on during the call? Remind the prospect that you will be
doing that. Ask the client for their reaction to what they heard.
Would they be comfortable inviting your firm to submit a proposal
for their next research project? Is there anything preventing them
from working with you? The purpose of the sales call is to open
the door – so make sure you leave it open.
Bonus Tip: Reach out to the prospect via
LinkedIn after the call; if they accept your
connection, you’re probably in good
standing – if they don’t, well, at least you
know where you stand!
Slide 4
CHAPTER FIVE
The Sales
Presentation
5 Ways to Make It Pay Off
It worked! Your list making, contact identification, and outbound
prospecting have paid off. The prospect wants to learn more about
your services. Like a first date, this is a chance for both you and your
prospect to get to know a little more about each other. Unlike your
prospect, though, you have the responsibility for making a great
impression and leaving the door open for building a relationship.
Here are five ways to make your sales presentation outstanding:
1.
Be prepared! If you want to make the most of
the relatively short time that you will be given
for your sales presentation, then you need to
be prepared. And that preparation takes three
forms:
First do your homework and gather all the
information you can about your prospect
and their company. Look them up on
LinkedIn, review their website, and check
your internal records to see if any work has
been done with their company (or a
competitor’s) in the past.
Second, check your tech. Make sure that
the technology you are using in your sales
presentation is working properly – and
make sure it’s still working about 10
minutes before the sales presentation, so
you can avoid any last-minute tech
emergencies.
Finally, your presentation. This is the time to focus on what you
bring to the table, including the distinction you established back in
Chapter 1. This is what got you in the door, and this is what the
prospect is interested in. So focus on your distinction and how you
stand out from the crowd.
The “Sandwich Technique”, applied to sales
presentations. The goal is to get as much
information about what the prospect is looking
for as possible. The more information you have
about them and their needs, the better you
can tailor the discussion to their role and
interests, and how you can help them. So,
after you have secured the presentation, try
asking for more information in order to have a
more efficient and productive discussion.
Often, prospects will not give you this
additional direction or will say they want a
“general capabilities” presentation…probably
because they just don’t know much about you
yet, and you haven’t established much trust.
So, the first five minutes of your presentation
should be used to establish credibility and
rapport. Briefly talk about your industry
experience, interests, and any former
employers or colleagues you might have in
common (from the prep work you did on
LinkedIn before the call). Then, ask the
prospect about their role in the company,
issues they are dealing with, the types of
research projects they most often get involved
with, what they think they envision needing in
the future, etc. Consider asking the prospect
what they saw in your emails that struck them
as particularly interesting. Any information
you get at this point is critical to helping you
tailor the rest of the presentation to the
prospect’s specific situation.
2.
Have a modular presentation. Creating a
modular presentation lets you customize your
sales presentation in advance – or on the fly
for those situations where you’re not sure
what interests the prospect. For example, if
your distinction is customer satisfaction
tracking research, you might include modules
on customer satisfaction tracking, loyalty
research, lost customer or win-back research,
employee satisfaction research, etc. Keep each
section relatively short so you can skip through
the irrelevant sections, but be prepared to
expand on each slide that seems to meet your
prospect’s needs.
4.
3.
Have a POV. Have a point-of-view. Be
prepared to take a stand on critical issues in
your specialty and to defend them
appropriately. You don’t always have to
agree with the prospect; great market
researchers will be willing to entertain
alternative approaches to accomplishing
their goals, especially if they offer a benefit
over what they are currently doing. Your
opposing/different viewpoint will often be
considered a positive – a way for a company
to look at things from a different perspective,
hopefully to ultimately help them derive
better insights and make better decisions.
Be professional. Remember to follow the basic
rules of personal and professional etiquette:
be on time (or better yet, a couple minutes
early) and respect time limits. Be sure to listen!
If you feel you are talking too much, you
probably are; stop and check in with the others
on the call or in the meeting. Ask them how
your presentation is resonating with them, if
what you’re discussing is relevant, and if they
have any questions so you don’t veer too far
off track. Think of the sales presentation like a
date; to learn more about the other person
you need to get them to talk to you…and when
you’re talking, try to keep it interesting!
5.
At the end of the presentation, which was hopefully more of a
discussion than a speech, before the call ends, you want to
establish some next steps. Was there something you agreed to
follow-up on during the call? Remind the prospect that you will be
doing that. Ask the client for their reaction to what they heard.
Would they be comfortable inviting your firm to submit a proposal
for their next research project? Is there anything preventing them
from working with you? The purpose of the sales call is to open
the door – so make sure you leave it open.
Bonus Tip: Reach out to the prospect via
LinkedIn after the call; if they accept your
connection, you’re probably in good
standing – if they don’t, well, at least you
know where you stand!
Slide 5
CHAPTER FIVE
The Sales
Presentation
5 Ways to Make It Pay Off
It worked! Your list making, contact identification, and outbound
prospecting have paid off. The prospect wants to learn more about
your services. Like a first date, this is a chance for both you and your
prospect to get to know a little more about each other. Unlike your
prospect, though, you have the responsibility for making a great
impression and leaving the door open for building a relationship.
Here are five ways to make your sales presentation outstanding:
1.
Be prepared! If you want to make the most of
the relatively short time that you will be given
for your sales presentation, then you need to
be prepared. And that preparation takes three
forms:
First do your homework and gather all the
information you can about your prospect
and their company. Look them up on
LinkedIn, review their website, and check
your internal records to see if any work has
been done with their company (or a
competitor’s) in the past.
Second, check your tech. Make sure that
the technology you are using in your sales
presentation is working properly – and
make sure it’s still working about 10
minutes before the sales presentation, so
you can avoid any last-minute tech
emergencies.
Finally, your presentation. This is the time to focus on what you
bring to the table, including the distinction you established back in
Chapter 1. This is what got you in the door, and this is what the
prospect is interested in. So focus on your distinction and how you
stand out from the crowd.
The “Sandwich Technique”, applied to sales
presentations. The goal is to get as much
information about what the prospect is looking
for as possible. The more information you have
about them and their needs, the better you
can tailor the discussion to their role and
interests, and how you can help them. So,
after you have secured the presentation, try
asking for more information in order to have a
more efficient and productive discussion.
Often, prospects will not give you this
additional direction or will say they want a
“general capabilities” presentation…probably
because they just don’t know much about you
yet, and you haven’t established much trust.
So, the first five minutes of your presentation
should be used to establish credibility and
rapport. Briefly talk about your industry
experience, interests, and any former
employers or colleagues you might have in
common (from the prep work you did on
LinkedIn before the call). Then, ask the
prospect about their role in the company,
issues they are dealing with, the types of
research projects they most often get involved
with, what they think they envision needing in
the future, etc. Consider asking the prospect
what they saw in your emails that struck them
as particularly interesting. Any information
you get at this point is critical to helping you
tailor the rest of the presentation to the
prospect’s specific situation.
2.
Have a modular presentation. Creating a
modular presentation lets you customize your
sales presentation in advance – or on the fly
for those situations where you’re not sure
what interests the prospect. For example, if
your distinction is customer satisfaction
tracking research, you might include modules
on customer satisfaction tracking, loyalty
research, lost customer or win-back research,
employee satisfaction research, etc. Keep each
section relatively short so you can skip through
the irrelevant sections, but be prepared to
expand on each slide that seems to meet your
prospect’s needs.
4.
3.
Have a POV. Have a point-of-view. Be
prepared to take a stand on critical issues in
your specialty and to defend them
appropriately. You don’t always have to
agree with the prospect; great market
researchers will be willing to entertain
alternative approaches to accomplishing
their goals, especially if they offer a benefit
over what they are currently doing. Your
opposing/different viewpoint will often be
considered a positive – a way for a company
to look at things from a different perspective,
hopefully to ultimately help them derive
better insights and make better decisions.
Be professional. Remember to follow the basic
rules of personal and professional etiquette:
be on time (or better yet, a couple minutes
early) and respect time limits. Be sure to listen!
If you feel you are talking too much, you
probably are; stop and check in with the others
on the call or in the meeting. Ask them how
your presentation is resonating with them, if
what you’re discussing is relevant, and if they
have any questions so you don’t veer too far
off track. Think of the sales presentation like a
date; to learn more about the other person
you need to get them to talk to you…and when
you’re talking, try to keep it interesting!
5.
At the end of the presentation, which was hopefully more of a
discussion than a speech, before the call ends, you want to
establish some next steps. Was there something you agreed to
follow-up on during the call? Remind the prospect that you will be
doing that. Ask the client for their reaction to what they heard.
Would they be comfortable inviting your firm to submit a proposal
for their next research project? Is there anything preventing them
from working with you? The purpose of the sales call is to open
the door – so make sure you leave it open.
Bonus Tip: Reach out to the prospect via
LinkedIn after the call; if they accept your
connection, you’re probably in good
standing – if they don’t, well, at least you
know where you stand!
CHAPTER FIVE
The Sales
Presentation
5 Ways to Make It Pay Off
It worked! Your list making, contact identification, and outbound
prospecting have paid off. The prospect wants to learn more about
your services. Like a first date, this is a chance for both you and your
prospect to get to know a little more about each other. Unlike your
prospect, though, you have the responsibility for making a great
impression and leaving the door open for building a relationship.
Here are five ways to make your sales presentation outstanding:
1.
Be prepared! If you want to make the most of
the relatively short time that you will be given
for your sales presentation, then you need to
be prepared. And that preparation takes three
forms:
First do your homework and gather all the
information you can about your prospect
and their company. Look them up on
LinkedIn, review their website, and check
your internal records to see if any work has
been done with their company (or a
competitor’s) in the past.
Second, check your tech. Make sure that
the technology you are using in your sales
presentation is working properly – and
make sure it’s still working about 10
minutes before the sales presentation, so
you can avoid any last-minute tech
emergencies.
Finally, your presentation. This is the time to focus on what you
bring to the table, including the distinction you established back in
Chapter 1. This is what got you in the door, and this is what the
prospect is interested in. So focus on your distinction and how you
stand out from the crowd.
The “Sandwich Technique”, applied to sales
presentations. The goal is to get as much
information about what the prospect is looking
for as possible. The more information you have
about them and their needs, the better you
can tailor the discussion to their role and
interests, and how you can help them. So,
after you have secured the presentation, try
asking for more information in order to have a
more efficient and productive discussion.
Often, prospects will not give you this
additional direction or will say they want a
“general capabilities” presentation…probably
because they just don’t know much about you
yet, and you haven’t established much trust.
So, the first five minutes of your presentation
should be used to establish credibility and
rapport. Briefly talk about your industry
experience, interests, and any former
employers or colleagues you might have in
common (from the prep work you did on
LinkedIn before the call). Then, ask the
prospect about their role in the company,
issues they are dealing with, the types of
research projects they most often get involved
with, what they think they envision needing in
the future, etc. Consider asking the prospect
what they saw in your emails that struck them
as particularly interesting. Any information
you get at this point is critical to helping you
tailor the rest of the presentation to the
prospect’s specific situation.
2.
Have a modular presentation. Creating a
modular presentation lets you customize your
sales presentation in advance – or on the fly
for those situations where you’re not sure
what interests the prospect. For example, if
your distinction is customer satisfaction
tracking research, you might include modules
on customer satisfaction tracking, loyalty
research, lost customer or win-back research,
employee satisfaction research, etc. Keep each
section relatively short so you can skip through
the irrelevant sections, but be prepared to
expand on each slide that seems to meet your
prospect’s needs.
4.
3.
Have a POV. Have a point-of-view. Be
prepared to take a stand on critical issues in
your specialty and to defend them
appropriately. You don’t always have to
agree with the prospect; great market
researchers will be willing to entertain
alternative approaches to accomplishing
their goals, especially if they offer a benefit
over what they are currently doing. Your
opposing/different viewpoint will often be
considered a positive – a way for a company
to look at things from a different perspective,
hopefully to ultimately help them derive
better insights and make better decisions.
Be professional. Remember to follow the basic
rules of personal and professional etiquette:
be on time (or better yet, a couple minutes
early) and respect time limits. Be sure to listen!
If you feel you are talking too much, you
probably are; stop and check in with the others
on the call or in the meeting. Ask them how
your presentation is resonating with them, if
what you’re discussing is relevant, and if they
have any questions so you don’t veer too far
off track. Think of the sales presentation like a
date; to learn more about the other person
you need to get them to talk to you…and when
you’re talking, try to keep it interesting!
5.
At the end of the presentation, which was hopefully more of a
discussion than a speech, before the call ends, you want to
establish some next steps. Was there something you agreed to
follow-up on during the call? Remind the prospect that you will be
doing that. Ask the client for their reaction to what they heard.
Would they be comfortable inviting your firm to submit a proposal
for their next research project? Is there anything preventing them
from working with you? The purpose of the sales call is to open
the door – so make sure you leave it open.
Bonus Tip: Reach out to the prospect via
LinkedIn after the call; if they accept your
connection, you’re probably in good
standing – if they don’t, well, at least you
know where you stand!
Slide 2
CHAPTER FIVE
The Sales
Presentation
5 Ways to Make It Pay Off
It worked! Your list making, contact identification, and outbound
prospecting have paid off. The prospect wants to learn more about
your services. Like a first date, this is a chance for both you and your
prospect to get to know a little more about each other. Unlike your
prospect, though, you have the responsibility for making a great
impression and leaving the door open for building a relationship.
Here are five ways to make your sales presentation outstanding:
1.
Be prepared! If you want to make the most of
the relatively short time that you will be given
for your sales presentation, then you need to
be prepared. And that preparation takes three
forms:
First do your homework and gather all the
information you can about your prospect
and their company. Look them up on
LinkedIn, review their website, and check
your internal records to see if any work has
been done with their company (or a
competitor’s) in the past.
Second, check your tech. Make sure that
the technology you are using in your sales
presentation is working properly – and
make sure it’s still working about 10
minutes before the sales presentation, so
you can avoid any last-minute tech
emergencies.
Finally, your presentation. This is the time to focus on what you
bring to the table, including the distinction you established back in
Chapter 1. This is what got you in the door, and this is what the
prospect is interested in. So focus on your distinction and how you
stand out from the crowd.
The “Sandwich Technique”, applied to sales
presentations. The goal is to get as much
information about what the prospect is looking
for as possible. The more information you have
about them and their needs, the better you
can tailor the discussion to their role and
interests, and how you can help them. So,
after you have secured the presentation, try
asking for more information in order to have a
more efficient and productive discussion.
Often, prospects will not give you this
additional direction or will say they want a
“general capabilities” presentation…probably
because they just don’t know much about you
yet, and you haven’t established much trust.
So, the first five minutes of your presentation
should be used to establish credibility and
rapport. Briefly talk about your industry
experience, interests, and any former
employers or colleagues you might have in
common (from the prep work you did on
LinkedIn before the call). Then, ask the
prospect about their role in the company,
issues they are dealing with, the types of
research projects they most often get involved
with, what they think they envision needing in
the future, etc. Consider asking the prospect
what they saw in your emails that struck them
as particularly interesting. Any information
you get at this point is critical to helping you
tailor the rest of the presentation to the
prospect’s specific situation.
2.
Have a modular presentation. Creating a
modular presentation lets you customize your
sales presentation in advance – or on the fly
for those situations where you’re not sure
what interests the prospect. For example, if
your distinction is customer satisfaction
tracking research, you might include modules
on customer satisfaction tracking, loyalty
research, lost customer or win-back research,
employee satisfaction research, etc. Keep each
section relatively short so you can skip through
the irrelevant sections, but be prepared to
expand on each slide that seems to meet your
prospect’s needs.
4.
3.
Have a POV. Have a point-of-view. Be
prepared to take a stand on critical issues in
your specialty and to defend them
appropriately. You don’t always have to
agree with the prospect; great market
researchers will be willing to entertain
alternative approaches to accomplishing
their goals, especially if they offer a benefit
over what they are currently doing. Your
opposing/different viewpoint will often be
considered a positive – a way for a company
to look at things from a different perspective,
hopefully to ultimately help them derive
better insights and make better decisions.
Be professional. Remember to follow the basic
rules of personal and professional etiquette:
be on time (or better yet, a couple minutes
early) and respect time limits. Be sure to listen!
If you feel you are talking too much, you
probably are; stop and check in with the others
on the call or in the meeting. Ask them how
your presentation is resonating with them, if
what you’re discussing is relevant, and if they
have any questions so you don’t veer too far
off track. Think of the sales presentation like a
date; to learn more about the other person
you need to get them to talk to you…and when
you’re talking, try to keep it interesting!
5.
At the end of the presentation, which was hopefully more of a
discussion than a speech, before the call ends, you want to
establish some next steps. Was there something you agreed to
follow-up on during the call? Remind the prospect that you will be
doing that. Ask the client for their reaction to what they heard.
Would they be comfortable inviting your firm to submit a proposal
for their next research project? Is there anything preventing them
from working with you? The purpose of the sales call is to open
the door – so make sure you leave it open.
Bonus Tip: Reach out to the prospect via
LinkedIn after the call; if they accept your
connection, you’re probably in good
standing – if they don’t, well, at least you
know where you stand!
Slide 3
CHAPTER FIVE
The Sales
Presentation
5 Ways to Make It Pay Off
It worked! Your list making, contact identification, and outbound
prospecting have paid off. The prospect wants to learn more about
your services. Like a first date, this is a chance for both you and your
prospect to get to know a little more about each other. Unlike your
prospect, though, you have the responsibility for making a great
impression and leaving the door open for building a relationship.
Here are five ways to make your sales presentation outstanding:
1.
Be prepared! If you want to make the most of
the relatively short time that you will be given
for your sales presentation, then you need to
be prepared. And that preparation takes three
forms:
First do your homework and gather all the
information you can about your prospect
and their company. Look them up on
LinkedIn, review their website, and check
your internal records to see if any work has
been done with their company (or a
competitor’s) in the past.
Second, check your tech. Make sure that
the technology you are using in your sales
presentation is working properly – and
make sure it’s still working about 10
minutes before the sales presentation, so
you can avoid any last-minute tech
emergencies.
Finally, your presentation. This is the time to focus on what you
bring to the table, including the distinction you established back in
Chapter 1. This is what got you in the door, and this is what the
prospect is interested in. So focus on your distinction and how you
stand out from the crowd.
The “Sandwich Technique”, applied to sales
presentations. The goal is to get as much
information about what the prospect is looking
for as possible. The more information you have
about them and their needs, the better you
can tailor the discussion to their role and
interests, and how you can help them. So,
after you have secured the presentation, try
asking for more information in order to have a
more efficient and productive discussion.
Often, prospects will not give you this
additional direction or will say they want a
“general capabilities” presentation…probably
because they just don’t know much about you
yet, and you haven’t established much trust.
So, the first five minutes of your presentation
should be used to establish credibility and
rapport. Briefly talk about your industry
experience, interests, and any former
employers or colleagues you might have in
common (from the prep work you did on
LinkedIn before the call). Then, ask the
prospect about their role in the company,
issues they are dealing with, the types of
research projects they most often get involved
with, what they think they envision needing in
the future, etc. Consider asking the prospect
what they saw in your emails that struck them
as particularly interesting. Any information
you get at this point is critical to helping you
tailor the rest of the presentation to the
prospect’s specific situation.
2.
Have a modular presentation. Creating a
modular presentation lets you customize your
sales presentation in advance – or on the fly
for those situations where you’re not sure
what interests the prospect. For example, if
your distinction is customer satisfaction
tracking research, you might include modules
on customer satisfaction tracking, loyalty
research, lost customer or win-back research,
employee satisfaction research, etc. Keep each
section relatively short so you can skip through
the irrelevant sections, but be prepared to
expand on each slide that seems to meet your
prospect’s needs.
4.
3.
Have a POV. Have a point-of-view. Be
prepared to take a stand on critical issues in
your specialty and to defend them
appropriately. You don’t always have to
agree with the prospect; great market
researchers will be willing to entertain
alternative approaches to accomplishing
their goals, especially if they offer a benefit
over what they are currently doing. Your
opposing/different viewpoint will often be
considered a positive – a way for a company
to look at things from a different perspective,
hopefully to ultimately help them derive
better insights and make better decisions.
Be professional. Remember to follow the basic
rules of personal and professional etiquette:
be on time (or better yet, a couple minutes
early) and respect time limits. Be sure to listen!
If you feel you are talking too much, you
probably are; stop and check in with the others
on the call or in the meeting. Ask them how
your presentation is resonating with them, if
what you’re discussing is relevant, and if they
have any questions so you don’t veer too far
off track. Think of the sales presentation like a
date; to learn more about the other person
you need to get them to talk to you…and when
you’re talking, try to keep it interesting!
5.
At the end of the presentation, which was hopefully more of a
discussion than a speech, before the call ends, you want to
establish some next steps. Was there something you agreed to
follow-up on during the call? Remind the prospect that you will be
doing that. Ask the client for their reaction to what they heard.
Would they be comfortable inviting your firm to submit a proposal
for their next research project? Is there anything preventing them
from working with you? The purpose of the sales call is to open
the door – so make sure you leave it open.
Bonus Tip: Reach out to the prospect via
LinkedIn after the call; if they accept your
connection, you’re probably in good
standing – if they don’t, well, at least you
know where you stand!
Slide 4
CHAPTER FIVE
The Sales
Presentation
5 Ways to Make It Pay Off
It worked! Your list making, contact identification, and outbound
prospecting have paid off. The prospect wants to learn more about
your services. Like a first date, this is a chance for both you and your
prospect to get to know a little more about each other. Unlike your
prospect, though, you have the responsibility for making a great
impression and leaving the door open for building a relationship.
Here are five ways to make your sales presentation outstanding:
1.
Be prepared! If you want to make the most of
the relatively short time that you will be given
for your sales presentation, then you need to
be prepared. And that preparation takes three
forms:
First do your homework and gather all the
information you can about your prospect
and their company. Look them up on
LinkedIn, review their website, and check
your internal records to see if any work has
been done with their company (or a
competitor’s) in the past.
Second, check your tech. Make sure that
the technology you are using in your sales
presentation is working properly – and
make sure it’s still working about 10
minutes before the sales presentation, so
you can avoid any last-minute tech
emergencies.
Finally, your presentation. This is the time to focus on what you
bring to the table, including the distinction you established back in
Chapter 1. This is what got you in the door, and this is what the
prospect is interested in. So focus on your distinction and how you
stand out from the crowd.
The “Sandwich Technique”, applied to sales
presentations. The goal is to get as much
information about what the prospect is looking
for as possible. The more information you have
about them and their needs, the better you
can tailor the discussion to their role and
interests, and how you can help them. So,
after you have secured the presentation, try
asking for more information in order to have a
more efficient and productive discussion.
Often, prospects will not give you this
additional direction or will say they want a
“general capabilities” presentation…probably
because they just don’t know much about you
yet, and you haven’t established much trust.
So, the first five minutes of your presentation
should be used to establish credibility and
rapport. Briefly talk about your industry
experience, interests, and any former
employers or colleagues you might have in
common (from the prep work you did on
LinkedIn before the call). Then, ask the
prospect about their role in the company,
issues they are dealing with, the types of
research projects they most often get involved
with, what they think they envision needing in
the future, etc. Consider asking the prospect
what they saw in your emails that struck them
as particularly interesting. Any information
you get at this point is critical to helping you
tailor the rest of the presentation to the
prospect’s specific situation.
2.
Have a modular presentation. Creating a
modular presentation lets you customize your
sales presentation in advance – or on the fly
for those situations where you’re not sure
what interests the prospect. For example, if
your distinction is customer satisfaction
tracking research, you might include modules
on customer satisfaction tracking, loyalty
research, lost customer or win-back research,
employee satisfaction research, etc. Keep each
section relatively short so you can skip through
the irrelevant sections, but be prepared to
expand on each slide that seems to meet your
prospect’s needs.
4.
3.
Have a POV. Have a point-of-view. Be
prepared to take a stand on critical issues in
your specialty and to defend them
appropriately. You don’t always have to
agree with the prospect; great market
researchers will be willing to entertain
alternative approaches to accomplishing
their goals, especially if they offer a benefit
over what they are currently doing. Your
opposing/different viewpoint will often be
considered a positive – a way for a company
to look at things from a different perspective,
hopefully to ultimately help them derive
better insights and make better decisions.
Be professional. Remember to follow the basic
rules of personal and professional etiquette:
be on time (or better yet, a couple minutes
early) and respect time limits. Be sure to listen!
If you feel you are talking too much, you
probably are; stop and check in with the others
on the call or in the meeting. Ask them how
your presentation is resonating with them, if
what you’re discussing is relevant, and if they
have any questions so you don’t veer too far
off track. Think of the sales presentation like a
date; to learn more about the other person
you need to get them to talk to you…and when
you’re talking, try to keep it interesting!
5.
At the end of the presentation, which was hopefully more of a
discussion than a speech, before the call ends, you want to
establish some next steps. Was there something you agreed to
follow-up on during the call? Remind the prospect that you will be
doing that. Ask the client for their reaction to what they heard.
Would they be comfortable inviting your firm to submit a proposal
for their next research project? Is there anything preventing them
from working with you? The purpose of the sales call is to open
the door – so make sure you leave it open.
Bonus Tip: Reach out to the prospect via
LinkedIn after the call; if they accept your
connection, you’re probably in good
standing – if they don’t, well, at least you
know where you stand!
Slide 5
CHAPTER FIVE
The Sales
Presentation
5 Ways to Make It Pay Off
It worked! Your list making, contact identification, and outbound
prospecting have paid off. The prospect wants to learn more about
your services. Like a first date, this is a chance for both you and your
prospect to get to know a little more about each other. Unlike your
prospect, though, you have the responsibility for making a great
impression and leaving the door open for building a relationship.
Here are five ways to make your sales presentation outstanding:
1.
Be prepared! If you want to make the most of
the relatively short time that you will be given
for your sales presentation, then you need to
be prepared. And that preparation takes three
forms:
First do your homework and gather all the
information you can about your prospect
and their company. Look them up on
LinkedIn, review their website, and check
your internal records to see if any work has
been done with their company (or a
competitor’s) in the past.
Second, check your tech. Make sure that
the technology you are using in your sales
presentation is working properly – and
make sure it’s still working about 10
minutes before the sales presentation, so
you can avoid any last-minute tech
emergencies.
Finally, your presentation. This is the time to focus on what you
bring to the table, including the distinction you established back in
Chapter 1. This is what got you in the door, and this is what the
prospect is interested in. So focus on your distinction and how you
stand out from the crowd.
The “Sandwich Technique”, applied to sales
presentations. The goal is to get as much
information about what the prospect is looking
for as possible. The more information you have
about them and their needs, the better you
can tailor the discussion to their role and
interests, and how you can help them. So,
after you have secured the presentation, try
asking for more information in order to have a
more efficient and productive discussion.
Often, prospects will not give you this
additional direction or will say they want a
“general capabilities” presentation…probably
because they just don’t know much about you
yet, and you haven’t established much trust.
So, the first five minutes of your presentation
should be used to establish credibility and
rapport. Briefly talk about your industry
experience, interests, and any former
employers or colleagues you might have in
common (from the prep work you did on
LinkedIn before the call). Then, ask the
prospect about their role in the company,
issues they are dealing with, the types of
research projects they most often get involved
with, what they think they envision needing in
the future, etc. Consider asking the prospect
what they saw in your emails that struck them
as particularly interesting. Any information
you get at this point is critical to helping you
tailor the rest of the presentation to the
prospect’s specific situation.
2.
Have a modular presentation. Creating a
modular presentation lets you customize your
sales presentation in advance – or on the fly
for those situations where you’re not sure
what interests the prospect. For example, if
your distinction is customer satisfaction
tracking research, you might include modules
on customer satisfaction tracking, loyalty
research, lost customer or win-back research,
employee satisfaction research, etc. Keep each
section relatively short so you can skip through
the irrelevant sections, but be prepared to
expand on each slide that seems to meet your
prospect’s needs.
4.
3.
Have a POV. Have a point-of-view. Be
prepared to take a stand on critical issues in
your specialty and to defend them
appropriately. You don’t always have to
agree with the prospect; great market
researchers will be willing to entertain
alternative approaches to accomplishing
their goals, especially if they offer a benefit
over what they are currently doing. Your
opposing/different viewpoint will often be
considered a positive – a way for a company
to look at things from a different perspective,
hopefully to ultimately help them derive
better insights and make better decisions.
Be professional. Remember to follow the basic
rules of personal and professional etiquette:
be on time (or better yet, a couple minutes
early) and respect time limits. Be sure to listen!
If you feel you are talking too much, you
probably are; stop and check in with the others
on the call or in the meeting. Ask them how
your presentation is resonating with them, if
what you’re discussing is relevant, and if they
have any questions so you don’t veer too far
off track. Think of the sales presentation like a
date; to learn more about the other person
you need to get them to talk to you…and when
you’re talking, try to keep it interesting!
5.
At the end of the presentation, which was hopefully more of a
discussion than a speech, before the call ends, you want to
establish some next steps. Was there something you agreed to
follow-up on during the call? Remind the prospect that you will be
doing that. Ask the client for their reaction to what they heard.
Would they be comfortable inviting your firm to submit a proposal
for their next research project? Is there anything preventing them
from working with you? The purpose of the sales call is to open
the door – so make sure you leave it open.
Bonus Tip: Reach out to the prospect via
LinkedIn after the call; if they accept your
connection, you’re probably in good
standing – if they don’t, well, at least you
know where you stand!