Do Your Sales PresentationsMake You or Break You?

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Practice untilyou know it so

well you can beinterrupted, or

questioned, and notget !ustered.

BONUSFOCUS

By Kate Tunison, PresentingPlus!

working properly. Don’t wait until the lastminute to set up. Be ready before the appointedtime and welcome participants into the meetingspace. Own the room. As others arrive on your"turf," it will be a con!dence builder. In all myyears of presenting sales proposals, and training,no one has ever turned me down when I askedto visit the venue prior to the presentation. Ifyou are able, visit the site up to 24 hours beforeyou present. "is extra time allows you to standin the space and visualize your presentationwhile you are in the room, and mostimportantly, a#er you leave. "is is powerful;don’t overlook the impact visualizing asuccessful presentation can have on yourcon!dence.

2) Connect and Engage. If you are usingPowerPoint or Keynote, position your computerso the monitor faces you and you face theaudience. You will be able to see your slideswithout turning your back to the audience, a bigno-no. "is also allows you to have eye contactand engage with your audience, a big yes-yes.

3) Know Your Material! Don’t wing it.Reading your slides is a guaranteed way to losethe attention of your audience. Potential clientslike their suppliers to be con!dent. Soremember, there is no such thing as too muchpractice. You are the presentation, not the slides.

You’ve studied your client’s issues; youhave asked the right questions and knowyour competition. You are con!dent you

have an excellent solution and have even securedan appointment to present your proposal. Wow,you are almost there, but don’t mentally spendyour commission yet! Your presentation can be ahuge di$erentiator for you and could make orbreak your sale. Here are !ve basic ways toensure you get o$ to a good start and stand outfrom the crowd:

1) Don’t Be on Time … Be Early. Arrange toarrive early so you can be assured all media is

Don’t wing it! There is no suchthing as too much practice.

perfection. You may have dotted all your I’s, crossed all yourT’s and have all the correct answers for your client’squestions. However, I have a sincere belief that it is thepeople who can e$ectively communicate their ideas andconnect to others who usually end up winning the clients,gaining recognition and even getting a promotion.

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4) Move with Purpose. For business meetingpresentations, imagine a four-square-foot box around youand stay in this general area. Pacing back and forth indicatesnervousness and a lack of self-con!dence. You may thinkyour audience is paying attention because they are watchingyou. "ey are watching…just not listening. When you domove around, move with purpose.

5) Use a Fine Design. Every slide does not have to be a list of bullets. Use graphics, photos and quotes to helpsupport your message. There are lots of great sites outthere to help you communicate the benefits of yoursolution. Some sites are free and some are pay as you go.Use them to make your presentation engaging and helpyou communicate your ideas.

Here’s a last bit of advice: Whenever you get the chance topresent your proposal, remember it is about connection, not

Kate Tunison is the Founder and President ofPresentingPlus! LLC, specializing in salespresentations, sales training, coaching andcustomer service training. Kate Tunison canbe reached at www.presentingplus.com or404.313.5511.

Phone: 404.313.5511Email: info@presentingplus.com

Twitter: @presentingpluswww.presentingplus.com

It’s all about connection, not perfection.